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CTA Centennial

April 16, 2024, was the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CTA (Consumer Technology Association), which started as the RMA (Radio Manufacturers Association). This is a series of essays I have written for TWICE exploring and celebrating CTA’s and the consumer technology industry’s first century of invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

These essays have been assembled from varying technology historical research and writings I have done over the course of 20-plus years, including from an annually updated industry history for CTA’s now-defunct Digital America, 20-plus years of CTA Hall of Fame inductee biographies, and numerous tech history articles for a variety of publications over the years.

Part 1 (1924-1929): Founding

Herbert H. Frost: CTA’sGeorge Washington

Part 2 (1930-1945): David Sarnoff

Part 3 (1946-1960): The TV Age

Part 4 (1961-1974): The Sixties

Interlude: Jack Wayman, Our Industry’s Indispensable Exec

Part 5a (1975-1985): A Decade of Disruption – Home Video Revolution

Part 5b (1975-1985): A Decade Of Disruption – Personal Audio Revolution

Part 5c (1975-1985): A Decade of Disruption – Personal Computing

Part 5d (1975-1985): A Decade of Disruption – 1984 ‘Phones It In’

Part 5e (1975-1985): A Decade of Disruption – 1984: Hollywood Loses The Battle Against Home Video – But Wins The War

Part 6a (1985-2000): Platform Wars – Recording Media

Part 6b (1985-2000): Platform Wars – Video Games

Part 6c (1985-2000): Platform Wars – Airways (Part 1)

Part 6c (1985-2000): Platform Wars – Airways (Part 2)

Part 6d (1985-2000): Platform Wars – Compression

Part 6e (1985-2000): Platform Wars – Digital Photography

Part 6f (1985-2000): Platform Wars – DVD

Part 6g (1985-2000): Platform Wars – HDTV (Part 1)

Part 6g (1985-2000): Platform Wars – HDTV (Part 2)

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Happy 100th Birthday, Consumer Technology Business

Celebrating the 100th birthday of the consumer technology industry with the story behind how and why our business came to be and of those responsible for creating it, in five parts:

Part 1: The Wireless Age

Part 2: A National Priority

Part 3: A Pittsburgh Radio Sensation

Part 4: The Birth of a Business

Part 5: “When The Public Is Ready For Mass Demand”

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How the Consumer Technology Industry Was Born

What we now call the consumer technology industry was born November 30, 1920, when the first consumer electronics product, the two-piece RA-DA, the first commercially produced radio designed for the mass market, rolled off the Westinghouse assembly line in East Pittsburgh. After a two-year period of hectic technological, business and legislative/regulatory developments following the end of World War I, the Westinghouse RA-DA and the entire radio industry emerged, becoming the dominant consumer technology product for three decades. On the centennial of our industry, let’s take a look at the events of 1919-1920 that cleared the way for the future.

Part 1: The Day Radio Died

Part 2: How the Consumer Technology Industry Was Almost Never Born

Part 3: How President Wilson Shaped the Airways

Part 4: Happy 100th Birthday To The Consumer Technology Industry

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Versuni Enters North American Market With Small Appliance Portfolio

Beginning with Philips-branded coffee and espresso makers, Versuni’s brand portfolio will expand with air fryers and garment cleaning devices in the coming months.

Read the rest of this story here at TWICE.com.

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Will the AirPods Pro 2 Make Good Hearing Aids?

Sometime in the next few weeks – or sooner – Apple will release a software update that will transform its popular AirPods Pro 2 into official FDA-authorized over-the-counter (OTC) self-fitting hearing aids.

So, if you think you need hearing aids, should you wait for the software upgrade or go ahead and buy a “normal” dedicated hearing aid, such as the new Sony CRE-C20 or one of the current Bluetooth-enabled OTC hearing aids such as the HP Hearing Pro?

Read the rest of this story here at Techlicious.com.

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Review: Sony’s New CRE-C20 Are the Best OTC Hearing Aids I’ve Tested

My biggest complaint about Sony’s first OTC hearing aids, the CRE-C10, was the in-ear buds being powered by annoying and tiny single-use hearing aid batteries.

Problem solved for Sony’s second generation CRE-C20 ($999.99).

Read the rest of this review here at Techlicious.com.

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Could Apple Disrupt OTC Hearing Aid Business?

Pending software update will turn tens of millions of $250 AirPods Pro 2 into OTC hearing aids, which could force other makers to reconsider pricing and product.

Read the rest of this report here at TWICE.com.

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Tweeter Co-Founder Sandy Bloomberg Has Died

Starting with a $10,000 investment and a 1,000-square-foot space, Bloomberg grew Tweeter into the largest high-end specialty retailer in the country.

Read the rest of this obit here at TWICE.com.

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Panasonic Re-Enters U.S. TV Market

Screenshot

Company now shipping two affordable OLED sets and one mini-LED model, all running Amazon Fire TV smart TV interface.

Read the rest of this news here at TWICE.com.

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Zagg, Mophie Bow New iPhone 16 Cases, Power Accessories

New Zagg screen shields, consumer-customized iPhone cases, and new Mophie travel, car, and portable battery charging gear are now available.

Read the rest of this report here at TWICE.com.

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The 8 Best CD Players with Speakers for Room-Filling Sound or Tunes On the Go

Want to give your old-school compact discs a spin? Here are the best portable and tabletop CD player/speaker systems.

Read the rest of this roundup here at BestProducts.com.

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Circana Projects Flat H2 For CE Sales

Growing categories include ultra-large TVs, AI PCs and tablets; TVs, desktop and notebook PCs suffer dollar value declines.

Read the rest of this report here at TWICE.com.

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SmartTechCheck Podcast – Crowdstrike, innovation drought, foldables phones, and robot taxis

SmartTechCheck podcast hosted by Mark Vena with myself and fellow tech journalists Rob Pegoraro and John Quain during which we take on Crowdstrike, a perceived drought of tech innovation, foldable smartphones, and Waymo’s robot taxis.

Watch this episode here on YouTube.

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