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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 Mar 24, 2022
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
Sports betting is a fast-growing industry around the world, especially in the U.S. since a 2018 ruling opened it up for states to legalize it. As existing and specialized venues rush to capitalize, there’s opportunity to provide innovative technology solutions. Elo’s Jim Foster returns to discuss what’s happening and how retailers are attempting to attract gamers. How can digital signage help build exciting social gaming environments? Where should hospitality resellers focus their attention? What other entertainment venues are benefitting from modern display tech? We’re “all in” on this episode!
#VARValue – How does Elo help VARs equip their gaming customers with the best solutions?
What’s TEConnecting with us?
Jim – EV market
Dean – Frosties NFT scam
John – Amazon shuttering bookstores (and the Amazon Go SNL sketch)
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email – TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Send us your topic suggestions! - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Elo I-Series 4
Thursday Mar 17, 2022
Thursday Mar 17, 2022
Look, robots are cool, and we like to joke about whether a Terminator-style world takeover could happen, but they also have very practical value when used alongside workers, especially in warehousing, distribution & manufacturing. Mark Wheeler, Zebra’s Director of Supply Chain Solutions, joins the show to discuss the current market for robots. What’s holding supply chain leaders back from implementing augmentation technology? What happens to facilities that embrace this kind of automation? What kind of data and analytics can robots bring to enterprises?
#VARValue – What type of customer benefits the most from robots? Any success stories? What’s the future for robots in other industries? (Shoutout to Cory McClelland from Arrowhead Resellers for the topic and these questions!)
Referenced Articles:
TEConnecting with us:
Mark - Robots!
Dean - ISS to be retired
John - The average person doesn't have a chance with the smart home
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 Mar 10, 2022
Thursday Mar 10, 2022
It’s another installment of TEC Bytes, where Dean & John riff on some topics in the world of science, tech, news, and business. Gather around the watercooler or video conference and discuss!
- The mystery of “Never COVID”
- Robot umps coming to Triple A baseball
- Safest Cities in America?
- Super Bowl commercials
- Population growth hits a new low
- How to Be a Disruptor
- Top Tech Trends
TEConnecting with us:
Dean - Pollination robots and Belgium introduces the 4-day workweek
John - CES 2022 tech
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Send us your suggestions for episodes or TEC Bytes - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Elo M60 Pay
Zebra TC Mobile Computers
Monday Mar 07, 2022
Monday Mar 07, 2022
We're in year 3 of the pod, but still bringing you the same hot topics, industry trends, innovations, tips and, of course, technology solutions you've come to expect! Tell us what you want to hear about on Twitter (@TEConnectPod) or email us: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
What's TEConnecting with You?
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
We’re doing some (educated) prognosticating on this week’s episode! Citizen’s Tracy Tucker joins us to talk about how the reseller channel has evolved during his career and where we might be going next. How important is software to keep you ahead of the competition? What is the role of distribution and their relationships with both vendors and resellers? How is the “Amazon effect” challenging everyone? Finally, what will the channel look like in 3-5 years?
#VARValue – What are one or two things VARs should be doing now to ensure they’re still around and relevant for the channel future we’ve described?
TEConnecting with us:
Tracy - FIDO (Fast ID Online)
Dean - Google search is dying
John - The history of the iBeer app
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Send us your topic suggestions!
Sponsored by:
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
Many businesses rely on label printing to package, ship, receive, market, and provide critical info, but managing all of the files, conditional printing, and processes around those labels can be a headache without the right tools in place. This week, we bring in the expert, Matt Brine from Seagull Scientific (makers of the beloved BarTender software). He explains what so many organizations do wrong with their labeling. Where are the pain points? What industries benefit the most from enterprise labeling? What’s coming in the new BarTender 2022 release?
#VARValue – What should VARs be looking for or asking about to determine if an enterprise print solution is right for their customers?
TEConnecting with us:
Matt - Fitness trackers and Bialetti Mini Express
Dean - UK scientists smash nuclear fusion energy record
John - Dark stores
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
What do you want to hear on the show?
Sponsored by:
Elo E-Series 2
Thursday Feb 17, 2022
Thursday Feb 17, 2022
We’ve all been buying more stuff online in the last couple years, but did you know that B2B ecommerce has actually grown more than B2C during that time? That also means the supply chain and labor issues that are slowing down small consumer purchases are even more problematic when a business is ordering hundreds or thousands of items. This week, Newcastle Systems’ Drew Arnold joins us to dig into what’s happening and how VARs can offer mobility solutions to overcome their customer’s “in-house” issues and improve efficiencies, receiving, accuracy, employee satisfaction, and more.
#VARValue – How does Newcastle help VARs capture the ‘low-hanging fruit” of mobility solutions?
TEConnecting with us:
Drew - Dr. Alexa
Dean - 5G and airports
John - NASA's DART Mission
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Request podcast topics - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Elo's I-Series 4
Thursday Feb 10, 2022
Thursday Feb 10, 2022
The trilogy is complete! James Korte returns to finish what we started almost a year ago with part three of our deep dive into the insights he gained from “The Challenger Customer.” This time it’s all about finding people within the businesses you’re targeting who can be the “cheerleader” and advocate for your product, service or company. First, we explore what kind of content and marketing helps reach the right people with the right message. Then, we discuss who to target within a buying group and how to make them fall in love with you and your offerings. Finally, how do you equip that “mobilizer” with the tools and talking points to help them fight on your behalf?
#VARValue - How does BlueStar help with creating demand and equipping mobilizers to advocate on our behalf?
TEConnecting with us:
James - Bing ad targeting & Web3
Dean - TikTok stars out-earning CEOs & REvil is disbanded (wink, wink)
John - Wordle
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 Feb 03, 2022
Thursday Feb 03, 2022
Is this the Year of RFID? Dean says yes, but we also know that RFID is not meant to be the ultimate, complete replacement for other forms of tracking and collecting information. This week, A2B Tracking’s Founder & CEO, Peter Collins, joins us to explain his “common sense” approach to RFID. What’s the pitch for RFID over (or alongside) barcodes? How does RFID help address labor issues? How important is it to have a strategy in place and what should we look for in partnerships?
#VARValue - Tell us a little about how A2B Tracking helps VARs implement RFID with their customers.
TEConnecting with us:
Pete - Connected devices & clothing technology
Dean - Samsung remote that recharges wirelessly
John - Exoplanet with a 16 hour year
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 RFD40 UHF RFID Sled
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
Would you like a piece of $1.2 trillion in government spending? Of course, you would! With the signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal late last year, the US government has made a huge investment in projects that is either directly going to utilize modern technology or will require workers that are equipped with the latest hardware. Jeff Smith, our favorite government expert, is back to help us break down the opportunities (not just for government-specific resellers) and the timeline for projects to reach kick off and reach fruition. We’ll also check in on what’s happening at the state/local levels and wonder how the looming midterm elections impact projects in the works. It’s the episode where Dean is going to take over a small country and fill it with Teslas.
#VARValue - Even if you are not a government VAR, what should you keep an eye on as these initiatives get underway?
TEConnecting with us:
Jeff - Billionaires playing in space
Dean - Self-healing steel
John - Self-replicating living robots
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Got a topic suggestion? https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Elo 1502LM Medical Grade Monitors
Zebra ET Tablets