Mediaboss Marketing

Did you miss a session from GamesBeat's latest event? Head over to the GamesBeat & Facebook Gaming Summit & GamesBeat Summit: Into the Metaverse 2 On Demand page here.

As Big Tech places more resources and funding in the metaverse, the most significant metaverse investment will be in empowering people to create in it. Nvidia kicked off 2022 with an announcement: It will be granting free licenses for its Omniverse software to artists and other creatives, who will help build virtual worlds for the metaverse. These licenses (which cost at least $9,000 annually for corporate customers) will be offered not to arts organizations but to individual creators. Theyre not being given away as charity, though; theyre an investment in the bottom-up, grassroots growth of the metaverse.

The brilliance of this move by Nvidia is its widescale empowerment of content producers. Its a welcome contrast to the control all the data approach inherent to Facebook/Meta. Everything Facebook does is inside a closed experience controlled by its engineers and admins.

In taking the opposite approach, Nvidia shows that it grasps the free spirit and creative energy that will help existing virtual worlds blossom into a connected and open metaverse. Nvidias graphics processing units (GPUs) already dominate in gaming and 3D simulation, setting the company up as a key player in the metaverse. If it is also successful in making Omniverse the dominant software platform for creating and sharing 3D designs inside a connected metaverse, its valuation will skyrocket.

Empowering individual creators, as Nvidia is doing, is essential to the metaverses success. Heres why:

Would you rather be a timberwolf or a toy poodle?

The timberwolf is the apex predator of its habitatit goes where it wants, eats what it wants, and all other animals respect it. But it can only thrive as long as it can sustain itself in its habitat.

In contrast, the toy poodle lives a kept life. Completely dependent on its owner to carry it around and feed it, the toy poodle has essentially no agency or power. However, it usually wants for nothing and always outlives the timberwolf.

Most of us are going to pick the timberwolf, because the idea of living a comfortable but captivated life sounds stifling. The artists, engineers and other creators whose work will make or break the metaverse are the same waythey want to be empowered to do creative work the way they see fit.

Nvidias grassroots approach treats creatives like timberwolves, providing them the habitat and tools they need to create, thrive, and make a living. In contrast, the top-down control of companies like Meta treats creatives like toy poodles who need to be supervised inside a closed environment. They monitor the everyday transactions of users to mine their data, and prevent creatives from coloring outside the lines or making money outside of an approved digital economy.

Its difficult to imagine what our world would be like without the work of artists and creatives. The latest plot developments on hit TV shows like Succession and Game of Thrones dominate our conversations. Designers influence everything from our fashion choices to how we decorate our homes. Musicians compose the tunes we hear in the background as we work, socialize, and relax.

So much of what it means to be human comes from art in all its forms. For the metaverse to take off as a true cultural phenomenon, we need visionary artists and creatives to fill it with real culture. That means empowering these creatives to make all kinds of content for virtual environments, from NFTs to music to livestreaming shows, and ensuring theyre fairly compensated for their work.

This is why Nvidias Omniverse software license giveaway to artists is such a big deal. Nvidia understands unleashing creative energy to make products and experiences in the metaverse is what will make it exciting and attractive to consumers. New arrivals in these virtual worlds will seek creative and artistic experiences that cant be found anywhere else. Besides making the metaverse a more lively and engaging place to spend time, this will also be crucial to establishing the commercial viability of any new virtual world.

And its not just artists who will benefit from this approach. As a longtime advocate for the open-source community, I can attest that the creative work of developers and software engineers will also be crucial to the success of the metaverse. By providing flexible tools without telling developers how they must use them, we can empower curious experts to experiment and iterate with whats possible in livestreaming and virtual environments.

In short, no company should seek to own the metaverse; rather they should strive to open up all thats possible within it. Lets all embrace our inner timberwolves, boldly exploring all the metaverse can be.

Jerod Venema is founder and CEO of real-time video communication company LiveSwitch.

VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Learn More

More here:
Why Nvidias bottom-up approach to the metaverse will win - VentureBeat

LogMeIn, the company that owns remote collaboration software like GoTo Meeting and password management company LastPass is changing its name to GoTo. The rebranding comes after the company reported over $1 billion in revenue and that GoTo product usage is growing including a 36 percent year-over-year sales increase of its GoTo Connect VoIP, video conferencing, and collaboration platform.

With remote working spiking during the pandemic, the GoTo suite of Software as a Service (SaaS) products is a popular choice. In a statement emailed to The Verge, the company claims GoTo Meeting has 300 million participants, along with 50 million for GoTo Webinar and 5 million for GoTo Training.

Along with the name change comes a new software product called GoTo Resolve: an IT ticketing platform that will integrate support tools and include a freemium tier. The newly named companys flagship GoTo Connect software will also include better support integrations tailored for small businesses looking to ease the work of IT staff.

The company still carries some small redundancies in its portfolio, including two remote computer control products: GoToMyPC and LogMeIn Pro. The competing products have been coexisting since Citrix spun off the GoTo product line into the company GetGo in 2016, which then merged with LogMeIn.

Last month LogMeIn appointed new CEO Mike Kohlsdorf, succeeding Bill Wagner, who held the role for nine years, to oversee the LastPass acquisition (and ongoing spinoff) and the sale of LogMeIn to a pair of private equity firms for $4.3 billion.

About a third of all its customers are small businesses with under 50 employees of LogMeIns total customer base. Thats according to business profiler Enlyft, which is looking at data collected over the last six years or so.

LogMeIn was one of the most prominent computer remote access programs used by small businesses to control their work computers from home. In the early 2010s, a boom of cloud-based remote access services like TeamViewer and Splashtop rose up with free services useful for many home users and small businesses. LogMeIn shut down its free tier in 2014 and followed that with a similar change for LastPass just a year ago.

Continue reading here:
LogMeIn is rebranding as GoTo, as in GoToMeeting - The Verge

Now that we know who's heading to Super Bowl LVI, it's time to put the spotlight on another championship game: Puppy Bowl XVIII. The most adorable showdown of the season happens on Feb. 13 at 11 a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET), hours before Super Bowl kickoff.

Sure, game day is the day for entertaining -- not to mention expensive -- commercials, finger foods and touchdown dances, but why not start things off with this cuddly event? This puppy version of orange versus blue is the perfect prelude to seeing the Bengals and Rams hit the field. And having your own pets isn't required.

The puppies huddle for Puppy Bowl XVIII.

Hosted by besties Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart, Puppy Bowl 2022 will bring together two rival teams aiming for victory. Though it's not the first time Snoop and Stewart have hosted the game, this year they'll be acting as coaches in the ultimate fur-baby matchup. Along with providing play-by-play commentary, they'll be running drills, giving pep talks and leading their pooches to greatness.

What's on the line? Besides the prized Chewy Lombarky Trophy, each pup in the lineup is up for adoption. Team Fluff and Team Ruff are counting on the viewing audience to really bring things home for them as potential new owners.

This must-see event will also feature a puppy cheerleading squad, a kitty halftime show and an appearance from Elmo and his dog Tango. While cable subscribers can watch the fun unfold on Animal Planet or the Animal Planet Go app, here's how cord-cutters can get in on the action.

Coaches Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart for Puppy Bowl 2022.

To take in all three hours of the Puppy Bowl and its preshow, head over toDiscovery Plus, the official streaming home of the event. Viewers receive exclusive access to Pupclose & Personal, a series highlighting Ariana Grande's animal rescue organization that she launched with her choreographer friends. The app will also feature a reel of the Puppy Bowl's 17-year history. All this content is available before the game.

The monthly fee for Discovery Plus is $5, but new subscribers are eligible for a free seven-day trial.

You'll find more than 60 live channels on Philo, including Animal Planet, and the price tag is just $25 per month. A bonus is Philo's unlimited DVR, so if you want to record all that cuteness to watch later, you can save it for up to one year. New Philo users can sign up for a seven-day free trial.

Watch the fluffy game commence live on FuboTV. The service's basic starter package is $65 per month and includes Animal Planet along with 250 hours of DVR. If you're not already signed up, you can get a free trial run for seven days. Once the Puppy Bowl ends, you can flip over to NBC to watch the Super Bowl at 3:30 p.m. PT (6:30 p.m. ET).

YouTube TV encourages new subscribers to try its live streaming service for free for two weeks, and after that, it's $65 per month. Tune in to Animal Planet on game day and then enjoy the Puppy Bowl replay through the service's unlimited DVR. Like Fubo, YouTube TV also makes it seamless to watch the NFL's big game by carrying NBC.

Hulu has multiple subscription plans, but bear in mind that if you want to watch Puppy Bowl live on Animal Planet, it costs $70 per month for Hulu Live TV. Sorry, there isn't a free trial available for new or returning users. However, you can also stream the big game on this live plan.

Read our Hulu With Live TV review.

DirecTV Stream includes Animal Planet with all four of its streaming packages, and you can subscribe to its base Entertainment plan for $70 per month. While there isn't a free trial, you can get a refund on your bill if you cancel your subscription within 14 days. That's enough time to catch the Puppy Bowl and then follow up with Super Bowl LVI on NBC.

The Puppy Bowl is about more than just a chaotic game of cuteness overload. Viewers will learn about the hard work happening around the country at animal shelters, and get the chance to meet a group of service dogs and special needs pups. Who knows? You may wind up helping one of these animals find a forever home.

Entertain your brain with the coolest news from streaming to superheroes, memes to video games.

Here is the original post:
How to watch the Puppy Bowl 2022 - CNET

"We see the importance of social engagement in sports betting. It will play a paramount role in providing a more interactive and enjoyable experience during sports coverage, including allowing friends to challenge each other in a friendly wager," said Daniel Salgado, Tribal Chairman "The potential of pari-mutuel betting pools will help diversify the sports wagering market in eSports as well as traditional sports."

Aaron Basch, CEO of Sparket, is "excited to be partnering with Cahuilla Casino Hotel, an experienced tribal operator in California who will help us navigate the expanding sports and eSports landscape in the state. Our Social Betwork platform will enable their users to access new wagering types, initially via free to play games. By utilizing pari-mutuel odds as a form of peer-to-peer wagering, Sparket's application will enable Cahuilla Casino Hotel to offer better odds and provide more options to their customers in the near future."

About Sparket: The Social BetworkSparket's partnership announcement comes on the heels of a successful year for the growing Los Angeles based startup, during which they completed their initial fundraising efforts, inked a deal with US Bookmaking, and held a live esports eventduring Comic Con weekend in San Diego.

To learn more about Sparket follow us online http://www.betsparket.com, @betSparket on social media.

About Cahuilla Casino HotelThe Cahuilla Band of Indians opened Cahuilla Casino in 1996. The serene mountain setting and beautiful drive had made the casino a favorite day trip destination for players from all over Southern California. In 2015, Mountain Sky Travel Center was introduced offering a full-service convenience store and twelve pump gas and diesel fuel station. In 2019, Cahuilla began building a brand-new casino and adding a hotel, rebranding as Cahuilla Casino Hotel. May 27, 2020, Cahuilla Casino Hotel opened the new property that nearly tripled the size of the original facility, featuring a 15,000 square foot casino with expanded gaming options to include the addition of table games, an American style restaurant and a 58 room hotel. To stay up-to-date on casino news and information, please visit http://www.cahuillacasinohotel.comand follow us onFacebook andInstagram.

CONTACT: Aaron Basch, [emailprotected]

SOURCE Sparket

More here:
Cahuilla Casino Hotel early adopter of the Social Betwork for the Big Game - PRNewswire

READING, United Kingdom, Jan.31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Pegasystems Inc.(NASDAQ: PEGA), the software company that crushes business complexity, today announced that QBEEuropean Operations(QBE EO), one of the world's leading insurers and reinsurers, has used Pega Robotic Process Automation (RPA)to increase efficiency and improve customer experience.

Headquartered in London with operations across Europe, QBE EO is part of QBE, one of the world's largest insurance groups. Prior to using Pega, its claims, and credit control team processed each case manually, which involved sorting through thousands of case related emails, data, and tasks per day.

QBE EO turned to Pega's intelligent automation capabilities as part of an operational excellence initiative to transform highly transactional areas of the business by streamlining and automating workflows. After initial pilot success in claims, Pega was quickly rolled out to credit control and underwriting operations, with robotic solutions now operating across the business.

QBE EO claims department alone has deployed Pega bots to automate an estimated 30,000 customer claims tasks per week, saving approximately 50,000 hours, the equivalent of 25 full time employees annually, while dramatically speeding up the process for its customers. Pega RPA removes the need for employees to perform repetitive work and enables that work to be processed digitally, with greater speed and accuracy. This enables QBE EO claims handlers to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time providing value-added services while delivering outstanding customer experiences. Providing a more sophisticated level of service has also significantly improved employee satisfaction, and left them with time to talk to brokers about how they can enhance their services.

One of the most successful bots for QBE has been an attended RPA bot that receives thousands of emails per day and files them in the appropriate systems, saving thousands of manual hours per week. Due to the flexibility of the software, a simple reconfiguration has enabled more than 75 variations of the generic filing bot. Through a simple drag and drop process, QBE was able to leverage this bot from its initial home in claims to serve multiple business units across Europe that also handle large volumes of transactional emails, including underwriting.

Savings from the use of bots has enabled QBE EO to invest in upskilling staff within the region. Going forward, QBE plans to continue to expand the use of intelligent automation into other geographical regions to remove manual work and improve service.

Quotes & Commentary:

"Our people remain the most important asset of our team," said Amit Dixit, head of operational excellence, QBE Europe. "Pega fosters an environment where subject matter experts can remove administrative tasks from their workload and use that time to take care of stakeholder engagement, such as talking to brokers about how we can work better together. As a result, our team members are happier and more fulfilled. There is huge potential to do more with robotics; we are always looking to do things more efficiently and effectivelyto deliver the best result for the customer, our brokers, and our employees."

"In today's environment, it is crucial for companies to direct staff's time and effort toward high-value customerengagement," said Hayden Stafford, president of global client engagement, Pegasystems. "QBE has demonstrated success with Pega by saving its staff tens of thousands of hours per year, and delivering scalability across Europe to improve its processes for employees and customers. We look forward to continuing to support QBE in its digital transformation mission that ultimately will help them deliver real value to their customers."

Supporting Resources:

About PegasystemsPega delivers innovative software that crushes business complexity. From maximizing customer lifetime value to streamlining service to boosting efficiency, we help the world's leading brands solve problems fast and transform for tomorrow. Pega clients make better decisions and get work done with real-time AI and intelligent automation. And, since 1983, we've built our scalable architecture and low-code platform to stay ahead of rapid change. Our solutions save people time, so our clients' employees and customers can get back to what matters most.

For more information on Pegasystems (NASDAQ: PEGA) visitwww.pega.com.

Press Contact:Sarah KingPegasystems Ltd.[emailprotected] +44 (0) 118 9398 584

SOURCE Pegasystems Inc.

Read more from the original source:
Pega Helps QBE Free Nearly 50,000 hours of Employees' Time Annually with RPA - PRNewswire