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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 21, 2021
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Happy New Year! After a much-needed break, John & Dean are back with a new season of the pod! Before we get to all of the great guests and content you're used to, we wanted to give you a sneak peak at some of the new topics we're planning to tackle, the kind of guests we'll be adding to the mix and a brief overview of BlueStar's TEConnect program. We also discuss some of the cool gadgets we received for the holidays and have a brief follow up discussion on "The Mandalorian" and all the new Star Wars content that's been announced.
Learn more about the TEConnect program at https://www.teconnect.com/
Tell us what YOU want to hear on the show:
Twitter: @TEConnectPod
Email: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
The strangest year most of us have ever known (and hopefully ever will) is coming to a close and of course we have to recap it, riff on it and put it to bed before turning the page to 2021. What went wrong (duh...)? What went right? We'll reflect on the podcast, our channel, what we've learned, and look forward to the year to come, making some predictions and not-really-resolutions. To wrap things up, we'll also geek out about some of our favorite things this year that helped us pass the time and bring some silver linings to one massive cloud.
A HUGE thank you to our sponsors, listeners, guests and all of the amazing people who made our first year possible. We will be back in the new year with more content, great guests and our usual level of tech nerdiness. Stay connected!
Our Favorite 2020 Things and Recommendations:
Dean - Hamilton, The Haunting of Hill House, biking
John - The Mandalorian, Lovecraft Country, His Dark Materials, The Queen's Gambit, Onward, Fiona Apple's "Fetch the Bolt Cutters", The Greatest Discovery podcast
Sponsored by:
Elo Edge Connect
Honeywell CT40XP
Zebra Healthcare Solutions
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
The nerds speak!
In a year of great distress and unprecedented weirdness,
Dean, Marko & John were tasked with starting a podcast for BlueStar,
because we still need to provide all our awesome, geeky customers with information!
After months of interviewing amazing guests from the reseller channel,
we decided to spend some time talking about something completely different—
Star Wars!
Why? Because we know our customers
are just as interested in the Star Wars canon as we are…
and, we all need a break from reality, right?
How and when did they become fans?
John ranks the movies (with some controversy)
What makes Star Wars so fun and timeless?
Who are our favorite characters?
Don’t check your midichlorian levels,
this is the podcast you’re looking for.
Our Favorite Star Wars Tech:
Marko - Hacksmith Industries' Plasma Proto-Lightsaber Build and Test
Dean - Holograms
John - The Millennium Falcon
Sponsored by:
Honeywell CT40-HC Mobile Computer for Healthcare
Zebra ISV eBook
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
The first of our fun episodes to wrap up the year! Technology in popular culture has always been cyclical in how it’s influenced by what’s happening in the world and, in turn, influences and inspires us. In this episode, we examine that relationship and highlight some of the cultural milestones in film and television that introduced concepts that came true, as well as how popular technology impacts our entire way of life. How much did Star Trek get right about future tech? What tech is unlikely to ever happen or is so far off, it’s still science fiction? What are some of our favorite TV shows or movies for cool tech? It’s the episode where we get our geek on, with some special returning guests!
Our Favorite Pop Culture Tech:
Mike Stachura: SpaceX Earth to Earth rocket travel
Sam Kalany: Back to the Future II & WALL-E
James Korte: Election night touch screens
Mark Ryan: Plugging into the Matrix
Dean: Sampling in music (John references Andrew Bird one-man orchestra)
John: Holodeck
Terry Miller: Men in Black Neuralyzer & Star Trek Transporters
Sponsored by:
Elo Touch Solutions for Healthcare
Zebra Scan Selector Tool
Honeywell RT10 Tablet
Talk to us!
Twitter: @TEConnectPod
Email: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Printers are a vital component of many workplaces, from retail and hospitality to warehousing, manufacturing & healthcare, but these devices are more than just boxes for spitting out labels and receipts. They are increasingly connected to organizational infrastructure and systems and there are a multitude of options for printer media. We're joined this week by Zebra's Leo Lowy & Christine Weber to discuss. How can printers be a network security risk and how can you prevent it? What types of media are available and how does one decide what they need? Hint, we were imPRESSed by the acronym for making those decisions.
#VARValue – What should VARs be talking to their customers about regarding printer security and supplies?
TEConnecting with us:
Leo - 5G
Christine - Temptime
Dean - Dry ice storage and shortages
John - RIP Alex Trebek
Sponsored by:
Zebra's "Printer Media & Consumables" eBook
Zebra's "What Can You See?" campaign
Talk to us!
Twitter: @TEConnectPod
Email: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Thursday Nov 12, 2020
Thursday Nov 12, 2020
Manufacturers and resellers are inevitably intertwined. One really can’t exist without the other, but understanding how to collaborate and communicate can make the difference between a successful relationship and just a company who makes stuff and a company who might sell that stuff. This week, we’re joined by Epson Channel Manager Brett Van Riper to talk about what makes a meaningful relationship in this channel. What are the best “behaviors” that inspire vendors to work with resellers and vice-versa? What pain points can complicate things? How has Epson built their partner network and what have they learned?
#VARValue – What is a VAR’s responsibility in keeping a vendor partnership strong?
TEConnecting with us:
Brett - Cloud applications
Dean - “'Dark by 2050': U.S. Faces Steep Challenges in Electrical Workforce Gap"
John – Sleep Number bed
Sponsored by:
Epson OmniLink TM-m30II-NT thermal receipt printer
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Thursday Nov 05, 2020
Thursday Nov 05, 2020
Are you still saying “when things go back to normal”? If so, Dean and John are here to tell you that you’re living a lie! Okay, we’re not that harsh about it, but we do think it’s important to stop planning for or expecting a return to the way life and business was conducted before 2020. What are the biggest changes that have impacted the reseller channel? What is the continued impact into 2021 and beyond? What industries are in danger of never recovering? It's the episode where Dean calls John a germaphobe and John talks about zoos.
#VARValue - What are some key things VARs should be considering/doing NOW to prepare for what’s next?
TEConnecting with us:
Dean - Sonos speakers
John - OSIRIS Rex collecting samples from Asteroid Bennu
Sponsored by:
Elo's Huddle Kit
Honeywell Granit XP scanner
Zebra's RFID Portfolio
Talk to us!
Twitter: @TEConnectPod
Email: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
Contactless has become quite the buzzword this year, but contactless payments are not new. This week, we’re joined by two VPs from the world of payments, PAX Technology’s Heather Hatch & EVO Payments’ PJ Tierney. They help us understand the technology and why this movement isn’t as much of a headache as the switch to EMV was. What makes a payment contactless? Why was the US so far behind before the pandemic? What are the hardware needs? How are software partners adapting and how does BlueStar help? It’s another episode where John complains about having any contact with other humans.
#VARValue – What should VARs do to help retailers get over the contactless hurdle?
TEConnecting with us:
PJ - Niche vertical startups
Heather - Innovation in a pandemic
Dean - Walmart COVID test kit drone delivery
John - Raised by Wolves on HBO Max
Sponsored by:
Honeywell Smart Talk
Zebra EC30 Mobile Computer
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Thursday Oct 22, 2020
Thursday Oct 22, 2020
If it seems like we've been spending a lot of time on digital signage, it's for good reason. When was the last time a paper sign taped in a window or on a counter really caught your attention? Would you want important safety info or a great deal relayed on a handwritten board in a corner somewhere or on a dynamic, eye-catching display? This episode, we're joined by Kristin Roubie, Elo's Sr. Channel Manager for Interactive Solutions, to dive one last time (at least this year) into the wide world of digital signage. How has it helped businesses during COVID? How is it impacting smart cities, education and healthcare? Are touchscreens a liability now? Finally, what kind of cool tech could be used with displays in the future?
#VARValue - Why should VARs add digital signage to their portfolio?
TEConnecting with Us:
Kristin - The new Motorola Razr and the Roomba
Dean - Redefining the sales role post-COVID
John - MetaBall Studios sci-fi starship size comparisons video
Sponsored by:
Talk to Us!
Twitter: @TEConnectPod
Email: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Thursday Oct 15, 2020
Thursday Oct 15, 2020
You’ve probably been ordering more items from the comfort of home. As in-store operations shut down and in-person shopping became alarming during a pandemic, ship-to-home increased dramatically and is here to stay. The national, well-known shippers were used to primarily delivering to businesses, so distribution centers must now rely on local delivery networks and drivers to get packages that “last mile” to you. Terry Miller, VP of Sales for ShipTrack, joins us to discuss the importance of visibility, the hardware and services to enable last mile delivery, and how shippers are striving to build the workforce necessary to meet demand.
#VARValue - What can VARs gain by working with software companies like ShipTrack?
TEConnecting with us:
Terry - Zebra heads-up display wearable computers
Dean - 3D printed chicken nuggets
John - Apple TV Remote app
Sponsored by:
Elo Wallaby
Honeywell Operational Intelligence
Zebra PrintSecure