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Xilinx AirPod Project

It was almost exactly a year ago that the Xilinx project went down in Fusion of Ideas history.  The new Apple AirPods had just been announced, and everyone was anxiously waiting for them to hit the market.  A few months had gone by since Apple’s announcement, and the public wanted to know when the AirPods would be arriving in stores.  Small batches of AirPods were released to stores, but were immediately sold out. Fusion was told that it would be awhile before businesses would have the opportunity to purchase them in large quantities, because production was just not fast enough to keep up with the demand.  Then Xilinx reached out to Fusion after being referred by Apple. They had 800 AirPods (a big deal, since stores hadn’t even received this many yet) and they wanted to find out more about our customization services.

Xilinx was planning to give AirPods to each of their employees as a special gift from their executive team.  They wanted to customize the AirPods’ white custom casing with the Xilinx logo. They also wanted to send the AirPods to employees in unique customized packaging to show their thanks and appreciation.  Fusion was their one-stop-shop for getting both of those things done in record time. The custom packaging included signatures of all of the executive team as part of the design, meant to show their appreciation.  

“Xilinx was looking for something cool to give their employees,” said Theresa Brown, Senior Business Manager at Fusion of Ideas. “Gifting the Airpods alone would have been nice, but the real wow factor came from outfitting the AirPods with logos and customized packaging including their executive team signatures. It took the gift to a whole new level.”

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What We Think of The New HomePod

Since the release of the new Apple HomePod our Fusion of Ideas tech expert and Business Development Manager, Jacob Sarabia, has been busy testing and utilizing the device since the moment we got it. Here is what he’s saying about it:  

What do you like and dislike about  the design?

Apple has done it again: blending art and technology to create the new HomePod. I personally appreciate the attention to detail on how seamless the fabric mesh covers the internal components. Every detail down to the power cable, which is carefully woven together, showcases the quality of Apple products. Additionally, there are no physical buttons that might distract you from the overall design. Apple accomplished this by placing a touch screen display at the top of the speaker. I had a hard time trying to find things I did not like about the HomePod design. When comparing it to the other speakers on the market, I still chose the HomePod.

We hear that you have to keep the cable installed into the HomePod. Have you found this to be a problem?

Initially, I did question Apple’s decision to make the power cable non-removable when comparing it to other speakers on the market. Technically speaking, it can be removed with some force, which I do not recommend trying (this leads me to believe it’s reserved for servicing the device).  If the HomePod is being used the way Apple intended it to be used, then there really is no reason for the cabled to be removed, so overall, this has not been an issue for me.

What’s the audio quality like? How does the HomePod compare to similar smart speakers?

Music has always been in Apple’s DNA, and they certainly proved this with the HomePod. They have upset the marketplace by offering an unparalleled audio listening experience that is like no other competing smart speaker. The audio notes are rich and clear with little to no distortion, even at a 100% volume level. Most of the other speakers on the market focus on AI technology first and speaker quality second.

Is it easy to use Siri on HomePod? Have you encountered any issues?

Siri is just as easy to use on the HomePod as on my current iOS devices. Of course, there are some limitations, but knowing that Siri is available practically everywhere in my home/office is great. One of the down sides to utilizing Siri on the HomePod is that it can’t distinguish my voice from someone else’s. If I allow full access through the initial set up process, anyone can ask Siri to read back my text messages, notifications, and so on. Also, I can’t set up multiple timers, which would be useful while listening to music and cooking. I really see the HomePod being used primarily for music and home automation tasks.

How would the HomePod be used in a business?

For now, the HomePod would be perfect inside of a conference room for taking calls – you can’t beat the amazing sound quality it provides. As Siri progresses, I can imagine a day when developers can integrate Siri into their web/mobile applications to run tasks or provide real-time information by simply asking a question. The HomePod would be the perfect gift for someone who is looking for not just a “smart speaker,” but also better sound quality at a reasonable price point. And it could be a great gift for employees or clients.

Are the HomePods customizable? What areas can be customized?

You know us – at Fusion of Ideas, we always push the limits to provide the best customized out-of-box experience. Every new product release poses new challenges for our team. Different shapes, sizes, and raw materials can all affect our capabilities. The services we currently offer for the HomePod include: custom packaging, laser etching, and our customizable film, Stealth Armor. Stay tuned for more exciting HomePod capabilities as we continue to go through the research and development process.

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Successfully Deploying Hundreds of Pre-Loaded iPads Without Having To Touch A Single Device

Atlas Roofing is a manufacturer of residential and commercial building materials. The company started as a single roofing shingle manufacturing facility in 1982 and is now an industry leader, distributing products worldwide.  

Atlas Roofing came to Fusion of Ideas in need of a solution.  Their headquarters are in Atlanta, Georgia, but many of their contractors are located elsewhere and work remotely.  To ensure the most effective utilization of Atlas products, materials and iOS applications, executives initiated a discussion of a cellular iPad rollout that would keep everything and everyone on the same page.  

Atlas needed a company to handle the constant rollout and ordering of devices. They also needed specific applications preloaded onto the iPads along with unique websites, home and lock screens.  The devices needed to be fully charged, cleaned, shrink wrapped and securely shipped to Atlas contractors across the nation.  Fusion of Ideas was able to handle all of those requirements.  By partnering with Fusion of Ideas, Atlas Roofing Corporation is able to seamlessly deploy hundreds of pre-loaded iPads to their contractors nationwide without ever having to touch a single device.  These electronic devices are fully equipped with the necessary tools for contractors to execute their daily tasks efficiently.  Fusion of Ideas’ services are enhancing the impact of each device, while simultaneously saving Atlas valuable time and resources.  

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The Ultimate Corporate Gifts: The Gifts That Keep On Giving, The Whole Year

“Oh great, they’re handing out another company calendar,” said no employee ever.  

Getting thoughtful gifts can go a long way with coworkers or team members.  With the season rapidly approaching, this is the year for creating excitement and the “wow” factor for your company’s team or special clients.

One of our own employees tells the tale of the value they placed on two separate gifts they received.

“On two separate holiday seasons, I received gifts from my employers. One was an elaborate chocolate and fruit gift basket that was delivered to my home with a generic happy holidays message from the company.  While the sentiment was sweet (no pun intended), the gift was quickly forgotten, and I never really told anyone what I got.

The next year I received some Beats By Dre headphones. They were printed with a small company logo and the headband was printed with my name. They also were sent to my home, but came gift wrapped in retro wrapping paper with a company image repeated in a cool pattern. That made me very excited to open it. There was a personalized card with a note from my boss and the company thanking me for some of the accomplishments during the year. Whenever I wore those headphones, I had family, friends, and even strangers ask me about them. I explained that my company had given them as a gift for my hard work during the year, and I always showed off my name printed on them.  I received many “Are they hiring?” type of comments as people were impressed by the thoughtfulness that went into the gift.

While I’m sure both presents cost my employer about the same amount of money, the one that was cool, unique, and something I could talk about made the biggest impact. As Eddy from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation says, “That’s the gift that keeps giving the whole year, Clark!”   

One of the most important components of gift-giving is taking into consideration what your employees would truly appreciate. Putting a message, logo or thought on your gifts can add a layer that reminds them of you or the company whenever they use the gift.

Now, working at Fusion of Ideas, I’ve loved seeing the impact that customization and thoughtfulness can have. Some of my favorite Fusion services are gift wrapping and custom boxes and sleeves that take gifting up to a whole new level.  And on top of that, Fusion can organize and kit multiple items together (they don’t have to be devices!) so you can really add that extra pizzaz to any thoughtful gift. They can also print and write custom cards and gift tags,  and they ship anywhere around the world.  So if you want a super easy process, all you have to do is order, and Fusion will take care of the rest.”  

Fusion handles projects of all sizes and shapes and we’d love to help you with your gifting ideas. So if you want to give the gift that keeps on giving, contact us at info@fusionofideas.com or 949-453-0740 ext. 109.

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