Blackfire Research, Author at Blackfire Research

Powered by Blackfire: The Harman/Kardon Omni 20 Wireless Speaker

December 20, 2016

The Tech

Blackfire Research is proud to partner with Harman/Kardon – a leading global manufacturer of audio systems – to make the best wireless speakers on the market. Blackfire’s technology can be found in any of Harman’s wireless Omni speakers. Previously, we discussed the Harman/Kardon Omni 10 Wireless HD Loudspeaker. Today, we’ll take another look inside a Harman/Kardon speaker, powered by Blackfire’s patented technology. This time: the Omni 20, a wireless HD stereo loudspeaker.

With a weight of 2125 grams, the Omni 20 is much larger than its predecessor, the Omni 10, and is a more powerful speaker for larger rooms, with a rated power of 4 x 15W. Compared to the smaller, circular shape of the Omni 10, the Omni 20 is an oval, with a width of 260mm.

Like the Omni 10, the Omni 20 allows for multi-room and multi-channel wireless surround sound with a multi-speaker setup. Harman/Kardon’s user-friendly design allows you to enjoy your music from anywhere in your home, all with the touch of a button: enjoy the same song throughout the entire home through “Party Mode,” or Press “Link” on the speaker to continue playing your music on another device. Multi-room and multi-channel wireless audio also lets you play different songs in different rooms.

You can stream music from your smartphone or tablet through the Harman/Kardon controller app, or, take advantage of the Omni 10’s Bluetooth capability by streaming music from your tablet or phone. While using Bluetooth, “the speaker will automatically translate the signal to Wi-Fi…all over your house for a truly flexible whole home audio experience”so you never have to worry about range limitations, dropouts, or low quality audio.

The Omni 20 supports superior, lossless HD audio without synchronization issues, playback lag or dropouts between multiple speakers, and streams up to 24bit/96kHz studio quality sound, all through Wi-Fi.

Harman/Kardon’s Omni 20 wireless HD Stereo Loudspeaker powered by Blackfire comes in either black or white and can be purchased for $299.95 each.

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Top 5 Movies to Watch in Surround Sound

December 13, 2016

For Your Entertainment

Blackfire Research

You did it: you finally purchased that surround sound system for your TV you’ve been eyeing. Now it’s time to show it off to all your family and friends at your next movie night. But what should you watch? Don’t think too hard, because we’ve compiled a list of 5 of the best movies for surround sound. Hold onto your popcorn!

Saving Private Ryan

Regarded as having one of the most realistic battle sequences shot for the silver screen, Spielberg’s 1998 Oscar-winning, WWII drama opens with the Allied invasion of Normandy. Your surround sound will impress with all the explosions, yelling, and general chaos present throughout the entire film, not to mention, the touching score by celebrated composer John Williams will have you and your guests grabbing for the nearest box of tissues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82RTzi5Vt7w

Moulin Rouge!

We “can-can-can’t” think of a better musical to watch in surround sound than Baz Luhrmann’s 2001, Moulin Rouge! This love story takes place between a poet and a courtesan during the Bohemian revolution of Paris in 1900. With its large scale, rapid choreography, paired with a mixture of original and contemporary tunes, this film dazzles both visually and audibly. In surround sound, you’ll also hear the many, whimsical sound effects that punctuate the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1K8JpovOw4

The Dark Knight

From the opening bank robbery scene to the finale’s voice overs and score, Christopher Nolan’s second film in his Dark Knight Trilogy is a cinematic masterpiece, and surround sound only makes it better. You can hear the madness behind Heath Ledger’s wavering vocal inflections, the crackling of fire as it envelopes the screen. With epic chase scenes, psychologically vexing dialogue, and Hans Zimmer’s grim composition, surround sound will transform your living room into Gotham.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqvbv-SB4bg

Mad Max: Fury Road

If it’s action you’re looking for, George Miller certainly delivers in this 2015 postapocalyptic sci fi thriller. Considered to be one of the greatest action films ever made, not only is it basically one long chase scene, but the earth shattering sound effects will have your whole house shaking. Winner of Best Sound Mixing and Sound Editing at the 2016 Academy Awards, Mad Max: Fury Road puts your eyes, and ears, into hyperdrive. You better buckle up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IJ8_Jf891k

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

The final installment of Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, which won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director (Jackson), Best Original Score (Howard Shore) and Best Original Song (Into the West), is at the top of any audiophile’s list of favorite films. And there’s good reason: from Aragorn’s meeting with the Army of the Dead at Dunharrow, to Pippin’s haunting song for Steward Denethor, and, the climactic, crackling fires and bubbling lava of Mount Doom, (not to mention, the numerous, epic, battle sequences) this film was made for surround sound and will have you whispering “my precious” to your speakers each night before you go to bed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pis3veqKl8k

Are you an audiophile whose favorite movie didn’t make the list? Have any other recommendations for great films to watch in surround sound? Add yours below in the comments!

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Consumer Electronics Veteran Joins Blackfire Research Leadership Team

December 8, 2016

Press Releases

Blackfire Research

FORMER RAZER EXECUTIVE, RUBEN MOOKERJEE, NAMED VP OF GLOBAL SALES AND DISTRIBUTION

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – December 7, 2016 – Blackfire Research, the leading developer of wireless technology for home entertainment, today announced that Ruben Mookerjee has joined the executive team as VP of Global Sales and Distribution.

Mookerjee joins Blackfire Research with more than 30 years of Consumer Electronics experience, most recently serving as the Vice President and General Manager at Razer, the dominant brand and global leader in PC gaming.

“We are thrilled to have Ruben head up our Sales and Distribution,” says Blackfire Research founder and CEO, Ravi Rajapakse. “He brings a unique background in consumer products that combines technology with business development and sales distribution. I have known Ruben for several years, and am delighted to have his leadership and expertise on the Blackfire team.”

Prior to Razer, Mookerjee headed up the PC Components business at Corsair, where he also led the acquisition of Simple Audio, a networked audio player. Mookerjee held executive positions at Logitech (NASDAQ: LOGI), Labtec and Hewlett Packard. Mookerjee holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from Kingston University, London.

“I first met Ravi several years ago, and was instantly intrigued by his vision and the robust technology developed by the Blackfire Research team”, said Mookerjee. “There is a lot of wireless technology out there, but they all trade off performance for convenience. Blackfire Research has opened up the possibility of a wireless future, from 4K video to 5.1 audio, that can be screened around the home without compromising the integrity of the product or the user’s experience.”

About Blackfire Research

Founded in 2006, Blackfire Research (www.bfrx.com) develops wireless software technology and hardware solutions for high-performance, wireless home entertainment systems. Blackfire Research is built on patented Internet Protocol technologies designed to wirelessly stream media to multiple devices simultaneously over standard Wi-Fi. Through partnerships with global, industry leaders, Blackfire creates products that allow movie, TV, and music lovers to wirelessly create the home entertainment experience they desire.

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Retail Drives Smart Home Innovation

December 6, 2016

The Tech

Blackfire Research

By Rohit Verma

The popular focus on smart home technology is on home automation, such as smart lighting, environmental control, smart appliances and home security. These technologies make up a rapidly growing, multi-billion dollar market. However, that is small change compared to retail. The retail market accounts for a quarter of the U.S. economy, or, about 100 times that of home automation (in 2015, U.S. GDP was $18 trillion and consumer spending accounted for roughly $12 trillion, of which, retail spending was $4 trillion). Growth in retail tracks the economy and has been slow – for instance, Q2 2016 growth was 2% year-over-year. Online retail, however, expanded 16% over the same period and is now almost 10% of overall retail spending. It is no wonder then, that fighting to win control over this huge prize is the driving force behind The Smart Home Wars.

The (re)tail winds have shifted the smart home industry to not necessarily make smart products for the home, but rather, making a home smarter so it can buy products. The most ferocious battle for smart home domination is between Amazon and Google, and this battle is already transforming how we interact with our homes.

A River Runs Through Your Smart Home

With revenues of $100 billion, Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer. Amazon is relentless in its goal to establish and maintain strong, long-term relationships with their customers. They pride themselves on making innovations to make purchasing easier, already taking immense strides to make the home “smarter” for purchases. It comes as no surprise that Amazon’s smart home product direction is geared toward enabling growth in retail sales through immediacy and ease of use. Amazon’s Dash buttons and the Amazon Echo, along with the Echo’s siblings, the Dot and the Tap, are poster children for a smart home in its formative years. Dash buttons are essentially free ($4.99 for a $4.99 credit), and each is associated with one of a few hundred household products, such as Bounty paper towels, Tide laundry detergent, even Diet Coke. The Dash Button is simple: a press of a button initiates the product’s purchase and delivery to you (all through Amazon). However, Amazon’s most major advancement in smart home technology is the Echo. Echo is a Wi-Fi connected smart speaker, whose key innovation is its skillful application of voice recognition and AI responses. It can play music, provide web search results, and control home automation devices all through voice command. Amazon wants to make the Echo indispensable in the home, and provides a platform for third parties to write programs that leverage the Echo’s voice recognition and connectivity. This will make the Echo’s value increase over time as its functionality expands, much like the Google and Apple app stores. However, the Echo’s main value to Amazon is it’s ability to maintain shopping lists and make purchases from an increasing selection of products through Amazon. This is the biggest step in smart home technology and has set the bar for any competing devices. As investment continues, the Echo will eventually be able to make most of your household purchases on demand or (where AI technology and the market is headed) predictively. This will lead to consumers making more purchases through, and increased loyalty with, the Amazon ecosystem.

OK Google…

Google has proven itself the leader in developing AI technologies, placing it at the forefront of innovation for smart home solutions. Although a bit late to the direct-to-consumer marketplace, Google’s heavy investment in AI has it marching into battle with a fully loaded arsenal. When you have $80 billion in cash, you take a few chances. To have a more direct presence in the home, Google has bought Nest and Dropcam, released Chromecast Audio, Chromecast Video and Google OnHub, and even made their own Amazon competing retail delivery service - Google Express. Most recently and most loudly, Google has released Google Home, a voice-activated smart home speaker. Google Home was unveiled earlier this Fall to positive consumer and critical reviews. Like the Echo, you can use Google Home to search the web, set reminders and play music from your Spotify account (as well as other streaming services). However, a major reason behind the introduction of Google Home is defensive. Internet advertising continues to comprise the vast majority of Google’s revenue. And, a large part of that revenue is related to retail. U.S. internet advertising revenue was at $60 billion in 2015, and growing at 23% quarter-over-quarter in Q4 2015. Of that $60 billion, 22% was from retail, and another 13% from fields closely related to retail. It is the loss of this revenue that Google is threatened by with Amazon’s smart home successes. Consumers using devices like Amazon’s Echo and Dash undermine Google’s growth in its search revenue: the more a company like Amazon gets consumers to buy directly through their platforms, the lower the need for individuals to search and browse the web to find products, and the less money Google makes through ad sales. Google must protect their search business at all costs.

The Two Tower Speakers

Amazon Echo and Google Home. Two similarly shaped speakers with similar functionality and similar intent. So, who will win the “Smart Home Wars?” On the one hand, we have a retail giant with a clear focus on consumers and the ability to churn out innovative products. On the other, a company with, probably, the largest collection of software talent and massive AI skills. Each is fighting for the future of their core business. There are two distinct directions their smart home innovations favor. Amazon is all in for ease of purchase, it’s “one stop shop.” If Amazon makes their shopping experience the most intuitive and convenient, they have a large shot at controlling the retail market. For consumers, however, the captivity of convenience will alleviate pricing pressure on Amazon and lead to higher prices. At least, prices that are higher than they would otherwise have been. Google is repurposing its basic search engine for smart home products and AI, making it easier for individuals to find the best value for their retail purchases. Google’s investment in AI technology also means that it leads the industry in the most innovative ways to predict what you may want, or need, for your home. The winner may well be decided by whether consumers prefer convenience (Amazon) or whether the ability to find the best deal is more important (Google).

Back to the Smart Future

Conventional wisdom predicts a bright future for smart home products and solutions. It’s still in the early stages, so what shape the products take and what revenue streams the solutions inspire will only unfold in time. The importance of retail is driving Amazon and Google to make the Echo or Home indispensable, and to try and make them the “hub” of the future smart home. However, the market is young and growing rapidly each year, and there will inevitably be additional competitors in this space - Apple will certainly play a part, Microsoft will likely build something based on Cortana, Samsung and LG are working on voice-based assistants, and other players like AT&T, Comcast, and Sony seem poised to enter the field. Amazon and Google chose the humble speaker. The ubiquity of speakers and their naturalness for two-way communication through the clever use of voice interface and AI makes this the most compelling effort so far. But they still have a long way to go. While a hub based on home entertainment is persuasive, consumers are still looking for products that can not only replace existing ones, but connect the entire home into one large system. Amazon and Google’s focus on retail and associated aspects of the smart home experience has led to initiatives that do not meet consumers’ complete home entertainment needs. The natural path for the “Next Big Thing” in smart home technology will incorporate comprehensive wireless home entertainment into the hub: speakers throughout the whole home with multi-channel 5.1 capability, TVs with varying streaming and gaming platforms, and your smart phone, all connected, all on standard Wi-Fi.

The battle is just beginning, with the field, and combatants, not yet fully defined. The war is nowhere near over.

About Rohit Verma - Rohit is the head of corporate strategy and CFO at Blackfire Research Corp. He has held executive management positions in wireless and software technology companies, as well as management consulting at A.T. Kearney, with an expertise in strategy, corporate finance, and business development. Rohit holds a Ph.D. in economics from The University of Pennsylvania with a focus on strategy, and received his undergraduate degree in computer science and mathematics.

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Powered by Blackfire: The Harman/Kardon Omni 10 Wireless Speaker

November 29, 2016

Harman Wireless HD, The Tech

Blackfire Research

Blackfire Research is proud to partner with Harmon/Kardon, a leading global manufacturer of audio systems, to make the best wireless speakers on the market. Blackfire’s technology can be found in any of Harmon’s wireless Omni speakers. Today, we’ll take a closer look inside the Omni 10, the wireless HD loudspeaker that started it all.

With its small, elegant design, the Omni 10, wireless HD loudspeaker, packs a lot of punch. Powered by Blackfire’s patented technology, the Omni 10 sets the bar for the industry’s best performing small room speaker. (Based on objective performance studies of currently available Wi-Fi speaker technologies as defined by the ITU Indoor Radio Propagation Model.) The Omni 10 supports superior, lossless HD audio without synchronization issues, playback lag or dropouts between multiple speakers, and streams up to 24bit/96kHz studio quality sound, all through Wi-Fi.

A multi-speaker setups allow for multi-room and multi-channel wireless surround sound. Harmon/Kardon’s user-friendly design allows you to enjoy your music from anywhere in your home, all with the touch of a button: enjoy the same song throughout the entire home through “Party Mode,” or Press “Link” to continue playing your music on another device. Multi-room and multi-channel wireless audio also lets you play different songs in different rooms, so you’ll never have to fight over music tastes again!

You can stream music from your smartphone or tablet through the Harmon/Kardon controller app, or, take advantage of the Omni 10’s Bluetooth capability by streaming music from your tablet or phone. While using Bluetooth, “the speaker will automatically translate the signal to Wi-Fi…all over your house for a truly flexible whole home audio experience**”so you never have to worry about range limitations, dropouts, or low quality audio. If streaming music isn’t your thing, the Omni 10 also has a 3.5 mm auxiliary input that allows you to connect your speaker to almost any audio device.

Harmon/Kardon’s Omni 10 wireless HD Loudspeaker powered by Blackfire comes in either black or white and can be purchased for $199.95 each.

Notes

*Based on objective performance studies of currently available Wi-Fi speaker technologies as defined by the ITU Indoor Radio Propagation Model.
** http://www.harmankardon.com/HKOMNI10BLKAM.html

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