Mark Westlake is the founder and CEO of GearBrain, a tech company focused on simplifying the Internet of Things (IoT). With over 25 years of experience in digital media and technology, his career includes executive roles at prominent companies such as About.com, HowStuffWorks, and Purch. A former member of the 1980s NYC band The Modulators, Westlake shares his journey from music to innovation, offering insights on smart home tech, AI integration, consumer education, and how GearBrain bridges the gap between people and technology.

Key Takeaways:

- How Mark transitioned from a music career to the tech industry

- The benefits of IoT

- The future of smart homes

Episode Timeline:

3:00Mark's early years in The Modulators

6:00Transitioning to the Internet and Digital Media

9:00Why some companies can't adapt

11:30The Birth of GearBrain and Its Mission

12:30Innovations in IoT and AI integration

15:05Challenges in the smart home market

18:01The future of smart homes and AI

21:30Consumer education and smart device benefits

24:15The next decade in IoT technology

This episode’s guest:

• Mark Westlake

• GearBrain's website

• Email Mark at Info@GearBrain.com

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https://pod.link/1496390646

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Brad Myers is the Charles M. Geschke Director of the Human-Computer Interaction Institute and Professor in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, with an affiliated faculty appointment in the Software and Societal Systems Department. He’s also the author of a new book, "Pick, Click, Flick! The Story of Interaction Techniques." In this episode, he discusses the importance of usability in design, notable failures in user interface design, and the future of Human-Computer Interaction.

Key Takeaways:

- Historic HCI failures

- What is HCI?

- How AI will affect HCI?

Episode Timeline:

1:45What is the Human-Computer Interaction field?

3:30The evolution of interaction techniques

6:30Designing for usability and intuition

09:40Historic failures in user interface design

10:30Why Clippy didn't work

14:30The history of copy and paste

18:00Mac or PC?

21:30The future of HCI and AI integration

This episode’s guest:

• Buy Brad's Book "Pick, Click, Flick! The Story of Interaction Techniques."

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review:

https://pod.link/1496390646

Contact Us!

•Join the conversation by leaving a comment!

•Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

Thanks for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott McKenzie, managing director of Industrial Talk Media, a leading industrial education and entertainment platform, shares how he is making "volcanic shifts" in industrial marketing through podcasting. He emphasizes the importance of human connection in industry communication and identifies gaps in how companies market themselves. Scott also discusses successful strategies used by companies to attract talent and the necessity of understanding customer pain points in marketing efforts.

Key Takeaways:

- Shifting industry marketing focus

- Authentic communication in industrial marketing

- Expanding the industrial talent pool

Episode Timeline:

1:45Scott's 1982 Super Bowl performance

5:00Introduction to Industrial Talk Media

8:00Scott's background in industry

10:00The networking benefits of podcasts

13:15The industry blind spot with podcasting

14:45Exposing the human side of industry

15:50Communication skills in the trades

19:00The importance of authenticity in podcasting

20:00Holes in industrial marketing strategies

23:00Selling benefits, not specs

25:00 Successful strategies for attracting talent

This episode’s guest:

• Scott MacKenzie on LinkedIn

• Industrial Talk's website

Subscribe and leave a 5-star review:

https://pod.link/1496390646

Contact Us!

•Join the conversation by leaving a comment!

•Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

Thanks for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.