🖼 Breakout NFT Conference is Building Web3 Communities in São Paulo
Breakout NFT, taking place from March 15-16 in São Paulo, brings together an impressive lineup of speakers from ConsenSys, Artblocks, Chainlink, FingerPrintsDAO, and a wide array of artists from multiple disciplines. Topics on the agenda fall within four focus areas: AI & Art, Games, Phygital, & Urban Art. Alongside a steady increase in Brazil’s internet usage, São Paulo has seen a “proliferation of accelerators” in recent years, supporting a growing ecosystem of startups. The hosts of the conference are banking on the city’s meteoric rise as a regional technology hub, making it the perfect scene for NFT and Web3 gaming companies to build and expand their communities. Alongside businesses, Breakout NFT is placing its focus squarely on local artists—who are highly represented in a way that isn’t seen in many NFT conferences or trade shows. Those artists encompass many different disciplines.
Breakout NFT, taking place from March 15-16 in São Paulo, brings together an impressive lineup of speakers from ConsenSys, Artblocks, Chainlink, FingerPrintsDAO, and a wide array of artists from multiple disciplines. Topics on the agenda fall within four focus areas: AI & Art, Games, Phygital, & Urban Art. Alongside a steady increase in Brazil’s internet usage, São Paulo has seen a “proliferation of accelerators” in recent years, supporting a growing ecosystem of startups. The hosts of the conference are banking on the city’s meteoric rise as a regional technology hub, making it the perfect scene for NFT and Web3 gaming companies to build and expand their communities. Alongside businesses, Breakout NFT is placing its focus squarely on local artists—who are highly represented in a way that isn’t seen in many NFT conferences or trade shows. Those artists encompass many different disciplines.
The Federal Reserve today released two statements with a singular message: Depositors of Silicon Valley Bank, whether insured or not, will receive assistance that ensures "full protection" for all.
Depositors “will have access to all of their money starting Monday, March 13. No losses associated with the resolution of Silicon Valley Bank will be borne by the taxpayer.”
Depositors “will have access to all of their money starting Monday, March 13. No losses associated with the resolution of Silicon Valley Bank will be borne by the taxpayer.”
🪙 ITV Studios takes Thunderbirds into The Sandbox metaverse
ITV Studios and Reality+ have joined together to launch the Tracy Island Sandbox Metaverse Experience. The time-limited Tracy Island event in The Sandbox Metaverse will run for two weeks from today to give fans the opportunity to join forces with their favourite Thunderbirds characters to take on quests in and around the famous top secret International Rescue HQ. The Tracy Island Sandbox Experience consists of 15 quests and mini-games with a plethora of Easter eggs and information about the original TV series. Leveraging the benefits of Web3, fans can also browse the various digital collectibles, including a gallery takeover in the Thunderbird 2 hangar, and a special voxel exhibition curated by Lady Penelope. Reality+ co-founder Tony Pearce said: “It’s a tremendous honour to be working with ITV Studios, not only to help them push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of Web3 entertainment.
ITV Studios and Reality+ have joined together to launch the Tracy Island Sandbox Metaverse Experience. The time-limited Tracy Island event in The Sandbox Metaverse will run for two weeks from today to give fans the opportunity to join forces with their favourite Thunderbirds characters to take on quests in and around the famous top secret International Rescue HQ. The Tracy Island Sandbox Experience consists of 15 quests and mini-games with a plethora of Easter eggs and information about the original TV series. Leveraging the benefits of Web3, fans can also browse the various digital collectibles, including a gallery takeover in the Thunderbird 2 hangar, and a special voxel exhibition curated by Lady Penelope. Reality+ co-founder Tony Pearce said: “It’s a tremendous honour to be working with ITV Studios, not only to help them push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of Web3 entertainment.
⚡️ ITV Studios takes Thunderbirds into the metaverse
ITV Studios has teamed up with web3 firm Reality+ to take the TV series Thunderbirds into the metaverse. The British science fiction series that showcased characters such as Lady Penelope, Brains, and Jeff Tracy is to be rebooted within The Sandbox metaverse. Tracy Island, the famous top secret international rescue headquarters from Thunderbirds. Using a VR headset to enter the metaverse, players will be greeted by their favourite Thunderbirds characters and be able to go on quests around Tracy Island. Labelled the Tracy Island Sandbox Experience, the event will consist of 15 quests and mini-games. Users will have access to Thunderbirds NFTs, or non-fungible tokens and will be able to visit a digital artwork gallery in the Thunderbird 2 hangar, including an exhibition curated by Lady Penelope herself. Reality+ co-founder Tony Pearce said it was a "tremendous honour to be working with ITV Studios.
ITV Studios has teamed up with web3 firm Reality+ to take the TV series Thunderbirds into the metaverse. The British science fiction series that showcased characters such as Lady Penelope, Brains, and Jeff Tracy is to be rebooted within The Sandbox metaverse. Tracy Island, the famous top secret international rescue headquarters from Thunderbirds. Using a VR headset to enter the metaverse, players will be greeted by their favourite Thunderbirds characters and be able to go on quests around Tracy Island. Labelled the Tracy Island Sandbox Experience, the event will consist of 15 quests and mini-games. Users will have access to Thunderbirds NFTs, or non-fungible tokens and will be able to visit a digital artwork gallery in the Thunderbird 2 hangar, including an exhibition curated by Lady Penelope herself. Reality+ co-founder Tony Pearce said it was a "tremendous honour to be working with ITV Studios.
Google has announced a suite of upcoming generative AI features for its Workspace apps, including Google Docs and Gmail.
You will soon be able to generate, summarize, and brainstorm text with AI in Google Docs.
You will have the option to generate full emails in Gmail based on brief bullet points, and the ability to produce AI imagery, audio, and video to illustrate presentations in Slides.
You will also be able to generate new backgrounds and capture notes in Meet, and enable workflows for getting things done in Chat.
These features will begin rolling out to a selection of US-based users this month and is another step forward in Google’s plans to not only catch up to, but dethrone Microsoft as the leader in the Generative AI race.
You will soon be able to generate, summarize, and brainstorm text with AI in Google Docs.
You will have the option to generate full emails in Gmail based on brief bullet points, and the ability to produce AI imagery, audio, and video to illustrate presentations in Slides.
You will also be able to generate new backgrounds and capture notes in Meet, and enable workflows for getting things done in Chat.
These features will begin rolling out to a selection of US-based users this month and is another step forward in Google’s plans to not only catch up to, but dethrone Microsoft as the leader in the Generative AI race.
📣 Meta Cuts 10,000 More Workers After Scrapping NFT Plans
Meta’s workforce ballooned in recent years as the Facebook parent company signaled its ambitions for the metaverse—but recent moves suggest that it is feeling the sting of changing tech trends and rough market conditions. The company today announced another round of layoffs, one day after saying that it was “winding down” support for NFTs. Co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post today that Meta will shed about 10,000 further employees in the months ahead across multiple waves, as well as close about 5,000 current listings for open positions. The moves will affect its recruiting department this week, its tech groups in April, and business groups in May. Meta previously laid off about 11,000 employees in November, representing about 13% of its workforce at the time, per CNBC. As of December 31, 2022, Meta reported having a headcount of 86,482 people across all divisions —a 20% jump from the year prior.
Meta’s workforce ballooned in recent years as the Facebook parent company signaled its ambitions for the metaverse—but recent moves suggest that it is feeling the sting of changing tech trends and rough market conditions. The company today announced another round of layoffs, one day after saying that it was “winding down” support for NFTs. Co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post today that Meta will shed about 10,000 further employees in the months ahead across multiple waves, as well as close about 5,000 current listings for open positions. The moves will affect its recruiting department this week, its tech groups in April, and business groups in May. Meta previously laid off about 11,000 employees in November, representing about 13% of its workforce at the time, per CNBC. As of December 31, 2022, Meta reported having a headcount of 86,482 people across all divisions —a 20% jump from the year prior.
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Metalink has announced the launch of its mobile app – available now in the App Store 📲
They are aiming to create the first mobile platform enabling NFT collectors to communicate via gated chats; track real-time portfolio valuations; aggregate announcements; and eventually buy, sell and swap assets in a single app.
“Our vision is for Metalink to be the one place for NFT collectors to Talk, Track and Transact NFTs,” said Metalink CEO, Jakeu Dell. “No more communicating through web2 messaging apps and separately buying and selling through several different marketplaces. We’re excited about our ‘Talk’ and ‘Track’ features and working hard to make transactions a reality soon.”
The app features novel and secure NFT chat rooms, NFT portfolio management suite, announcement aggregation – and more.
They are aiming to create the first mobile platform enabling NFT collectors to communicate via gated chats; track real-time portfolio valuations; aggregate announcements; and eventually buy, sell and swap assets in a single app.
“Our vision is for Metalink to be the one place for NFT collectors to Talk, Track and Transact NFTs,” said Metalink CEO, Jakeu Dell. “No more communicating through web2 messaging apps and separately buying and selling through several different marketplaces. We’re excited about our ‘Talk’ and ‘Track’ features and working hard to make transactions a reality soon.”
The app features novel and secure NFT chat rooms, NFT portfolio management suite, announcement aggregation – and more.
📣 Microsoft dips Teams in the metaverse vat with avatars ahead
Microsoft Teams users are getting more ways to express themselves to other participants on those increasingly frequent video calls. Redmond is continuing to add features that enable users to change the look of their environments during video meetings, from blurring the background to putting shots of scenic vistas behind them. Teams users now are getting more filters to add colorful animation to the screen or change the hue of the video. The visual effects filters, which were put into public preview in January, are being made generally available this month. And for those who just want to turn off the camera and get off the screen during video conferences, Microsoft starting in May will be rolling out 3D avatars that will give other participants something else to look at instead. Video conferencing was already on the rise, but the COVID-19 pandemic almost overnight ramped demand.
Microsoft Teams users are getting more ways to express themselves to other participants on those increasingly frequent video calls. Redmond is continuing to add features that enable users to change the look of their environments during video meetings, from blurring the background to putting shots of scenic vistas behind them. Teams users now are getting more filters to add colorful animation to the screen or change the hue of the video. The visual effects filters, which were put into public preview in January, are being made generally available this month. And for those who just want to turn off the camera and get off the screen during video conferences, Microsoft starting in May will be rolling out 3D avatars that will give other participants something else to look at instead. Video conferencing was already on the rise, but the COVID-19 pandemic almost overnight ramped demand.
📣 Solana-based NFT website Formfunction to shut down on March 29
Formfunction, an NFT marketplace platform on Solana, will shut down its website on March 29, about a year after the project raised $4.7 million in a seed funding round. Creators on the platform have been advised to delist their items before March 29. Formfunction launched in February 2022 to support “one of one” NFT creators on Solana. Formfunction said it has supported more than 4,000 creators on its platform and that 60% of them had made at least one sale, with over 600 earning at least $1,000. The website added that 70 creators had earned more than $10,000 each during its run. Despite these successes and the $4.7 million fundraising, Formfunction is shutting down. The March 15 announcement did not give reasons for ending the project, but called the decision “extremely difficult.” Formfunction CEO Katherine Liu thanked team members for their efforts in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Formfunction, an NFT marketplace platform on Solana, will shut down its website on March 29, about a year after the project raised $4.7 million in a seed funding round. Creators on the platform have been advised to delist their items before March 29. Formfunction launched in February 2022 to support “one of one” NFT creators on Solana. Formfunction said it has supported more than 4,000 creators on its platform and that 60% of them had made at least one sale, with over 600 earning at least $1,000. The website added that 70 creators had earned more than $10,000 each during its run. Despite these successes and the $4.7 million fundraising, Formfunction is shutting down. The March 15 announcement did not give reasons for ending the project, but called the decision “extremely difficult.” Formfunction CEO Katherine Liu thanked team members for their efforts in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Microsoft dips Teams in the metaverse vat with avatars ahead
Microsoft Teams users are getting more ways to express themselves to other participants on those increasingly frequent video calls. Redmond is continuing to add features that enable users to change the look of their environments during video meetings, from blurring the background to putting shots of scenic vistas behind them.
Teams users now are getting more filters to add colorful animation to the screen or change the hue of the video. The visual effects filters, which were put into public preview in January, are being made generally available this month. And for those who just want to turn off the camera and get off the screen during video conferences, Microsoft starting in May will be rolling out 3D avatars that will give other participants something else to look at instead.
Microsoft Teams users are getting more ways to express themselves to other participants on those increasingly frequent video calls. Redmond is continuing to add features that enable users to change the look of their environments during video meetings, from blurring the background to putting shots of scenic vistas behind them.
Teams users now are getting more filters to add colorful animation to the screen or change the hue of the video. The visual effects filters, which were put into public preview in January, are being made generally available this month. And for those who just want to turn off the camera and get off the screen during video conferences, Microsoft starting in May will be rolling out 3D avatars that will give other participants something else to look at instead.
🖼 Instagram NFT initiative's swift death mints mourners, mehs
Meta’s decision to test an initiative that allowed artists to sell NFTs on Instagram was widely considered a positive development for the struggling industry. Now that the tech giant has pulled the plug on the project, web3 enthusiasts’ reaction to the sudden move is all over the place. Krugman’s frustration may resonate with many independent artists. Meta’s new NFT feature allowed him to interact directly with his audience and he could seamlessly sell NFTs on the platform rather than having to redirect potential buyers to third-party marketplaces like OpenSea. Krugman did only one drop on Instagram of 100 NFTs at $50 a piece, which he said sold in under a minute. Meta is moving off of NFTs a little less than five months after launching the initiative that allowed a select few “creators” to showcase and sell “digital collectibles” — NFTs — using Instagram. Stephane Kasriel, Meta’s head of commerce & financial technologies.
Meta’s decision to test an initiative that allowed artists to sell NFTs on Instagram was widely considered a positive development for the struggling industry. Now that the tech giant has pulled the plug on the project, web3 enthusiasts’ reaction to the sudden move is all over the place. Krugman’s frustration may resonate with many independent artists. Meta’s new NFT feature allowed him to interact directly with his audience and he could seamlessly sell NFTs on the platform rather than having to redirect potential buyers to third-party marketplaces like OpenSea. Krugman did only one drop on Instagram of 100 NFTs at $50 a piece, which he said sold in under a minute. Meta is moving off of NFTs a little less than five months after launching the initiative that allowed a select few “creators” to showcase and sell “digital collectibles” — NFTs — using Instagram. Stephane Kasriel, Meta’s head of commerce & financial technologies.
🔫 Hello Pets Now Acquires 10 BAYC In $6M NFT Expansion, Sets Sights On Metaverse
Hello Pets, a blockchain-based entertainment company, has recently made a significant investment in the NFT space. The firm announced that it had acquired 10 Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFTs as the first step of its newly established $6M funds to develop and strengthen its Metaverse ecosystem. The purchased NFTs will be incorporated into Hello Pets’ various products, including movies, metaverse, games, AR/VR applications, Lego-like toys, fashion, and many more. Hello Pets believes that this approach will result in richer and more captivating content in its products, appealing to a broader audience. The company plans to keep buying more Blue Chip NFTs, as well as excellent content creating teams, to strengthen its ecosystem further. As part of the $6M fund, Hello Pets also plans to invest in and acquire high-quality Metaverse and game teams to build the ecosystem together and synergize with all its products.
Hello Pets, a blockchain-based entertainment company, has recently made a significant investment in the NFT space. The firm announced that it had acquired 10 Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFTs as the first step of its newly established $6M funds to develop and strengthen its Metaverse ecosystem. The purchased NFTs will be incorporated into Hello Pets’ various products, including movies, metaverse, games, AR/VR applications, Lego-like toys, fashion, and many more. Hello Pets believes that this approach will result in richer and more captivating content in its products, appealing to a broader audience. The company plans to keep buying more Blue Chip NFTs, as well as excellent content creating teams, to strengthen its ecosystem further. As part of the $6M fund, Hello Pets also plans to invest in and acquire high-quality Metaverse and game teams to build the ecosystem together and synergize with all its products.
📣 Decoding the Enigma of Bitcoin NFT Ordinals
With the advent of blockchain technology, the revolution in the space of financial transactions has been phenomenal. From decentralized banking to trading cryptocurrencies, we have witnessed spectacular advancements. Another recent breakthrough was the emergence of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which have been capitalized on by a large number of people. Bitcoin has evolved from being a lending and borrowing mechanism to becoming a host to a range of DeFi protocols in recent years with the advent of Stacks (STX), Wrapped Bitcoin, etc. It has now found another use case in enabling people to create and store digital artwork like images, audio, text, or videos on the Bitcoin blockchain network. This has become possible because of the Ordinals protocol. As thrilling as it sounds, this new evolution has become highly popular among the bitcoin community, and more than 100,000 ordinals have already been created.
With the advent of blockchain technology, the revolution in the space of financial transactions has been phenomenal. From decentralized banking to trading cryptocurrencies, we have witnessed spectacular advancements. Another recent breakthrough was the emergence of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which have been capitalized on by a large number of people. Bitcoin has evolved from being a lending and borrowing mechanism to becoming a host to a range of DeFi protocols in recent years with the advent of Stacks (STX), Wrapped Bitcoin, etc. It has now found another use case in enabling people to create and store digital artwork like images, audio, text, or videos on the Bitcoin blockchain network. This has become possible because of the Ordinals protocol. As thrilling as it sounds, this new evolution has become highly popular among the bitcoin community, and more than 100,000 ordinals have already been created.
Instagram NFT initiative's swift death mints mourners, mehs
Meta’s decision to test an initiative that allowed artists to sell NFTs on Instagram was widely considered a positive development for the struggling industry. Now that the tech giant has pulled the plug on the project, web3 enthusiasts’ reaction to the sudden move is all over the place. Krugman’s frustration may resonate with many independent artists.
Meta’s new NFT feature allowed him to interact directly with his audience and he could seamlessly sell NFTs on the platform rather than having to redirect potential buyers to third-party marketplaces like OpenSea. Krugman did only one drop on Instagram of 100 NFTs at $50 a piece, which he said sold in under a minute. Meta is moving off of NFTs a little less than five months after launching the initiative that allowed a select few “creators” to showcase and sell “digital collectibles” — NFTs — using Instagram.
Meta’s decision to test an initiative that allowed artists to sell NFTs on Instagram was widely considered a positive development for the struggling industry. Now that the tech giant has pulled the plug on the project, web3 enthusiasts’ reaction to the sudden move is all over the place. Krugman’s frustration may resonate with many independent artists.
Meta’s new NFT feature allowed him to interact directly with his audience and he could seamlessly sell NFTs on the platform rather than having to redirect potential buyers to third-party marketplaces like OpenSea. Krugman did only one drop on Instagram of 100 NFTs at $50 a piece, which he said sold in under a minute. Meta is moving off of NFTs a little less than five months after launching the initiative that allowed a select few “creators” to showcase and sell “digital collectibles” — NFTs — using Instagram.
🇨🇳 China Will Become a Metaverse Tech Leader During 2023
A report issued by Globaldata, a global consulting and data analysis company, predicts that China will become a leading country in metaverse tech during 2023. The firm believes that the development of other technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 6G will allow China to configure itself as a metaverse hub. While the interest in the metaverse seems to be waning at a worldwide level, China is still pushing to become a leader in the industry. According to a recent report prepared by Globaldata, a consulting firm, China is positioning itself to surpass the West when it comes to metaverse tech, as the country will keep investing in technologies related to this field. Furthermore, Globaldata believes that there are signs that indicate that China will continue to invest in virtual reality and artificial intelligence with the objective of promoting the economic development of the nation.
A report issued by Globaldata, a global consulting and data analysis company, predicts that China will become a leading country in metaverse tech during 2023. The firm believes that the development of other technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 6G will allow China to configure itself as a metaverse hub. While the interest in the metaverse seems to be waning at a worldwide level, China is still pushing to become a leader in the industry. According to a recent report prepared by Globaldata, a consulting firm, China is positioning itself to surpass the West when it comes to metaverse tech, as the country will keep investing in technologies related to this field. Furthermore, Globaldata believes that there are signs that indicate that China will continue to invest in virtual reality and artificial intelligence with the objective of promoting the economic development of the nation.
🖼 Origin Protocol Considers Subsidizing OGN Rewards After Joining NFT Royalty Wars
The protocol is moving toward backstopping its OGN staking program with ether (ETH) and OGN subsidies funded by its budget, according to a governance proposal poised to pass on Tuesday. The action is designed to combat a short-term shortfall in the fee revenue that usually supports Origin’s popular yield program, which currently holds 11% of all OGN tokens. At press time, Origin’s website dashboards showed the protocol’s rewards pools for both ETH and OGN were fully depleted, indicating there were no tokens available to pay out to OGN stakers. With hours left in the voting, the subsidies proposal appeared likely to pass. At press time, 27 holders of Origin’s OGN tokens had voted over 1 million tokens in favor of passage, and none against. At least three participating addresses were associated with employees of Origin Protocol. Together, they comprised over 50% of the voting power.
The protocol is moving toward backstopping its OGN staking program with ether (ETH) and OGN subsidies funded by its budget, according to a governance proposal poised to pass on Tuesday. The action is designed to combat a short-term shortfall in the fee revenue that usually supports Origin’s popular yield program, which currently holds 11% of all OGN tokens. At press time, Origin’s website dashboards showed the protocol’s rewards pools for both ETH and OGN were fully depleted, indicating there were no tokens available to pay out to OGN stakers. With hours left in the voting, the subsidies proposal appeared likely to pass. At press time, 27 holders of Origin’s OGN tokens had voted over 1 million tokens in favor of passage, and none against. At least three participating addresses were associated with employees of Origin Protocol. Together, they comprised over 50% of the voting power.