Want to know the future of building objects? In The Diamond Age futurist novelist Neal Stephenson outlines “the feed” from which citizens can create anything they want for free. We’re not there yet, but that hasn’t stopped Signal Snowboards from creating the world’s first 3D printed snowboard in this month’s Every Third Thursday. Check it out.
[Link: Signal Snowboards]
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After less than a year-and-a-half at Nike (most recently as GM of Nike+Digital Sport), former Volcom General Counsel Hoby Darling has apparently accepted the job of CEO at Skullcandy, according to a story in the Portland Business Journal.
“I am extremely excited to join the Skullcandy team at this early stage of the company’s global growth cycle,” Darling said in a statement.
Interim CEO and founder Rick Alden has to be the happiest of the two, however.
“On behalf of our board, I can’t be more pleased to welcome Hoby to the Skullcandy team,” said Alden, in a news release. “The board is acutely aware of the needs of this organization and has moved swiftly to find the greatest resource to meet those needs. Hoby’s involvement with both emerging and global brands makes him the ideal person to lead this company.”
It would appear that Darling enjoys a challenge.
[Link: Portland Business Journal]
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Shares of Skullcandy were down as much as 11 percent in after-hours trading after announcing that their next quarter will result in a loss of 25 to 30 cents a share, according to a story on MarketWatch.com.
“We have not kept up with all the changing [headphone] trends nor have we led with our own innovations,” said Interim Chief Executive and Skullcandy founder Rick Alden. “We have remarkable resources to get this done. We now need to refocus these resources to get back to building remarkable products.”
The company reported a profit of $11.5 million on sales of $101 million, but it’s always the next quarter that the Street worries about.
[Link: MarketWatch]
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We’ve pretty much stopped covering Skullcandy headphone company since founder Rick Alden left in 2011, but now we get the news that Alden is back in the CEO position. Current CEO Jeremy Andrus has announced that he was joining a private investment firm, according to a story on Twice, and Alden is now back in as “interim CEO.”
In a statement, Alden said: “I am honored to play this role in the next chapter at Skullcandy. This company has been my life since founding it and I’m excited to come back in as we enter our second decade. I could not be more fired up to jump back in and get my hands dirty, especially around product development and geographic expansion.”
And to think he didn’t even mention it to us when we saw him (pictured far right with Dennis Nazari, Terry Kidwell, and Dave Wray) at the SIA Show in Denver. In other news Skullcandy’s stock was down 7 percent today.
[Link: Twice]
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Squaw Valley via Google Maps.
The Google has reportedly added maps of 38 resorts to their Google Maps app, according to a post on ABC News.
Now you can find your way to never-ending mogul fun on the Mad Wolf run at Montana’s Big Sky Resort, or navigate to Vermont’s Stowe Mountain Resort’s freestyle terrain parks for shredding bliss. . . Other popular ski resorts on the app include Aspen and Vail in Colorado, Sun Valley in Idaho, Squaw Valley and Mammoth Mountain in California, and Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont.
At this rate soon we won’t even have to take our brains with us when we go outside. And that’s some good news.
[Link: ABC News]
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We don’t really cover Skullcandy all that much anymore because they’re really more of consumer electronic company than they are anything else, but it is interesting to note that thanks to their currently low, low stock price Bloomberg is mentioning today (January 9, 2013) that they are a perfect “takeover target.”
Down 66 percent since it began trading in July 2011, Skullcandy has performed worse than all but seven of the 185 U.S. IPOs completed since its debut, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The stock sank to a record low of $6.70 last week after Jefferies Group Inc. recommended selling the shares. The company’s enterprise value of 3.9 times earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization is cheaper than than 96 percent of stocks in the Russell 2000 Index, the data show. . . While increasing competition for in-ear headphones and the company’s move into lower-margin designs prompted the Jefferies downgrade on Jan. 2, Skullcandy shareholder Royce & Associates LLC says its brand may appeal to buyers such as Bose Corp. or Sony Corp. (6758) Even though Skullcandy’s revenue growth has slowed, the shares have fallen more than is justified and that might prompt a takeover, Roth Capital Partners LLC said.
Sony? Bose? What about Monster Cable? Any one of those wouldn’t be a bad exit strategy. Skullcandy shares are, of course, up on all the takeover talk.
[Link: Bloomberg]
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Thanks to a little technological wizardry from Ocearch (and some tagged sharks) surfers can now track sharks around the world using the non-profit’s Global Shark Tracker. Want to track “Mary Lee” the 16 foot great white and she tools around Jacksonville, Florida beaches? It’s all there for you. Now, if they could just tag all the sharks.
[Link via Jacksonville.com]
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Daniel Spelmezan, a post-doctorate candidate at the University of Paris-Sud, has written a paper titled “An Investigation into the Use of Tactile Instructions in Snowboarding.”
Ten amateurs learned a riding technique with a wearable system that automatically provided tactile instructions during descents. These instructions were in sync with the movements of the snowboard and signaled how to move the body.
What are “tactile instructions” exactly? Spelzmezan equipped the snowboarders with cellphone controlled vibrating devices that would buzz them on different parts of their bodies to encourage them to make the right movements. Spelmezan said in his paper, “Overall, our findings indicate that tactile instructions could support snowboarders in improving their performance.”
Wonder what kind of results Spelmezan would have gotten by replacing the vibrators with electro shock systems?
[Link via MIT Technology Review]
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With Soloshot none of us have to depend on an easily distracted friend, lazy filmer, or bored girl or boyfriend. All we have to do is put the camera on a Soloshot equipped tripod, slip a transmitter on our arm, and we’ve got a dedicated filmer rolling non-stop. The only downside? The thing costs $479.00. But then again, it doesn’t whine, complain, or miss the shot . . .ever!
[Link: Soloshot]
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Portland, Oregon based wood iPhone covering makers Grove have teamed up with recycled skateboard jewelry makers MapleXO on a iPhone 5 back protector called the SkateBack.
The sustainable SkateBack for iPhone 5 or 4/4s is made of 100% post-industrial skate board material. Crafted here in our workshop, this recycled adhesive adornment protects the back of your phone and comes in three color schemes. No two are exactly alike!
It’s not a case that covers the whole phone, just the back. The SkateBack currently sells for $39.00.
[Link: Grove via Cult of Mac] [click to continue…]
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