Month: October 2018

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Thanks for the Like and Share…

You may have noticed… I’ve been writing this blog for a while. In fact, it’s nearly a year and a half! Crazy… right?! 

Numbers (of visitors and readers) has gone up… and some months, it came down… especially over Christmas – maybe your pigs in blankets were more important…

Replies and comments were a many on some posts… nothing for several weeks.

But what I did notice… is who has supported me. 

That’s right. I’ve seen those who ‘like’ my posts. There’s those who share. There’s some who even retweet! 

And for that – I’d like to say a huge Thank You! – You’re awesome!

But all of this got me thinking… and I recently saw, a post about how friends and family should support each other. And I agree…

We see a lot from Celebs. Let’s be honest – a nice photo on Insta can get several thousands of likes… but do you like your friends post… someone who maybe starting a business or who may have an idea they want to pursue! 

A good friend…. who works for a rival drinks company to the one I work for, recently shared one of my blog posts on LinkedIn. He also tagged me in a post of his… and I commented and liked. 

Friends do that. 

Support each other. 

Not just friends. Family. Colleagues. Well-wishers. Anyone… can support those just starting off…. because remember…. 

With social media being so big… use the means you can. Help each other grow. Buy your friends products. 

If they’re no good – provide them feedback. Let them know your thoughts. So they can improve. If you think you could help them… help them! It could be design… it could be making… it could be marketing…. it could be logistics…. 

It’s all about support. And collaboration. 

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Let yourself in… make a cup of tea

End of last week… Waitrose announced that they will have an option – where delivery drivers come into your home, unpack your shopping… and then leave.

Now, the thought of someone else in my house… does not fill me with confidence.

But let’s look into this in a bit more detail.

Firstly…. Waitrose (may have.. not sure, can’t confirm) read my blog post about Smart Doors. And that Smart Locks you can buy these days.

So, part of this option/trial/experiment… Waitrose will provide you with a Yale Smart Lock (worth £200!)

The lock itself… needs a code to be inputted… and then you can enter.

The code is sent to the delivery driver at the time he needs to enter… it’s a one time code… and can’t be used again.

Now… that is a little better for me.

Also.. the driver will be wearing a camera. So all footbage from the moment the code is entered, to the moment he leaves… is all captured on camera.

The delivery driver will store everything where it needs to do. Fridge items in the fridge. Freezer items in the freezer…..

Now this is only available in South London. And it’s an experiment.

Personally, I think it’s a great idea…. it’s through these experiments and pilots, that ideas can really grow. The great thing here is the time that’s saved for the customer…. Firstly, they don’t even have to be at home!

Looks like we’re moving closer to the automated smart re-filling home.

Want to try it out?

Sure… go to https://www.wya.waitrose.com and apply now!

 

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Bal's Friday Thought

Bal’s Friday Thought…

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Throwback Thursday… to my First Car!

Ah… my first car.. my first love… how I miss it.

Bal, what’s your first car got to do with technology, innovation or anything remotely digital?

Not much if I’m honest. It’s just, I do a Throwback Thursday, on every first Thursday of the month – and thought, why not ‘throw back’ to my first car.

So, we often talk about failure. And how we learn from failure…. here’s a story about my first car and failure.

Like any young lad… I wanted to have some really good speakers in my car. So out I went (we didn’t really have internet shopping at the time) and I bought some Kenwood 6×9 speakers. These were to be installed on the rear parcel shelf of my hatchback VW Golf.

I took the speakers out of the box. And there were some instructions. A paper. With the speakers outlined. You were meant to cut out the paper, and use that as a template, to cut out from the parcel shelf and then install the speakers.

Understood.

Cut the paper. Put it on the actual parcel shelf. Drew around it. Marked it well. Got the jigsaw. Cut out the holes for my 6×9’s. And was super excited.

Took the speakers out of the box. Slowly placed them within the newly cut hole… and guess what… they fell straight through!

What?! – I’d only gone and cut the hole  – the same size as the speaker! – on the paper, was a dotted line… I was meant to cut to the inner hole… so the speaker could rest on the shelf and I could screw it in!

Couple of lessons….

  1. Read the instructions carefully – and then read them again to make sure
  2. If it’s the first time – practice on something else, other than the original parcel shelf (in this case)
  3. Take your time – excitement is good… but control it.
  4. Don’t rush… measure twice, cut once.

Believe you me – I’ve definitely learnt from that experience!

Therefore… it’s okay to fail. As long as you learn from it.

And if you don’t want to hear from me… but an A-list Hollywood star… here you go… Will Smith,

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Digital Fitness

As you may have seen from my Insta posts. After a few weeks of traveling, I’m back into a regular routine with the local gym.

Now, whilst I’m used to the hard weights, machines, benches, etc… I came across an innovative machine where you can train.

Take Tonal..

Now, I used to train at cyril’s Gym in Cinderhill, Nottingham when I was growing up…

It was a lovely gym! – The main guy, Cyril, was a man of few words but had everything you needed in the gym for a good workout!

Now… times have moved on – from the gyms with concrete floors, a load of barbels and dumbbells, with lots of free weights.

There’s carpets, nice music, TV on each running machine, etc… and that’s fine. But sometimes, I prefer the old skool gyms…

Anyhow… it looks like all this could be potentially replaced!

As mentioned – Tonal, is a screen, a gym, a personal trainer…. all in one.

Here you go. Digital Fitness – Digital Weights.

Basically, it’s using magnetic force instead of the traditional gravitational force.

You know gravity, right? – Newton… apple…head….. well, we’ve moved on. And it’s all about magnetic forces!!

Is it as good as the traditional? – I can’t comment, but the word on the street is, in a blindfolded test… most couldn’t tell the difference.

Bal… I like my bench and various handles, will this TV screen do that?

Well… it’s not just a TV screen (though that is the main feature… because you’re personal trainer will pop up on it)… but yes.

You can have all the other ‘bits’ to make it a ‘real’ gym.

Now you’re probably thinking… this is great, but how much is it going to cost me.

Yes… as it’s new. As it’s a big screen. As it’s digital. It’s not going to be cheap. In fact, it’s $2,995! – or you could subscription for $200/mo.

Living outside the San Fran area… you might struggle, as the installation is only happining in that area – for the moment.

Matter of time before you see it in your local gym? – I guess so.

In fact… will you need to go to the gym? Is this the 1980’s all over again?…. (obviously not… because it’s Digital!)

 

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Monday Motivation

Monday Motivation…

I thought, it’s been a while since I’ve shared a ‘Monday Motivation’… and being 1st of October (hasn’t 2018 flown by so far!), what a great moment to share a motivational quote…from John Wooden (& Forbes)