Mission Data Blog

The wearables industry looks to the enterprise as it diversifies beyond the smartwatch

When Apple announced its AirPods last year, initially critics were skeptical of the wireless earbuds’ design — seemingly easy to lose and reminiscent of Q-tips or cigarette butts. Yet, aesthetics aside, the tiny protruding cylinders have become an increasingly prevalent accessory in recent months. Apple recently revealed its wearables revenue — from the Apple Watch, Beats headphones, and AirPods — rose 50 percent last quarter.

Our Creative Director looks for takeaways from the voice-first event

I recently attended the SpeechTEK conference for the first time in Washington, D.C., an event focused on deploying speech-based solutions for business applications. I went to the event with Stu Gavurin, Mission Data CEO, who had attended previously, but for me, SpeechTEK stood out from other conferences in several ways. I attended because I wanted to have a broader understanding of the voice world beyond building consumer-facing skills for Amazon’s Alexa. I do think I achieved my goal, but it took some work.

As digital transformation sweeps across restaurant and retail chains, cashierless checkout is gaining momentum

Walmart is rolling out scan and go at 100 test stores this year.

By now, self-checkout kiosks are a common way to complete a transaction at a store or quick-service restaurant. However, if the store is busy, it’s likely that there is still a queue to use the kiosks. As we mentioned previously in our roundup of retail trends, technology that puts the power to pay for items in consumers hands is spreading around the globe.

Roundtable updates from tech’s biggest festival

NASA scientists are working virtually on Mars with HoloLens technology.

For our final day of SXSW Interactive 2018, we discovered how augmented reality is bringing restaurant tables to life and allowing remote missions to Mars. We even spotted a hobbit in the wild. To catch up with all that went down, follow the rest of our SXSW coverage here.

Roundtable updates from tech’s biggest festival

We’re nearing the end of our SXSW 2018 ride, and what a whirlwind it’s been. Read on for more about the latest technology delighting our senses. If you're just tuning in, you can catch up on our SXSW coverage here.

Roundtable updates from tech’s biggest festival

We’re moving through SXSW Interactive at the pace of innovation, are you keeping up? Catch up on our experiences from Days 1, 2, and 3 if you haven’t been following along.

Roundtable updates from tech’s biggest festival

Cassette tapes live on at the Ready Player One VR Experience.

We’re in Austin for SXSW Interactive and we’re learning a ton. While Days 1 and 2 were smooth sailing, we’re starting to feel the effects of the rollercoaster that is SXSW. Hop on and buckle up.

Roundtable updates from tech’s biggest festival

We’re learning lots about the latest tech trends and science discoveries in Austin for SXSW Interactive 2018. Check out Day 1 here. Read our daily conversations and keep up — who says you need a badge?

Roundtable updates from tech’s biggest festival

We’re in Austin for SXSW Interactive 2018, and we have a lot to discuss, from hearing Bernie Sanders to touching the sun. Let’s get to it.

IoT events to look for at tech’s annual mecca

It’s that time of year again — Mission Data is joining with tech leaders from all over the world at SXSW in Austin, Texas, beginning March 9. Among the many hot topics this year, the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to be at the forefront of discussion. As we continue growing our OpSense IoT platform bringing smart monitoring to retail and restaurant operations (among other use cases), we’re excited to see how industry experts, startups, and influencers shape the conversation around operational technology, wireless infrastructure, data collection, and more.