European Custom Installer

The Q1 2020 earnings release of Roomba maker iRobot reveals the company has "suspended" launch plans for the Terra, an autonomous lawnmower promising to combine state-of-the-art navigation technologies with high-quality mowing.

The reason behind the indefinite delay, as one might imagine, is the coronavirus (aka Covid-19) outbreak. The pandemic has affected the iRobot supply chain, leading to revenue losses and a shifting of resources to keep the company afloat. As a result iRobot has not only shelved product launches, but has also reduced its workforce by approximately 70 positions (or 5% of the total), mostly in the R&D department, and furloughed 14 sales and marketing employees in European in-store retail operations.

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) announces version 2.0 of the DisplayPort Alternate Mode (aka Alt Mode) standard, providing seamless interoperability with the recently released USB4 specification.

DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.0 fully enables all the features of the latest version of the DisplayPort standard (version 2.0) through the USB-C connector. Through Alt Mode, the USB-C connector can transmit up to 80Gbps of DisplayPort video data utilising all four high-speed lanes in the cables, or up to 40Gbps with simultaneous SuperSpeed USB data delivery.

Monitor Audio presents the 6th generation of Bronze Series loudspeakers, with eight models promising a complete upgrade in sound and build quality, together with the first Dolby Atmos-enabled module from the company.

First launched 20 years ago, the Bronze Series is the winner of multiple awards. The eight models making the 6th generation are the AMS Dolby Atmos-enabled speaker, 50 bookshelf, 100 bookshelf, FX rear speaker, W10 subwoofer, C150 centre speaker, 200 floorstander and 500 floorstander. They feature a uniform combined waveguide combined with the signature C-CAM gold tome tweeter for even sound dispersion, improved time alignment and wider directivity for a more lifelike listening experience.

IFA Berlin should still happen in 2020, but following German legislation banning all events with over 5000 participants until 24 October it will involve what organisers gfu and Messe Berlin describe as an "innovative new concept."

The organisers say they have been discussing the development, not to mention a range of alternative concepts, for the past few weeks. They fail to actually detail what such concepts entail, but say IFA 2020 will still deliver a global showcase for technology innovation, as well as a meeting place for brands, manufacturers, retailers and the media.

Gira announces the Cube motion detector-- a means to automate exterior home lighting through changes in both ambient light and thermal motion, with precision sensors ensuring lights only switch on when necessary.

The Cube motion detector monitors exterior lighting, and automatically switches it on when it identifies the ambient brightness or thermal motion from a passer-by. The sensors promise to minimise energy waste, and should not respond to events such as gusts of wind or torrential rain. The Cube is set at a 120-degree detection angle, and installers can alter it to 240-degrees, making it suitable for both confined spaces and areas in need of extra-wide range.