Hi everyone! I can’t stop talking about Microsoft Ignite 2024. I don’t think I can reiterate enough how I had no idea what to expect, but the show surprised me and excited me in the best way! I think that there is a lot we can learn from Microsoft as we catapult ourselves into the new age of work. (I don’t know that we’ve all agreed on a proper term for this era or not.) But anyway, here are my top 10 moments from the show (in no particular order). Some are products. Some are conversations. But all are sure to leave a lasting impression on you like they did for me.

1. Jabra — Josh Blalock

I really enjoyed catching up with Josh Blalock at the show, and I learned a little about what Jabra has been doing with Microsoft. In this interview, Josh talks about the category of “intelligent speaker” and how products like the PanaCast 50 can identify a meeting attendee by their voice, working with Microsoft Copilot to give someone a recap later with exactly WHO said WHAT in a meeting. Josh is also just a really great person to talk to because he knows so much about the industry and knows exactly how to thread AV with storytelling.

2. MDEP

In case you didn’t read David Danto’s very comprehensive article about the MDEP program, it’s a standardized, Android-based platform specifically designed to address the challenges of managing collaboration devices. To explain a little more, it helps Microsoft streamline Android- and Windows-based Microsoft Teams Rooms devices. It is what David calls, “MDEP, a custom version of Android that meets Microsoft’s requirements for security, management and performance.” Well, at Ignite, Shure announced it was joining the program. This is a big deal because it basically provides a guide for all manufacturers who want their product to work well with Microsoft.

3. MAXHUB’s New 95-inch 21:9 5K Display

Like I said earlier, some of my top 10 moments are products! This is one of them. My shoddy video shooting work does not do this display justice. I know we really had a moment a couple of years ago where 21:9 displays were really taking off and and Microsoft Teams Front Row was all anyone talked about when it came to hybrid meetings. And while I have not seen as many 21:9 displays this year as I did last year, this one really stands out with its three cameras and 16 microphones. I also really like that MAXHUB showed this product first as a meeting tool but also as digital signage.

4. Appspace

Appspace is a hub that helps organizations manage content from digital signage to room booking and workplace management. Its latest integrations with Microsoft include one with Microsoft Teams Rooms that turn a display in a MTR into digital signage when it’s idle. Appspace also has integrations that allow you to query it from Copilot.

5. Satya Nadella’s Keynote

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Satya Nadella’s keynote — all about how AI can and should take you and your company to the next level. I could tell how much care Satya has for the company and how he genuinely believes in everything he talks about. He set the tone for the rest of the event by discussing Copilot in such depth and it made me quite excited to see everything that Microsoft brings to the table next. You can read my full review of the keynote here if you’d like.

6. Q-SYS – VisionSuite

Another company that really impressed me at Microsoft Ignite was Q-SYS. Q-SYS had a demo room (but also a booth) and was showing VisionSuite — a vision-based AI presenter-tracking solution. This demo above is using it with Microsoft Teams Rooms, and as you can see on the left, VisionSuite is tracking the presenter on the left. This is great for a hybrid meeting in which you have someone on stage giving a presentation or talk. VisionSuite uses skeletal tracking to track the presenter, so even if they turn around, the camera is still following them. You can set no-tracking zones, have another camera that automatically tracks the audience so that it shows them when they talk, etc. I found this to be one of the most elegant solutions like this that I’ve gotten to see up close and I really enjoyed learning more about it at the show.

7. Turning the Tables With Neil Fluester

I don’t know that Crestron’s Neil Fluester and I had crossed paths before this day, but it was so nice getting to hang out with him for a little while at Microsoft Ignite. I was really excited to learn about his impression of the show, and then he turned the tables and interviewed me right after this. I … am not used to being the one being interviewed but after putting microphones in so many of your faces, I suppose it’s what I deserve. Either way, Neil has some great thoughts about the state of the industry and where Microsoft and Microsoft Ignite fit in.

8. TD SYNNEX Copilot Labs

At this show, TD SYNNEX focused a lot on Copilot Labs — this is something that allows TD SYNNEX customers (and your customers) to have a Copilot license. This means everyone gets the opportunity to use and play with it. In the demo above, you can see that there is a training session so that you can get the most out of the tools. The demo also shows how you can use Copilot with Excel and what a few of those prompts look like.

9. HP Poly and PC-Based Solutions for MTR

I actually like this video a lot because he does a great job of explaining why HP bought Poly and what strengths this is leveraging now. He says that this partnership marries the best video solutions with the best PCs — to then give you the best meeting experience possible. He goes through a few solutions one by one as well.

10. Logitech MeetUp 2

The MeetUp 2 is an all-in-one USB conference camera for a BYOD room. But the MeetUp 2 also includes all of the capabilities that come on Logitech’s other bars. This includes the auto-framing and other features that people know and love. But I was excited to see BYOD still an important option on the show floor and being easily used for Microsoft Teams or truly whatever type of meeting you prefer to have. It’s YOUR device.

Alright, these don’t really even scratch the surface of everything I did and learned at Microsoft Ignite, but they come pretty close. I learned so much about how deep Microsoft integration truly goes and I can’t wait to continue expanding upon everything I’ve learned. Next year, if you have the chance to attend Microsoft Ignite, I’d highly recommend it!