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BlueStar Nation is the podcast that tackles the hot topics, trends, and emerging technologies impacting the specialty IT reseller channel, software companies, MSPs, and hardware manufacturers. Hosted by John Martin & Dean Reverman. Tell us what YOU want to hear about: nation@bluestarinc.com
Episodes
Thursday Jan 19, 2023
Thursday Jan 19, 2023
We’re kicking off the fourth year of the pod by looking back and ahead. First, we reflect on 2022 and the stories, trends, surprises, disappointments, and personal moments that stood out to us in the channel, our lives, and the world at large. After that, it’s fun with “Best of” lists, predictions and resolutions, our top episodes of the year, and more!
ALERT!! We need YOUR help! Please send us your ideas for the podcast. What topics, industries, technologies, and partners interest you? https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
#VARValue - What’s your advice for VARs looking ahead?
TEConnecting with us:
Dean - VALL-E AI voice simulator
John - CES 2023
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Zebra Public Safety Tech eBook
Thursday Dec 29, 2022
Thursday Dec 29, 2022
*Star Wars SPOILERS in this episode* We wrap up another year on the pod with our third annual Star Wars discussion, and we have a lot to cover! Would any of us pay $5000 for a Star Wars-themed drink? Is the amount of SW content too little or too much? We discuss "The Book of Boba Fett," "Obi-Wan Kenobi," "Tales of the Jedi," and "Andor." Are the prequels cool again? What's coming next year? What are some VFX sequences that stand out to us in the franchise?
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Thursday Dec 22, 2022
Thursday Dec 22, 2022
Working in this channel, you have to be pretty fond of technology, and it's probably been a big part of your life. In this episode, we're reflecting on the gadgets and gizmos we grew up (or old) with, but to make sure we had some perspective beyond John & Dean's pre-internet days, we brought in a couple of Millennials in Sam & Sarah. Are we early tech adopters? What was our first computer? First portable music player? Gaming system? Mobile phone? Finally, we discuss "old" tech that seems absurd now.
#VARValue - Let’s discuss the importance of understanding generational gaps like we’ve heard today.
What's John's "webplayer" looked like: https://me.pcmag.com/en/consumer/2644/how-many-of-these-weird-internet-appliances-do-you-remember?p=1
TEConnecting with us:
Sarah - Fun fact: In 1992, the first text message was sent...it said "Merry Christmas"
Sam - Has Cleopatra been found?
Dean - The "A Christmas Story" house is up for sale & assembler robots
John - Sewer spiders
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Elo Edge Connect
Zebra RFID Portfolio
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Much of the "next-gen" tech and innovation we expect to inform our future relies on computer/machine vision, but what can it do, and how do VARs benefit? We posed those questions to Intel's Rob Risany, returning to the pod to emphasize the partnerships they bring to the table and the channel. Why is data quality so important to utilizing computer vision? What are the use cases in retail and other industries?
#VARValue - The computer vision market value is projected to hit $48 billion this year. How can VARs work with BlueStar and Intel partners to get a piece of that?
Referenced articles:
- Forbes - 5 Computer Vision Trends in 2022
- Shutterstock - 3 Predictions for Computer Vision
- BlueStar Nation - AI Survey
TEConnecting with us:
Rob - Making math more efficient
Dean - Scientists create a "baby" wormhole
John - World Cup privacy concerns
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
“Modernizing [government]…I know that seems like an oxymoron,” says DACRA Tech’s COO Tami Wanless. She joins the pod this week to talk about how technology can make a difference in local governments. What are local officials dealing with daily, and what’s slowing down modernization efforts? What’s her advice for VARs that don’t want to tackle government opportunities? What’s DACRA’s approach to modernization? It’s the episode that’s letting you off with a warning but don’t ignore this sector again!
#VARValue - Is there any low-hanging fruit to help communities modernize that our VARs should be focusing on as an easy way to introduce solutions?
TEConnecting with us:
Tami - Optimizing squad car "real estate" and barcode scanners
Dean - New data transmission record set
John - Is Facebook done with news?
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Elo Wallaby Pro
Zebra ZD Desktop Printers
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
When one of our new listeners asked us what we would do differently and where would we focus our energies if we were starting all over again in the reseller channel, we put ourselves in the shoes of a newbie. What is the value proposition of a VAR over direct sales? How has the channel changed since Dean was on the VAR side? What have some of our actual VAR partners said they would do differently? Where do we recommend new VARs focus their time and energy? Finally, we’ll share a bit about how BlueStar helps and some personal advice.
Thanks to Danny Cedano at DBK Concepts for suggesting this topic!
#VARValue - Even if you’re an established veteran in the industry, why is it important to think like a newbie or consider what you’d do if you started over again?
TEConnecting with us:
Dean - Most popular days to work in the office and AI imagines "living" buildings
John - Combustible poop
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Get ready for the holidays with some hot topics and interesting stories in science, tech, business, and pop culture that you can share.
- Pro-China fake eco-warriors
- 7 global megatrends shaping the world
- Quantum internet
- 2022 airport satisfaction survey
- State of the restaurant industry
- What is “Dad Brain”?
- Taylor Swift’s new album breaks records
- Brands are concerned about “genericide”
TEConnecting with us:
Dean - How to fire up the dance floor
John - The 12 deadliest viruses in history
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your TEC Bytes & topic suggestions: https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Thursday Nov 10, 2022
Thursday Nov 10, 2022
Healthcare organizations are still under tremendous pressure, battling costs, burnout, and labor challenges while still being expected to deliver quality care. Utilizing analytics and data in clinical decision support is an important first step to combating those issues. This week, Ambient Clinical Analytics’ Tim Kuebelbeck joins the pod to explain. What should clinicians be doing with the data they collect? What should they look for when selecting a support platform? How do VARs benefit? It’s the episode that thinks that healthcare should at least strive for a “C” on its report card!
#VARValue - Healthcare can be a tough industry to tackle for resellers. How can they position themselves as trusted partners to tackle big problems and offer truly useful solutions beyond basic hardware?
The Director's Guide to Improved Sepsis Detection & Compliance
TEConnecting with us:
Tim - (Not TEConnecting) Antiquated moving trucks
Dean - Is anyone actually in the Metaverse?
John - OceanGate tours to Titanic
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your ideas for the pod! - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
A lot of think-pieces, LinkedIn posts, and hand-wringing have accompanied the shifting dynamic of labor and when/where/how (maybe even if) we work over the last few years. It’s being felt in nearly every industry, including those like supply chain, retail, and hospitality that our VARs sell to. This week, Honeywell’s Kelley Wood joins the show to discuss the labor crisis, break down where we are, why, and what might happen next. How does the generational divide fit in? How does technology impact expectations, job performance, and the ability of businesses to attract and retain quality employees? It’s the episode that’s always done it this way and doesn’t see a reason to change!
#VARValue - When pitching solutions designed to solve some labor issues, how do we ensure that we’re still being sensitive to the human element?
TEConnecting with us:
Kelley - Robotics in foodservice
Dean - Job perks wish list
John - Amazon scraps home delivery robots
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Honeywell CT30 XP
Thursday Oct 27, 2022
Thursday Oct 27, 2022
Grocery stores are an essential service, but they’re not immune to the changing whims of consumers and the desire for convenient options and dynamic shopping experiences. The razor-thin margins they operate under can cause challenges to VARs hoping to pitch new technology, but Epson’s David Vander Dussen is back on the pod to emphasize the opportunities. Why are midsize & regional chains still seeing growth? How have grocers changed their offerings and workflow? Why is the demand for dynamic color labeling higher than ever? It’s the episode where we learn why Dean is banned from grocery shopping.
#VARValue - For VARs that work primarily with SMB grocer chains or local independents, what’s the pitch to implement tech like color labeling?
References:
Why Grocery Chains are Outperforming Expectations Amid Inflation
FMI study: Private brands not just about price
How to Ramp Up Online Grocery—without Breaking the Bank
The State of Grocery in North America
TEConnecting with us:
David - World Cup Video Assistant Referee
Dean - The success of the DART mission and robotics companies commit to not weaponizing
John - New Apple devices might confuse rollercoaster for a car crash
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Epson's New Mobilink Printers