TEConnect Podcast

TEC Bytes #2: Revenge of the Watercooler

Dean & John are back to breaking down some interesting items happening in the news and the worlds of tech, science and business.

• What’s affecting some birds in the Midwest and Southern US?
• The SolarWinds hackers are at it again!
• What trends are reshaping work in 2021?
• Why is Google delaying privacy updates to Chrome?
• What is polywork?
• Finally, we’ll explore how one person can literally wreck a major sporting event for a photo op.

 

#VARValue - What can VARs take away from some of these stories?

 

#TEConnecting with us:

Dean - The UFO Report and Hubble Telescope in "safe mode"

John - The Ford F-150 Lightning

 

What stories would you like us to discuss?

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

 

Sponsored by:

Elo POS Solutions

Zebra Healthcare Solutions

Smart Technology for Senior/Long-Term Care w/Leading Age’s Dr. Majd Alwan

As another generation of seniors begins transitioning into long-term care, assisted living, nursing homes and other facilities, the technological infrastructure in place for the industry is in dire need of upgrades. This week, Dr. Majd Alwan, Executive Director of CAST at Leading Age, joins us to explore where we are currently and what’s going to change as our elderly population becomes increasingly tech savvy. We all know what went wrong in senior living during the pandemic, but how did technology help some things go right? How are Boomers affecting the demand for updated tech? How does Leading Age help drive the conversation, advocate for change, and provide resources to VARs and TSCs that want to help?

 

#VARValue - Tell us about the resources that CAST offers VARs & ISVs to help them move their customers forward. 

• Technology Selection Tools
• CAST Case Studies
• Strategic IT Planning Tools
• Cybersecurity Resources

 

TEConnecting with us:

Majd - Wearable devices, service robots & exoskeletons

Dean - PDK infinitely recyclable plastics

John - How to do laundry in space

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

 

Sponsored by:

Elo Edge Connect

Zebra Patient Identity Management

Food Safety Technology w/Zebra's Ashley Barey

Food safety is topical for restaurants, grocers and, of course, customers. From foodborne illnesses to food allergies, hyperlocal sourcing, and FDA guidelines, there is a lot for businesses sell, prepare or deliver food to keep and mind and be vigilant about. This week, Zebra’s Ashley Barey joins us to discuss how we can utilize technology to combat some of these issues and where opportunities may lie for resellers. What does the FDA have planned that we should be talking about now? How did the pandemic impact the discussion? What are some key technologies for storage, traceability and delivery? What about food waste? It’s the episode that you should sniff to make sure it’s still fresh.

 

#VARValue - Where do you start with positioning food safety technology? Who is the typical audience for this?

 

TEConnecting with us:

Ashley - Trackable pill technology

Dean - The perfect number of working hours

John - Nikola's self-driving truck that wasn't

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

 

Sponsored by:

Zebra Electronic Temperature Sensors

B2B Trends for This Year & Beyond

Business to business selling, like everything else, has changed dramatically over the past year and a half, but as we return to some sense of normalcy, what does that mean for the rest of 2021 and beyond? We’re diving into some trends and behavior shifts coming out of the pandemic as technology weaknesses were exposed. How much are budgets being cut? What’s the new balance between customer interactions via digital channels and face-to-face? How much of a factor is user experience? What do younger generations expect as they take control of businesses? It’s the episode that knows you probably aren’t looking at us while you listen.

#VARValue - Which of these trends are actionable today?

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - Morpheus unhackable CPU

John - Criminals busted by FBI created messaging app

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Sponsored by:

Elo DICOM Medical Monitors

Zebra's "What Can You See?" Campaign

Navigating the Government Buying Season w/Jeff Smith

It’s buying season! Well, at least it is if you are a government reseller. This week, we brought back Jeff Smith to help us prepare. We dig into the Biden administration’s Infrastructure/American Jobs Plan to figure out where there may be opportunities that impact our channel in the years to come. Then, we talk about what to expect as the federal government moves into their Q4 and SLED winds down their year. What should VARs be doing right now? What’s next on the to-do list? Finally, we ask Jeff to identify any technologies or solutions that we should be focusing on this year.

#VARValue - How does BlueStar and Zebra help gov’t VARs during the buying season?

TEConnecting with us:

Jeff - IT modernization

Dean - Space junk

John - Amazon Sidewalk

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Sponsored by:

Zebra ZD Series Printers (https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/manufacturers/manufacturer-microsites/zebra/zd421zd621.html)

RFID vs. Barcodes: Can’t We Just Get Along? w/CDO's Todd Muckerheide & Mark Wyatt

Is it time for RFID to take over? Is it time to get rid of barcodes? The answer to both questions is probably “no” because there is a place and a reason for BOTH technologies to coexist. This week, CDO Technologies’ Todd Muckerheide & Quantiv Group’s Mark Wyatt are here to explain the wild world of AIT and why it’s okay to admit that RFID isn’t for everybody. Where should we look at one application over the other? How do barcodes & RFID help automate processes? What are other benefits of RFID beyond asset and inventory tracking? Tune in to learn how to help your customers do more with less!

 

#VARValue - What tips, advice or best practices do you have for working in the channel?

 

What's TEConnecting with us?

Mark - Zoomable user interfaces

Todd - Mars Ingenuity helicopter

Dean - Baidu driverless taxis - https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/baidu-rolls-paid-driverless-taxi-service-beijing-77449116

John - Bitcoin farm "bust" - https://gizmodo.com/british-cops-thought-they-were-raiding-a-weed-farm-but-1846991137

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

 

Sponsored by:

Elo Access: https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/manufacturers/manufacturer-microsites/elo/open-safely-with-elo-self-service.html

Zebra RFID Portfolio: https://response.bluestarinc.com/become-a-zebra-rfid-reseller-at-bluestar/ 

TEC Bytes: The Virtual Watercooler

We decided to shake things up a bit this week. Rather than dive into one topic, Dean & John are riffing on several topics in the news and discussions happening online. Is anyone (but especially kids) truly equipped to handle social media? Is a “great resignation” coming as businesses reopen? Does big tech deserve to be regulated? Is it okay to be funny at work? Is cryptocurrency basically a prank the rich are playing on the rest of us? Finally, are you living in a “lazy” state and what does that even mean? We want to hear from YOU! Give us your thoughts on these topics and send us any stories you’d like to hear us discuss in future TEC Bytes episodes.

TEConnecting with us!

Dean - Mammals can breathe through their butts (in an emergency)

John - RIP Internet Explorer

Talk to us!

Twitter: @TEConnectPod

Email: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com 

Sponsored by:

Elo Edge Connect

Zebra Electronic Temperature Sensors

Leveraging Service Partners to Expand Your Business w/BlueStar’s Alex Bowles

“What do you need for this project?” That can feel like a loaded question to ask a customer if you’re worried they’ll respond with something you can’t do, but when you have service partners in your corner, you can ask it with confidence. This week, BlueStar’s Service Program Manager, Alex Bowles, joins us to explain how these partnerships can help you with unusual requests, time consuming projects, or offerings that simply aren’t in your comfort zone. Custom labeling, special packaging, pre-configuration, site-surveys, networking, installation, key injection…all managed by pros who give you the credit. Oh, and did we mention BlueStar Services can do all of those and then some? We’re kinda cool that way. It’s the episode that has a hard time saying no to anything!

#VARValue – What should VARs be discussing with their customers to highlight service offerings?

Check out BlueStar's Service offerings at https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/value-adds/bluestar-services.html or call your BlueStar rep and tell them what you need!

TEConnecting with us:

Alex – Reddit, Robin Hood, Twitter, Cryptocurrency
Dean – Perseverance Extracts Oxygen from Mars
John – Spiking nuclear reactions at Chernobyl (also highly recommend the Chernobyl miniseries on HBO)

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Sponsored by:

Code CR2700 Barcode Scanners w/FIPS Validation

Elo In-a-Box Solutions

Zebra Mobility DNA eBook

Where Are We with Android? w/Elo's Neeraj Pendse

It’s our 50^th episode! To celebrate, we thought we’d talk about the most popular mobile OS in the world…Android! You might have noticed that Android is becoming an exciting platform for both consumers and enterprise. Elo’s Neeraj Pendse joins us to discuss why and the benefits that can be gained across multiple verticals. What makes it suitable for fixed devices like kiosks and POS? How did Android enable some of the changes that occurred over the past year? Are any industries still resistant? What’s Android’s reputation for reliability and security? Finally, we’ll dig into some opportunities in the market. It’s the episode where two Apple snobs and a self-professed “product guy” acknowledge that Android has a LOT of flexibility for our channel.

 

#VARValue – How does Android enable the next tech trends and innovations? What kind of opportunities are you seeing?

 

What's TEConnecting with us?

Neeraj - Artificial intelligence

Dean - Brazil rejects Russian Sputnik vaccine

John - Are foldable phones really necessary?

 

Talk to us!

Twitter: @TEConnectPod

Email: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

 

Sponsored by:

Elo M50 Mobile Computer

How to Make Security Part of Your Tech Stack w/Honeywell's Stan Zywicki

Security is vital to most enterprises, both to maintain their own IP and data, but also in protecting sensitive information for their customers. With high-profile hacks, ransomware, malware and security breaches dominating headlines, businesses simply can't afford the risk or cost of even a single event. This week, we're joined by Honeywell's Stan Zywicki to discuss what this means for VARs and how to make security an important part of your own strategy. What do you miss out on by not discussing security? Who ultimately is responsible? What are some important questions you should be asking and why? Change your password and secure your devices, you won't want to ignore this one.

 

#VARValue - If anyone is still hesitant to get into security, what are one or two simple things they can do to get started?

 

What's TEConnecting with Us?

Stan - WiFi 6

Dean - Direct energy attacks

John - Apple's new app-tracking approval feature

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com 

 

Sponsored By:

Honeywell's Xenon XP w/FIPS