Giving Thanks: 6 Technology Moments I’m Most Grateful For

Here are some of the tech products, news and events I'm grateful to have covered in my time with the publication so far.

November 26, 2015 Jonathan Blackwood Leave a Comment

My First Trade Show

In June of 2014, a mere month into my tenure at Corporate TechDecisions, I attended InfoComm in Las Vegas, and was introduced to the AV industry. For the first time in my life I saw all that AV encompassed, and wondered what I had gotten myself into. While I didn’t have a full understanding of all that I saw, I was ibn awe of everything surrounding me. A year and a half later I am no less impressed with what AV can encompass, and I’ve even gained some understanding into how it all works.

My First Podcast

I joined Steve Greenblatt and Marc LaVecchia, the founders of TechTalk, in February 2015 for a podcast about the relationship between tech decision makers and the integrators they employ. TechTalk is a growing community for technology managers to share ideas and advice. It was my first podcast ever, and I was honored to be a guest on the program. I’ll also point out my prediction of the New England Patriots’ 4th Lombardi Trophy about a month and a half after filming. Which brings me to my next moment…

My Day with Tom Brady and Bose

In August of 2015 I was invited by Bose to test the in-game headphones they had developed for NFL coaches on the sidelines. I was able to stand on the field during the pregame ceremonies at the first Patriots pre-season game and try the headphones out. As a lifelong Patriots fan, it was one of the best experiences I could have had as a fan. As a technology journalist, I was extremely impressed by the quality of the Bose headphones.

Amsterdam

In February of 2015 I was able to attend Integrated Systems Europe, the largest European trade show for consumer and commercial technologies in existence. A joint venture by InfoComm and CEDIA, the show was more massive than I ever could have expected, and I got to see great tech from all around the world. It also marked the first time I had ever left the United States. For those interested, I wrote a bit about my experience covering the show.

Gesture-Based Computing

I visited Oblong Industries’ Boston location in December of 2014 for an open house showing off the company’s powerful Mezzanine presentation system. We’ve covered the Mezzanine extensively in the past, with good reason as it is an incredible system. However, one of my favorite pieces of tech at the open house was Oblong’s special operating environment, which utilized special gloves to allow hand gestures to control a display, a la Minority Report (literally).

Virtual Reality

In October of 2014, Marriott Hotels put on an event called #GetTeleported, which utilized an Oculus Rift in order to ‘transport’ guests to different locations around the world. I got to wear the headset and earphones to experience the virtual reality platform in person. While not the most sophisticated of systems at the time, it let me get a glimpse into the future of virtual reality and all that it might be capable of someday.

It still sounds foreign to speak aloud that the year is 2015, let alone that the end of the year is nearly upon us. I’m young, of course, and many of our more, ahem, refined readers will roll their eyes at the idea of it, but I’m still getting used to the idea that we’re in the new millennium, let alone fifteen years through it.

Quite the fifteen years it has been, and while I won’t recount my formative middle school years (as awkward and confusing as everyone else’s), my harrowing high school career (starter for and eventual captain of a 2-30 football team over 3 years), or my classic college experience (couldn’t tell ya), I can comment on what has become a wholly unexpected new chapter in my life as the editor of Corporate TechDecisions.

I joined TechDecisions a lowly millennial, a few years removed from college and still attempting to find my place in the professional world. At that time I had little experience with technology as a subject, though I shared a room with an older brother that constantly fiddled with computers and devices as more became available to him. But I was given the chance to learn about and report on the field of technology, and since then I have learned more about encoders, decoders, security systems, BYOD, networks, control, automation, lighting solutions, green initiatives, collaboration, video walls, projectors and displays than my younger self ever would have believed possible. And I’m glad I was given the chance.

I’ve been editor of Corporate TechDecisions for two years now, and I’ve gotten to cover some really cool products and events in that time. Given the nature of today’s celebration, here are six of the things I’m most grateful to have done in my time at Corporate TechDecisions.

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Jonathan Blackwood

Jonathan Blackwood is the Editor-in-Chief of TechDecisions. Jonathan joined TechDecisions in 2014 and writes about technologies that help to innovate and improve practices for companies of all sizes, K-12 and higher education, government, healthcare, hospitality, retail and large venue spaces. He is especially interested in the future of work and education and the Internet of Things. Follow him @BlackwoodTweets.