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 talking “Bad Batch” season 3, “Tales of the Empire,” and the now-canceled “The Acolyte.” What’s next for Star Wars? Will we get a new movie in 2026? What do hardcore fans really want? Is Star Wars still fun?

We're rebranding as the BlueStar Nation Podcast in 2025!! Let us know what you want to see and hear on the show.

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast

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

Sponsored by:

Elo M100 & the Elo Pay 22"

"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 us find new retail RFID opportunities. What industries is item-level RFID applicable for? How does EXO's RFID checkout solution work, and why has it taken off in sports stadiums and large events?

#VARValue - Learn about the Zebra/EXO partnership and the joint kiosk solution on display at NRF ’25 in January.

Check out (pun intended) EXO's solutions

TEConnecting with us:

Eric - The Kennedy Space Center & NASA using RFID

Rey - Google Notebook LLM

Dean - Where do Americans get their news

John - Crayola trademarks the smell of their crayons

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast

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

Sponsored by:

Zebra Ready Solutions

Elo Edge Connect

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, videographer and owner of Faust Film, Max Faust, joined us in advocating for video as a "24/7 sales rep." How does video supplement other content strategies? What does a typical video shoot look like, and what misconceptions do businesses have when creating or engaging video services? How can you still utilize video on a budget or novice skills? It's the episode that's got a perfect face for radio.

Watch "When Chaos Calls," the film about BlueStar's warehouse automation Max shot

Want to utilize Max's talents? https://faustfilm.media/

BlueStar can help, too: Demand Lab Marketing Services

Articles/stats referenced

#VARValue - What recommendations do you have for resellers wanting to start a video strategy from scratch? Are there best practices or some baseline equipment they should employ if they want to do it in-house? 

TEConnecting with us:

Max - Topaz Labs AI video editing

Dean - A sink-cleaning robot

John - Watch Memory: The Origins of Alien, currently streaming on Peacock

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast

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

Sponsored by:

Elo IDS 04/54 Series

*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 our 200th episode and some Gen X vs. Millennial/Gen Z trivia!*

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.”

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast

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

*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 important than ever in the food supply chain, as it allows quick and efficient tracking and halting of potential contaminants and foodborne illnesses. This week, food supply chain expert Jim Hilton joins us (in the studio!) to explain the opportunities for VARs. Why are we seeing more recalls? How does the direct-to-consumer market affect the supply chain? What is the FSMA 204 Final Rule, and how will technology help suppliers comply quickly? It’s the episode that wants to know exactly where this salad came from.

#VARValue—What conversations should VARs who work with food manufacturers/suppliers have right now to prepare for these changes? 

TEConnecting with us:

Jim - Temperature control/sensors & truck connectivity

Dean - AI helps create new antibiotics

John - The EU's AI Act

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast 

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

Sponsored by:

Elo I-Series 3 w/Intel

What topics are John & Dean riffing on this week?

• Why some people don't have children

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - Why do plants wiggle

John - Watch "Homicide: Life on the Street" on Peacock

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast

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

Sponsored by:

Elo's Quick Ship Program

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 the top considerations when buying? What is the preferred OS? What are the biggest challenges? What is on their wishlist for their next solution?

Read the full article

Register for Elo's Payments & POS Panel Discussion

#VARValue - What should a retail VAR do with this info?

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - Meta AI data center "scuppered" by bees

John - How many unused gift cards do Americans have?

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast

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

Sponsored by:

Elo Pay 22"

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 Schlueter!) What are some movies/TV shows that have scared us? Favorite Halloween costumes? What technology scares us? Best candy? It's the episode so packed that Dean could only say, "Oh."

TEConnecting with us:

Sarah - The story behind Spirit Halloween

Sam - Digital literacy in an age of misinformation

Dean - Stem-cell therapy for diabetes

John - Evil on Paramount Plus

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast

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

Sponsored by:

Elo Pay M100

"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 off, and how VARs can play a huge role. What are service robots doing in the hospitality industry? What use case surprised Juan? What does a typical deployment look like? How does Juan address skepticism?

Check out Bear Robotics!

#VARValue - How is Bear partnering with VARs to find opportunities and bring robots to market?

TEConnecting with us:

Juan - Tesla's Optimus robot

Dean - Amazon & Google investing in nuclear

John - Why Congress is trying to keep AM radios in cars

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast

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

Sponsored by:

Elo Edge Connect

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 utilize. How can labels level up with color, additional images and messages, and personalized content? How does such labeling benefit the shipper, and how is Epson helping your customers make the most of wasted box space? It's the episode that references far too many old cartoons.

#VARValue - Tell us about Label Boost, Epson’s software for creating these dynamic, versatile labels.

TEConnecting with us:

Tessa - Microsoft Recall & AI skepticism

Dean - Plastic-eating fungus

John - Mysterious sounds from the Mariana Trench

Keep in Touch!

Email - [email protected]

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

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast

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

Sponsored by:

Epson Label Boost Software

Elo M51 Rugged Mobile Computer