Focal and SPARK Microsystems Expand Collaboration for Premium Wireless Audio Speakers Powered by UWB
Focal's new Diva Mezza Utopia loudspeakers join growing product family leveraging SPARK UWB for unparalleled audio delivery
Article content
MONTREAL — SPARK Microsystems, a Canadian fabless semiconductor company specializing in next-generation short-range wireless communications, today welcomed the newest entry in Hi-Fi audio speakers from Focal, the renowned French audio brand. The new Diva Mezza Utopia active wireless 3-way loudspeakers expand the design collaboration initiated with the Diva Utopia speakers, extending the prestigious Focal Diva range to a new performance tier with SPARK's Ultra-Wideband (SPARK LE-UWB™) wireless platform.
Article content
Delivering the performance of wired connectivity without the wires – the hallmark of SPARK's innovation – Focal's growing line of Diva loudspeakers redefines the standards for high-fidelity wireless listening.
Article content
SPARK LE-UWB™ connectivity enables a robust, reliable wireless link between paired Diva Mezza Utopia loudspeakers while maintaining a stable and lossless signal at 96kHz/24-bit resolution with no compression. Delivering the performance of wired connectivity without the wires – the hallmark of SPARK's innovation – Focal's growing line of Diva loudspeakers redefines the standards for high-fidelity wireless listening.
Article content
Focal's Diva Mezza Utopia speakers deliver a deep, wide, and vibrant soundstage, with the freedom and flexibility of wireless connectivity. SPARK LE-UWB™ technology enables Diva Mezza Utopia loudspeakers to support multiroom configurations in spaces up to 100 m², making it easier than ever to wirelessly integrate premium audio experiences into a home music ecosystem.
Article content
'The scalability of the SPARK transceiver portfolio has likewise equipped Focal to scale its product collection to new heights with the Diva Mezza Utopia system,' said Jocelyn Carroue, Sr. Director, Sales and Technical Support, SPARK Microsystems. 'Our continued collaboration with Focal is helping to bring bit-perfect audio quality – indistinguishable from wired sound – to its discerning clientele.'
Article content
'Diva Mezza Utopia loudspeakers build upon the design quality and warm customer reception achieved with the first Diva Utopia, combining audiophile excellence with ease of use in perfect balance,' said Rejean Bedel, Group Marketing Manager, Focal & Naim. 'SPARK's innovation in UWB wireless connectivity is essential to the sound of all Diva Utopia loudspeakers.'
Article content
Focal's Diva Mezza Utopia and Diva Utopia loudspeakers are available today exclusively at qualified Focal Powered by Naim retailers. For more information, visit Focal's website.
Article content
About Focal
Article content
Since 1979, Focal has stood out from the crowd in manufacturing loudspeakers and acoustic speakers. Their expertise extends to headphones, car audio kits, professional speakers, and installations for yachts. This unique know-how, combined with their in-house manufacturing in France, puts Focal among the top audio brands globally. In 2011, Focal joined forces with Naim — the British leader in high-end electronics — under the VerVent Audio group to offer exquisite complete audio systems. www.focal.com About SPARK Microsystems SPARK Microsystems is building next generation short-range wireless communication devices. SPARK UWB provides high data rate and very low latency wireless communication links at an ultra-low power profile, making it ideal for personal area networks (PANs) used in mobile, consumer and IoT-connected products. Leveraging patented technologies, SPARK Microsystems strives to minimize and ultimately eliminate wires and batteries from a wide range of applications. For more information, please visit www.sparkmicro.com.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
7 minutes ago
- CTV News
Meme stock surge underlines market froth, mostly centred on retail investors
Specialist Anthony Matesic works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, April 4, 2025. NEW YORK — Massive moves in stocks such as Kohl's and Opendoor Technologies are raising questions over whether a new wave of meme stock trading is underway and what that signals about risk appetite more broadly. Benchmark equity indexes have touched record highs, cryptocurrencies are rallying, and options trading volumes have jumped, highlighting renewed signs of speculative fervor across asset classes. Much of the risk-taking behavior is being driven by retail market participants, investors said, with larger institutional players taking a more circumspect view. 'It seems like the story, at least in the equity market, is everything is kind of risk on,' Garrett DeSimone, head of quantitative research at OptionMetrics, said. 'It has gotten a bit frothy in that sense.' So-called meme stocks - stocks that surge in price due to social media hype rather than company fundamentals - are at the forefront of this frothy market behavior. Krispy Kreme and GoPro were among the companies riding the latest meme stock rally on Wednesday as retail traders latched on to the highly shorted names, a day after piling into the shares of department store company Kohl's. The Goldman Sachs Most Shorted Rolling Index, an equal-weighted basket of the 50 highest short-interest names in the Russell 3000 Index, is up 13 per cent this month, compared to a nearly two per cent gain for the Russell 3000 in that time, and is up over 60 per cent since the low for the year in April. 'Retail has helped fuel the squeeze,' Marco Iachini, senior vice president of research at Vanda, said. Retail interest was particularly on display in the options market with several retail favorite options names, including Krispy Kreme and Kohl's, drawing massive trading volume. 'They also have a huge amount of mentions across retail boards and Reddit. So they've definitely attracted some attention, you know, not based on fundamentals, which I guess defines a meme stock,' OptionMetrics' DeSimone said. Trading in short-dated contracts has also surged, signaling higher appetite for risk-taking, options data showed. Still, various options market gauges, including put-to-call ratios and stock correlation measures, point to frothiness but are not at highs seen at the peak of past periods of speculative frenzy. 'There is not the signal yet that things are so overbought that this needs to stop ... to me it still feels early stage,' said Brent Kochuba, founder of options analytic service SpotGamma. Speculative fever is on display also in cryptocurrencies and crypto-related stocks and exchange-traded funds. Bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency, recently hit a record high of US$123,153, while several crypto-focused stocks, including crypto exchange Coinbase Global and bitcoin stockpiler Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, have soared. 'Confidence among retail traders is notably higher, fueled in part by recent gains in crypto markets,' Mark Hackett, chief market strategist at Nationwide, said in a note. Irene Tunkel, chief U.S. equity strategist at BCA Research, said although retail investors appeared to be over-exuberant, the market as a whole did not. 'You look at institutional investor sentiment, it's not really overextended,' Tunkel said. 'So I think it's just one group, which is retail investors, that got overly excited and the froth is there.' Despite the S&P 500 making new highs, equity positioning is far below February levels as investors remain underweight stocks, according to Deutsche Bank estimates. The S&P 500 as of Tuesday traded at 22.5 times its expected 12-month earnings - its highest level this year - and has been above a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 22 for nearly the past month, according to LSEG Datastream. That is a valuation level the index has reached only about seven per cent of the time over the past 40 years, and is well above its long-term average of 15.8. Investors say valuations are not always useful for determining the market's near-term direction. But the fact that equity valuations are elevated could make stocks more vulnerable to any disappointing shocks in the coming weeks. 'For me, it's more when positioning gets really crowded. So right now, we're seeing these bouts of meme stock trading, but I'm not seeing it really affect the overall market,' Vanda's Iachini said. --- Reporting by Saqib Iqbal Ahmed and Lewis Krauskopf; Additional reporting by Laura Matthews; editing by Megan Davies and Nia Williams
National Post
7 minutes ago
- National Post
ISACA Expands Eligibility of First-ever Advanced AI Audit Certification
Six additional global credentials now included among prerequisites for the Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA) credential THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — A greater number of audit certification holders around the globe now meet the requirements to pursue the new ISACA Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA) certification—the first and only advanced audit-specific artificial intelligence certification designed for experienced auditors. In addition to the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) from ISACA, Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) from Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the following are now included among the prerequisite credentials a candidate can have to become AAIA certified: ACCA Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) ACCA Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant (Canadian CPA) from Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada CPA Australia Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) from CPA Australia CPA Australia Fellow Certified Practicing Accountant (FCPA) from CPA Australia Japanese Certified Public Accountant (Japanese CPA) from the Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (JICPA) Built on ISACA's trusted expertise in IT audit and the rigorous standards behind these renowned credentials, AAIA validates expertise in conducting AI-focused audits, addressing AI integration challenges, and enhancing audit processes through AI-driven insights. The credential covers the key domains of AI governance and risk, AI operations, and AI auditing tools and techniques. 'As a global organization, we are committed to providing professionals around the world with the training, resources, and credentialing to help them advance their careers,' says Shannon Donahue, ISACA Chief Content and Publishing Officer. 'We welcome the opportunity to serve this expanded community of experienced audit professionals seeking to validate their AI skills and knowledge through the AAIA credential.' AAIA joins other recently released AI courses and resources from ISACA, as well as the Advanced in AI Security Management (AAISM) credential coming in Q3, which can be earned by CISMs and CISSPs. Learn more about AAIA, the exam and preparation resources at More information about ISACA's other credentials can be found at ISACA® ( champions the global workforce advancing trust in technology. For more than 55 years, ISACA has empowered its community of 185,000+ members with the knowledge, credentials, training and network they need to thrive in fields like information security, governance, assurance, risk management, data privacy and emerging tech. With a presence in more than 190 countries and with nearly 230 chapters worldwide, ISACA offers resources tailored to every stage of members' careers—helping them to thrive in a rapidly changing digital landscape, drive trusted innovation and ensure a more secure digital world. Through the ISACA Foundation, ISACA also expands IT and education career pathways, fostering opportunities to grow the next generation of technology professionals. View source version on Emily Ayala, +1.847.385.7223 Bridget Drufke, +1.847.660.5554
National Post
7 minutes ago
- National Post
Cascade Space Announces $5.9M Seed Funding to Build End-To-End Space Communication Platform
SAN FRANCISCO — Cascade Space, the platform for end-to-end communication system design, test, and operation, today announced that it has raised $5.9 million in seed funding. The round included participation from Nova Threshold, Undeterred Capital, Y Combinator, Night Capital, Olive Capital, Valkyrie Ventures, Karman Ventures, Palm Drive Capital, Garage Capital, TRAC, Aurelia Foundry, Hawktail, Pioneer Fund, Liquid 2 Ventures, and others. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The funding will accelerate the development of the Cascade Portal, a platform for satellite communication system design. Cascade recently released the spacelink Python library open-source. This library contains functions for communication system analysis that is used in the Cascade Portal implementation. 'Our mission at Cascade Space is to provide tools and infrastructure for spacecraft communication system design, test, and operations that will allow our customers to ship faster with the highest levels of mission assurance,' said Jacob Portukalian, co-founder and CEO of Cascade. 'Communication system design, test, and operation is a major bottleneck for space companies, especially those going to lunar and deep space. We have a team of veteran space engineers from SpaceX and Astra and we are stoked to be building the end-to-end platform to accelerate space exploration.' Cascade Space is a space communication system company. Founded in 2025, Cascade Space is building the platform for design, test, and operation for space communication systems. For more information, visit View source version on Jacob Portukalian Co-Founder / CEO jacob@
