Shows / BlueStar Nation
BlueStar Nation
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
- BlueStar Nation
TEC Bytes 20 – Take Us Out to the Ballgame
Sure, we're no longer the TEConnect Podcast, but TEC Bytes--our occasional round-up of interesting articles, lists, rankings, research, tech topics, and…
- BlueStar Nation
Retailers Speak! -- Support, mPOS, Payments & More
Finding new opportunities in retail isn't easy. There is a lot of market saturation, a lot of competition, and a lot of technology options. But, it’s also a…
- BlueStar Nation
Has Pop Culture Ruined the Facial Recognition Market? w/CyberLink’s Terry Schulenburg
Facial recognition has become common for personal mobile devices, relying on our unique biological features for security and access control. However, the…
- BlueStar Nation
The Human Element of Automation w/Newcastle's Kevin Ledversis & Honeywell's Kelley Wood
Supply chain jobs in warehouses, manufacturing, and delivery are still facing a challenging labor market. At the same time, costs remain high, and consumer…
- BlueStar Nation
Restaurant Automation & AI w/Truffle Systems’ Sean McCaughan
Like many industries, automation & AI are finding a place in restaurants, adding to accelerated trends during the pandemic. This week's guest, Sean McCaughan…
- BlueStar Nation
How to Sell Network & Connectivity Solutions w/iONLINE’s Dave Farquharson & Jim Hilton
Mobile computing, IoT, AI, RFID, robotics, mPOS…the future of enterprise technology is exciting, to be sure. Still, it’s only as good as the networks…
- BlueStar Nation
Can Retailers Overcome the Consumer Power Shift? w/Honeywell’s Tony Boncore
Not long ago, retailers held most of the power in how consumers found, purchased, and knew about products and services. The internet age, social media, and…
- BlueStar Nation
Same Great Taste, New Packaging
The podcast returns with a new name but is committed to the same great topics, guests, and education! This week, we begin with a brief explainer for the name…
- BlueStar Nation
BlueStar Nation Podcast Trailer
The TEConnect Podcast is now BlueStar Nation! It has the same great content, the same hosts, and new packaging! Each week, John Martin & Dean Reverman explore…
- BlueStar Nation
Star Wars Nerdfest – Episode V
We’re wrapping up the year (and this podcast iteration?) with another deep dive into Star Wars news, recent projects, and our thoughts on the franchise. We’re…
- BlueStar Nation
RFID in Retail & Checkout w/Zebra’s Eric Malmed & EXO’s Rey Essex
"This is the year of arrival." That's how EXO co-founder Rey Essex responds to the question, "Was this the year of RFID?" Rey joins Zebra's Eric Malmed to help…
- BlueStar Nation
A Guide to Video Production with Max Faust
Video produces 1200% more engagement than text/images only. That makes the medium a valuable tool to extend the reach and interest in your business. This week…
- BlueStar Nation
TEConnect Replay: Generational Tech Trivia
*We're back with a new episode next week, but if you're looking for something fun to do with family/friends over the Thanksgiving holiday, here's a replay of…
- BlueStar Nation
TEConnect Replay: Food Safety & the Supply Chain w/Jim Hilton
*We're off until December, so enjoy a replay of our episode on traceability in the food supply chain* *Originally released March 28, 2024* Traceability is more…
- BlueStar Nation
TEC Bytes 19 - Look Upon Our Podcast, and Despair!
What topics are John & Dean riffing on this week? Why some people don't have children A hybrid work A/B test FAA approves air taxis Younger generations are not…
- BlueStar Nation
What Do 125 Retail Leaders Want Out of POS? [End User Survey]
We're breaking down the data from another one of our #BlueStarNation end-user surveys, this time speaking to 125 retail leaders about point-of-sale. What are…
- BlueStar Nation
Do You Like Scary Podcasts? w/Ghostface & Sam Hughes
In honor of a Halloween release, we're talking about the spooky season with special guests Sam Hughes and...the Ghostface killer from Scream? (It's Sarah…
- BlueStar Nation
The Robot Market and Potential w/Bear Robotics’ Juan Higueros
"The robots are here," says Juan Higueros, Co-Founder & COO of Bear Robotics. He joins us this week to discuss the robot market, where opportunities are taking…
- BlueStar Nation
Building a Better Shipping Label w/Epson’s Tessa Kohl
Shipping labels aren't going anywhere, but why are they so dull? Epson's Tessa Kohl returns to emphasize the opportunity to do more with a process all shippers…
- BlueStar Nation
Generative AI’s Past, Present, and Future w/Honeywell’s Michael Groskopf
It's been nearly two years since LLMs like ChatGPT exploded into the public consciousness, but how are businesses leveraging the technology to improve and…
- BlueStar Nation
VARTECH 2024 Recap
We're reflecting on #VARTECH2024 one last time! Was it our biggest show ever? What was the theme, and how did William Shatner, Florida Man memes, and TED…
- BlueStar Nation
What Does Your Digital Presence Say About Your Business? w/James Korte (Live at VARTECH 2024)
Once again, we took our show on the road to VARTECH in Orlando, Florida, to discuss websites and social media and how they can impact your business. James…
- BlueStar Nation
TEConnect Replay: Design Resources w/Krystal Cotriss
**We're off this week, recovering from #VARTECH2024, but as a prelude to the episode we recorded there on website design and social media, here's a flashback…
- BlueStar Nation
Overcoming Receipt Printer Challenges w/Star Micronics’ Kate Orara & Bill Shuff
As POS evolves, so does the need for receipt printers to keep up with modern hardware, software, unique use cases, new types of commerce, and myriad…
- BlueStar Nation
Mobility Trends & Opportunities w/Zebra's Eric Hilton
Mobile devices are as standard in the workplace as in our personal lives, so we turned to an expert—Zebra's Eric Hilton—to investigate the market, potential…
- BlueStar Nation
TEC Bytes 18 – Homes to Drones
John & Dean have more hot topics and deep dives to get you through the holiday weekend and break the ice at your next team meeting. What’s going on with Amazon…
- BlueStar Nation
The Big Picture – Intel & the Reseller Channel with David Guzzi
Intel has been increasingly investing in our channel, but what does their interest in VARs and solution integrators mean? This week, Intel’s VP of Global…
- BlueStar Nation
A VAR’s Guide to Robotics w/Intel’s Milt Walker
The robots are here and moving into the reseller channel, but what does that mean for you? Intel’s Robotics Specialist, Milt Walker, joins the show to share…
- BlueStar Nation
The Intersection of AI & Digital Signage w/Elo’s Kristin Roubie
We’re talking more about AI with Elo’s Kristin Roubie, this time regarding digital displays and industries deploying the technologies together. How are Kristin…
- BlueStar Nation
KDS & Supporting the Modern Kitchen w/Epson’s Tessa Kohl
Restaurant and hospitality kitchens are more chaotic than ever, pulled in multiple directions between in-house customers, take-out, delivery apps, and…
- BlueStar Nation
The Importance of Battery Health w/GTS’ Rob Cass & Danny Rockett
No one thinks about batteries until they run out and need replacement or a charge. Any downtime wastes time and productivity for enterprise operations using…
- BlueStar Nation
Generational Tech Trivia and Minority Report
Wow! 200 episodes! We’ve been doing this for a while, and to mark this milestone, we're taking a break from our usual educational discussions to have some fun…
- BlueStar Nation
Leading with Software w/Tonic’s Tyler Young
It’s no secret on this podcast that we believe in full solution-selling as the path forward for VARs, but resellers and integrators have probably been burned a…
- BlueStar Nation
VARs & the Law w/RSPA's Jill Miller
Most VARs and solution integrators, especially those with smaller businesses, are not legal experts and probably don’t have experts on staff. That can make…
- BlueStar Nation
TEC Bytes 17 - AI, Lists and Baseball
We're getting in the summer spirit by discussing baseball stadiums, blockbuster movies, and, of course, the zombie internet! Topics: First AI-generated music…
- BlueStar Nation
RFID Experts Panel w/Eric Malmed, Steve Weiss, & Archit Dua
We recorded another live episode with a panel of RFID experts (Zebra’s Eric Malmed, DecisionPoint’s Steve Weiss, & RFID4U’s Archit Dua) and an eager audience…
- BlueStar Nation
Finding Tangible Opportunities in AI w/MicroTouch's John Dittig
Is AI fatigue setting in? Maybe, but that doesn't mean there isn't a real opportunity for VARs to be found. MicroTouch's John Dittig joins the show this week…
- BlueStar Nation
120 Grocery Execs Share Their Tech Challenges & Opportunities
We are again investigating the results of an excellent BlueStar Nation end-user survey (shout out to HP and Intel for sponsoring this one!), this time from SMB…
- BlueStar Nation
TEConnect Replay: Grocery Opportunities & Challenges w/Epson’s David Vander Dussen
Next week, we'll discuss the results of a grocery executive survey, exploring what technologies they are using and considering and how they envision tech…
- BlueStar Nation
The Tradeoffs of Retail Modernization w/Intel’s David Dobson
Retail has “grown up” a lot in the last few years, as competition and shifting customer expectations drive innovation and open the door to new technologies…
- BlueStar Nation
AI Beyond the LLMs w/ConnecTalk's Guy-Marie Joseph
Guy-Marie Joseph is not just another AI enthusiast. He has been deeply involved in AI, studying its foundations since college. This extensive experience makes…
- BlueStar Nation
EV Charging & Sustainable Energy w/EVerged’s Jeff Smith
The electric & hybrid vehicle market continues to grow, spurred by government investment and consumer interest. This week, Jeff Smith, CEO of EVerged, explains…
- BlueStar Nation
TEC Bytes 16 - A TEC a Day Keeps Boredom Away
Here's some new news, lists, and interesting studies to share around watercoolers both real and virtual! The effects of the "she"-conomy The coolest streets in…
- BlueStar Nation
TEC Beefs 2
We’re normally tech-positive on the show, but this week, Dean & John are sharing some of their “beefs” with technology, the things that frustrate or confuse…
- BlueStar Nation
AI Hype, Hesitance, and Meaningful Solutions with Intel’s David Allen
Technological progress often comes in waves that are met with intense discussion, scrutiny, skepticism, and acceptance. Artificial intelligence is the latest…
- BlueStar Nation
Next-Gen Channel Sales w/BlueStar Canada’s Michel Sirois
The modern customer is continually evolving, which demands that sales tactics also change, especially in our complex channel model. This week, BlueStar…
- BlueStar Nation
The Continuing Evolution of Warehousing w/StayLinked’s Justin Griffith
It’s been three years since StayLinked CTO Justin Griffith last appeared on the pod. He discussed the struggle to get warehouses to adopt new technology, even…