Day: August 16, 2017

Early Twitter investor Naval Ravikant to back “XPRIZE” for a blockchain-based Twitter using Blockstack technologies.

In a rather surprising turn of events, hardware wallet manufacturer has been acquired. The company acquired a software wallet  a few years ago. Acquisitions are pretty common in the Bitcoin world these days. With Shapeshift now picking up the company, interesting things are bound to happen. The first priority is enabling real-time trading on KeepKey … Continue reading ShapeShift Acquires Bitcoin Hardware Manufacturer KeepKey

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With Bitcoin’s price skyrocketing recently, many traders have their eyes and minds on the moon. Blockstream, the blockchain technology company, quite literally wants to put Bitcoin in outer space with the use of satellites. It is offering access to the Bitcoin network for everyone on earth, projected from space!

Bitcoin in Space

Those of us familiar with Bitcoin know that decentralization is a key feature of the network. However, those of us living in Western nations often take our ease of access to the network for granted. There are scores of people on this planet that do not have reliable access to the internet, and thus access to the Bitcoin network. Bitcoin has struggled with this issue since its inception. If Bitcoin really aims to free people from centralized institutions, it needs to be accessible by everyone. The idea of broadcasting the Bitcoin network from space is not new, but Blockstream has finally made it a reality.

Even without Wi-Fi or other means of accessing the Internet, anyone in the world can now have free access to the Bitcoin network. The company did not even mention they had been working on this until after it was successful. Over two-thirds of the earth’s surface area is now covered by three satellites carrying and broadcasting the network, but the Blockstream team plans to increase the number of satellites to encompass the entirety of the planet.

To access the network, one must first establish a connection with the satellites. The Blockstream team is confident that this is a relatively low barrier to entry. In fact, Blockstream’s CEO has claimed that the connection to the network should not cost more than US$100 in equipment. Apparently one can even use an old TV satellite dish to establish a connection. Once the connection is set up, it is free to use.

The new service benefits the network as well as users by removing bandwidth issues and improving security, but it also helps Blockstream. Offering a free service to millions of people around the world positions the company very powerfully. Its influence over the Bitcoin network and the community may have just been solidified even more.

We Need More Services Like This

It is exciting to see Blockstream launching a much-needed project such as this one. Bitcoin desperately needs to reach more communities outside the Western world and affluent regions. For Bitcoin to truly be the currency of the people, it needs to be available to everyone. However, other companies must also begin offering services like this one. A monopoly on free distributed networks means a centralization of power, something that Bitcoin needs to avoid.

Regardless, Blockstream taking the first step toward the distributed and free access to the Bitcoin network from anywhere in the world is breathtaking. Hopefully, other similar projects will get off the ground soon, as Bitcoin’s rising price has helped bring more attention to the network lately.

IBM partners up with port operator in Singapore to pilot test Blockchain-powered supply chain network

Analysts and financial news networks including CNBC have noted that Japan has been a driving factor in the recent rally of Bitcoin price.

While some traditional investors are being turned into Bitcoin believers, there are many who still shun it as they don’t understand it.

It is sometimes easy to forget that not everyone is connected to the Internet. For many of us, it feels so pervasive in our lives, and it is. But even some in the Western world do not yet have access to the Internet, and sometimes when they do it is through a slow connection. For instance, just two years ago there were still millions of Americans using dial-up and I doubt that number has drastically fallen since. Just reading that gave me flashbacks to my childhood when picking up the phone to call a friend meant your ear bled if someone was online. Sweden has decided that it wants all of its citizens online, and fast.

Everyone in Sweden will have Broadband by 2025

Sweden’s Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven, recently announced the plan to get all of Sweden connected to the Internet by 2025. Known for its warm embrace of human rights, Sweden says it cannot continue with a digital strategy that leaves people out. This may have to do with the UN’s declaration that access to the internet is a human right, but also makes sense from a practical standpoint. Fast internet is crucial for socialization and productive work.

Sweden’s plan has three parts, according to Housing and Digitalisation Minister Peter Eriksson. The first part ensures that at least 95% of Swedish households have access to 100Mbps internet connections by 2020. This is an incredibly fast speed for everyone to have, and it will be interesting to see what kind of effect this has on the nation’s productivity.

The second part will ensure that everyone in Sweden has a high-quality mobile internet connection. This will provide individuals with an uninterrupted connection to the Internet as long as they have mobile service. Swedish citizens will be able to access the Internet in all businesses, trains, and hotels via robust and stellar mobile connections.

The final stage of Sweden’s plan ensures that everyone who has not yet received broadband or a quality mobile connection is serviced. Officials hope that will take place by 2025.

Productivity’s Need for Speed

The Swedish government has placed such an emphasis on this because research has shown that access to the internet and other online amenities directly affects levels of worker productivity and work quality. It is easier to do business when one is connected to the Internet.

Other countries should pay close attention to Sweden’s initiative and consider implementing a similar plan. Like I mentioned before, there are still individual in the United States who do not have access to the Internet, or have extremely slow connections. There is no excuse for nations not investing in their digital infrastructures, and I am pleased to see Sweden updating its own digital infrastructure. Hopefully other nations will take the Swedish example and begin overhauling their digital spaces.

A blockchain initiative backed by a group of US credit unions has formed a new full-fledged service organization dedicated to the tech.

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The Ethereum Blockchain could cause major disruptions in the very centralized world of insurance as Umbrella Coin looks to make claims on hidden costs of insurance a democratic process.

Viberate is a live music platform where users can look up the profiles of their favorite musicians, peruse their data, and even access tour dates and tickets. But Viberate is not just for users; artists benefit from being active on the platform as well. Viberate is good for both users and musicians because it is bringing disruptive blockchain technology to the live music industry.

The Vibe Token is the Token of the Live Music Industry

The Viberate Platform itself is already a really cool space for music lovers and musicians to operate in, and it becomes so much more interesting when cryptocurrency is thrown into the mix. Vibes (VIB) are the native cryptocurrency token to the platform itself. Musicians on the site will have the opportunity to charge for their live performances in Vibes, and users will be able to pay for tickets with their vibes.

What Else Can You Do with Vibe Tokens?

Viberate wants to ensure its token has many functions, and users have a variety of ways in which they can spend their Vibes. Buying event tickets and charging for shows in vibes is only the beginning. Musicians can pay their booking fees with vibes, which is an aspect of the industry some seem to forget. Anyone can use Vibes to pay for advertising space on the Viberate platform itself. Subscription fees to the premium services of the platform are also payable in Vibes. Musicians can pay Vibes to the platform to help increase their level of exposure in the community. Vibes can also be used to make connections with premium industry contacts. Finally, users can become traders by buying and selling Vibes on various cryptocurrency exchanges. Viberate has said it will soon release the names of the first exchanges supporting Vibes.

How Do I Get Vibe Tokens?

Viberate is launching a crowdsale next month to bring these tokens into the ecosystem. Investors and users can participate in order to obtain Vibes. It is an Ethereum-based crowdsale, so anyone looking to participate will need to acquire Ethereum beforehand. Initially, 1 VIB will be worth about ten cents.

But the crowdsale is not the only way to get Vibes. Those contributing to the overall health and growth of the platform are also rewarded. Adding new profiles, curating and updating existing profiles, adding events, referring friends, and promoting the platform or token all will be rewarded with Vibes. These rewards are distributed from the bounty pool where Vibes from profits, Vibes purchased by Viberate on exchanges, and some Vibes from the crowdsale are stored for later distribution to contributors.

Viberate is and will continue to be a disruptive force in the live music industry. Its versatile coin and business model rewards and encourages the use of its platform and aims to grow the company and its token’s overall worth.

Viberate’s Website: https://www.viberate.com/

Viberate’s Token, VIB: https://www.viberate.io/en/token-value

Viberate’s Crowdsale: https://www.viberate.io/en/crowdsale

This is not investment or trading advice; always conduct your own independent research.