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 handheld computers, scanners, printers, and other mobility devices. This week, GTS’ Rob Cass and Danny Rockett join the pod to explain why battery health is so important, how to stay ahead of problems, and how VARs can generate new revenue with customers still using legacy devices. What are the benefits of custom batteries? What’s rapid disassembly? It’s the episode that needs to find a charger!

#VARValue - For anyone unfamiliar with GTS, give us an overview of your key products and services.

TEConnecting with us:

Danny - Exoskeleton batteries

Rob - Lithium phosphate battery jump

Dean - Nanorobot kills cancer cells

John - NASCAR EV

Keep in Touch!

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe

Sponsored by:

Elo Pay 7"

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 with another installment of Tech Trivia. It's Dean versus the younger generations, Sarah Schlueter and Sarah Stenger, in a battle of tech knowledge. Plus, as a special bonus, John & Dean finally do more than make a passing reference to the unofficial TEConnect Podcast film, “Minority Report.”

Thank you to our viewers/listeners and sponsors! Elo, Zebra, Intel, Epson, Star, Honeywell, Datalogic, Wasp, MicroTouch, Code by Brady, Toshiba, & LG

Keep in Touch!

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe

Sponsored by:

Elo Outdoor Solutions

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 few times by software providers and shifting customer expectations, especially in highly competitive industries like restaurants/hospitality. Is leading with software still worth it? This week, Tonic POS CEO Tyler Young joins us, not just to affirm his belief that it is but to explain why VARs should be more selective than ever about choosing ISV partners…and vice versa. What challenges does “software-first” create? What does an ISV look for in a quality partner? What best practices have Tyler and his team deployed to grow and win? It’s the episode that wants to help everybody win!

#VARValue - What differentiates Tonic POS from other offerings? What can VARs expect when working with you?

TEConnecting with us:

Tyler - Sonos headphones & Boston Robotics

Dean - ALCHEM-E electronic drum kit

John - The Bear, Season 3

Keep in Touch!

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe

Sponsored by:

Elo Quick Ship Program

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 navigating contracts, new partner agreements, and legal disputes difficult to navigate. This week, RSPA Legal Counsel Jill Miller joins the pod to explain some common errors she sees, the bare minimums all business owners should put in place, and how retail payments, in particular, create unique challenges.

#VARValue - Explain your role with the RSPA and how members can utilize your expertise.

https://www.gorspa.org/legal-documents/

TEConnecting with us:

Jill - Bartesian

Dean - Bandle and billboards you can smell?

John - Spinal cord stimulation for the paralyzed

Keep in Touch!

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe

Sponsored by:

Elo Pay 7"

We're getting in the summer spirit by discussing baseball stadiums, blockbuster movies, and, of course, the zombie internet!

Topics:

First AI-generated music video

Gen Z opting for trade school

Ranking the most beautiful ballparks in Major League Baseball

Apple Music 100 Best Albums

How AI is zombifying the internet

Ranking summer blockbusters

AI controlled jets

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - US banning Kaspersky anti-virus software

John - X-ray vision coming?

Keep in Touch!

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe

Sponsored by:

Elo 70-Series

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. What trends and technology innovations are moving the RFID market? What recommendations or best practices can help VARs sell RFID to SMB customers? What are some specific use cases for RFID in warehousing and retail? It’s the episode that forces everyone to answer, “Is this the Year of RFID?”

Get your Zebra Refresh Report! https://reach.bluestarinc.com/refreshthebase

#VARValue - Questions from the audience!

TEConnecting with us:

Archit - Apple WWDC

Eric - Tech in sports

Steve - Robotics

Keep in Touch!

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe

Sponsored by:

Elo Outdoor Solutions

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 to help us separate the hype from the reality of AI solutions. What industries and end-users are most interested in AI? What needs do they want to be addressed? Is SMB better suited for innovation at this point? How will AI help sell more hardware? It's an "incrinculent" episode!

#VARValue - How is MicroTouch approaching AI solutions, and how are you helping VARs find the right partners to solve their customer’s needs?

TEConnecting with us:

John D - LetzChat

Dean - Combining AI with robotics

John M - Deepfake conversations with dead loved ones

Keep in Touch!

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe

Sponsored by:

MicroTouch's AI Town Hall

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 grocery leaders. The survey focused on the tech they currently use and want to deploy and where they see industry challenges that tech could solve. How are grocers addressing customer experience and collecting data? What are they most interested in improving? What opportunities for VARs does the data show?

Read the Article and More at BlueStar Nation

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - Why is ice slippery and disappearing web pages

John - AI determining ER admissions

Keep in Touch!

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe