Thank You, Nashville!
If you didn’t make it to AppliedNet in Nashville, I’m sorry to tell you you missed one heck of a show–and I’m not just talking about seeing Darius Rucker at the Grand Ole Opry.
Over 4,000 attendees were onsite for the big news about a new investment from a high profile company known only as “Capital G.” As an insider, I can tell you that rumor has it the big G is for Google and the deal is for 9 figures. That’s what we in this business call “real money.”
You’re probably going to hear a lot in the near future about what this means for the industry, but here’s my take on it: the fact is that Google has tried the insurance game before and failed…who knew insurance could be so complicated?
Well, independent agents like us know that as a matter of survival, and reading the tea leaves in their partnership with Applied tells me that they believe there is a place for the little guy long-term. Very insightful, and honestly refreshing.
Overshadowed by the big reveal were several significant announcements about updates to the Applied system itself, and you can get the SportsCenter version in this press release. Exciting times in insurance, no doubt about it.
And Now, A Word From God
While we’re on topic in Nashville, I want to discuss a little divine intervention that took place on the flight there. Just before takeoff, the pilot came onto the intercom to deliver some good news and some bad news.
The good news was that our flight would be leaving half an hour early, which was nice. The bad news is that the Internet and TV we were promised on our tickets wouldn’t be coming with us due to technical difficulties. That wasn’t so great.At least, it might not have been if I hadn’t recently downloaded Dennis Prager’s commentary on the Bible–starting, fittingly, with Exodus. Regardless of your religious bent, it’s a worthy read that offers poignant insights on the Bible’s enduring cultural impact.
Siri Gets Smarter
Siri is pretty useful right out of the box, but some of the shortcuts people have figured out for use with the digital assistant are pretty dang slick. Want to set Siri to automatically play your workout playlist when you get to the gym or send a text to members of a meeting if you’re running late? This feature from CNET shows you how.
The Last Word
All right, that’s about it for this week! Thanks just ever so much for taking time out of your busy early week schedule for another engrossing edition of “Brad’s Blog!” I’ll be back in your inbox next week, be sure to set a reminder with Siri.