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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 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
Thursday Jan 20, 2022
Thursday Jan 20, 2022
We’re back! After enjoying some much-needed time away, the podcast enters its third year with a sneak preview of what’s to come. What are we looking forward to in 2022? What happened when John & Producer Marko thought that Dean might not return to the pod this year? What are we keeping an eye on in tech within the channel and beyond? Finally, we give you a sneak peek at some of the episodes ahead.
Check out the podcast co-host tryout video: https://youtu.be/fY_Za7M-JWU?t=721
TEConnecting with us:
Dean & John - The James Webb Space Telescope
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit an idea for the podcast!
Sponsored by:
Elo E-Series 2
Zebra TC Mobile Computers
Thursday Dec 23, 2021
Thursday Dec 23, 2021
We’re wrapping up the second year of the podcast with some reflections and predictions. We discuss the ongoing pandemic (but not for too long, we promise!), cicadas, space exploration, supply chain issues, work-from-home, and much more. Pivoting to the reseller channel, what do we see happening now and expect to see in 2022? We also look back at the podcast itself, including our most popular episodes and milestones. Finally, we wrap with some of our favorite things (movies, TV, podcasts, books, etc…) this year.
TOPIC CHALLENGE! Send us your ideas for future episode topics, guests, tech, etc… for a chance to win some cash and get a TEConnect Podcast t-shirt. Listen for more details.
We’ll be back January 20th!
Talk to us!
Twitter: @TEConnectPod
Email: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Elo Essential Edge
Zebra ET80/85 2-in-1 Tablets
Thursday Dec 16, 2021
Thursday Dec 16, 2021
It’s our annual Star Wars nerdfest! This time, Sam Hughes joins us to riff on what’s been happening in our favorite sci-fi franchise over the last year. *SPOILER ALERT* We talk the latter half of “The Mandalorian” season 2, including the introduction of Ahsoka Tano to live action, Baby Yoda’s real name, and a surprise cameo in the season finale. Then, we discuss “Star Wars: Visions,” the series of non-canonical (?) shorts from renowned anime studios, followed by a rundown of what’s next for the Star Wars universe. Then, we have a debate over what we want from the franchise going forward. Can future mass-audience films work outside of the Skywalker/Jedi storylines? Are streaming series the best route for now? Finally, we reminisce about some of our favorite Star Wars merchandise.
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Zebra RFD40 UHF RFID Sled
Thursday Dec 09, 2021
Thursday Dec 09, 2021
Dean & John are back to bantering about hot topics in science, tech and business. 1. Epic Games vs. Apple ruling, 2. Tinder “Plus One,” 3. Life was better before social media (duh…) 4. Chinese limits on gaming for kids, 5. Most (and least) valuable college majors, 6. Facebook/Meta and the Metaverse. Also, stick around for a simple challenge that can get you some cash and prizes!
TEConnecting with us:
Dean - Apple allows consumers to fix products at home
John - Anamorphic murals
Talk to us! (And send us your ideas for topics by 1/15/22!)
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Elo I-Series 4
Zebra DS3600
Thursday Dec 02, 2021
Thursday Dec 02, 2021
The mighty barcode scan has come a long way from that pack of gum in the 70s. Not only have we progressed to 2D/QR codes to hold more information, but new technology like LIDAR, laser-marking, and the complex cameras in our personal mobile devices has changed the scanning game and will continue to. This week, we turned to an expert in the field, Bruce Scharf from Code Corporation. What new tech has him geeking out? Why should we be wary of “free” scanning apps? How will scanning change with the growth of AR & AI?
#VARValue - What verticals benefit the most from new scanning technologies?
TEConnecting with us
Bruce - Energy storage & NFC
Dean - Scar tissue repair
John - Russia blows up a satellite
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
We’re bringing you something fun and lighthearted for Thanksgiving…the podcast version of our former hit Tech Trivia gameshow! This time Dean gets to be a contestant, competing against BlueStar’s own Whitney “Willow” Gerrety & Austin “Tremor” Hearn. Why those nicknames? Who studied harder for the show? Are the questions rigged for Dean? Is it Berenstain or Berenstein Bears? It’s an episode you can share with (and compete against) the whole family!
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Zebra Workforce Connect
Elo Cannabis POS
Thursday Nov 18, 2021
Thursday Nov 18, 2021
Intel has a pretty big reputation in the tech world and BlueStar is proud to be one of the “IoT Solution Aggregators.” This week, Intel’s Rob Risany joins the pod to explain what that means, along with a discussion about deploying market-ready solutions. What are the benefits to VARs and end users? Where is there still hesitance to embrace “pre-built” solutions? We also take a moment to talk about ourselves and how BlueStar enables VARs to go-to-market with all of the partners, services and even financing they need. Pay attention around the 18:00 mark for a challenge from Rob & Intel to bring us your own ideas for market-ready solutions!
#VARValue - What markets/industries are strong targets for market-ready solutions?
TEConnecting with us:
Rob - Indy Autonomous Challenge & Minecraft machine vision
Dean - World's oldest home & Computer Space
John - American Crime Story: Impeachment and the legacy of Monica Lewinsky in the internet age
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Intel's Retail Tech Webinar
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
The “Fourth Industrial Revolution” can be a bit of a nebulous term depending on who you ask, so we asked an expert! Elo’s Jim Foster joins us to explain how connectivity, IoT, cloud computing, modern display technology, and more are playing big parts in creating the factories, warehouses and enterprises of the future. How does he define Industry 4.0? What are some of the signals end users and businesses give that they’re ready to innovate? How does touchscreen tech and Android in particular factor in? And how does this impact the supply chain as a whole?
#VARValue - How does Elo help VARs in this transition to Industry 4.0?
TEConnecting with us:
Jim - The Metaverse
Dean - The Great Firewall of China
John - Dubai's 3D printed laboratory
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Thursday Nov 04, 2021
Thursday Nov 04, 2021
The point-of-sale (POS) market is pretty big and showing no signs of contracting anytime soon. That means there’s a lot of opportunity, but also a lot of competition in the market. This week, Jeremy Julian (Custom Business Solutions & host of The Restaurant Technology Guys podcast) joins to help us understand when and why restaurants and retailers change POS systems. How does he approach POS from a marketing standpoint? How important is differentiation? What’s the downside of “free” POS systems?
#VARValue - What are one or two tips for VARs who want to stand out in the market?
TEConnecting with us:
Jeremy - Innovation with cameras
Dean - Lithium nanofiber batteries
John - Astronomers may have spotted the first known exoplanet in another galaxy
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Elo I-Series 4
Evolis Kiosk card printers
Zebra Vertical Markets eBook