Why use the img shortcode?

1. WebP Support: It automatically generates a WebP version of your image, which is significantly smaller.
2. Responsive Loading: It creates a srcset so mobile devices download smaller versions of the image.
3. Lazy Loading: Images only load when they are about to enter the viewport.
4. Automatic Dimensions: Prevents layout shifts (CLS) by adding width and height attributes.

How to use it

Instead of standard Markdown like ![Alt](path), use this:

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Note: The src path should be relative to the assets/ or static/ directory depending on where you store them, but it works best with images in assets/ for full processing.

Example in Action

You can also pass a custom CSS class:

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From Assistants to Collaborators

Imagine a morning where your coffee maker brews to your preferred strength at the sound of your alarm, while your personalized newsfeed curates articles aligned with your interests. Your digital calendar seamlessly juggles your schedule, suggesting alternative travel routes in case of traffic, and your smart home adjusts the temperature based on your mood. This isn’t a distant sci-fi scenario; it’s the near future driven by LLAMs.

These AI companions will transcend the limitations of current virtual assistants. They’ll anticipate your needs, proactively offer solutions, and engage in nuanced, context-aware dialogue. LLAMs will assist with complex tasks like creating detailed presentations, drafting legal documents, or writing creative content, leaving you free to focus on higher-order thinking and strategic decisions. In the workplace, LLAMs will become invaluable collaborators, generating ideas, optimizing workflows, and facilitating seamless communication across teams and departments.

Education and Entertainment Reimagined

Learning will no longer be confined to classrooms. LLAMs will personalize education, tailoring lessons to individual strengths and weaknesses. Imagine a virtual tutor that adapts its teaching style based on your learning pace, explains complex concepts through interactive simulations, and even helps you overcome learning disabilities. The boundaries between formal education and lifelong learning will blur, with LLAMs providing on-demand access to expert knowledge and personalized learning pathways.

Entertainment will also undergo a paradigm shift. LLAMs will create custom stories, design video games tailored to your preferences, and even compose music that reflects your emotions. Immersive virtual experiences will blur the lines between reality and fiction, letting you explore historical periods, embark on intergalactic adventures, or relive your favorite memories with unparalleled realism.

The Rise of the Hyperconnected Home

Smart homes will become hyperconnected hubs powered by LLAMs. Imagine a refrigerator that automatically reorders groceries based on your dietary needs, a thermostat that adjusts to your sleep patterns, and a washing machine that repairs itself when a problem arises. LLAMs will orchestrate these interconnected devices, creating a seamless living environment that anticipates your needs and prioritizes your well-being.

Beyond Convenience

Ethical Considerations: However, this transformative future comes with its own set of challenges. Bias and discrimination can be easily baked into LLAMs if their training data reflects societal inequalities. Issues of privacy and security become paramount when AI systems gain access to our homes, personal data, and potentially even our emotions. Moreover, the increasing reliance on LLAMs raises questions about automation and job displacement, demanding careful consideration of reskilling and social safety nets.

To reap the benefits of LLAMs while mitigating their potential downsides, ethical frameworks and robust regulations are crucial. We need open dialogue and collaboration between developers, policymakers, and the public to ensure that AI serves humanity, not the other way around.

The Human-AI Partnership

Ultimately, the future of daily tech with LLAMs is not about replacing humans, but about augmenting them. We will remain the creative force, the decision-makers, and the emotional engines in this partnership. LLAMs will be our versatile tools, empowering us to unlock our full potential in every aspect of life.

The future beckons with the promise of a world where technology seamlessly blends with our daily lives, enhancing our productivity, creativity, and overall well-being. By embracing LLAMs thoughtfully and responsibly, we can chart a course towards a future where humans and AI collaborate to build a brighter tomorrow.

Beyond the Broader Canvas: We’ve painted a broad picture of how LLAMs will revolutionize daily life, but the horizon holds even more fascinating possibilities. Companies like Rabbit Tech are pushing the boundaries with pioneering projects like the R1, an AI pin promising seamless information access through gestures and whispers. Imagine receiving real-time health data with a touch, translating languages on the fly with a subtle head tilt, or controlling your smart home with a flick of your wrist. The R1 hints at a future where our interaction with technology becomes truly intuitive and effortless.

Other potential use cases:

Advanced AI Companions: Your Virtual confidante & More: The evolution of AI companions extends beyond pins. Imagine holographic companions that engage in deep conversations, adjust their personalities to your mood, and even provide therapeutic support. Companies like Microsoft are already exploring similar concepts with their Project Starspeak, which aims to create AI companions that understand and respond to human emotions.

Beyond Voice: The Rise of “Audio-First” AI: Audio-based interactions with the internet are poised for a paradigm shift. LLAMs will go beyond the limitations of current virtual assistants, facilitating rich, nuanced conversations via whispers, hums, and even musical cues. Imagine controlling your smart home by humming a melody or composing emails by dictating the rhythm of your thoughts. Companies like SoundHound are at the forefront of this revolution, developing AI systems that interpret the nuances of human speech and emotion through audio alone.

Beyond Convenience: Ethical Considerations and Challenges: With each leap forward comes the responsibility to address the ethical implications. Bias in training data can lead to discriminatory AI responses, necessitating robust monitoring and diverse dataset curation. Issues of privacy and security become paramount when AI integrates deeper into our lives. And concerns arise around the potential for job displacement due to automation, demanding thoughtful reskilling initiatives and social safety nets.

Challenges Facing LLAMs Advancement: Despite their immense potential, LLAMs face hurdles on their path to ubiquitous adoption. Explainability and transparency are key challenges, as understanding how these complex systems arrive at their outputs is crucial for building trust. Additionally, computational resources and energy consumption remain significant concerns, requiring optimization techniques and greener infrastructure solutions.

Conclusion: A future of collaboration and potential: The future of daily tech is a tapestry woven with the threads of LLAMs and other cutting-edge AI advancements. This future demands a balanced approach, embracing the transformative potential while addressing the ethical and technical challenges. It’s a future where humans and AI collaborate, where technology augments our lives without diminishing our humanity. Together, we can weave a future where LLAMs are not just tools, but partners in progress, propelling us towards a brighter, more fulfilling tomorrow.

Real-world examples:

1. Google LaMDA: An advanced dialogue model showcasing the ability to engage in open-ended, informative conversations.
2. OpenAI Jukebox: Generating impressive musical compositions, demonstrating the creative potential of LLAMs.
3. Amazon Alexa Guard: Using ambient sounds to detect home break-ins, highlighting the potential for AI in security applications.
4. Microsoft Florence: This LLAM is designed to assist healthcare professionals with clinical documentation and patient care. It can generate accurate and comprehensive medical notes, streamline patient communication, and provide personalized treatment recommendations.
5. DeepMind AlphaFold: This LLAM has revolutionized the field of protein structure prediction. It can accurately model the 3D structure of proteins from their amino acid sequences, accelerating research in drug discovery and disease treatment.
6. Cohere’s Bard: This LLAM is powering a new generation of language-based applications, including chatbots, virtual assistants, and content creation tools. It can generate human-quality text, translate languages, and answer questions in an informative and comprehensive way.
7. Nvidia’s Megatron-Turing NLG: This LLAM is designed for large-scale language generation tasks, such as creating articles, reports, and scripts. It can generate text that is both factual and creative, making it a valuable tool for content creators and businesses.

NFTs are a type of digital asset that use blockchain technology to verify ownership and uniqueness, and they are quickly becoming a hot topic in the tech world. In this article, we will explore the future of daily tech and how NFT technology will be a part of our daily lives.

Introduction

As we move further into the digital age, more and more of our daily lives are taking place online. From shopping to socializing to working, the internet has become an integral part of our daily routine. With the rise of NFTs, we are now seeing a new era of digital ownership and value, and this is set to have a profound impact on how we interact with technology in the future.

What are NFTs?

Before we dive into how NFTs will be used in daily tech, let’s take a moment to define what they are. Non-Fungible Tokens are a type of digital asset that is unique and cannot be replicated. They are created using blockchain technology, which verifies ownership and ensures that they are one-of-a-kind. NFTs can take many forms, including artwork, music, videos, and more. They can be bought, sold, and traded just like physical assets, and their value is determined by supply and demand.

How will NFTs be used in daily life?

The potential uses for NFTs in daily tech are vast and varied. Here are just a few examples of how NFT technology could be integrated into our daily lives:

1. Digital Ownership

One of the most significant ways that NFTs will be used in daily tech is through digital ownership. With NFTs, individuals can prove ownership of digital assets, such as artwork, music, and videos. This will enable creators to sell their work directly to consumers, cutting out middlemen like record labels and art dealers. Consumers will have the assurance that they are purchasing a one-of-a-kind item, and creators will have a new revenue stream.

2. Gaming

Gaming is one area where NFTs are already being used extensively. NFTs can be used to represent in-game items, such as weapons, armor, and skins. This means that players can buy, sell, and trade items with each other, just like physical assets. In addition, NFTs can be used to represent unique in-game achievements, such as completing a difficult quest or reaching a high level. This will give players a new way to show off their accomplishments and could lead to a more competitive gaming landscape.

3. Real Estate

Another area where NFTs could have a significant impact is real estate. With NFTs, individuals can prove ownership of digital assets, such as virtual real estate. This could lead to a new era of virtual property ownership, where individuals can buy and sell virtual real estate just like physical real estate. This could be especially appealing in the world of virtual reality, where individuals can create and own their own digital spaces.

4. Identity Verification

NFTs could also be used for identity verification. With NFTs, individuals can prove ownership of their digital identity, such as social media accounts, email addresses, and more. This could help prevent identity theft and give individuals more control over their online presence.

5. Content/File Verification

Verification is becoming increasingly important in the digital age, especially as we face challenges such as deep fakes and AI-generated content. These technologies make it easier than ever to create content that is indistinguishable from the real thing, which poses a significant threat to our ability to trust the information we consume online. One potential solution to this problem is the use of NFTs. Because NFTs are created using blockchain technology, they are virtually impossible to counterfeit. This means that NFTs could be used to verify the authenticity of digital content, such as photos, videos, and audio recordings.

6. Intellectual Property Protection

NFTs can also be used to protect intellectual property, such as copyrighted works or patented inventions. By using NFTs to establish ownership and authenticity, creators can protect their intellectual property and prevent unauthorized use.

7. Supply Chain Management

NFTs could also be used for supply chain management, which would help ensure the authenticity and traceability of goods. By using NFTs to track the movement of goods from production to consumption, companies could more easily prevent counterfeiting and ensure that goods are ethically sourced.

8. Ticketing and Event Management

NFTs could be used to create verifiable digital tickets for events, such as concerts or sports games. By using NFTs to represent tickets, event organizers could more easily prevent fraud and ensure that attendees have a seamless experience.

9. Education

NFTs could also be used in education, by providing a way to track the authenticity and ownership of digital credentials, such as diplomas or certificates. This would help prevent fraud and make it easier for people to verify their educational achievements.

10. Personal Finance

NFTs could have applications in personal finance, by providing a way to track the ownership and authenticity of assets such as stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrencies. This would help prevent fraud and make it easier for individuals to manage their investments.

11. Healthcare

NFTs could also be used in healthcare, by providing a way to track the ownership and authenticity of medical records and prescriptions. This would help ensure that patients receive the correct treatments and prevent fraud.

12. Social Media

Finally, NFTs could have applications in social media, by providing a way to verify the authenticity and ownership of digital content shared on social platforms. This would help prevent the spread of fake news and misinformation, and make it easier for creators to monetize their content.

Conclusion

The rise of NFT technology is set to have a profound impact on daily tech. From digital ownership to gaming to real estate and identity verification, NFTs are poised to become a ubiquitous part of our digital lives.

In this article, we will explore the current state of nanotechnology, the potential impact it could have on our daily lives, and the challenges that lie ahead.

1. Introduction to Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is the science of studying and manipulating matter at the nanoscale, which is typically defined as between 1 and 100 nanometers in size. At this scale, the properties of materials can be very different from those at the macro scale, which allows for the creation of new materials with unique and desirable properties.

The field of nanotechnology encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering. Researchers in these fields work together to design and create new materials and devices that can be used in a variety of applications.

2. Current Applications of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is already being used in a wide range of applications. In electronics and computing, for example, nanoscale transistors and memory devices are used to create faster and more efficient computer chips. In medicine, nanoparticles are being used to deliver drugs directly to cancer cells, reducing the side effects of chemotherapy. In energy, nanomaterials are being used to create more efficient solar panels and batteries.

Nanotechnology is also being used in the development of new materials with unique properties. For example, carbon nanotubes are incredibly strong and lightweight, making them ideal for use in applications such as aerospace and automotive engineering.

3. Potential Impact of Nanotechnology on Daily Life

As nanotechnology continues to evolve, it has the potential to have a significant impact on our daily lives. In medicine, for example, the use of nanotechnology could lead to more targeted and effective treatments for a range of diseases. In energy, the development of more efficient solar panels and batteries could lead to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy system.

Nanotechnology could also have a significant impact on the way we communicate and interact with the world around us. For example, the development of nanosensors could allow us to detect and monitor a wide range of environmental factors, such as air pollution and water quality. This could lead to more effective and targeted efforts to address environmental issues.

4. Challenges and Risks of Nanotechnology

Despite the potential benefits of nanotechnology, there are also significant challenges and risks that need to be addressed. One of the biggest challenges is the development of safe and effective nanomaterials. Because the properties of materials at the nanoscale can be very different from those at the macro scale, it is important to ensure that these materials do not pose a risk to human health or the environment.

Another challenge is the potential for misuse or unintended consequences. For example, the development of nanomaterials with unique properties could lead to new forms of warfare or terrorism. It is important to develop appropriate regulations and safeguards to minimize these risks.

5. FAQs

Q: What are some examples of nanotechnology in everyday life? A: Some examples of nanotechnology in everyday life include the use of nanomaterials in sunscreen, clothing, and sporting equipment, as well as the use of nanosensors in air quality monitors and water purification systems.

Q: What are some potential risks of nanotechnology? A: Some potential risks of nanotechnology include the development of unsafe or toxic nanomaterials, the potential for misuse or unintended consequences, and the ethical implications of manipulating matter at the nanoscale.

Q: How is nanotechnology being used in medicine?

A: Nanotechnology is being used in medicine in a variety of ways. One example is the use of nanoparticles to deliver drugs directly to cancer cells. This approach can improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy while reducing side effects.

Nanotechnology is also being used to create new diagnostic tools. For example, researchers are developing nanosensors that can detect specific biomarkers in the body, which could lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses of diseases.

In addition, nanotechnology is being used to create new materials for medical devices. For example, researchers are developing nanomaterials that can be used to create artificial joints and other implants that are more durable and effective than traditional materials.

Q: What are some of the ethical considerations around nanotechnology? A: One of the main ethical considerations around nanotechnology is the potential for unintended consequences. Because the properties of materials at the nanoscale can be very different from those at the macro scale, it is important to consider the long-term effects of using these materials.

Another ethical consideration is the potential for nanotechnology to exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities. For example, the development of new materials and devices could be expensive and inaccessible to certain groups, leading to greater disparities in healthcare and other areas.

Q: How is nanotechnology being used in energy? A: Nanotechnology is being used in energy in a variety of ways. One example is the use of nanomaterials in solar panels, which can improve their efficiency and reduce their cost. Nanotechnology is also being used to create more efficient batteries, which could help to store and distribute renewable energy more effectively.

6. Conclusion

Nanotechnology is a rapidly evolving field that has the potential to have a significant impact on our daily lives. From electronics and computing to medicine and energy, nanotechnology is already being used in a wide range of applications, and the possibilities for future innovations are vast.

However, there are also significant challenges and risks associated with nanotechnology, including the development of safe and effective nanomaterials, the potential for misuse or unintended consequences, and the ethical implications of manipulating matter at the nanoscale.

As we continue to explore the possibilities of nanotechnology, it is important to proceed with caution and to consider the potential long-term effects of these new technologies. By doing so, we can ensure that nanotechnology is used to improve our lives in a safe and responsible manner.

Tags: nanotechnology, daily tech, future tech, medicine, energy, electronics, computing, nanomaterials, innovation, ethical implications, technology, science, research

Hashtags: #nanotechnology #dailytech #futuretech #medicine #energy #electronics #computing #nanomaterials #innovation #technology #science #research #ethics

What is Augmented Reality?

AR is a technology that overlays digital information onto the real world. It differs from virtual reality (VR) in that it doesn’t create a completely immersive environment. Instead, it enhances the real world by adding digital information to it. This information can be anything from text and images to videos and 3D models.

AR works by using a combination of cameras, sensors, and software to detect the real world and overlay digital information onto it. The user can then see the real world and the digital information at the same time, creating a seamless blend of the two.

How does Augmented Reality work?

AR technology relies on a few key components to work. The first is a device with a camera, such as a smartphone or a tablet. The camera captures the real world, which is then analyzed by software to identify and track specific objects and features.

The software then overlays digital information onto the real world using a technique called rendering. This involves creating a 3D model of the digital information and then superimposing it onto the real-world environment.

AR also relies on sensors, such as gyroscopes and accelerometers, to track the movement of the device and adjust the position of the digital information accordingly. This allows the user to move around and interact with the AR experience in a natural way.

Potential Applications of Augmented Reality

AR has the potential to revolutionize many industries, from gaming and entertainment to healthcare and education. Here are just a few examples of the many applications of AR technology:

1. Retail: AR can be used to enhance the shopping experience by allowing customers to try on clothes and see how they look without physically trying them on.
2. Education: AR can be used to create immersive learning experiences that make it easier for students to understand complex concepts.
3. Healthcare: AR can be used to train medical professionals and provide them with real-time information during surgeries and other procedures.
4. Architecture and Design: AR can be used to create 3D models of buildings and other structures, allowing architects and designers to see how their designs will look in the real world.
5. Tourism: AR can be used to provide visitors with interactive guides to historical sites and other tourist attractions.

Latest Developments in Augmented Reality

AR technology is constantly evolving, and there have been many exciting developments in recent years. Here are a few of the latest advancements in AR technology:

1. Apple ARKit: Apple’s ARKit is a software development kit that allows developers to create AR experiences for iOS devices.
2. Google ARCore: Google’s ARCore is a similar development kit for Android devices.
3. Microsoft HoloLens: The HoloLens is a headset that uses AR technology to create immersive experiences for users.
4. Magic Leap: Magic Leap is a company that has developed a headset that uses AR to create realistic, interactive experiences.
5. Snapchat Filters: Snapchat’s popular filters use AR technology to add fun effects and animations to photos and videos.

FAQs

Q: Is augmented reality the same as virtual reality? A: No, they are different technologies. Virtual reality creates a completely immersive environment, while augmented reality overlays digital information onto the real world.

Q: What devices support augmented reality? A: Many smartphones and tablets now support augmented reality, including the latest iPhones and Android devices.

Q: What are some of the challenges with augmented reality? A: One of the biggest challenges is creating accurate and stable tracking of the real world. This requires sophisticated software and hardware that can detect and track objects in real-time. Another challenge is creating compelling and useful AR experiences that users will want to engage with.

Q: How is augmented reality different from mixed reality? A: Mixed reality is a hybrid of augmented and virtual reality that allows digital objects to interact with the real world. This means that digital objects can appear to interact with physical objects in real-time, creating a more immersive experience.

Q: What are some of the ethical concerns around augmented reality? A: One concern is the potential for AR to be used to invade people’s privacy, such as by overlaying personal information onto the real world. There is also a concern that AR could be used to create misleading or manipulative content, such as deep fakes or fake news.

Conclusion

Augmented reality has the potential to revolutionize the way we live, work, and play. It offers a new way to experience the world around us and has many practical applications in industries ranging from retail to healthcare. As AR technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more exciting developments and new use cases emerge. With the increasing prevalence of AR-enabled devices, it’s clear that this technology is here to stay. The future of daily tech is undoubtedly augmented reality, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.

1. Wireless Charging: Cutting the Cord

Wireless charging is already gaining widespread adoption, with major smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung integrating wireless charging capabilities into their latest devices. This technology uses electromagnetic fields to transfer power from a charging pad to a device without the need for a physical connection. In the future, we can expect to see this technology integrated into other daily devices such as laptops, wearables, and even kitchen appliances.

2. The Rise of 5G: Faster, More Reliable Wireless Data Transfer

The fifth generation of mobile networks, or 5G, is set to revolutionize the way we connect to the internet. With download speeds of up to 20Gbps, 5G is over 100 times faster than its predecessor 4G. This technology will not only provide faster data transfer but also enable new technologies like augmented reality and the internet of things (IoT).

3. Wireless Controllers: Gaming without the Tangle of Wires

Wireless controllers have already become a standard in the gaming industry, with consoles like PlayStation and Xbox offering wireless controllers as a default option. However, with the advent of cloud gaming, the need for wireless controllers will only continue to grow. Cloud gaming services like Google Stadia and Microsoft xCloud allow gamers to play games on any device with an internet connection, eliminating the need for gaming consoles altogether.

4. Wireless Electric Car Charging: Convenient and Sustainable

Electric cars have become increasingly popular in recent years, but the inconvenience of finding a charging station and plugging in the car has remained a barrier to mass adoption. Wireless electric car charging, where electric cars can be charged without physical contact with a charging station, could change that. This technology is still in its infancy, but it has the potential to make electric cars more convenient and sustainable.

5. The Future of Wireless: Inside the Devices

Wireless technology is not only changing the way we interact with devices but also the way devices are designed. As wireless technology becomes more advanced, the need for physical ports and connectors will decrease. This will allow for devices to become more compact and streamlined, with fewer points of failure and more room for other components.

FAQs

Q: How does wireless charging work? A: Wireless charging uses electromagnetic fields to transfer power from a charging pad to a device without the need for a physical connection.

Q: What is 5G? A: 5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks, offering faster and more reliable data transfer.

Q: What is cloud gaming? A: Cloud gaming is a service that allows gamers to play games on any device with an internet connection, eliminating the need for gaming consoles.

Q: What is wireless electric car charging? A: Wireless electric car charging is a technology where electric cars can be charged without physical contact with a charging station.

Q: How will wireless technology change the design of devices? A: As wireless technology becomes more advanced, the need for physical ports and connectors will decrease, allowing devices to become more compact and streamlined.

Conclusion

The future of daily tech is wireless, and the latest advancements in technology are only bringing us closer to that reality. From wireless charging to 5G to wireless controllers and electric car charging, the need for cords and cables is becoming a thing of the past. As we continue to push the boundaries of wireless technology, we can expect to see even more changes in the way we interact with technology and the impact of wireless technology on the environment and human health

With the widespread adoption of wireless technology, there are growing concerns about its impact on the environment and human health. Let us examine these issues in greater detail.

Environmental concerns

One of the primary environmental concerns associated with wireless technology is electronic waste. Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to discarded electrical or electronic devices. Many of these devices contain hazardous materials, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can pollute the environment if not disposed of properly. Moreover, the production of electronic devices requires significant amounts of energy, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

Another environmental concern associated with wireless technology is the proliferation of radiofrequency radiation. Radiofrequency radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation emitted by wireless devices, such as cell phones and Wi-Fi routers. While the effects of radiofrequency radiation on human health are still being studied, some studies have suggested a link between radiofrequency radiation and cancer.

Human health concerns

Apart from environmental concerns, wireless technology has also raised concerns about its impact on human health. One of the main concerns is the potential harm caused by radiofrequency radiation. Studies have suggested that prolonged exposure to radiofrequency radiation can increase the risk of brain cancer and other health problems.

Another health concern associated with wireless technology is its impact on sleep. Exposure to the blue light emitted by electronic devices can disrupt the body’s natural sleep cycle and lead to sleep disorders, such as insomnia.

Conclusion

In conclusion, wireless technology has revolutionized the way we live and work, offering the convenience and flexibility that was once unimaginable. However, the widespread adoption of wireless technology has also raised concerns about its impact on the environment and human health. As we move forward, it is essential to take a cautious approach and ensure that we use wireless technology responsibly to minimize its impact on the environment and human health.

FAQs

1. Are there any health risks associated with wireless technology? Ans: Yes, there are concerns about the potential harm caused by radiofrequency radiation and its impact on sleep.
2. What is electronic waste? Ans: Electronic waste refers to discarded electrical or electronic devices, many of which contain hazardous materials that can pollute the environment.
3. Is it safe to use wireless devices? Ans: While the effects of radiofrequency radiation on human health are still being studied, it is recommended to use wireless devices responsibly and limit exposure.
4. How does wireless technology impact the environment? Ans: Wireless technology can contribute to electronic waste and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the proliferation of radiofrequency radiation.
5. What can be done to mitigate the impact of wireless technology on the environment and human health? Ans: Responsible use of wireless technology and proper disposal of electronic devices can help minimize the impact on the environment. Limiting exposure to radiofrequency radiation can also help reduce potential health risks.

What is Cloud Gaming?

Cloud gaming is a type of gaming that allows you to play games on any device, without the need for expensive hardware or dedicated gaming PCs. Instead, the game is hosted on remote servers and streamed to your device, allowing you to play high-quality games on devices such as smartphones, tablets, or even smart TVs.

How Does Cloud Gaming Work?

The basic concept of cloud gaming is simple: instead of storing the game on your local device, the game is stored on a remote server and streamed to your device over the internet. This allows you to play high-quality games on devices that wouldn’t normally be able to run them, such as smartphones or tablets.

To play a cloud gaming game, all you need is a device with an internet connection and a compatible gaming controller. The game is streamed to your device in real-time, allowing you to play games with high-quality graphics and fast response times, just as you would on a dedicated gaming PC.

Advantages of Cloud Gaming

There are several key advantages of cloud gaming, including:

• Accessibility: Cloud gaming allows you to play games on any device with an internet connection, making gaming accessible to a wider audience.
• Cost-effective: With cloud gaming, there is no need to invest in expensive hardware or gaming PCs, making it a more cost-effective option for gamers.
• High-quality graphics: Cloud gaming servers are equipped with powerful hardware, allowing you to play games with high-quality graphics and fast response times.
• Convenience: With cloud gaming, you can play your favorite games from anywhere, at any time, without having to worry about hardware limitations.

Disadvantages of Cloud Gaming

Despite its many advantages, there are also some disadvantages to cloud gaming, including:

• Dependence on internet connection: To play cloud gaming games, you need a stable and fast internet connection. If your internet connection is slow or unreliable, you may experience lag or other issues while playing.
• Latency: Cloud gaming requires a fast and stable internet connection to reduce latency, or the amount of time it takes for the game to respond to your actions. If your internet connection is slow, you may experience lag or other issues while playing.
• Cost: While cloud gaming is more cost-effective than traditional gaming, some cloud gaming services can be expensive, especially if you’re a frequent gamer.

Future of Cloud Gaming

The future of cloud gaming is looking bright, with many new advancements and developments in the works. Some of the most exciting developments in the world of cloud gaming include:

• Improved hardware: As technology continues to advance, cloud gaming servers will become even more powerful, allowing for even better gaming experiences.
• 5G connectivity: With the advent of 5G technology, cloud gaming will become even more accessible and reliable, with faster and more stable connections.
• Virtual Reality: Virtual Reality is becoming increasingly popular in the gaming world, and cloud gaming has the potential to bring VR gaming to a wider audience.
• Cross-platform play: Cloud gaming has the potential to bring players from different platforms together, allowing for cross-platform play and larger, more diverse player communities.
• Cloud Gaming as a Service

Conclusion

Cloud gaming has the potential to completely transform the way we play games, making it more accessible, cost-effective, and convenient. With continued advancements in technology and the growth of 5G connectivity, the future of cloud gaming looks bright and holds exciting potential for gamers everywhere. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a hardcore player, cloud gaming has something to offer. So, get ready to take your gaming experience to the next level and join the cloud gaming revolution.

What is Wireless Contactless Charging?

Wireless contactless charging refers to the ability to charge your device without the need for any cables or cords. Instead, you simply place your device on a charging pad or a similar device and it begins to charge wirelessly. This method of charging is both convenient and efficient, as it eliminates the need for cords and allows you to charge multiple devices at once.

How Does Wireless Contactless Charging Work?

Wireless contactless charging works by utilizing electromagnetic induction. This involves the transfer of energy from the charging pad to the device, through the use of an electromagnetic field. When the device is placed on the charging pad, an electromagnetic field is created, which induces a current in the device. This current is then used to charge the battery.

Advantages of Wireless Contactless Charging

There are several benefits to using wireless contactless charging. Firstly, it eliminates the need for cords, making it much more convenient to charge your devices. Secondly, it is more efficient, as it allows you to charge multiple devices at once. Additionally, wireless contactless charging is safer, as there is no risk of electrical shock or fire, as there is no direct connection between the device and the power source.

The Future of Wireless Contactless Charging

The future of wireless contactless charging is looking bright. Advances in technology are leading to the development of new and improved methods of wireless charging, making it faster and more efficient. Additionally, the integration of wireless charging into everyday devices such as smartphones, laptops, and even cars is making it more accessible and convenient for consumers.

Current Limitations of Wireless Contactless Charging

Despite the many advantages of wireless contactless charging, there are still some limitations. Currently, the range of wireless charging is limited, meaning that devices need to be in close proximity to the charging pad in order to charge. Additionally, the speed of charging can be slower compared to traditional charging methods.

Overcoming the Limitations of Wireless Contactless Charging

Research and development are ongoing in the field of wireless contactless charging, and new solutions are being developed to overcome the current limitations. For example, advances in technology are allowing for the development of longer-range charging, meaning that devices will be able to charge from a greater distance. Additionally, new charging methods are being developed that are faster and more efficient, allowing for faster charging times.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the future of daily tech is wireless and contactless, and wireless contactless charging is rapidly changing the way we live and work. With its many advantages, including convenience and efficiency, it is set to become the standard method of charging for devices in the near future. Despite some limitations, advancements in technology are being made to overcome these limitations, making wireless contactless charging an exciting and promising technology for the future.

FAQs

1. What is wireless contactless charging?

Wireless contactless charging refers to the ability to charge your device without the need for any cables or cords. You simply place your device on a charging pad and it begins to charge wirelessly.

2. How does wireless contactless charging work?

Wireless contactless charging works through the use of electromagnetic induction, where energy is transferred from the charging pad to the device through an electromagnetic field. When the device is placed on the charging pad, a current is induced in the device, which is then used to charge the battery.

3. What are the benefits of using wireless contactless charging?

The benefits of using wireless contactless charging include convenience, as there is no need for cords, and efficiency, as multiple devices can be charged at once. It is also safer as there is no direct connection between the device and the power source.

4. What are the current limitations of wireless contactless charging?

The current limitations of wireless contactless charging include a limited range, meaning devices need to be in close proximity to the charging pad, and slower charging times compared to traditional charging methods.

5. How is technology overcoming the limitations of wireless contactless charging?

Research and development are ongoing in the field of wireless contactless charging, and new solutions are being developed to overcome the current limitations. Advances in technology are allowing for the development of longer-range charging and faster charging methods.

Open a terminal and apply the following commands,

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install postfix

Select “no configuration” in the post-installation screen.

2. Copy the configuration file.

sudo cp /usr/share/postfix/main.cf.debian /etc/postfix/main.cf

3. Install the following packages as well

sudo apt-get install libsasl2-2 libsasl2-modules ca-certificates mailutils

4. Open the following file and add a few lines.

sudo nano /etc/postfix/main.cf

Add the following lines at the bottom of the file.

relayhost = [smtp.gmail.com]:587
smtp_sasl_auth_enable = yes
smtp_sasl_password_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/sasl_passwd
smtp_sasl_security_options = noanonymous
smtp_tls_CAfile = /etc/postfix/cacert.pem
smtp_use_tls = yes

5. Configure Gmail

Now for Gmail to work with an SMTP server. One of two things must happen.

1. For corporate accounts(Google Workspace for Business): You must go to “Manage Account” - “Security” and then allow less secure apps to access Gmail.
2. For normal/free accounts: You must enable 2-factor authentification and then set up an App Password.

Open the following file and add the Google app password for Gmail.

sudo nano /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd

Add the following line in the opened file.

[smtp.gmail.com]:587 urgmailid@gmail.com:yourpassword

Add your Gmail username and password.

6. Change the permission of the following file.

sudo chmod 400 /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd

7. Translate the /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd to Postfix lookup tables.

sudo postmap /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd

8. Create the /etc/aliases.db

sudo postalias hash:/etc/aliases

9. Create the /etc/postfix/cacert.pem

Here depends on the Ubuntu version and how recently it’s been updated.

As such go to /etc/ssl/certs/ then find any certificate with SecureCA.pem then replace the Equifax section and place the one you’ve found.

sudo cat /etc/ssl/certs/Equifax_Secure_CA.pem >> /etc/postfix/cacert.pem

10. Restart Postfix.

sudo /etc/init.d/postfix restart

11. Enable email service in Koha

Execute the following command in a terminal

sudo koha-email-enable library

13. Check the following settings in Koha to send email notices,

Koha > Administration > Patron categories > Overdue notice required > Yes
[Check for each patron category]

Koha Administration > Global System Preferences > Patrons > Enhancedmessagingpreferences > Allow

Set Koha > Tools > [Overdue Notice/status triggers]

14. Additional SMTP Setup

Configure in the SMTP Server page under Additional parameters in Koha administration

Go to Home –> Administration –> Additional parameters –> SMTP servers –> New SMTP Server

Name: GMail

Host: smtp.gmail.com

Port: 465

SSL: SSL (authentication)

User name: libraryemail@gmail.com

Password: theapppassword

Update in the branch library details,

Go to Home –> Administration –> libraries –> choose your library update SMTP server selecting the new one we have created

14. Test the configuration

You can test the configuration by running the following command

echo "Test Postfix Gmail LIBRARY" | mail -s "Postfix Gmail SMTP Relay" reciever@gmail.com

You are ready to send emails from koha, Cheers!

I also offer this setup as a service for $5: Contact me

The web is undergoing dramatic changes. Of the latest changes is Web3, a new version of the internet, which is quickly expanding in size and popularity.

As it’s still a new idea, finding Web3 engineers is a tedious task. It’s mostly cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiast developers who are mastering this new form of the web, which is destined to change the internet in ways we have yet to understand.

Before we talk about how to hire Web3 developers, let’s talk about Web3 itself.

What is Web3?

Web3, unlike its predecessors, Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, is based on peer-to-peer (P2P) decentralized networks, such as blockchain.

Blockchain is a hallmark building block of cryptocurrency, and Web3 is a product of both. Web3 developers create apps that aren’t limited to a single cloud server but are instead distributed on a blockchain or decentralized P2P network that isn’t controlled by a central authority.

In simpler words, Web3 is similar to how most cryptocurrencies work based on the blueprint of Bitcoin.

How does this differ from the existing Web 2.0? While Web 2.0 is user-centric (most of the content is user-generated), Web3 has taken this approach to the next level by introducing more autonomy and keeping things more transparent and relatable. In Web3, computers are heavily involved in interpreting information on a human level.

Web3 has many additional attributes that distinguish it from Web 2.0 — it’s verifiable, self-governing, permission-less, distributed, stateless, and has built-in payment systems (cryptocurrency).

This lack of transparency and verification led to Web 2.0 containing too much content and information, most of which isn’t helpful for general users. Its security is also sub-par, which is why there are too many hackers today and a marked increase in identity theft and other cyber-crimes.

Any application built on Web3 would be developed and owned by the users as they help create and maintain the app, earning their stake along the way. This is just how Bitcoin operates, as miners of the currency earn Bitcoins when they facilitate transactions through computing operations.

The apps on Web3 are called “dApps,” which is short for “decentralized applications.” You can expect to hear this term more often in the near future.

An effective Web3 developer is one who is familiar with the concept of Web3, is proficient in the relevant programming languages, and has the right tech stack to back their development work.

What Tech Stack Do Web3 Developers Use: Skills and Tools

The tech stack, or developer stack, refers to the technology or tools the developer uses and excels at. A good example is the MEAN stack, which is comprised of MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS/Angular, and Node.js.

For Web3, there’s a specific tech stack that the developer you’re hiring must use.

Web3 SDKs/dApps

The Web3 SDKs, or libraries, are essential for building any dApp. These libraries support the interaction with a blockchain, such as Ethereum, and conduct transactions.

The most important of these SDKs are web3.js, web3.py, and ethers.js. These are also linked with smart contracts, which are explained further below.

Cryptocurrency Wallets

If you’ve ever dabbled with cryptocurrency, you probably already know what a crypto wallet is. It holds your cryptocurrency and can be either a digital or hardware wallet. For Web3 applications, a wallet is required to facilitate transactions.

There’s a fee for the writing operations on the blockchain, which must be drawn from the wallet. For Web3, the developer can create an ETH (ethers) wallet using any of the common languages, such as Python, JavaScript, or Ruby. Alternatively, developers can use an existing wallet platform like MetaMask.

Nodes

Nodes make up the blockchain and retain a copy of it. These are also called Web3 providers for this reason, as the application’s connectivity with the blockchain hinges on these nodes. Without these nodes, dApp cannot communicate with the smart contracts.

The most commonly used provider is QuickNode, which provides a global network of nodes powered by speedy operations.

Smart Contracts

In the crypto world, smart contracts are pieces of code that live on the blockchain. Written in Solidity, these cannot be altered or mutated. This code runs when the conditions for it to run are met.

This automates the workflow when the participants of the blockchain confirm an outcome. These smart contracts (pioneered by Ethereum) also helped give Ethereum the edge over Bitcoin in terms of transaction speed.

Related: Hire NFT Developers »

Related: What to Look for in a Mobile App Developer

Web3 Developer Salaries

The average yearly salaries for Web3 developers can vary greatly depending on what you’re hiring them for. Here’s an overview of the most popular Web3 expert roles and their salaries.

Blockchain Developer

According to ZipRecruiter, the average yearly salary for a blockchain developer is $154,550 or $74 per hour. Note that this average is mostly drawn from larger companies. If you add smaller companies and startups into the mix, the average yearly salary drops to $80,000 per year.

Since the term “blockchain developer” is a broad descriptor, the associated salaries tend to vary. In general, there are two types of blockchain developers: blockchain software developers and core blockchain developers.

1. Blockchain software developers: Blockchain software developers are responsible for creating applications based on blockchain protocol and architecture. One of their main duties is to create smart contracts, which are programs stored on a blockchain that automatically run when conditions are met. Small contracts are usually used to automate workflows and agreement execution so every participant will immediately know the outcome.

   They also create decentralized applications (dApps) that run on the blockchain, making them comparable with web developers, who use web architects’ design and protocol to create web applications. Additionally, these software developers are responsible for the front-end and back-end development of dApps and supervising the stack that runs them.

2. Core blockchain developers: These blockchain developers are responsible for creating the architecture, design, and security of the blockchain system. They also:

• Design the blockchain protocols
• Design security patterns and consensus protocols for the network
• Supervise the entire blockchain network

Despite their differences, both types of blockchain developers require a similar skill set. Here are the main blockchain developer hard skills you should look for when hiring a blockchain developer for your team:

1. Cryptography: Cryptography is the study of blockchain protocols that prevent unauthorized and unwanted parties from accessing your data. A popular concept in cryptography is public-key cryptography, which forms the backbone of cryptocurrency transactions.

   Another hot topic is cryptographic hashing, which transforms cleartext passwords into enciphered text for storage. This slows down threat actors since they’ll have to decipher these hash values if they want to exploit the passwords.

2. Data structures: Every blockchain developer needs to have extensive knowledge of data structures. This is because blockchain networks consist of data structures.

3. Blockchain architecture: Blockchain developers need to know what ledgers are, how smart contracts work, and what consensus is. They should also be familiar with all four types of blockchain architecture: consortium, private, public, and hybrid.

4. Web development: Blockchain developers should also know how to develop and create web apps, particularly if they’re blockchain software developers.

5. A variety of programming languages: Finally, your blockchain developer should have experience with at three or more of the following programming languages:

• Java
• Python
• C++
• C#
• PHP
• JavaScript
• Go
• Simplicity
• SQL

Like the rest of the roles on this list, blockchain developers need the following soft skills:

• Commitment to and passion for the Web3 landscape
• Interest in learning more about blockchain technologies
• Client and project management skills
• The ability to meet deadlines ahead of time
• The ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams

Solidity Developer

The average base salary for a Solidity developer is $127,500 per year. Remote Solidity developers can earn up to an average of $145,000 per year, depending on which company they’re working for.

Solidity developers use the Solidity language to create and deploy smart contracts on Ethereum-based apps. The syntax of Solidity is similar to C and Javascript, so developers who already know those languages can quickly learn Solidity. Compared to other languages, Solidity offers multiple benefits, such as:

• Statically typed programming
• Accessibility to JavaScript debuggers, infrastructures, and other tools
• Preciseness

With Solidity, developers can craft applications with self-enforcing business logic in smart contracts, creating a non-repeatable record of transactions. Solidity also supports libraries, a complex user-defined type, and inheritance. Thus, it’s a good choice for creating contracts for crowdfunding, voting, multi-signature wallets, and blind auctions.

Solidity developers are usually responsible for:

• Integrating Solidity code across various platforms
• Managing the full lifecycle of blockchain development
• Ensuring blockchain integration with existing applications
• Building smart contracts and ensuring that all timelines and expectations are met for finished smart contracts
• Reviewing smart contracts for security and functionality
• Supervising web services that use blockchain technology
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and product managers to discover new ideas for smart contract development
• Assessing technical reviews of proposed solutions
• Analyzing usage and transaction statistics to pinpoint and prioritize areas for improvement

Besides having a deep knowledge of Solidity and blockchains, Solidity developers should also have the following hard skills:

• Blockchain technology, especially Ethereum blockchain
• Strong background in Javascript, C, C++
• Knowledge of AngularJS, React JS, and Ember JS
• Portfolio experience with Ethereum testnet and mainnet
• CSS/HTML/JS/React for application binary interface (ABI) integration
• Experience with RESTful APIs
• Experience with staking protocol implementation for liquidity pair and single-token staking
• Familiar with different ways to deploy smart contracts, such as Remix, Truffle suite, and Hardhat
• Experienced in staking implementing and test-driven development (TDD)
• Knowledge of libraries, data structures, blockchain architecture, web development, and smart contracts

Smart Contract Developer

According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary of a smart contract developer in San Francisco, CA, is $94,674 with an average additional cash compensation of $20,950.

As their name suggests, smart contract developers are responsible for developing smart contracts for blockchain platforms. They use various programming languages, such as Solidity and Vyper, to create smart contracts, which, as we covered above, are blockchain programs that automatically run when conditions are met.

Unlike blockchain software developers who create dApps as well as smart contracts, smart contract developers are only responsible for designing and building smart contracts architecture and related tasks. As such, they have fewer responsibilities and lower salaries.

Here’s what they’re typically responsible for:

• Designing, building, and deploying smart contracts architecture, yield pools, incentive structures, and strategies
• Working with smart contract auditors and the rest of your IT team to implement fixes
• Create, implement, and test smart contract additions and upgrades
• Explore and research smart contract design implications

Most companies require smart contract developers to have the following hard skills:

• Over four years of full-stack web development (client-facing apps and APIs)
• Programming languages such as Solidity, NodeJS, and JavaScript
• Cryptography
• Experience in creating, developing, deploying, and testing smart contracts for all four blockchain architectural types
• Experience with patterns that will make their Solidity code more readable and improve performance, such as:

1. Oracles
2. Pull over Push
3. Eternal Storage
4. Tight Variable Packing
5. Guard Check
6. Emergency Stop

• The ability to write secure code that prevents threat actors from taking over contracts
• Optimization of smart contracts
• User experience (UX)

Rust Developer

There’s a lot of variation in the salaries of Rust developers.

According to ZipRecruiter, the average Rust developer earns $91,709 per year or $44 per hour. However, in certain major cities, the average salary of Rust developers is higher. For instance, the annual average salary of a rust developer in San Francisco, CA, is $106,131 with an average additional cash compensation of $11,867.

Rust developers are responsible for coding and developing web browsers, blockchain platforms and projects, servers and systems software, and operating systems in the Rust programming language. They may also be responsible for testing, debugging, and ensuring the security and safety of the systems, software, and platforms they develop.

Additional duties may include:

• Collaborating with customers, management, and relevant departments to pinpoint end-user specifications and requirements
• Analyzing user feedback to boost software performance
• Creating technical documentation

Like Solidity, Rust is a popular language that has a wide range of Web3 applications. It’s particularly popular due to its use in the Solana blockchain, a potential competitor to Ethereum as the leading platform for dApps. As of March 2022, Solana is currently ranked ninth in market value on CoinMarketCap, making it the highest-ranked blockchain platform that uses Rust.

Most companies require Rust developers to have the following skills:

• C++, since the Rust language is similar to it
• Other programming languages such as Golang, Python, Java, Node.js, and React.js
• Knowledge and experience with secure coding practices
• Experience with network programming skills and multi-threaded programming
• Familiarity with solana-web3.js, Solana’s official SDK (Rust developers use this SDK to develop Solana dApps)
• The ability to create and launch Programs, which are the Solana equivalent of smart contracts
• Experience with specific operating systems such as Android or Linux
• Experience with certain databases, such as MongoDB and Apache CouchDB

Many organizations also prefer to hire Rust programmers who have at least three to five years of Rust coding experience since it’s a difficult language to master.

According to the Rust Survey of 2019, most Rust programmers rated their expertise as 7 out of 10 or below, even though over 68% of them wrote Rust code weekly. Additionally, 22% of Rust users indicated that they didn’t feel productive while coding Rust and the steep learning curve was the second most common reason for not using Rust on some projects.

As such, it’s important to get a good idea of how familiar and comfortable your potential hire is at Rust. Give them a few test assignments and make sure that they know how to create, test, and debug the programs and apps you want them to create.

Where to Find Web3 Developers

Whether you’re looking to hire Web3 developers for a long-term project or a small gig, knowing where you can find the best talent for this specific set of skills can substantially cut down your search time.

Web3, like cryptocurrency in its early days, is driving impressive innovation. It’s an excellent opportunity to be a part of the blockchain ecosystem and help formulate the future of the web.

Unless you live in a tech hub where you can find talent locally, it’s probably easiest to hire remote developers. Here are the best places to find these developers and Web3 engineers:

Crypto Job Boards

Even while talking about something as cutting edge as Web3, you may find the age-old approach of searching job boards to be quite convenient. However, you’ll want to choose a job board that’s known for harboring blockchain and crypto developers.

There are several recruitment websites that focus solely on crypto-related jobs. You can increase your chances of finding the right person by posting the position on more than one of these platforms.

Some of the most popular online crypto job boards include Crypto Jobs List, CryptoJobs, and Angel. Other more general job sites include Indeed and Remote.co.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is another online job board, but it’s also a social media platform. Many startups begin their talent scouting here.

Not only do you have the opportunity to post Web3 development jobs on LinkedIn, but you can also search for professionals with experience by viewing the profiles of prospective employees. Profiles present workers’ skills, experience, and education, and if you like someone, you can communicate with them directly on the website or app.

While LinkedIn is an excellent place to find a developer, it also provides a great platform for promoting your business, especially if you’re looking for financing. It offers opportunities to show off the talent you hire as well, to make your venture appear even more valuable.

Talent Marketplaces

Online talent marketplaces are another viable option when searching for Web3 developers. These usually have both remote workers and freelancers, so you’ll first need to figure out exactly the kind of worker you need.

Do you want a permanent member of the team? Do you want a contractual freelancer? These are serious considerations. For example, for long-haul collaboration, you’d likely want the developer to be an employee of the company.

There’s nothing wrong with going with a freelance developer, provided this kind of relationship meets your needs and you can find someone suitable. But if you’re looking to embed developers in your team and hire them permanently, Revelo is an excellent place to start. You’ll be connected with top-notch remote talent specializing in Web3 engineering or development, or whatever technology you need to grow your business.

One of the most significant benefits of using Revelo is that the developers are pre-screened, so the skills and experience they list on their profile are what you’ll get. Therefore, there’s no need to confirm their experience — you can just move along with the interviewing process.

How to Hire Web3 Developers

You probably don’t want to spend endless hours reviewing resume after resume and conducting dozens of interviews. At the same time, you also don’t want to miss out on good talent by overlooking their applications.

To help you pick out the best from the rest, here are some examples of job postings and some guidelines for the interviews themselves.

If you find hiring daunting, don’t worry — hiring developers doesn’t require the formal interviews, group discussions, or IQ tests that many big corporations use. If you’re all for decentralization anyway, you might as well do things a little differently than more centralized corporations.

Web3 Developer Job Post Example

The first thing you need to nail is the job post itself. Whether you choose to go with a job board, LinkedIn, or a talent marketplace, you’ll need to define the position you’re offering.

This is important because, believe it or not, many recruiters and contractors end up using the wrong terms in their posts or adding too much detail. This can cause candidates to overlook the most important requirements of the position. In these cases, you’ll end up with irrelevant resumes and often too many of them to sift through.

When you’re looking to hire Web3 developers, the post should be direct. It should address that you’re looking for a blockchain developer who specializes in Web3 development and has the right tech stack to support it.

Ideally, you would want people with experience working with blockchain to apply. So, make a list of the relevant keywords to put in your post. Those keywords will also help the post rank better on search engines, so anyone who types those keywords will see your job posting.

To help you write an immaculate job post to hire Web3 programmer, here is an example:

“We are looking for a passionate and experienced Web3 developer to help us build our project XYZ.

Our ideal candidate is someone with experience developing blockchain-based applications, especially those for Web3 (dApps). They should be aware of and use the latest technologies in crypto, blockchain, and Web3 development. With collaborative energy and willingness to learn, the right candidate will readily communicate with and assist other team members on the project.

Necessary Qualifications:

• Experience with blockchain development
• Experience with Solidity and dApp development
• Basic knowledge of front-end development of dApps to bridge the gap between the complex blockchain and usable Web 2.0–based interface
• Ability to work remotely and collaborate with the team when necessary

Responsibilities

• Help create scalable applications with Ethereum blockchain
• Analyze and solve problems in the development phase
• Communicate and collaborate with back-end and front-end teams
• Develop and optimize smart contracts
• Help document the development process of the blockchain and dApps
• Optimize development and implementation
• Adopt best practices for Web3 and blockchain development”

You can follow this layout or create your own based on this sample structure:

Begin by briefly introducing your company or the idea of the project without giving too much away, especially if you’ve come up with a new idea.

Then, talk about what the ideal candidate should have, including the desired skills and qualifications. Don’t be too general with these but try to be straightforward. Keep in mind that Web3 is relatively new, so asking for 5 or 10 years of specific experience may be unreasonable and limit who applies. This could cause you to miss out on exceptionally qualified candidates.

Consider adding a pay rate or range in the job posting. This transparency will ensure that neither you nor the candidates waste time with interviews or application materials if your expectations are drastically different.

Lastly, list the responsibilities that the developer will have. Include both technical and non-technical responsibilities that you’ll expect of a new hire.

Remember that a clearer job description will attract more relevant applicants.

Web3 Developer Interviews

Once you have shortlisted the candidates, you can begin setting up interviews. You already established during your initial review that they meet the requirements you defined in the job post. Now, it’s time to get to know them a bit better.

You’ll most likely be conducting the interview remotely via a web meeting tool, like Zoom.

It’s always a good idea to formulate your interview questions beforehand. You should write down your most significant concerns with hiring Web3 engineers and keep each candidate’s resume handy either in paper format or on your computer screen.

Ask them how they plan on working remotely, especially if they are located in a different region with a significant time zone difference. Discuss the communication tools and methods of your team and whether they have any experience with those.

Make sure to formulate these discussions and concerns into a set of questions and create a smooth flow. For example, consider dividing the interview into technical and non-technical sections. However, it’s not necessary to stick to your script. If you think of something during the interview, you can go ahead and ask and come back to your pre-written questions after.

Lastly, discuss their salary or pay expectations. Do they prefer to be paid hourly, annually, or by the project?

Here are some sample questions you can use in your interviews:

• How do you think Web3 is different from the previous versions of the web?
• What blockchain projects have you been part of? What was your role?
• What Web3 development tools and technology have you used before?
• What coding languages are you experienced in?
• How do you respond to feedback from other team members?
• What testing methods do you use for your code?
• What is your preferred mode of communication?

Don’t forget to keep the mood light and friendly!

Related: Outsourcing Software Development to Bolivia: Why You Should Hire Bolivian Developers

Web3 Coding Challenges

No matter how well the interview went and how experienced the candidate claims to be, it all comes down to their skill.

To measure and confirm their level of knowledge and experience in Web3 development, you should conduct several small coding challenges. These can be presented to the candidates in written form or as video presentations to explain the purpose of the assignment. The task shouldn’t be longer than an hour unless you plan to pay them for their time.

If you’re hiring a developer to carry out different coding tasks, you should create different coding challenges, each dealing with a specific need of your project — for example, creating nodes, writing smart contracts, or developing the front end of a Web3 application.

Another popular approach to coding challenges is pair programming. In these tests, two developers work together on a problem, either in person or remotely. This is a great way to test their technical skills and their team and communication skills. The code wouldn’t be written by both of the developers, however. One would formulate the code or define the approach, while the other would actually write it. You can reverse the roles for a second test.

Here are some tips for developing coding challenges:

• Utilize problems related to your project. You want to see the developers working in the context of your application. You should take a problem related to your project and present it as a challenge to see how the candidate might benefit your team.
• Focus on the process, not the result. When examining the coding challenge results, don’t just look at whether they solved the problem. Even if they didn’t quite find the solution, their results can help you get to know how they work and whether they have the potential to learn more.
• Use the same challenge. For a single job posting, use the same coding challenge to see how different candidates compare. However, don’t reuse the test once you’ve hired someone successfully.
• Create from scratch. It’s best to create the challenge yourself, using a real problem related to your project. Pre-designed coding tests may not provide the best outcome, and many times the solutions have been published online, which defeats the purpose of testing. If you’re not a developer yourself, consider asking your current developers, especially those responsible for testing, to create these tests for you.

Conclusion

Hiring Web3 developers is not difficult if you search in the right places, conduct the interviews effectively, and design a solid coding test. Even if you believe a candidate is not seasoned, you can always train them. However, they should have the drive to learn more.

Revelo can solve your talent hunting issues by presenting some of the best developers from Latin America to become an integral part of your team and take your Web3 project to the next level. Contact us and get matched with vetted developers within 3 days.

SOURCE: REVELO

Blockchain technology, distributed ledgers, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are transforming our world, and we will continue to see advances in this technology in 2022. These innovations go beyond Bitcoin to things like smart contracts that allow us to verify ownership with NFTs. This year, we will see more companies and individuals enhancing physical objects with blockchain technology and tokens.

3D Printing

We can now make things with 3D printing that we would never have dreamed of a decade ago. In 2022, we’ll see transformations in manufacturing and beyond, from 3D printing technological innovations, including mass-produced customized pieces, concrete for houses, printed food, metal, and composite materials.

Genomics

The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to two scientists, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna, for their work developing a method for genome editing. Genomics, gene editing, and synthetic biology are a top trend in 2022 because these advancements can help us modify crops, cure and eradicate diseases, and develop new vaccines like the COVID-19 shot, and other medical and biological breakthroughs.

Nanotechnology will also allow us to give materials new attributes by manipulating them on a subatomic level, so we can create things like bendable screens, better batteries, water-repellent, self-cleaning fabrics, and even self-repairing paint this year.

Datafication

Data is a key enabler for all of these trends. All of the digitization in our world today means we have enormous amounts of data available, and data has now become the number one business asset for every organization. We can use data to better understand our customers, research key trends, and get insight into what’s working inside our organizations.

Data Fabric

Data fabric provides flexible, resilient integration of data sources across platforms and business users, making data available everywhere it’s needed regardless of where the data lives.

Data fabric can use analytics to learn and actively recommend where data should be used and changed. This can reduce data management efforts by up to 70%.

Cybersecurity Mesh

Cybersecurity mesh is a flexible, composable architecture that integrates widely distributed and disparate security services.

Cybersecurity mesh enables best-of-breed, stand-alone security solutions to work together to improve overall security while moving control points closer to the assets they’re designed to protect. It can quickly and reliably verify identity, context, and policy adherence across cloud and non-cloud environments.

Decision Intelligence

Decision intelligence is a practical approach to improving organizational decision-making. It models each decision as a set of processes, using intelligence and analytics to inform, learn from and refine decisions.

Decision intelligence can support and enhance human decision-making and, potentially, automate it through the use of augmented analytics, simulations, and AI.

Hyperautomation

Hyperautomation is a disciplined, business-driven approach to rapidly identify, vet, and automate as many business and IT processes as possible.

Hyperautomation enables scalability, remote operation, and business model disruption.

If we are going, to be honest with each other, and we certainly should be, it is absolutely logical that companies are skeptical to put big money into a decentralized system.

In both the fast-evolving DeFi space and the “Normalverse,” there is always the risk of hacks or exploits. Enter: decentralized insurance.

“There have been innumerable cases of smart-contracts hacking, cyber-attacks on exchange platforms, etc. that have caused huge loss of investor funds,” Blockchain Simplified states on Medium. “Even the magnanimous DAO could not prevent a malware attack on its platform that resulted in the loss of billions. Decentralized Insurance has plenty of use-cases that can help prevent such consequences from occurring.”

DeFi Insurance

We can work together to build these preventative use cases. Let’s rethink the traditional insurance cycle for the DeFi world:

When a policyholder buys decentralized digital asset coverage, they are willingly participating in the protection of their participation on the blockchain. The purchase of insurance comes from a “pool of money” that has been subsidized by what is traditionally known as insurance providers.

In DeFi language, these “insurance providers” are more appropriately liquidity providers (LP), or Insurance Liquidity Providers. These LPs can be any company or individual who locks their capital into a decentralized risk pool with other similar providers. Coverage can range from digital asset and smart contract risk cover to protecting NFTs, DAO governance, and wallets—and as far and wide as you can imagine.

Now, let’s go one step beyond that. This policyholder has purchased coverage for their participation in another DeFi project. They’ve decided to participate in ABC Project by providing collateral, but have purchased insurance coverage in the event there is a hack or vulnerability with ABC’s smart contracts. Not only have they protected their “stake” in that risk, but they have effectively removed that risk from the ABC Project.

What does this mean? It means a risk pool built on community allows the users, project, and LPs to all work toward a common call of safety and security. ABC Project can subsidize the premiums or risk pool to incentivize users to buy insurance. By doing so, the users can purchase cost-effective insurance coverage. This means LPs have a steady stream of premiums. Ultimately, the overall risk of ABC has been diversified – and the entire process is more efficient.

Decentralized Insurance: Efficiency

The efficiency comes from the community approach that decentralized insurance allows for. In the Normalverse, if a business causes you harm, you typically seek damages from its insurance policy.

That means you wait for them to respond, wait for the insurance company to investigate, negotiate with the insurance company, and in some cases the flow of claims payments comes through that business. This causes just a bit of heartburn for the aggrieved party. What we don’t often think about is the heartburn it causes the business as well.

Consider a ridiculously optimistic statement that “most businesses value their customers.” Or, if you are a bit more pessimistic: businesses realize that to drive profit, they need to keep their customers happy.

In the claim scenario outlined above, the pressure to push the insurance company to respond quickly is on the business. The pressure to communicate with their customers takes up hours and hours of time. The loss of income and reputation in the meantime can be unrepairable. All of this feeds a disincentive loop where claimants often fight with businesses who fight with insurance companies who fight with the claimants who fight with … you get it.

Incentive Loop

A decentralized insurance model, instead, feeds an incentive loop. The business can remove the friction and time spent during claims by working with their users (a novel concept) to ensure that claims flow directly to them without the intermediary. This frees up the business’s time for PR and creates a smooth “disaster plan.” On top of that, it transfers much of the risk off their plate. See? An actual incentive loop.

This isn’t the only reason a decentralized community is beneficial for decentralized insurance. The traditional insurance industry is worth more than $5 trillion and often puts profit over people, or at the very least, it has the perception of putting profits over people.

Building the insurance system on-chain means you are working with like-minded individuals. Incentive loop! Traditional, centralized insurers often have efficiency issues stemming from multiple supervisor sign-offs, long processes, etc., that can create delays of days or weeks to process payments and claims.

Days and weeks could mean a dramatic change in the value of your digital asset. Time and efficiency are critical. I’ll leave out the static values of traditional insurance policies, predator claims practices, and opaque propaganda for another time.

Decentralized Insurance Advantages

Research published in SAGE Open talks about the advantages of blockchain-based insurance: “The insurance sector can benefit from the adoption of blockchain technology where the operations span across multiple countries and has many actors including the end user,” the authors wrote.

“The insurance industry can be connected via a decentralized network wherein the transactions are recorded across distributed ledgers. The trust for transactions can be provided by the blockchain members through consensus, thereby eliminating the need for third parties. Contracts and Insurance policies can be recorded electronically as smart contracts with a set of rules for the terms, conditions, duration of the policy, etc.”

Theoretically, decentralized insurance providers such as Nimble on the Algorand network allow for less bias from claims assessors, underwriters, and actuaries, a more efficient business process, and less of a disincentive loop; all while creating cost-effective and profitable risk models.

A decentralized approach to digital asset insurance is about community. Everyone benefits from the actions of others in the community, everyone has a transparent view of the system and process, and everyone works toward profitability because everyone gets a piece of the insurance profit pie.

Moving Forward

Of course, there is risk in the decentralized insurance world. We can’t bubble-wrap ourselves in snappy plastic blockchain protection and ship ourselves off into the metaverse without risk. That isn’t feasible and isn’t how life works.

It’s important that there are enough policyholders buying coverage, enough capital provided by LPs, and enough education to help the community understand how they are working together.

We also need to work with incumbent insurance companies to help them understand that building decentralized insurance processes doesn’t mean a bankrupt insurance industry, but instead a new way forward where all members of the process receive fair and equitable treatment.

You can guess what I’m about to say: “Incentive Loop.”

The reality is that even in a utopian traditional insurance world where insurance companies are empathetic to the needs of their customers, everything goes as planned, and birds are singing throughout the process – legacy technologies in the insurance industry will not work efficiently as we move forward.

A decentralized insurance system with traditional insurance risk models, projections, and underwriting data built on a transparent, blazingly fast, and efficient blockchain with the community in mind – well, that’s a game changer.

Source: BeinCrypto

This article answers these questions, with the goal of educating users about one of the most important aspects of Web3 access infrastructure.

Wallets or keychains?

In the context of blockchain and Web3, a “wallet” is essentially a cryptographic key management system that doubles as a user interface allowing you to interact with network applications and services by reading and/or modifying the state of the blockchain. It is in this sense, therefore, that we will use the term “wallet” from now on.

Although the use of the term is already widespread, it is somewhat misleading, and it is worth dispelling a common misunderstanding right away. Contrary to popular belief, when you make a transaction on the blockchain you are not “sending” tokens from your wallet to someone else’s wallet. In fact, you are using your private key to sign a transaction and transmit it to the entire blockchain network. Only after the network validates your transaction will it be executed, and then this change will be reflected in the updated balances of your address and the recipient’s address.

In this sense, the term “wallet” is misleading because the applications we use to interact with the blockchain do not store money the way physical wallets do. Instead, they store the private keys that allow you to sign and make transactions, and the public keys that allow you to receive assets. A more apt analogy would be to a keychain, with the important difference that in the case of the blockchain this “keychain” not only manages the keys needed to interact with the network but also shows the record of transactions and the balances of the addresses associated with these keys.

But what exactly are the “keys” that digital wallets manage, and what are they used for?

Keys and seed phrases

A “key”, in the sense in which the term is used in cryptography, is the basis of a transformation, usually mathematical, of an ordinary message into an unreadable (encrypted) message.

In public-key cryptography, which is the standard used to implement blockchains, a pair of correlated keys are created for this purpose: the first is called private because it must be kept secret; the second is called public because it can be shared with anyone who wants to receive it. Any participant that has access to your public key can encrypt a message using that key, but only you can read it, using your private key. In addition, you can use your private key to “digitally sign” a message, allowing others to verify that you were the sender; this verification is also done using your public key.

Public-key cryptography — Source: Network Encyclopedia

A wallet stores and allows you to manage this key pair to interact with a blockchain.

• A public key refers to an address that allows you to send and receive transactions.
• A private key proves that you own the assets associated with your address.

You can think of your public key as analogous to your bank account number, and of your private key as analogous to the password you use to access your account and make transactions. As with banking, your public key can be shared with anyone to receive funds, but your private key, like your password, must be kept secret.

Public & Private Keys — Source: Crypto.com

Most modern wallet implementations use a single master key, also known as a seed phrase, to generate the public and private keys. This key generation system is called deterministic because in it the public and private keys are correlated and can always be reproduced from the same seed.

Seed phrases are represented as a list of English words (usually 12, sometimes 24) that you can write down and keep somewhere, and can reuse to retrieve your wallet if for some reason you lose access to it (say, by having a device stolen or damaged).

Example of seed phrases — source: Realt Academy

There are a set of industry standards for wallet implementations that ensure interoperability between different applications. Thanks to these standards, you can easily export and import your keys between wallets from different vendors.

More than keychains — wallets as Web3 identities

The keychain analogy helps, but it doesn’t catch all the functions of wallets. In a blockchain, nodes are constantly synchronizing the state of the network and updating the history of transactions made. As we saw above, wallets connect you to the blockchain nodes and allow you to read this history and also make transactions, registering new data in the network. In this sense, we can also say that wallets work analogously to a traditional web browser, serving as a gateway to access and interact with Web1 / Web2. Wallets, in turn, are your gateway to Web3. But they go further, and can also serve as your identity in this new environment.

In Web3, identity and reputation work very differently from what we are used to today. As a rule, in Web2 our identities are tied to some centralized provider, which almost always requires users to hand over confidential and personal information. Examples of such identities are your Google account, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Web2 Login — Source: Dev.to

In Web3, you simply link your wallet to a decentralized application (dApp) to be able to interact with it. And unlike Web2 authentication methods, wallet addresses are pseudonymous by default. If a user chooses to connect the same wallet with multiple dApps, her (pseudonymous) identity can be easily transferable between those dApps, which means that over time the user can build up a sort of portable reputation, even without having to reveal her personal information.

Web3 Login — Source: Coinbase

As more and more aspects of our lives come to be experienced on Web3 — communication, work, education, entertainment, finance, and so on — all “orchestrated with tokens” (see Dixon and McCormick’s definition of Web3), our very identities will become more and more intertwined with the content of our wallets. For this reason, having a portable, privacy-preserving, and secure digital identity will become of paramount importance in this emerging future.

(I delve deeper into issues involving risks to our identities in Web3 and in the Metaverse in this article.)

Types of wallets

Types of Wallets — Source: Odyssey DAO

The first important distinction for categorizing wallets concerns whether or not they are connected to the Internet. So-called “hot wallets” are connected to the Internet, while so-called “cold wallets” are kept offline.

Hot wallets

In hot wallets, the user’s keys are stored and encrypted in the application itself, which is kept online. Examples of hot wallets include:

• Web-based wallets (websites or browser extensions)
• Wallets for mobile devices (Android or iOS applications)
• Desktop Wallets (applications installed on your OS)

Using a hot wallet, in its different forms, is generally quite convenient, but along with convenience also comes more risk, since computer networks tend to have hidden vulnerabilities that can be targeted by hackers or malware programs, among other forms of a system intrusion.

Hot wallets can be subdivided into two further categories, having to do with the way the keys are controlled in each case.

Custodial hot wallets

These are wallets managed by an exchange (for example, by Binance, Coinbase, Crypto.com, etc.), and require you to log in with a username and password to access them, just as you would do to access any traditional web application.

With a custodial wallet, you do not own your keys and therefore are not in full control of the assets they manage. As a popular saying in the crypto community goes, “not your keys, not your coins!”

Because of this, when using custodial wallets you must trust the service provider to securely store your assets and implement strong security measures to prevent unauthorized access. These measures include two-factor authentication (2FA), email confirmation, and biometric authentication, among others. Many exchanges will not allow you to transact until these security measures are properly configured by you.

Non-custodial hot wallets

These are self-managed wallets. The keys and assets these applications manage are fully under the control of the users. But since with great power comes great responsibility, this means that users of non-custodial wallets must take care of their own security regarding key and seed phrase storage. If any of these are lost, recovery may be difficult or even impossible, since they are not usually stored on any third-party server.

Cold wallets

Cold wallets are, by default, offline. This makes them less convenient than hot wallets, but as a rule, also makes them more secure.

Examples of cold wallets include:

• Paper wallets: as the name implies, a paper wallet is a physical location where private keys and/or seed phrases are written or printed. Since hackers cannot access these records remotely, this method is generally more secure than using a hot wallet connected to the internet. On the other hand, it opens up the potential risk that the piece of paper will be destroyed or lost, which could result in unrecoverable funds.
• Stainless steel wallets: To avoid the risk of destroying a paper wallet in case of fire or flooding, you can also engrave your private keys on a stainless steel plate. Some manufacturers even offer ready-made kits for this type of wallet.
• Hardware wallets: A hardware wallet is an external, dedicated device (usually a USB or Bluetooth device) that stores your keys. You can only sign a transaction by pressing a physical button on the device, which malicious actors cannot control.

Wallets with multiple signatures (multisig)

Also known as “multisig”, these are wallets that require two or more private key signatures to authorize transactions. This solution is useful for a number of use cases:

• An individual using a multisig wallet can avoid losing total access to the wallet in a scenario where one key is lost because then there will still be other keys able to sign transactions.
• Multisig wallets can make misuse of funds and fraud more difficult, which makes them a good option for hedge funds, exchanges, and corporations. Since each authorized person will have a key, and a transaction requires the use of most keys, it becomes impossible for any one individual to unilaterally perform unauthorized transactions.

(All the wallet types described above have multisig versions — hot, cold, hardware, and so on.)

How to secure your wallet

If your wallet’s private key or seed phrase gets lost or stolen, you not only risk losing access to your assets but, given what was said before, an integral part of your identity on Web3 will be jeopardized. Therefore, it is crucial that you learn how to secure your wallet to avoid fraud and identity theft.

Here are some tips to ensure the security of your wallet:

1. Store your private keys and your seed phrases in a safe place. Consider copying them to paper or stainless steel and storing them very well, or, if you prefer to have online access, use a password manager (such as 1Password or LastPass).
2. Never share your private keys or seed phrases with anyone. No matter who asks — just don’t share!
3. Protect your password. If your wallet has a separate password, anyone who obtains it can obtain your private key. So choose a secure password, preferably saving it in a password manager, and using 2FA.
4. Don’t leave valuable assets in your everyday hot wallet. Instead, put those assets in a cold wallet or in a separate hot wallet with reinforced security. If you have a lot of assets in your wallet and share your address publicly, sooner or later someone will try to pull a scam using this information and some social engineering techniques.
5. Carefully check any website URL, email address, or social network profile before taking any action involving your wallet. Scammers usually pose as a trusted platform to phish your seed phrase or private key.
6. Turn off private messaging in apps like Discord and Telegram, and never interact with unknown assets (such as NFTs) that appear “out of nowhere” in your wallet. These are two common attack vectors that scammers use.

In addition to these general tips, here are some suggestions of best practices for using cold wallets specifically:

1. Your seed phrase is more important than the device itself. If your cold wallet is damaged, you can always recover your assets by importing your seed phrase into another wallet. Therefore, prioritize the safety of the seed phrase as indicated above.
2. Do not use the seed phrase from a hot wallet in your cold wallet. The purpose of the cold wallet is to store a seed phrase offline. Reusing a hot wallet seed phrase in the cold wallet means bringing back all the problems of online storage.
3. Be very wary of cold wallet phishing attempts. Buy a cold wallet only from the official websites of the manufacturers (such as Ledger and Trezor). Do not respond to “support” emails, letters, or private messages asking for your seed phrase.

Common frauds involving wallets, and tips to avoid them

One of the main goals of scammers regarding the Web3 space is to trick you into sharing your private key or your seed phrase. Here is a list of common scams for this purpose, and tips for avoiding them.

Phishing attacks by fake customer support accounts

Scammers send a message via email, social network, SMS, etc., informing you that there has been some kind of problem with your wallet — for example, “Your Metamask account has been hacked.” The criminals then try to convince you to share your private key or your seed phrase, supposedly to verify that you really own the “hacked” account. If this happens:

• Carefully check the website URL, email address, social profile, or phone number from which the message originated.
• Even if the source seems reliable, remember: no reputable platform will ask for your private key or seed phrase!

MetaMask’s Fake Support Attack — Source: Odyssey DAO

Trust Wallet Fake Support Attack — Source: Rainbow

Airdrops of fake tokens and NFTs

Since wallet addresses are public, literally anyone can send tokens or NFTs to these addresses. This is usually not a big problem, because you can simply choose to ignore them; but some cybercriminals have developed ways to send tokens that can execute transactions on your account as soon as you interact with them. In this sense, one could compare these tokens to a trojan that allows hackers to access your computer as soon as you interact with a malicious file. A more detailed analysis of this type of scam, including an explanatory video, can be found here.

As a precaution, be very careful with “freebies” and “gifts”, usually offered by fake profiles on social networks or by private instant messages on Discord servers or in Telegram groups. Never interact with a token of unknown origin in your wallet!

Blind-signing

Another recent and still little-known type of attack used to steal digital assets from wallets is blind signing. This attack takes advantage of the fact that users who employ their wallets to interact with dApps and NFTs often do not review the code of the smart contracts underlying these applications and therefore may end up signing and authorizing transactions without knowing exactly what they are signing and authorizing.

For example, it is sometimes necessary to grant a third party — say, cryptocurrency exchange or an NFT marketplace — permission to conduct transactions involving tokens within your wallet. Once third-party access is approved, users can exchange tokens or list NFTs for sale without paying additional fees each time. The attackers have found ways to trick victims into giving them third-party approval over the contents of their wallets, which can be transferred to other addresses controlled by the criminals.

Fake hardware wallets

One very ingenious scam involves sending some sort of correspondence — it can be an email or even a physical letter in the mail, “signed” by a CEO of a hardware wallet manufacturer — that tries to convince the user that their wallet has suffered some sort of attack and needs to be replaced. Sometimes a new device is even sent along with the letter. But these new devices have been hacked to provide access to the fraudsters, who then clone the wallet using the previously created seed phrase to gain access to the user’s funds.

If something like this happens, simply throw these devices in the trash and inform the manufacturer of the attempt.

A fake letter signed by “Ledger CEO” — Source: Ledger

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Sources and Further Reading

• Wallets as web3 identities By Jônadas Techio — Blockchain Solutions Architect & Web3 Evangelist @ Axur(Medium)
• What is a Crypto Wallet? A Beginner’s Guide (Crypto.com)
• What is a crypto wallet? | Coinbase
• Public Key Cryptography — Network Encyclopedia
• Seed Phrase 101 (Realt Academy)
• How to use a hot wallet? (Odyssey DAO)
• The Anatomy of MetaMask. An X-ray of Web3’s Beloved Fox | by Julia Wu | Jun, 2022
• How to use a cold wallet? (Odyssey DAO)
• What is a Hardware Wallet and How Does it Work? (Crypto.com)
• How to avoid crypto scams (Rainbow)
• How to avoid wallet scams? (Odyssey DAO)
• Digital Risks in Blockchain and Web3 (Axur — Free Ebook)
• Digital risks in the Metaverse (Medium)

1. Make sure to do due diligence. - Always research the specs you want, check their prices on local selling sites, and know what exactly you want to buy. This protects you from scams and high prices.
2. Buy from reputable shops. - Always buy your phone from reputable shops, especially in Kenya. The chances of you being sold a fake Chinese phone are 8 in 10.
3. Make sure the phone’s box comes wrapped in plastic paper that can’t be tampered with without showing e.g a tear or an opening. Usually, genuine phones come wrapped in a completely sealed plastic bag.
4. Make sure you check for a sticker that says “Don’t buy if tampered with” or something similar. The box should be completely closed and stickers should be present to prevent tampering. If these stickers are cut or seem to have been peeled off don’t buy the phone.
5. Make sure to compare the physical box with one from a reputable site online. Copies are usually made willy nilly hence differences can be seen.
6. Make sure to get a warranty and receipt of purchase
7. Hard reset the phone before leaving the shop. Most fake phones have a custom skin, boot loading animation, and look, hard resetting via the bootloader easily reveals these because they are usually application-level apps hidden from the app drawer.
8. Dial the codes for your phone make that check if the phone is genuine.
9. Finally, trust your intuition. If the phone feels fake or a bit too cheap in relation to its specs then something’s likely up. When the deal is too good, think twice.

Here are some good specs:

1. FHD+ Screen
2. 4GB+ RAM
3. 64GB+ Storage
4. 4K Recording
5. 4500mAh+ Battery
6. Latest Software Updates

Conclusion:

Research beforehand, Check the box, get a warranty, get a receipt, check the phone, and trust intuition.

Have a great day!

Wireless Earphones

In this day and age, this is a must. We have all experienced that annoying tangling cable issue. Upgrade and use wireless earphones. Not only don’t they tangle, but they also don’t get in the way when working on something or working out. Here are my top recommendations

i. Oramio Freepods3 at 3,200/=

ii. Xiaomi Redmi Buds 3 Lite at 2,500/=

iii. Oramio Riff at 2,200/=

Portable Speakers

I won’t even talk too much about this. Bro/Siz, you need this. Being able to play your favorite music come rain come shine is a great feeling.

i. Oramio Portable Speaker and Subwoofer at 2,122/=

ii. Xiaomi Portable Speaker at 2,500/=

Smartwatches and bands

Guys, you need this for accurate monitoring of steps and KMs run. This also helps identify heart issues early on.

i. Oramio Tempo 2 at 4,000/=

ii. Oramio Smart Watch at 3,848/=

iii. Xiaomi MI Band 5 at 3,000/=

iv. Amazfit Band 5 at 4,000/=

v. Realme Smartwatch 2 at 4,700/=

Electric Toothbrush

Just an overall good buy. Most of us don’t know how to brush our teeth so we instead use force thereby wearing down both our teeth and toothbrush. The key is light circular motions and these will definitely come in handy.

i. Fairywill E11 at 4,000/=

ii. Miniso Electric ToothBrush at 600/=

Feature Phone / Mulika Mwizi / Kabambe / Katululu

i. Nokia 105 at 1,400/=

ii. Nokia 106 at 1,500/=

NFTs are blockchain-backed certificates of ownership for digital objects, such as art or video clips.

NFTs are blockchain-backed certificates of ownership for digital objects, such as art or video clips. They’re a novel way to own a piece of digital culture — one that you can use to show off on social media, trade with your friends and admirers, and even sell back to the artist if you want.

NFTs aren’t limited to digital art, either. They could be used for many other purposes: for example, you could use them as tickets for an event like Burning Man or as vouchers for a trip around the world (you’d just have to make sure everyone has an Ethereum wallet).

You can buy and sell NFTs with real-world money, but they only exist online.

NFTs are digital tokens that exist only online.

You can buy them with real-world money on exchanges, dapps, and decentralized exchanges.

You can also sell them for cash or other cryptocurrencies.

NFTs are part of the greater cryptocurrency ecosystem, and they’re traded on decentralized ledgers called blockchains.

NFTs are part of the larger cryptocurrency ecosystem. They’re traded on decentralized ledgers called blockchains. The Ethereum blockchain is the most popular network for NFTs, but it’s slow, expensive, and congested.

The following sections explain how NFTs work in more detail and introduce you to some of the key players in this space.

The most popular network for NFTs is currently Ethereum, which is the same network used by popular cryptocurrencies like Ether (ETH) and USD Coin (USDC).

If you’re looking to buy non-fungible tokens (NFTs), your first step is to determine which network you’d like to use. The most popular network for NFTs is currently Ethereum, which is the same network used by popular cryptocurrencies like Ether (ETH) and USD Coin (USDC).

Ethereum’s blockchain is also used for more general purposes—for example, it can be used to create smart contracts or host initial coin offerings (ICOs).

If you want your NFTs on a different network than Ethereum’s blockchain, then chances are good that someone else has already built a tokenization platform with that functionality.

However, the Ethereum network has become increasingly congested in recent months, causing transaction fees to increase dramatically.

However, the Ethereum network has become increasingly congested in recent months, causing transaction fees to increase dramatically. Transaction fees are a way to pay the network for processing transactions—they’re paid in ETH, so you’ll need some ETH in your wallet before you can make an NFT purchase. You may be wondering how much these transaction costs are going to run up on your bill. Unfortunately for us all, there’s no easy answer; transaction fees are calculated by the network and vary based on things like gas price (a measure of how much “fuel” is required for a given transaction), gas used per byte of data sent across the blockchain (the more bytes you send at once means more gas consumption), and total demand on nodes at any given time—if everyone tries to use their Ethereum address right now instead of later when there’s less congestion on Ethereum itself then that means higher load times which leads back around again…

Alternative networks like Polygon and Solana offer lower fees and faster transaction processing times than Ethereum.

Ethereum is the most popular network for NFTs, but it’s not the only option. In fact, Polygon and Solana offer benefits that Ethereum doesn’t: low fees, fast transaction times, and higher scalability.

Polygon is a network for hosting new applications and games that are built on decentralized architecture. It uses its own native token (PLG) as a payment method for all transactions within the platform. Polygon also has a built-in governance system that allows users to vote on whether or not they want to include new features into the ecosystem or change existing ones; this means that users have more control over how their experience of using Polygon evolves over time.

Solana offers similar benefits to those found in Ethereum; however, it can process transactions more quickly than other blockchains because it supports an algorithm called “Proof of History” rather than Proof of Work (PoW). PoW consumes large amounts of electricity and takes longer than PoH because every transaction needs to be verified by several computers simultaneously before being added as part of an ever-growing blockchain record; this makes scaling up networks like Bitcoin difficult because there would need to be more hardware available when demand increases significantly over time - leading us back into familiar territory where no one knows what they’re doing yet again!

NFTs are a novel way to own a piece of digital culture; here’s how you can get started with them.

NFTs are a novel way to own a piece of digital culture; here’s how you can get started with them.

NFTs are blockchain-backed certificates of ownership for digital objects, such as art or video clips. For example, you might purchase a virtual cat from CryptoKitty and then sell it to someone else later on. These tokens represent ownership of whatever they refer to — in this case, the cat — and can be traded on marketplaces like OpenSea or Rarebits for other NFTs or cryptocurrencies like ether (ETH).

1. Create a Web3 Wallet

Also Read:

To get started, you’ll need an Ethereum-compatible crypto wallet, in other words, a web3 wallet, and fund it with enough ETH. You can use a crypto wallet to purchase, sell, store, and swap crypto assets.

• OpenSea works with all significant Ethereum web3 wallets. You can see which crypto wallets you can use on OpenSea here. However, Metamask is the most popular one, that’s why we’ll use it in our instructions.
• To download Metamask, visit metamask.io/download and choose your browser. Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Brave are supported. Mobile extensions for iOS and Android are also available.
• After choosing the extension, click on “Get Started.”
• Click on “Create Wallet.”
• You’ll be prompted with a screen that shows a new seed phrase for your wallet. This seed phrase is a long string of words that Metamask automatically creates. You will require it in the future to recover your wallet. If you lose it, nobody can help you get your funds back. That’s why you should save it in a secure place.
• Next, create your password. This password will be the only thing you’ll require to log into your wallet in the future, provided that you connect from the same device. If you need to use your wallet on another device in the future, you’ll have to use the seed phrase we mentioned above. It’s worth emphasizing that you should never lose your seed phrase.
• After this step, you’ll be prompted to confirm your seed phrase by choosing the words that appear on the screen in the same order as they appear in your seed phrase.
• Your MetaMask download will be completed, and the MetaMask icon will be shown in the top right corner of your browser window.

2. Connect your MetaMask wallet to OpenSea

Once your wallet is up and running, head over to OpenSea.io.

• Click on the wallet icon in the upper right corner and choose MetaMask. You’ll be requested to sign for approval to connect your wallet to OpenSea.
• You can create a username, write a bio, and add your social channel links when your wallet is connected. But these steps aren’t required to buy NFTs. Connecting a wallet is enough for that.

3. Fund your Metamask wallet with Ethereum

To buy NFTs, you need Ethereum cryptocurrency. You can buy it on central exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken.

• Creating an account on these exchanges all work in similar ways. You need to undergo a verification process by providing an ID or Passport.
• Once you’ve been verified, you can buy Ethereum. Depending on the exchange you choose, different payment options are possible. Usually, you’re able to pay with a credit card for the first time. Some exchanges also work with bank transfers.
• After this step, you should transfer Ethereum from the exchange to your MetaMask wallet. Again, the process is similar in every exchange. You need to copy your MetaMask address for receiving currencies and paste it into the appropriate “send” field found in the cryptocurrency exchange for Ethereum withdrawals. This section is usually found on your exchange balance. Click on the withdrawal button and paste your MetaMask wallet address and confirm.
• Based on the cryptocurrency exchange you choose, there might be an additional security step like Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), in which case you need to enter a verification code during the above process.
• Ethereum transfers are usually fast. But depending on the busyness of the network, it may take up to an hour in rare cases.

Once your wallet is funded with enough ETH, you can search for an NFT to buy on OpenSea.

3. Search an NFT on OpenSea

There’re millions of NFTs on OpenSea. It’s a good idea to know about the platform’s searching and filtering options.

• The Explore lists all active NFT categories. You can choose one category to see all NFTs within that category in one place.
• Under the stats tab, you can see the highest demand collections in the last 24 hours, seven days, 30 days, or all time.
• To explore more filtering options, go to https://opensea.io/assets. You’ll see the options listed on the left-hand side of the website.

You can view the results based on the status, price, blockchains, categories, and currencies you can use as payment methods.

4. Buy NFTs

Using search options allows you to find new NFTs based on various criteria. When you’ve found the NFT you want to buy, click on it to get to its own page.

• There are two purchasing choices on each NFT page: Buy Now and Make Offer. To acquire the NFT at the specified price, select “Buy Now” and follow the directions in your wallet. It’s worth noting that OpenSea charges a variety of fees. In effect, this implies you’ll always pay more than the NFT’s retail price.
• You can try to purchase NFTs at a lower price than the current set price by making offers. Select the “Make an Offer” option. You’ll be asked to choose the currency you’d want to pay in. WETH, USDC, and DAI are the only three methods for making offers. You’ll have to pay a one-time gas fee if you haven’t made any purchases with these currencies in your wallet before.
• Some owners choose to sell their NFTs through timed auctions, especially if there is a great demand for them. As a buyer, you’ll need WETH to create your bid by clicking the Place Bid button, precisely like you would for fixed-price NFTs.
• Confirm the transaction on your Metamask wallet as the last step. It’s worth noting that you’ll have to pay a gas fee which can sometimes be more expensive than the NFT itself. Wait during less busy hours as a solution.

There are more NFT marketplaces:

1. Foundation
2. Rarible
3. SuperRare
4. Magic Eden
5. Binance NFT
6. Coinbase NFT

Conclusion

While NFTs are a fun and novel way for artists to sell their work and for collectors to own pieces of digital culture, the trend is still in its early days. As such, it’s important to understand how they work before purchasing them—especially since you may have to pay a hefty transaction fee depending on which network you use. Still, if you’re interested in getting involved with NFTs, we hope that this article has been helpful. Happy hunting!

What is an NFT?

An NFT is a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items, and videos. They are bought and sold online, frequently with cryptocurrency, and they are generally encoded with the same underlying software as many cryptos.

Although they’ve been around since 2014, NFTs are gaining notoriety now because they are becoming an increasingly popular way to buy and sell digital artwork. A staggering $174 million has been spent on NFTs since November 2017.

NFTs are also generally one of a kind, or at least one of a very limited run, and have unique identifying codes. “Essentially, NFTs create digital scarcity,” says Arry Yu, chair of the Washington Technology Industry Association Cascadia Blockchain Council and managing director of Yellow Umbrella Ventures.

This stands in stark contrast to most digital creations, which are almost always infinite in supply. Hypothetically, cutting off the supply should raise the value of a given asset, assuming it’s in demand.

But many NFTs, at least in these early days, have been digital creations that already exist in some form elsewhere, like iconic video clips from NBA games or securitized versions of digital art that’s already floating around on Instagram.

For instance, famous digital artist Mike Winklemann, better known as “Beeple” crafted a composite of 5,000 daily drawings to create perhaps the most famous NFT of the moment, “EVERYDAYS: The First 5000 Days,” which sold at Christie’s for a record-breaking $69.3 million.

Anyone can view the individual images—or even the entire collage of images online for free. So why are people willing to spend millions on something they could easily screenshot or download?

Because an NFT allows the buyer to own the original item. Not only that, it contains built-in authentication, which serves as proof of ownership. Collectors value those “digital bragging rights” almost more than the item itself.

How Is an NFT Different from Cryptocurrency?

NFT stands for non-fungible token. It’s generally built using the same kind of programming as cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin or Ethereum, but that’s where the similarity ends.

Physical money and cryptocurrencies are “fungible,” meaning they can be traded or exchanged for one another. They’re also equal in value—one dollar is always worth another dollar; one Bitcoin is always equal to another Bitcoin. Crypto’s fungibility makes it a trusted means of conducting transactions on the blockchain.

NFTs are different. Each has a digital signature that makes it impossible for NFTs to be exchanged for or equal to one another (hence, non-fungible). One NBA Top Shot clip, for example, is not equal to EVERYDAYS simply because they’re both NFTs. (One NBA Top Shot clip isn’t even necessarily equal to another NBA Top Shot clip, for that matter.)

How Does an NFT Work?

NFTs exist on a blockchain, which is a distributed public ledger that records transactions. You’re probably most familiar with blockchain as the underlying process that makes cryptocurrencies possible.

Specifically, NFTs are typically held on the Ethereum blockchain, although other blockchains support them as well.

An NFT is created, or “minted” from digital objects that represent both tangible and intangible items, including:

• Art

• GIFs

• Videos and sports highlights

• Collectibles

• Virtual avatars and video game skins

• Designer sneakers

• Music

Even tweets count. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey sold his first-ever tweet as an NFT for more than $2.9 million.

Essentially, NFTs are like physical collector’s items, only digital. So instead of getting an actual oil painting to hang on the wall, the buyer gets a digital file instead.

They also get exclusive ownership rights. That’s right: NFTs can have only one owner at a time. NFTs’ unique data makes it easy to verify their ownership and transfer tokens between owners. The owner or creator can also store specific information inside them. For instance, artists can sign their artwork by including their signature in an NFT’s metadata.

What Are NFTs Used For?

Blockchain technology and NFTs afford artists and content creators a unique opportunity to monetize their wares. For example, artists no longer have to rely on galleries or auction houses to sell their art. Instead, the artist can sell it directly to the consumer as an NFT, which also lets them keep more of the profits. In addition, artists can program in royalties so they’ll receive a percentage of sales whenever their art is sold to a new owner. This is an attractive feature as artists generally do not receive future proceeds after their art is first sold.

Art isn’t the only way to make money with NFTs. Brands like Charmin and Taco Bell have auctioned off themed NFT art to raise funds for charity. Charmin dubbed its offering “NFTP” (non-fungible toilet paper), and Taco Bell’s NFT art sold out in minutes, with the highest bids coming in at 1.5 wrapped ether (WETH)—equal to $3,723.83 at time of writing.

Nyan Cat, a 2011-era GIF of a cat with a pop-tart body, sold for nearly $600,000 in February. And NBA Top Shot generated more than $500 million in sales as of late March. A single LeBron James highlight NFT fetched more than $200,000.

Even celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Lindsay Lohan are jumping on the NFT bandwagon, releasing unique memories, artwork and moments as securitized NFTs.

How to Buy NFTs

If you’re keen to start your own NFT collection, you’ll need to acquire some key items:

First, you’ll need to get a digital wallet that allows you to store NFTs and cryptocurrencies. You’ll likely need to purchase some cryptocurrency, like Ether, depending on what currencies your NFT provider accepts. You can buy crypto using a credit card on platforms like Coinbase, Kraken, eToro and even PayPal and Robinhood now. You’ll then be able to move it from the exchange to your wallet of choice.

You’ll want to keep fees in mind as you research options. Most exchanges charge at least a percentage of your transaction when you buy crypto.

Popular NFT Marketplaces

Once you’ve got your wallet set up and funded, there’s no shortage of NFT sites to shop. Currently, the largest NFT marketplaces are:

• OpenSea.io: This peer-to-peer platform bills itself a purveyor of “rare digital items and collectibles.” To get started, all you need to do is create an account to browse NFT collections. You can also sort pieces by sales volume to discover new artists.

• Rarible: Similar to OpenSea, Rarible is a democratic, open marketplace that allows artists and creators to issue and sell NFTs. RARI tokens issued on the platform enable holders to weigh in on features like fees and community rules.

• Foundation: Here, artists must receive “upvotes” or an invitation from fellow creators to post their art. The community’s exclusivity and cost of entry—artists must also purchase “gas” to mint NFTs—means it may boast higher-caliber artwork. For instance, Nyan Cat creator Chris Torres sold the NFT on the Foundation platform. It may also mean higher prices — not necessarily a bad thing for artists and collectors seeking to capitalize, assuming the demand for NFTs remains at current levels, or even increases over time.

Although these platforms and others are host to thousands of NFT creators and collectors, be sure you do your research carefully before buying. Some artists have fallen victim to impersonators who have listed and sold their work without their permission.

In addition, the verification processes for creators and NFT listings aren’t consistent across platforms — some are more stringent than others. OpenSea and Rarible, for example, do not require owner verification for NFT listings. Buyer protections appear to be sparse at best, so when shopping for NFTs, it may be best to keep the old adage “caveat emptor” (let the buyer beware) in mind.

Source: Forbes

DeFi is short for “decentralized finance,” an umbrella term for a variety of financial applications in cryptocurrency or blockchain geared toward disrupting financial intermediaries.

DeFi draws inspiration from blockchain, the technology behind the digital currency bitcoin, which allows several entities to hold a copy of a history of transactions, meaning it isn’t controlled by a single, central source.

Asset Management

One of the biggest impacts of Defi is that users can now enjoy more control of their own assets. Many of the top DeFi projects are offering solutions that allow the users to manage their assets, including — buying, selling, and transferring digital assets. Thus, the users can even earn interest from their digital assets too.

On contrary to the traditional financial system, DeFi allows users to maintain the privacy of their sensitive data. Think of the private keys or passwords for your financial accounts — you had to share that information with relevant organizations earlier.

Now, different DeFi projects, like Metamask, Argent, or Gnosis Safe are helping the users to encrypt and store those pieces of information on their personal devices. This ensures that only the users have the access to their accounts and can manage their assets. So, asset management is one of the most practical decentralized finance uses cases to the users.

Complying to AML and CFT Measurements through KYT Mechanism

Traditional financial systems focus heavily on Know-Your-Customer (KYC) protocols. KYC guidelines are its biggest compliance tool for implementing Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering-the-Financing-of-Terrorism (CFT) measurements.

However, KYC guidelines often contradict the privacy efforts of DeFi. DeFi answers this issue with a newer concept called — Know-Your-Transaction (KYT) mechanism. This mechanism suggests that the decentralized infrastructure would focus on transaction behaviors digital addresses rather than the identity of the users.

So, KYT solves two issues at the same time — monitoring the real-time behavior of the transactions and ensuring the privacy of the users. This makes KYT one of the major scopes for decentralized finance use cases.

Read More: What is DeFi?

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations or DAOs

The DAOs are the counterpart of centralized financial organizations in DeFi — making it one of the pillars of decentralized finance use cases.

In the traditional system, centralized financial organizations play a massive role. These organizations serve as administrative entities that manage the core financial operations, such as — fundraising, managing assets, implementing governance, etc.

The Ethereum blockchain ecosystem introduced decentralized organizations to serve the same goals. However, DAOs are by nature decentralized and don’t adhere to the boundaries imposed by central governments or authorities.

Analytics and Risk Management Tools

Transparency and decentralization paved the way to discover and analyze an unprecedented amount of data for the users. With access to these data, users can make well-informed business decisions, discover new financial opportunities, and adopt better risk management tactics.

A new breed of data analytics with useful blockchain tools and dashboards has emerged from this industry trend. DeFi projects like DeFi Pulse or CoDeFi Data are bringing an impressive amount of value with analytics and risk management tool.

Now, businesses have become more agile as they are enjoying unforeseen competitive advantages. This is surely one of the more impacting decentralized finance use cases.

Derivatives and Synthetic Assets

Smart contracts allow the creation of tokenized derivatives and it has become one of the most unique DeFi use cases. Tokenizing a derivative means setting the value of a contract based on an underlying financial asset or a set of assets. This underlying financial asset works like a traditional security, meaning it could include — bonds, fiat currencies, commodities, market indexes, interest rates, or stock prices.

Now, tokenization of derivatives is secondary securities, and their value changes with the value of the primary securities (bonds or fiat currencies). Thus, derivatives are essentially creating synthetic assets.

Synthetix and dYdX are some of the leading DeFi projects focused on tokenized derivatives.

The Network Effect of Infrastructure Tooling

In the DeFi ecosystem, the components within a system can connect and interoperate. This design feature is known as composability and acts as a core infrastructure development protocol. As a result, DeFi projects are continuously integrated through a network effect.

The infrastructure tools are notable DeFi use cases. Different DeFi projects, such as — TruffleSuite or InfuraAPI, are good examples in this case.

Improved Digital Identity

Blockchain-based digital identity systems are already getting much traction in recent times. Pairing DeFi protocols with these identity systems could help people access the global economic system.

The traditional approach prizes one’s income or accumulated asset as the nominators for creditworthiness. With DeFi-paired digital identity, it’s possible to consider the other practical attributes, such as — financial activities or professional prowess.

This new type of digital identity could help the underprivileged to access the DeFi applications from anywhere with an internet connection. It could surely be one of the potential use cases.

Insurance

Insurance is one of the major financial industries and has already proven to be one of the major DeFi use cases. The current insurance system is bottlenecked with an abundance of paperwork, age-old audit systems, and bureaucratic insurance claiming procedures.

With the successful implementation of smart contracts, all of these issues with the current system could be solved.

Many DeFi projects (Nexus Mutual, Opyn, and VouchForMe) are even offering blockchain for insurance coverage against DeFi or smart contract risks.

P2P Borrowing and Lending

As DeFi is saying goodbye to the traditional banking systems, a vacuum for the borrowing and lending market has emerged. So, borrowing and lending protocol is one of the vital DeFi use cases.

However, the DeFi ecosystem is more suitable for peer-to-peer (P2P) borrowing and lending efforts. Multiple DeFi projects have already entered the market focusing on this particular use case. Among these projects, Compound and PoolTogether are two well-known names. These projects have autonomous interest-based protocols for borrowing and lending assets.

Payment Solutions

One of the core drivers for DeFi was serving the unbanked or underbanked from the get-go. The inherent traits of DeFi make it well-suited for solving the issues of the current global payment systems. DeFi offers faster, safer, and more transparent solutions compared to legacy systems.

As DeFi drops down the need for middlemen, making payments simpler and more transparent, the DeFi-based blockchain in payment solutions could become appealing to the unbanked population.

Gaming and eSports

Long gone are the days, when video games were nothing but a form of entertainment. Most of the new video games have in-app purchases and loot box features in them. These features enable users to use real-life currency to buy new skins for their characters and tools.

With the use of DeFi, game developers can implement the newer incentive or reward models with DeFi coins. In fact, gaming and eSports will likely become one of the major markets as the users are more tech-savvy and open to newer technologies.

Margin Trading

Margin trading is a common feature of the traditional trading system. In simpler terms, it refers to the act of borrowing money from the brokers to invest and gain short-term gain.

With the use of DeFi, traders don’t need to rely on brokers to borrow. Instead, they could smart contracts to enforce decentralized and non-custodial lending protocols. DeFi projects, such as Compound and dYdX have already implemented such lending blockchain protocols. Some are referring to this practice as — the autonomous money markets.

Prediction Platforms

Despite the stigma around the concept, prediction platforms and the market are very large and attract many users. The rise and use of DeFi, has created an opportunity to develop DeFi-based prediction platforms where users could trade value by forecasting or predicting the outcome of future events. These prediction platforms are peer-to-peer, decentralized, and offer global access.

Augur is one of the leaders in the DeFi ecosystem that specialize in the prediction market. This platform allows the users to place bets on events like — sports, world events, economics, election results, and more.

Savings

Due to the high inflation rate of fiat currencies and the low-interest rates, saving money has become a challenge in the current economy. In fact, the risk-averse middle-class citizens around the world are desperately seeking alternate investment/savings solutions.

Different decentralized finance (DeFi) projects have taken the opportunity to introduce new solutions. Projects like PoolTogether, Dharma, or Argent are showing promises with their no-loss savings ideology.

Tokenization

Asset tokenization is one of the core features of the DeFi ecosystem. Tokenization is the process of — creating, issuing, and managing digital assets on a blockchain network. As any kind of asset could be tokenized and stored on a blockchain, it is essentially creating a new form of economy.

For example, the NFTs are tokenizing unique digital assets that hold value based on the rarity and the demand for any particular digital asset. A plethora of decentralized finance projects are working on tokenizing digital assets for creating, storing, or trading value.

Source: 101Blockchains