Google uses watermarks to differentiate between AI-generated and human-generated text. As generative AI advances, major tech companies are developing tools to identify AI-produced content. One such tool, Google SynthID, incorporates a digital watermark to help recognize text created by public AI models. Additionally, SynthID TexT is being released on Hugging Face and will be part of the Responsible GenAI Toolkit. In an official statement on the company’s X account, Google announced: “We are making the SynthID TexT watermarking tool open-source. This will enable developers and businesses to better identify content that is freely available and AI-generated.”
How does SynthID TexT work?
Artificial intelligence models rely on token distribution to process and generate text. Google’s new technology operates on the principle of matching text with tokens. SynthID TexT, part of this system, creates patterns based on possible word formations and marks outputs according to these patterns. Google acknowledges that this technology has limitations, particularly when dealing with short texts, translated or paraphrased content, and knowledge-based articles, where its accuracy may decrease.
This technology has now been integrated into Google’s Gemini models. In regions like China and California, AI output marking technologies, such as SynthID TexT, have become mandatory. With the adoption of similar regulations in other areas, AI detection markers are expected to become more widely used globally over time.
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For those that missed the 6v6 format of the first Overwatch and wished it was in Overwatch 2, you’ll be able to get that familiar taste back soon, though only temporarily, as Blizzard Entertainment has announced that they will be testing the Overwatch 2 6v6 mode in Season 14.
This was announced by the studio in a new blog post today centered around the 6v6 discussion for Overwatch 2. According to Blizzard, they are conducting two different tests for the 6v6 mode both happening in the game’s next season. The first test, which will launch a week into Season 14, won’t be your standard 2-2-2 role queue from the first Overwatch, but rather, will be more like Open Queue, which the studio internally refers to as “Min 1, Max 3”: each team of 6 must have at least 1 of each role, and no more than 3.
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The second test happens in Season 14’s mid-cycle, and will offer the familiar 2-2-2 team composition (two damage, two support, two tanks), though it will incorporate some principles introduced in OW2 such as fewer CC’s (crowd control) and the hero reworks. These 6v6 tests will have their own card in Unranked alongside other modes, and won’t take the place of other games modes like seasonal events or Quick Play. Blizzard adds that they will also implement balance changes that will apply to these two 6v6 test modes, with the tank role feeling the biggest change, as their power and survivability will go down.
Can 5v5 and 6v6 Co-Exist in Overwatch 2?
For those wondering whether there’s a future where Overwatch 2 can feature both 5v5 and 6v6, this is something Blizzard has thought of as well. While the studio can’t answer that question right now, the dev team notes that they want to make a game that players will want to play. If the community clamors for it, and Blizz gets the “signal” that it is what players want, they are open to the idea of it, since they know their players could want more than one experience.
With Overwatch 2’s Season 13 launching just this month, and each season of the hero shooter lasting for a total of nine weeks, this means Season 14 will fall somewhere in mid-December. I don’t know about you, but getting the 6v6 mode back — albeit temporarily — in December will feel like an early Christmas present from the studio to the community. If you like what you play, then, make sure to let your voice be heard by Blizzard to have 6v6 stick.
If you’ve only recently played Overwatch 2, the first Overwatch which was released in 2016 amd wasn’t free-to-play, featured a 6v6 format in all modes. Blizzard, in wanting to push for a much faster style of play, decided to eschew having two tanks available in a team, to avoid having two shields clogging up the battlefield. It’s debatable whether this was the right move or not, and I suspect it’ll depend on who you ask.
The piano puzzle is one of the earlier mysteries you’ll come across in the Black Ops 6 campaign.
Found on the way to the training area on the safehouse’s ground floor, you’ll have to find a hidden code to play the piano, which, in turn, will lead to more secrets to solve.
This Black Ops 6 guide offers an explainer on how to figure out the piano puzzle, as well as an explicit piano puzzle solution.
How to solve the piano puzzle in Black Ops 6
The first piece of the puzzle for solving the piano puzzle is picking up the blacklight torch. This is located on the nearby table in the same room, and can be toggled to read hidden messages.
Image: Treyarch / Activision
With the blacklight turned on, use the piano. You’ll see characters appear above the keys, which is a vital part of solving the puzzle. But what do these characters relate to, exactly?
Image: Treyarch / Activision
If you haven’t already, turn the blacklight on while exploring the mansion, which is how you’ll find the code. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it yourself, know that everything you need is closer than you think.
If you want to know what to do next, we’ll start explaining where to look after the below image.
This is the sort of clue you’re looking for to solve the piano puzzle.Image: Treyarch / Activision
To find the piano puzzle clues, use the blacklight in the room you found it in. Specifically, look directly above the piano, where you’ll find the first note you need to play.
It also has an arrow pointing right. Follow this direction, and you’ll come across a second note. Repeat this until you work your way around the room, until you have five notes.
1/5Image: Treyarch / Activision
Black Ops 6 piano puzzle solution
With all notes in hand, we can now play the piano. Make sure the blacklight is turned on, and play the keys directly below each note you found in the room in the order you found them in.
The piano puzzle solution is:
For example, play this key for ‘Pe’, as shown in the text above.Image: Treyarch / Activision
If you are successful, a hidden door to the right will open up — leading to a secret basement area, where more safehouse puzzles await.
Image: Treyarch / Activision
If the code above doesn’t work for you, it’s possible the solution is random for each player. If that’s the case, follow the above steps, writing down or taking pictures of each note as you go, and enter those into the piano. Good luck!
The Bold and the Beautiful November sweeps kicks off next week and Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) may be a target of firing at the hands of Eric Forrester (John McCook) if her enemies get their way.
Steffy rubbed Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) the wrong way. And this makes him rage about her. He talked to Hope Logan (Annika Noelle). And she said Carter should be the one running the company.
And let’s be clear, it’s not Logan Creations or Walton Creations, it’s Forrester Creations. And yes, Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye), Steffy, Thomas Forrester (Matthew Atkinson), and RJ Forrester (Joshua Hoffman) are all Marones by blood. But, Ridge was raised a Forrester.
So, Eric Forrester feels Ridge and all his kids are Forresters too on Bold and the Beautiful. But there is a clear line drawn in the sand between the Logans and the Forresters. Carter and Will Spencer (Crew Morrow) are on the Logan side.
Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang), Hope, Carter, and Ivy Forrester (Ashleigh Brewer) want all of them on one side. And Steffy alone on the other. That’s how it stands on B&B now.
Bold and the Beautiful – Steffy Fired by Eric soon?
The Bold and the Beautiful: Steffy Forrester Clashes with Carter Walton and Hope Logan
Recently on Bold and the Beautiful, Steffy told Ridge that Carter is out of control. And she wants to put less money into Hope for the Future or go ahead and cut it. And him bringing in Ivy and Electra Forrester (Laneya Grace) to pitch a new business concept was too much.
Plus, he didn’t check with her first. Ridge may make excuses for Carter. But Steffy feels steamrolling your boss is not what’s best for the company. Carter alleges that Steffy’s letting personal issues drive her business decisions.
But she allowed Brooke’s Bedroom to continue without a fight. And that’s despite personal issues with her ex-stepmother. And she gave Hope lots more time and leeway for HFTF. The real issue is that Carter and Ivy blindsided Steffy with a new business concept.
So, who could wind up fired over this battle on Bold and the Beautiful? Ivy went to Eric. And she griped that Steffy doesn’t want her around. She told her uncle that his CEO rejected Carter’s idea to bring in her jewelry line.
Carter also made his big “House of Forrester” pitch to the entire executive team. Even after Steffy shut him down once. He tried again with Ridge in the room, Steffy glaring and Hope cheering him on.
B&B: Will Steffy Fire Carter, Hope, and Ivy Amidst Forrester Creations Power Struggle?
Forrester Creations internal politics are complicated. Eric and Steffy each own 37.5% of the shares, Ridge own 20%, and Thomas own 5%. So, if Ridge stays out of the drama, Steffy and Thomas could potentially outvote Eric. And they could fire Carter, Hope, and reject Ivy’s jewelry line.
But if Ridge sides with Eric and the Logans, they could push Steffy out of her CEO position. And this would cause a shake up and launch the “House of Forrester” concept on B&B. The Bold and the Beautiful spoilers hint Steffy probably won’t let Carter get away with his disrespect. She may want to fire him already.
But once she finds out about his secret romance with Hope, Steffy will double down. Bringing in the jewelry line could be a good idea. But the way Carter and Ivy approached Steffy was a disaster.
The Forresters and Logans need to come together as a family. But it seems both sides are not giving in. Will Carter wind up fired along with Hope? Or will someone talk Eric into firing Steffy from her current role as co-CEO if not from the company altogether?
The world of NFTs continues to evolve, bringing together creative minds and digital assets in exciting new ways. One project that has been making waves is TokenGators by SuperPaperThings—a collection of 7,777 unique cartoon gators on the Ethereum blockchain. TokenGators takes collectors on an adventure through a magical swamp where prehistoric creatures reclaim their dominion. But don’t be fooled—this is not your typical NFT drop. Behind the gates lies a world of danger, mystery, and surprises, blending vibrant cartoon art with storytelling.
The Creative Mind Behind TokenGators
TokenGators is the brainchild of PaperD, a seasoned artist, creative director, and character designer with a remarkable background in animation, currently at DreamWorks Animation. He joined the NFT space in February 2021 and has been building a reputation as both an artist and a significant contributor to various NFT projects, most notably Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC). PaperD’s involvement with BAYC goes back to its early days, when the swamp, a central theme in BAYC lore, was being shaped. Gators were part of the speculative discussions in the BAYC ecosystem before the launch of projects like Bored Ape Kennel Club.
TokenGators seems to be a continuation of PaperD’s creative vision, bringing to life a world where gators reign supreme. It’s a nod to his earlier work, combining the whimsy of cartoon character design with the adventurous spirit of the NFT space.
Collaborations and Launch
PaperD collaborated closely with MagicEden, a leading NFT marketplace, to ensure a smooth launch of TokenGators. MagicEden is known for its successful NFT drops and user-friendly platform, which helped create buzz around the project. The collaboration highlights the growing synergy between artists and NFT platforms, with MagicEden offering the technical infrastructure and reach, while PaperD brings the creative flair.
TokenGators is not just another PFP (profile picture) project. It’s an immersive experience, built to engage collectors with its evolving narrative and unique approach to gamified collectibles. The project stands out because of its rich backstory, intriguing world-building, and PaperD’s personal connection to the BAYC universe. For fans of both NFTs and animated worlds, this is an exciting convergence of art, technology, and community-driven projects.
Echoes of Bored Apes
Given PaperD’s history with BAYC, TokenGators can be seen as an extension of the world that was initially built around the swamp theme in the early days of BAYC. While BAYC went on to create the Bored Ape Kennel Club, which introduced dog companions to the apes, the TokenGators project is somewhat of a spiritual cousin. Both are about reclaiming a wild space, filled with unique characters, and establishing dominance over their respective environments.
TokenGators presents a nostalgic homage to the early speculative conversations around BAYC while creating its own lane with fresh, quirky art and adventurous storytelling. This connection between the two projects adds a layer of depth, inviting both new collectors and veterans to be a part of the gator-filled world.
What’s Next for TokenGators?
With the launch on Ethereum and backing from MagicEden, TokenGators is poised for a bright future. Collectors should keep their eyes peeled for more exciting developments, as PaperD has a knack for adding unexpected twists to his creations. Whether you’re in it for the art, the storytelling, or the potential rewards that come with being part of this project, TokenGators promises to be an unforgettable ride.
PaperD and His Connection to NFTCulture
Beyond his work with DreamWorks and his deep ties to the NFT world, PaperD is also a close friend of NFTCulture. His collaboration and support for our community have been invaluable, as he’s shared insights into the evolving landscape of digital art and collectibles. As a creator who has been a key figure in notable projects like Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), PaperD’s connection to NFTCulture highlights his commitment to fostering innovation and creativity within the NFT ecosystem. We are excited to witness the ongoing success of his projects, including TokenGators, and are proud to call him an ally in shaping the future of NFT art.
TL;DR:
TokenGators by SuperPaperThings, created by DreamWorks artist PaperD, features 7,777 unique cartoon gators on the Ethereum blockchain. The project blends world-building, gamified experiences, and a nostalgic nod to the early speculative days of Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC). With a successful launch on MagicEden, TokenGators invites collectors to explore a magical swamp filled with mystery and danger, while also standing as a creative evolution of the NFT space.
The PlayStation 5 Pro, Sony’s enhanced version of the popular PS5 console, offers a number of improvements over its predecessor. One of the key areas where the Pro model excels is in its hardware specifications, including its RAM capacity. In this comprehensive analysis, we will delve into the RAM specifications of the PS5 Pro and compare them to the original PS5. We will also discuss the impact of RAM on gaming performance and other console features.
RAM Capacity
GDDR6 Memory: Both the PS5 and PS5 Pro utilize GDDR6 memory, a high-performance type of memory designed for graphics processing. GDDR6 offers faster data transfer rates compared to previous generations of memory, which is essential for modern gaming consoles.
Capacity: The PS5 Pro features a slightly increased RAM capacity compared to the original PS5. While the exact amount may vary slightly between different models, the Pro typically offers a modest boost in RAM, providing additional resources for demanding games and applications.
Impact on Gaming Performance
Handling Demanding Games: The increased RAM capacity in the PS5 Pro allows it to handle more demanding games with greater ease. This is particularly noticeable in games that require large amounts of data to be loaded into memory simultaneously, such as open-world titles or games with complex environments.
Smoother Gameplay: With more RAM available, the PS5 Pro can reduce the frequency of loading screens and stuttering, resulting in a smoother and more consistent gaming experience.
Multitasking: The additional RAM in the Pro model can also improve multitasking performance, allowing you to switch between games or applications more quickly and efficiently.
Other Features Affected by RAM
Streaming: Having more RAM can enhance the streaming experience on the PS5 Pro. This is especially important for high-quality streaming services that require significant system resources.
Background Tasks: The Pro’s increased RAM capacity can allow the console to handle background tasks more effectively, such as downloading updates or running system processes.
Comparison to the Original PS5
Modest Improvement: While the RAM increase in the PS5 Pro is not as substantial as some other hardware upgrades, it can still make a noticeable difference in certain scenarios.
Read Also: Payday 3 Best Sniper Rifle For Long-Range Combat
Balancing Other Factors: The overall gaming experience is influenced by a combination of factors, including CPU, GPU, and storage. The increased RAM in the Pro model complements these other enhancements, providing a well-rounded performance boost.
Conclusion
The PlayStation 5 Pro’s slightly increased RAM capacity is one of the factors that contributes to its improved performance compared to the original PS5. While the impact may not be as dramatic as other hardware upgrades, the additional RAM can provide benefits in terms of handling demanding games, reducing loading times, and improving multitasking capabilities. For gamers who prioritize performance and a smoother gaming experience, the PS5 Pro’s increased RAM is a welcome addition.
I’m A Celebrity 2024 is just around the corner with a start date announced, and we’re so ready for three weeks of Ant and Dec, new campmates and lots of critters.
Ant and Dec will return for another series of the hit ITV show, filmed in Australia.
Now, ITV has announced the start date for the new series and released a trailer.
I’m A Celebrity returns in November (Credit: ITV)
I’m A Celebrity 2024 start date
The 2024 series of I’m A Celebrity will begin on Sunday, November 17.
ITV has teased that this year Ant and Dec are “trading in their jungle jackets for lab coats, taking on the roles of mad scientists as they put the infamous Bushtucker Trials to the ultimate test”.
In a new 30-second trailer, Ant and Dec sport lab jackets as a range of critters including snakes and cockroaches are seen.
Other parts of the trailer suggests what the Bushtucker trials could feature this year, including slime and guts.
The trailer hinted at what’s to come in the Bushtucker trials (Credit: ITV)
A voiceover then says: “Putting fame to the test,” before confirming the start date.
So now with a start date confirmed, many fans are going to be wondering which famous faces are heading into the I’m A Celeb jungle.
ITV hasn’t confirmed who will head in, but rumours have been swirling around online.
Some of the names thrown into the mix include Oti Mabuse, GK Barry, Coleen Rooney and Alan Halsall.
Will Oti do the jungle? (Credit: Cover Images)
Recently, former contestant Jordan North hinted that Strictly star Oti is heading into the Aussie jungle.
On his BBC Radio 1 show, Jordan said: “I don’t have any official intel, but I’ve just looked at the list, and I reckon there’s a good few names on there that I can guarantee are going in.
I reckon there’s a good few names on there that I can guarantee are going in.
“Oti Mabuse I’m pretty sure of because I haven’t seen her for over a year but I just…
“I was working with her on Big Brother last year and I’m pretty sure.”
Guess we’ll have to wait and see!
Read more: Jordan North ‘lets slip’ that Strictly legend Oti Mabuse is starring on I’m A Celebrity this year
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! starts Sunday, November 17 on ITV1 and ITVX.
Are you excited for the new series? Tell us on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.
Over $20 million worth of stablecoins and Ethereum was transferred from a wallet containing funds seized by the U.S. government Thursday, shifting assets tied to the 2016 hack of the crypto exchange Bitfinex to a five-day-old address. Some of those funds have now been moved to Binance, an off-shore exchange and the largest crypto trading platform in the world by volume.
Minutes before the transfers took place, the blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence highlighted withdrawals from the lending protocol Aave in a tweet. It was the first time the funds had been touched in eight months, the company said.
According to Arkham’s platform, $1.25 million of the stablecoin Tether was withdrawn from Aave as well as $5.5 million of USDC. Those funds were subsequently sent to a wallet beginning “0x348” alongside $446,000 worth of Ethereum and $13.7 million of aUSDC, an interest-bearing token that represents USDC deposited in an Aave lending market.
The government-controlled wallet received millions of dollars of aUSDC two years ago. On the same day, it also received a hefty sum of the equivalent Aave-based token for Tether.
The pseudonymous blockchain sleuth ZachXBT said the activity appeared “nefarious” on Twitter. Most likely, the funds were flowing as a result of “theft,” the sleuth added.
Bitfinex was hacked in 2016 by a married couple from New York City, who later pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracies. Taking advantage of a security breach at the exchange, Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan had $3.6 billion worth of digital assets seized by the authorities, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release from August 2023.
funds are going to instantly exchanges looks nefarious
— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) October 24, 2024
Asked whether the transfers were conducted in relation to law-enforcement activities, the DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Decrypt.
The wallet that received millions of dollars of government-linked funds Thursday proceeded to use 1inch, an exchange aggregator, to swap stablecoins for Ethereum. It then began shuffling Ethereum in $40,000 chunks to a deposit address for the crypto exchange Binance, which ZachXBT flagged as suspicious behavior.
In total, $320,000 worth of Ethereum had been sent to Binance, as of this writing. At the same time, $80,000 worth of Ethereum had splintered off into other wallets.
When it comes to “0x348,” the wallet made its first transaction less than a week ago. And the wallet that funded it received its first funds two years before from the Australian cryptocurrency exchange CoinSpot, which does not operate in any other jurisdiction.
As of this writing, the government-controlled wallet was virtually empty. All of its assets were gone, aside from $127 worth of a Donald Trump-themed meme coin.
Edited by Andrew Hayward
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Next week’s EastEnders spoilers are fitting for Halloween, with Nish onto ‘The Six’ with a spooky confrontation in The Vic.
Elsewhere, the market is put in danger as favourites on the Square are told their stalls could be in danger.
All this drama and more in EastEnders spoilers for next week.
Nish raises concern (Credit: BBC)
1. EastEnders spoilers: Nish is onto ‘The Six’
It’s been a tough year for ‘The Six.’ Their scary moments always appear to happen on festive occasions, and this time it’s Halloween.
Nish grows suspicious of ‘The Six’ after hearing a secret chat between Kathy and Suki. They’re not the most subtle, after all…
He’s onto their secret meeting, as they try to remember their statements from Christmas.
While Nish is convinced that the women are up to something, they continue to insist that they have nothing to hide. Not letting go, he goes with them to the police station, where they are all interviewed by DCI Arthurs over the events of Christmas.
As Suki attempts to take matters into her own hands, she sends the other women home. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Nish cannot be easily bought. Rejecting Stacey’s calls, Suki prepares for Nish to move back into the house…
Halloween is set to be a spooky event (Credit: BBC)
2. Nish faces the women
It’s Halloween! And The Vic are holding their annual spooky bash. Costumes encouraged, the Square gather to celebrate. And Nish takes the scary event even further…
Denise arrives at The Vic to speak to Linda about Nish. He’s acting up, and they’re worried their cover will be blown.
And, as The Vic closes after an eventful evening, ‘The Six’ anxiously await their fate…
Is this the end?
Jean feels guilty (Credit: BBC)
3. EastEnders spoilers: Jean feels guilty
Jean struggles with her guilt over calling social services on Tommy. Stacey convinces her to remain silent, but her shame intensifies after witnessing a tense conversation between Alfie, Kat and Bianca on the Square.
Alfie reassures her that she did the right thing, but it all gets too much for her when Elaine probes for gossip – causing Jean to accidentally offend Kojo.
Later, a meeting between Kat and Alfie in the Minute Mart is awkward, but he soon comforts her and they head to The Vic together.
Jean and Kojo grow a friendship (Credit: BBC)
4. Harvey distances from Jean
Feeling at a loss, Harvey tries to cook Jean dinner. He took Kathy’s advice to help get their relationship back on track…
However, Jean eats with Kojo at The Vic instead, in an attempt to apologise.
Harvey waits in vain for Jean to return home.
Feeling defeated, he heads over to speak to Kathy.
After Kojo puts the situation right, Stacey convinces Harvey to go easy on Jean. The pair reconcile when she makes a gesture. Kojo then arrives with a gift for Jean, and Harvey pays another visit to Kathy while she’s distracted.
Will Harvey stay loyal?
Avani asks some tough questions (Credit: BBC)
5. EastEnders spoilers: Avani faces Nish
In spite of her brave face, Avani remains shaken by the events of last week.
Trying to make sense of things, she asks some difficult questions of Nish…
Will he tell the truth?
A meeting at The Vic is called (Credit: BBC)
6. The Market is in danger
Could this be the end of the iconic Walford market?
Martin is shocked when Honey and Billy tell him that the market is at risk of redevelopment.
Martin, Honey and Billy hold a crisis meeting with the market traders as they discuss the potential shut down of the market and the Square Gardens.
Ian arrives on the scene, and reveals the council’s plan. The punters then learn that Junior has been given the contract for the redevelopment job…
Read more: Who’s leaving EastEnders in 2024? Complete list of cast exits, arrivals and returns
EastEnders usually airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.
Are you looking forward to EastEnders next week? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.
I had a pleasure to visit Aberdeen, Scotland last week and speak at Scottish Summit 2024 community event. This marks my fourth in-person Scottish Summit ( 3 x the actual Summit in Scotland and one Summit on Tour at Manchester, England) where I have spoken at. It is a wonderful conference to come back to, as the vibe is great and organizers put effort to create the event that has fun, knowledge, expertise and everyone is welcome. Of course I do love to visit Scotland for other reasons also, as it gives me a great chance to enjoy the view there and make a visit to a whisky distillery – and in Scotland you can find one almost nearby everywhere. But the main focus is the event and the highlight is delivering my session to the people in the room.
It is an awesome feeling to walk to the venue and hear bagpipe and drummer playing the theme!
Before going to my session, I have to highlight the opening keynote by Scott Hanselman, and the closing keynote by Dona Sarkar. Both were extremely good, filled with great information and also fun! That made them really captivating to follow and listen. And from those, we know more about the LLM, Copilot and that the Purview and (ir)Responsible AI are always watching! Pay attention to Scottish Summit YouTube, I think keynotes might show up there later.
This time, my topic was Supercharging Your Teams Meetings Game.
As the name implies, I was showing what can be done in Teams Meetings and how its vast number of features can be utilized to make your meetings better, more productive or just more versatile. And since it is me, we were talking about live demos showing various capabilities – and it looked like that everyone who attended my session learned something new. I am a bit proud about that, as there were fellow MVPs in the room who are also heavy Teams users and know lots of its features.
I started with a bit of building blocks, that all bring in features you can use in Teams meetings. Naturally the Teams Core is what most of the people use, and there are great capabilities already in there. But adding Teams Premium you can get to the next level quite easily (assuming you do need those features often enough), and adding Microsoft 365 Copilot you get the AI assistant to your meetings who can help (today) to create meeting notes, answer questions about the meetings and when used cleverly it can help you big time. And we haven’t yet seen the Copilot as a meeting participant (announced at Build 2024), which will be adding even more to its usefulness. Finally adding other meeting add-ons and Copilot for Sales you get pinpointed benefits. All these together can power up your meetings quite a lot. However, this doesn’t mean that you will be just buying everything and thinking it will make your meetings perfect.. Nope. You need to be aware what and where to use, in which kind of meetings to be able to select perfect building blocks to your meeting instance to match your needs. Don’t just add everything on, because it is there..
Here is a portion of demos I was showing in the Scottish Summit 2024. Some of these are not new, but something I have noticed people don’t really know about it – or don’t remember to use it:
Meeting Agendas ( Loop components). Yes, you do want to easily editable meeting agendas & notes. Start sharing the awareness about these, as Loop is the thing and we will be Looping a lot more every month.
Meeting Theme (Teams Premium). Yes, you can brand your meetings, all it takes is that the meeting organizer has the Teams Premium license and everyone in the meeting can enjoy about the brand.
Green Room. This is very useful if you want presenters to meet before the meeting and do sound checks, test sharing etc. This is in Teams Core, and you find it in meeting options.
Live Captions with spoken language captions. Yes, in Teams Core.
Voice Isolation (Teams Core). Once you create your voice profile with Teams (via Settings / Recognition), you can turn on voice isolation which drops off other voices but your own. For example if you are in a busy cafe or office, people online won’t be hearing other speaking – only you. Teams Core. Btw, this voice enrollment will be on by default starting January 2025. Now admins need to turn it on, but if you don’t want it on: admins should set up the new policy to turn it off.
Live Translation (Teams Premium). It always creates an effect, when I speak in Finnish and audience can read subtitles in English. No, not perfect but many multi-national/cultural organizations benefit of this!
PowerPoint Live. Not really something new, but I have seen too many screen shares to show a PowerPoint presentation.. It is a really good one, and in Teams Core. Cameo (yes, it is still there!), slide translations, zooming, inking and more..
Did you knew you can add a Shared Display, that displays the content and participants (or meeting chat) – and it automatically uses the second display to show it? I admit, the automatic use of the second screen was a surprise to me as well – everyone learned something during my session! (including me)
Remember the meeting Agenda? During the meeting you can open it via Notes. And you can also add these notes to a Loop Workspace via … menu. That way you can organize project meeting notes to a same place where team members can find them.
There are new Meeting Options also, some of these require Teams Premium.
Whiteboard and annotating the screen during the meeting. You may want to check these out. Yes, there are also the Copilot in Whiteboard to help you out to facilitating workshops.
Microsoft Mesh. You can use Mesh in Teams Core to change your meeting to immersive 3D experience – just change the view! There are already a new scene to use ( Workshop) and soon there will be an another one. Mesh is easy to use, and the change of view can help to boost up some of your meetings. Don’t try to use Mesh for every meeting – it will just fail. But when your focus is more on talking, ideating, small group talks, or just want a new view.. Mesh can be the feature you want to use. No, you don’t need a headset – I run demos from my laptop screen directly. There are great features like a personal stage, that can bring the shared content close to you – no matter where in the space you are.
And that wasn’t all! If you attended, you know what else was there. I did run a bit out of time a bit as I was in the flow of showing and talking the fun you can do with Teams meetings, so I had to wrap up the session quite fast. 45 mins goes so fast when having fun.
As I anticipated I would not have time to show these slides during my session, I intended these as takeaways for attendees, to have something to take with them and start to think how to supercharge their Teams meetings when they get back to work from the Summit.
Then I did share a few selected items from the roadmap, related to Teams meetings. And I just noticed that I did have the enrollment defaulting to on at two slides. It is a big deal to some organizations to be aware about this change!
And as usual.. Teams roadmaps do live. So, it won’t be the first nor last time when features get a new estimate at the roadmap. Keep in the mind, that the roadmap schedule is just the best estimate, team has at the moment, when the feature will be rolled out. So, it can change but it is still a good indication of what is in the radar.
Sharing is Caring! #CommunityRocks
Aiheeseen liittyy
Published by Vesa Nopanen
Vesa “Vesku” Nopanen, Principal Consultant and Microsoft MVP (M365 and AI Platform) working on Future Work at Sulava.
I work, blog and speak about Future Work : AI, Microsoft 365, Copilot, Microsoft Mesh, Metaverse, and other services & platforms in the cloud connecting digital and physical and people together.
I have about 30 years of experience in IT business on multiple industries, domains, and roles.
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