Here is your weekly dose of “FridayTop-5 ,” a list of what I’m enjoying, stories I found of interest or gadgets that are entertaining and fun.
Rather than focusing on a single story that was significant that came out this week, I thought I would feature a handful of products and service that I am using/consuming or are looking forward to using/consuming.
Tech + Retail:: Agile Development Technics applied to M&A Activities
In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, Kison Patel interviews James Harris, Principle of Corporate Development at Google (S3E1) about ways in which deal practitioners can implement a more Agile approach to each step of M&A, from due diligence to integration.
Link to Spotify Episode – Here; Link to iTunes Episode – Here
Link to Spotify Podcast Page – Here; Link to iTunes Podcast Page – Here
Why this matters:
I spent much of the first half of my career working with mobile, digital, and traditional development teams. Some utilize waterfall methodology most, use agile development or agile style thinking. In my non-technical engagements, I have applied agile thinking and approach to execution and it is exciting to hear how Google’s M&A team is using it across the deal lifecycle. James does a really nice job of breaking down key things that aid him and his team deal with big problems and some of the more tactical pacing items.
Tech:: Swoot
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Why this matters:
If you didn’t catch my piece on Podcasting (how could you miss it, here is the link), then you know I am a big fan of the format and am always interested in new platforms that can help showcase and share the best of the best.
Lifestyle + Tech:: The Oura Ring
The Oura ring registers your body temperature reading every minute while you sleep. By comparing that value to values from earlier nights, it indicates your body temperature baseline and any variations from it.
Why this matters:
I believe that sleep matter, and based on the number of the article being written on the topic, so do many others. What I care more about is a simple solution that can track my activity and sleeping patterns. The Oura ring claims to be one of the best at doing just that.
What I love about the ring is that there is no screen, nothing to distract you from your day, just a simple solution for what should be a simple problem of tracking motion during the day and rest during the evening. Looking forward to getting mine in the mail later this month. Similar to the Swoot app, will have to let you know what I think of the solution.
Retail + Sustainability:: Adidas Unveils a running shoe that never has to be thrown away
Adidas’s ‘The Futurecraft Loop’ performance running shoes can be returned to Adidas, where they will be ground up to make more shoes, again and again.
Why this matters:
Given the fact that plastic’s nearly eternal durability, it’s no surprise that we’re finding it everywhere across the globe. The irony, is we keep making new plastic at an increasing rate – National Geographic notes that “If present trends continue, by 2050, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills.” Now Adidas putting out a single shoe that can be recycled isn’t going to end the dependency on plastic. But it is a start in the right direction. Just as I am writing this piece, I have seen that
Retail + Technology:: Digital Goes Analog
Shopify, best-known as a web-based platform for building online stores are now offering a point-of-sale hardware and software solution for physical stores coupled with a credit card payment terminal. Other key featuring including Secure payments, Plug-and-play hardware, Multi-channel selling, Inventory management, Advanced checkout, 24/7 support
Why this matters:
Shopify made creating an online store and selling merch about as simple as signing up for email. Now they are entering a crowded space at the cash register with a simple solution for a simple problem. While they are likely most best described as a square competitor, it will be interesting to see how the Micros and NEC respond to their offering and more importantly price point.
And, as always, please give me feedback on Twitter. Which bullet above is your favorite? What do you want more or less of? Other suggestions? Let me know! Just send a tweet to @daileyblend put #FridayTopFive at the end so I can find it. Also, don’t forget to sign-up for our monthly mailer to keep up with the latest from the Dailey Blend.
As always, thanks for reading it and talk to you online or in city near you.
-Reed
