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Stop Deleting Photos on Your iPhone to Free Up Storage and Do This Instead – CNET

December 29, 2023 | Author: admin

If your iPhone has too many photos, videos and apps stored and you can't install thelatest iOS software updatesdue to limited storage, there's a solution that doesn't involve deleting anything or spending money. Instead, you can and should take advantage of certain iOS features to free up storage on your iPhone.

There are two built-in iOS settings that can help you clean up a significant amount of storage on your iPhone -- one permanent and the other temporary -- so that you can install the latest software updates, take more photos and videos and download more apps. Here's what you need to know.

If you want more tips on getting more iPhone storage, check out how to free up space on your iPhone with these easy tricks and thebest cloud storage options in 2023.

If you want to keep your precious memories (even just your meme screenshots) but still want to free up storage, the easiest way is to optimize the photos and videos already stored on your device.

By default, every time you take a photo or video, it's saved in full resolution on your device. If you're capturing photos and videos in the highest resolution possible, they can take up quite a bit of space. A minute of video shot in 4K at 60fps takes up approximately 400MB -- nearly half a GB. That's pretty significant.

To optimize your photos and videos, go to Settings > Photos and toggle on Optimize iPhone Storage (for this to work, you'll need to have the iCloud Photos setting above it enabled). Depending on how many photos and videos you have on your iPhone, this can take up quite a bit of time, but once it's finished, you should see significantly more space on your device storage.

For this to work, you need to have the iCloud Photos setting turned on.

All of your full-resolution photos and videos are then transferred over to your iCloud, while smaller, lower-resolution versions are kept on your device, to take up less space. If you want to access your higher-resolution photos and videos, you can go into the Photos app and download any file that's being optimized; this requires a decent internet connection. Your recently taken photos and videos may exist in full resolution, so you won't need to download every photo or video.

If you don't have enough iCloud storage, it's easier to upgrade your cloud than get a new phone. In the US, you can upgrade to 50GB for only a dollar a month, or you can go bigger: 200GB for $3 a month or 2TB for $10 a month. Prices vary depending on your country or region.

To upgrade your iCloud on your iPhone, go to Settings > (your name) > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Buy More Storage. Choose a plan and then follow the instructions. If you upgrade to any paid iCloud subscription, you'll get access to iCloud+, which also offers the iCloud Private Relay and Hide My Email features.

You can spend as little as $1 per month for more iCloud storage.

You don't use every application stored on your iPhone. Many of them just sit there, like apps for your favorite airlines, third-party cameras and music production. Even if you use them occasionally, you probably don't need daily access to most apps, which is why you should consider offloading apps in case you desperately need storage.

Say you want to download and install the latest iOS update. If it's a major update, like iOS 16, you may need a little over 5GB to install the software. If it's a point update, like iOS 16.1, you're looking at around 1GB. And if you don't have enough storage space to update, you can quickly offload apps, which is a middle ground between keeping and deleting your apps.

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and check which apps are taking up the most storage. Certain built-in apps like Photos and Messages can't be offloaded, so be warned. If you find a sizable app you want to offload, tap on it and hit Offload App. Wait a little bit and the app should then be removed offline, while your documents and data will stay saved on your device.

You need to tap Offload App twice to "delete" the app.

If you need temporary storage, for a software download, just go through the list and offload every app you can. The amount that's offloaded for each app will vary, but you should see the number next to App Size. Discard the number next to Documents & Data, because that will stay on your device. The only way to get rid of that is to actually delete the app.

Offload as many apps as you need until you have enough storage. You can't use an app that's offloaded, but if you want to get an app back, go to your App Library and tap on the iCloud button to re-download it. If the offloaded app is on your home screen, simply tap on it to download it. You won't have to re-sign in or anything; you'll have access to the app as if it was never deleted.

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"Stick them on disk": Plucky UK firm wants humble hard drives to win data war against tape, optical disks and cloud … – TechRadar

December 29, 2023 | Author: admin

Disk Archive Corporation has announced it can boast more than 350 customers in the broadcast and media industry as it continues on its near-20-year crusade to promote its unique approach to data storage.

The UK-based company, founded in 2008, believes its Alternative to Linear Tape-Open (ALTO) chassis appliance is far superior to conventional archival methods. This system relies on SATA disk drives, which spin for just 50 hours a year, which extends the usable life of the storage media by at least 15 years, according to Blocks and Files.

Crucially, these systems lack redundant array of independent disks (RAID) technology, which controls the writing of dat across multiple drives in a system. By ditching RAID, there's little need to spin up disks as often, extending the lifespace of the storage media.

Hard drives aren't as fashionable as they may have once been, with the best hard drives nowhere near as fast as the fastest SSDs in today's age.

With conventional storage methods inevitably running into hurdles down the line, scientists are also working on the next generation of storage media. This includes Microsoft's Project Silica, as well as Cerabyte's ceramic-based storage system.

These technologies are still some way off being commercially available, however, and the likes of Disk Archive Corporation is keen to continue to push its unusual ALTO appliance which promotes the use of spun-down disks.

ATLO comes in a 60-disk drive 4RU chassis and embedded server, with customers able to fit together up to ten of these for a total of 15.8PB archive storage. But the system can also scale up to 200PB and even higher if 26GB shingled magnetic recording (SMR) drives are fitted into the device.

The firm is also targeting the film production, TV broadcast and court recording sectors specifically. This is because companies in these industries need to keep data on file for decades and need quick access to this data when required.

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Vitalik Buterin Blames Rising Transaction Fees for Web3’s Drift from Decentralization – Cryptonews

December 29, 2023 | Author: admin

Source: ShutterStock

In a recent blog post titled Make Ethereum Cypherpunk Again, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin expressed concerns about the veering trajectory of Web3 from its original vision.

Buterin contends that the foundational principles of Web3 have gradually receded as various projects within the cryptocurrency space shift focus away from the core idea of decentralization.

Buterin identifies a substantial ideological divide, where segments of the non-blockchain decentralization community view the crypto world as a distraction rather than a kindred spirit and potent ally.

Initially coined by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood, the term Web3 was conceived not merely as Bitcoin plus smart contracts but as part of a broader set of technologies forming the foundation of a more open internet stack.

However, Vitalik Buterin observes that the practical use of cryptocurrency for financial transactions in many countries often relies on centralized means, such as internal transfers on centralized exchange accounts or trading USDT on platforms like Tron.

Vitalik Buterin points to a significant culprit behind the observed shift the surge in transaction fees. When the cost of interacting with the blockchain was minimal, ranging from $0.001 to $0.1, developers envisioned diverse applications using blockchain technology in both financial and non-financial realms. However, with transaction fees surpassing $100, Buterin highlights the increasing prominence of degen gamblers high-risk traders as a dominant user group.

As degen gamblers become the primary users on a large scale, Buterin argues that this reshapes public perception and internal culture within the crypto space. He emphasizes that the rise in transaction fees has played a pivotal role in steering Web3 away from its decentralized ethos.

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Bitcoin Mining Pool Ocean Successfully Mines Third Block in Ongoing Decentralization Quest – Cryptonews

December 29, 2023 | Author: admin

Ocean succeeded in mining their third Bitcoin block, showing the decentralized mining pools capabilities. Image by Kerem Goktug Kaya, Adobe Stock.

The decentralized Bitcoin mining pool Ocean reached a new milestone this week by successfully mining its third block ever. According to data from Mempool.Space, Ocean mined block number 823,129 on Wednesday morning, earning a total block reward of 7.412 bitcoins. This achievement demonstrates the capabilities of Oceans decentralized system, which was launched in November 2022 to promote decentralization in Bitcoin mining.

Mononaut, a key figure at BitfeedLive, an open-source Bitcoin mempool visualizer, brought attention to Oceans distinctive mining approach after the milestone.

The block was constructed using their standard filtered template, only containing 1 inscription and 54 op_returns (mostly Runes), the analyst tweeted. The filtering cost them ~0.144 BTC in fees, which is an 11.03% reduction in fees or about a 2% reduction in total block reward.

Oceans current hash rate stands at 525 ph/s, making it a small but not insignificant player in the competitive Bitcoin mining sector.

The launch of Ocean mining was announced on November 28 by Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr. The initiative, supported by a $6.2M round led by notable figure Block Head Jack Dorsey, seeks to challenge the current norms of Bitcoin mining pools and promote a more decentralized approach.

Dashjr, in a statement on October 31, emphasized the necessity of such an initiative. He expressed concerns over the centralization and overreach of other pool operators, which, according to him, has altered Bitcoin to the extent that its security model is at high risk. Dashjr pointed out the custodial nature of current mining pools and their control over who can use Bitcoin, suggesting a need for change.

Oceans latest achievement in mining block number 823,129 is more than just a numerical success. Its a clear indication of the potential and effectiveness of decentralized mining pools in the Bitcoin ecosystem. As the industry continues to evolve, Oceans role and impact will be closely watched, particularly in the context of decentralizing mining and maintaining the integrity of the blockchain network.

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Web3 needs to regress before we can progress in 2024 | Opinion – crypto.news

December 29, 2023 | Author: admin

Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news editorial.

On the surface, things now seem very different from a year ago, with Bitcoin (BTC) being more than double the $16,000-17,000 and the total market cap of crypto being comfortably above a trillion dollars.

While the prices do indeed reflect some form of recovery partly fuelled by speculation around the approval of Bitcoin ETFs, we havent progressed enough as an industry, as most of the barriers to crypto adoption still remain unresolved.

It may have been a grueling crypto winter, and the resurgence of bull-posting on X (former Twitter) is a welcome contrast, but the industry needs to regress and slow down to make meaningful progress in 2024. Otherwise, it will basically be going through a repeat of the previous market cycle, albeit with a few improvements or differences.

The industry is still nascent and only slightly over a decade old, and there are still solid use cases lacking as a resultbut this youth will not last forever, and neither should the status quo.

The fast-paced nature of the industry can be exhilarating and impressive at times, as a lot can change in the span of a day or week, like most technology-based industries. However, this can be a double-edged sword as it inclines us to focus on the new rather than the old and be stuck in an echo chamber of sorts.

While it may be counterintuitive, the industry needs to force itself to slow down instead of always looking to go faster. It also needs to look at what has been done outside of web3 that has already been tried, tested, and, more importantly, resilient and prosperous.

Sure, Metaverse-focused utilities such as NFTs, web3 gaming, and SocialFi may be refreshing ideas. Still, they are much too foreign to mainstream users to be effective pull factors for mainstream adoption. Such utilities serve as excellent, unique niches for the industry, generating curiosity and interestbut should not be misconstrued as drivers for mainstream adoption, at least not for the near future.

The reality is that blockchain technology is already complex enough as it is to understand for new users, and this hasnt changed much. Adding relatively foreign ideas to the mix as a focal point only exacerbates this further.

This is where battle-tested and more tangible utilities such as established payment systems and real-world assets (RWAs) come in as a more viable foundation for adoptionmost mainstream users already understand how most of these function, and the grounded nature of these utilities are much more appealing and suitable for institutional and mass adoption as compared to newer and riskier verticals. Unsurprisingly, the data and metrics also back this up; the total value locked (TVL) for RWAs is currently sitting at $5.7 billion in TVL, with projections for growth up to $10 trillion.

Estimated tokenization market sizing | Source: 21.co

As for payment systems, we are also seeing established legacy players such as Visa and Mastercard making moves to support crypto usage in 2023, and this trend will only continue to gain momentum in the coming year.

Accessibility has always been a problem hindering adoption for web3 and crypto, so having more convenient on and off-ramps for crypto will undoubtedly be necessary for user acquisition and retention. Coupled with regulatory compliance, these utilities will be the real backbone and foundation for adoption as they are stable and reliable enough to withstand the test of time.

While speculation undeniably fuels the web3 space, this creates a level of volatility and instability that intimidates and deters new entrantsthe web3 industry cannot rely on this if it is to scale beyond being treated simply as a decentralized casino.

Features such as memecoin trading also do not add much legitimacy to the industry for mainstream users to take web3 seriously, and this all needs to change.

As the industry matures, tokenomics, trendy narratives, and buzzwords will take a backseat to sustainable business models in 2024, as projects without actual value creation and revenue generation continue to be weeded out by increasingly discerning users. Weve already gotten important lessons from FTX, Luna, USTC, and most recently SafeMoon on the importance of decentralization, self-custody, and proper due diligence.

The crypto space does tend to have goldfish memory, and most users are happy as long as they are making money and forget about existing concernsbut this approach needs to change as ponzinomic projects do not bring any meaningful positives to the industry and do not last forever.

Frauds like FTX may have grown to a colossal size and lasted for a long time on empty promises and lies, but eventually collapsed and damaged the industrys credibility tremendously.

Conversely, projects like Pudgy Penguins and their move to introduce a real-world toy collection, in addition to typical NFT utilities, have done relatively well through the bear market, unlike most NFT projects. This isnt a mere coincidence and highlights the importance of having sustainable business models.

In 2024, we will see more and more positive examples as projects deliver on their product roadmap and drive actual utility triumph over competitors with empty promises and hype-based marketing. Both builders and users need to be practical and patient instead of hunting for moonshots or simply looking to make a quick buck to build and support projects with proper revenue sources.

Aside from projects requiring sustainable business models, another core issue is that web3 infrastructure cannot currently maximize the industrys full potential due to its nascency. As an example, decentralized exchanges (DEXes) provide an essential foundation for decentralized finance, which is a core vertical of web3but trading volume and liquidity for the top DEXes are still bested by the leading centralized exchanges due to the familiarity of the user experience, better slippage, depth of liquidity, and more.

While decentralization maximalists might not like the notion, many mainstream users are much too comfortable with custodial services to jump straight into self-custodyresulting in many centralized services acting as a bridge of sorts into web3.

We already see such a trend slowly growing, with Coinbase providing a gateway for its users into the Ethereum ecosystem with its L2 Base, Binance providing its users with an entry point into defi with its recently launched web3 wallet, and even Telegram-focused custodial wallet TON Space.

More and more of such web2.5 products and services, which are built on a hybrid mix of the decentralization from web3 and battle-tested efficiency from web2, will drive critical use cases and larger-scale adoption for the crypto industry.

The security aspect of the infrastructure also needs to be improved, as the web3 industry is still rife with scams and exploitswith $290 million being lost from just five hacks in November alone and legacy wallet providers like Ledger falling victim to an exploit which put many users at risk in December.

It is still far too early for decentralization alone to be the means to an end, as the web3 industry still requires more time to mature. User education also has a pivotal role, along with product UI and UX improvements. As it stands, decentralization and its autonomy should be an end state that the web3 industry strives to make accessible, safe, and easy to use even for mainstream users.

While this has not yet been achieved, the progression through regression for web3 in 2024 should be celebrated, as it will undoubtedly bring the industry closer to making significant breakthroughs and mainstream adoption possible.

Veronica Wong

Veronica Wong is the CEO and co-founder of SafePal, the comprehensive decentralized crypto wallet suite with over 10 million users across hardware, mobile, and browser extension wallet solutions. With a decade of experience in Fortune 500 companies like Tencent, Veronica took the leap of faith from Big Tech and e-commerce into web3 to set up SafePaland has been committed to solving security, UI, and UX issues for crypto users, in addition to cross-chain interoperability for 100+ blockchains (EVM and non-EVM) for the past five years.

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Breaking Chains: The Rise of Decentralization through Blockchain – Medium

December 29, 2023 | Author: admin

In the digital age, the concept of decentralization has evolved from a visionary ideal to a tangible reality, largely owing to the transformative power of blockchain technology. This article delves into the profound impact of blockchain in reshaping centralized structures, providing a decentralized paradigm that not only enhances security and transparency but also empowers individuals across diverse sectors.

Traditional systems often rely on centralized authorities, be it financial institutions, governments, or data repositories. This centralization poses risks such as single points of failure, susceptibility to corruption, and limited accessibility. Blockchain, a decentralized ledger, emerged as a solution to these challenges, offering a distributed and tamper-resistant framework.

Blockchains decentralized nature enhances security by eliminating the vulnerability associated with centralized control. Traditional databases can be susceptible to hacks and unauthorized access, whereas blockchains consensus mechanisms ensure that altering information requires majority agreement across a distributed network. This cryptographic security model enhances trust among users, fostering a more secure and transparent environment.

One of the earliest applications of blockchain, exemplified by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, is the decentralization of financial systems. Blockchain enables peer-to-peer transactions without the need for intermediaries like banks. This decentralized financial landscape, often referred to as decentralized finance (DeFi), facilitates financial inclusion by providing access to banking services for the unbanked and underbanked populations globally.

Blockchain introduces the concept of Decentralized Identity (DID), giving individuals control over their personal information. In a decentralized identity system, users own and manage their digital identities securely on a blockchain, reducing the risks associated with centralized databases susceptible to data breaches. This empowers users to selectively disclose information and enhances privacy.

Smart contracts, self-executing contracts with the terms directly written into code, automate processes and eliminate the need for intermediaries. These contracts run on blockchain networks, ensuring trustless and transparent execution of agreements. From supply chain management to real estate transactions, smart contracts streamline processes and reduce reliance on centralized authorities.

Blockchains impact extends to the creation of decentralized applications (dApps), which operate on distributed networks rather than centralized servers. These applications leverage the decentralized consensus mechanism, ensuring greater resilience against downtime and censorship. dApps span various industries, from social networking to gaming, revolutionizing how users interact with online platforms.

Blockchain enables tokenization, representing real-world assets or functionalities as digital tokens. This token economy democratizes access to assets and services, allowing fractional ownership and participation. This not only enhances liquidity but also provides new opportunities for crowdfunding and investment, breaking down traditional barriers to entry.

Decentralization is further advanced through interoperability solutions that enable different blockchain networks to communicate seamlessly. Projects like Polkadot and Cosmos facilitate cross-chain collaboration, allowing decentralized systems to work together. This interoperability ensures a more interconnected and collaborative decentralized landscape.

While the promise of decentralization is immense, challenges such as scalability, energy consumption, and regulatory frameworks persist. Ongoing research and development focus on addressing these challenges to ensure the sustained growth and adoption of decentralized technologies.

In conclusion, blockchain technology serves as the cornerstone of decentralization, ushering in a new era where power is distributed, trust is inherent, and individuals wield greater control over their digital lives. From transforming financial systems to enhancing security and privacy, blockchains decentralized paradigm is redefining how we envision the future. As we navigate the challenges and potentials of this decentralized frontier, one thing remains clear: the blockchain revolution is steering us towards a decentralized tomorrow, where the power is truly in the hands of the many.

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Aleo and the Web 3.0 Revolution: Shaping the Future of Decentralized Connectivity – Medium

December 29, 2023 | Author: admin

As we stand at the precipice of a new era in digital interaction and online connectivity, the advent of Web 3.0 promises a radical redefinition of our online experiences. Within this transformative wave, Aleo emerges as a pioneering platform poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the Web 3.0 landscape. This 900-word article delves deep into the future of Web 3.0 and illuminates how Aleo is uniquely positioned to influence and define this next phase of the internet.

Web 3.0, often termed the semantic web, signifies the next generation of the internet. It envisions a decentralized, interconnected data landscape, fostering more intelligent, autonomous, and user-centric experiences. With the incorporation of blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and decentralized data architecture, Web 3.0 aspires to create a more open, connected, and intelligent web.

At the core of Web 3.0 lies the principle of decentralization, a departure from the current centralized control of data and intermediaries on the web. This paradigm shift finds resonance in blockchain technology, particularly platforms like Aleo. Aleo, committed to privacy and decentralized infrastructure, perfectly aligns with the ethos of Web 3.0, actively shaping this new frontier by enabling private, secure, and decentralized transactions.

Privacy and security take center stage in the vision of Web 3.0, where users demand greater control over their data and digital identities. Aleos innovative use of zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) introduces a revolutionary approach to privacy, allowing users to verify transactions without exposing personal data. This technological breakthrough is a linchpin in the Web 3.0 puzzle, ensuring that the future of online experiences is not just integrated but also more secure and private.

Web 3.0 envisions a user-centric world where individuals have unprecedented control over their digital interactions, assets, and data. Aleos platform actualizes this sovereignty, offering users the tools to engage in digital and financial activities with full privacy and control. This empowerment signifies a fundamental shift from the current webs landscape, where large corporations often wield control over user data. Aleo stands not merely as a participant in Web 3.0 but as a catalyst embodying its most fundamental principles.

The future of the web foresees a new economic model where cryptocurrencies, tokens, and digital assets play a pivotal role. Aleo, with its secure and private smart contracts, is strategically positioned to facilitate this economic shift. By enabling private and secure transactions, Aleo contributes to the creation of a financial ecosystem that is more inclusive, efficient, and aligned with the decentralized ethos of Web 3.0.

For Web 3.0 to reach its zenith, different technologies and platforms must seamlessly collaborate. Interoperability is paramount, and Aleos design acknowledges this necessity. By ensuring compatibility with other blockchains and technologies, Aleo not only readies itself for the future web but actively participates in shaping a more integrated and functional Web 3.0 ecosystem.

While the future of Web 3.0 and Aleos role in it appears promising, challenges lie ahead. Scalability, adoption, regulation, and user education are hurdles that need to be surmounted. Aleos commitment to ongoing development, community engagement, and collaboration positions it favorably to tackle these challenges and continue its trajectory as a key player in the Web 3.0 landscape.

A vibrant and engaged community is paramount for any platform seeking a substantial impact on Web 3.0. Aleo recognizes this and has cultivated a thriving ecosystem of developers, users, and enthusiasts. This community not only utilizes the platform but actively contributes to its development, advocates for its adoption, and shapes its trajectory in the future web. As Web 3.0 evolves, this community will play a pivotal role in guiding Aleos direction and ensuring its sustained relevance.

For those seeking to be part of Web 3.0 and leverage platforms like Aleo, proactive engagement is essential. This entails active participation in Aleos community, exploration of its technologies, and an understanding of broader Web 3.0 trends. Advocacy for privacy, decentralization, and user empowerment principles central to Aleo and the future web is imperative.

The future of Web 3.0 envisions a more connected, intelligent, and user-centric internet. In this landscape, Aleo emerges not only as a platform aligning with the principles of Web 3.0 but actively shaping them. Through its unwavering commitment to privacy, decentralization, and community, Aleo is poised to play a significant role in the next phase of the internet. Looking ahead, Aleos potential to influence and drive the evolution of Web 3.0 is immense, promising a future web that is not just secure and private but also aligned with the needs and rights of its users. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Aleos foundational role in the dawn of Web 3.0 is unmistakable.

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Centralization will kill web3 before it reaches its full potential | Opinion – crypto.news

December 29, 2023 | Author: admin

Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news editorial.

At their inception, the power of cryptography and cryptocurrencies was their separation from centralized control that has fed inequality in our financial systems for millennia. Fast forward to 2023, and centralization has seen the downfall of some of the industrys most prominent and brightest stars, from Changpeng Zhao exiting Binance, Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX saga, Terras Luna to BlockFi, the space has been stifled with corruption and egregious errors at the hands of a few, forever changing the web3 landscape. Un-governance is the key to the next cycle of decentralization and the only way to secure the future of cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance.

At the heart of un-governance is the unwavering belief in decentralization, protocols whose governance is minimalisticif not entirely absentof human intervention in its operations. Ungoverned protocols use smart contracts to ensure web3 fulfills its mission of removing the human error that can negatively impact even the most prominent project and their communities. True decentralization is achieved when a system operates without the typical layers of top-down decision-making that have characterized traditional financial systems and, increasingly, even some defi systems.

Governance minimization is essential as a safeguard against long-term centralization of control and fosters better security for investors, users, and contributors. One way to achieve this is by an additional layer of decentralized governance at the helm of a project via a dedicated DAO.

Some projects have already begun the move towards better governance, but even if a project has DAO in the name, it does not mean its actually decentralized or safeguarded from fraudulent players.

Looking at a recent example of dangerously ineffective governance, Indexed Finance, a defi protocol governed by a DAO that was exploited years ago and is now inactive, was attacked by a malicious governance proposal. So why does it matter if a defunct and inactive DAO is taken over by a bad actor?

Well, that protocol has thousands of members connected to its contracts, many of which have set token approvals that allow the protocol to move tokens from their wallets. It means that the attacker could upgrade those contracts and pull millions in tokens from users who set approvals years ago directly from their wallets. This is a key problem with leaving governance of a protocol up to token holders alone. In contrast, protocols like Reflexer and Open Dollar are non-ungradable, meaning the DAO cannot upgrade the code in any malicious way because the protocol is ungoverned.

Un-governance dictates a reduced role for these stakeholders, asserting that the system, once set into motion with its foundational code and algorithms, should be allowed to function autonomously. Like winding an old watch: once the original time has been established, theres no need for further human interference.

The critical question is, how do we gauge the degree of governance necessary to rid corruption from our projects? Traditionally, centralized power structures wield unfair influence over all decisions and procedures.

This can be in the structure of a founder, board of directors, or similar hierarchy. In society, this can be a monarchy or unfair political structure; in a corporation, this looks like an executive board; in DAOs, this could be a team of core developers or whales who have amassed an influential volume of governance tokens. In contrast, an ideal system is characterized by an equitable distribution of power and influence, devoid of any single point of control or failure. In the theater of defi & DAOs, governance stakeholders hold the reins of power, making pivotal decisions ranging from protocol upgrades to fee structures.

If the web3 space is to prosper once again, more care needs to be placed in the construction of our projects from the start before corruption, market speculation, or poor decision-making intervene and millions of dollars of investor money are at stake.

If founders fail to do the right amount of thinking upfront to remove inefficient and potentially dangerous governance from their projects, there is little hope for the industrys future.

Whats at stake if we fail to instill decentralization across the industry?

Many integral parts of the web3 space rely on stability to maintain their value and attract users and can be severely impacted by sudden shocks. Stablecoins like USD Coin (USDC), DAI, and other dollar-backed stablecoins, which seek to maintain price stability and peg to a reference value, are sensitive to and systemically at risk of external shocks and manipulations. Similarly, instability and insecurity are critical deterrents to new users and businesses looking to enter the space, shutting out millions of potential adopters. If crypto is never good enough from a safety perspective, it will never be truly adopted.

Since the DAO boom of 2021, DAO tooling and structures have come a long way in ensuring best practices for operating a decentralized community.

Different projects like Collab.Land have built a strong foundation for token-gated communities, ensuring token holders of DAOs have access to community chats and documentation, removing the need for a single person to manage large communities. While projects like Govrn allow contributors to track and record their contributions to DAOs, decentralizing and automating the process of documenting and awarding active members of DAO communities.

The opportunity cost of inaction is too high to allow ineffective governance to continue to rule the ecosystem. A focus on un-governance is the only way to achieve growth and prosperity for cryptocurrencies and defi in the long term.

Joseph Schiarizzi

Joseph Schiarizzi has been a blockchain developer for seven years and is currently the founder of Open Dollar, a lending protocol built on Arbitrum. After receiving his bachelor of computer science from George Washington University, Joseph joined ConsenSys and later led Developer Relations for Gitcoin. Most of Josephs free time revolves around coordinating humans and trying to create more fair and equitable financial systems.

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Binance Coin Up 11%: BNB Price Targets $500 as Crucial Resistance Breaks, What’s Behind This Surge? – Coinspeaker

December 27, 2023 | Author: admin

The Binance Smart Chain has also witnessed a 7% increase in the number of addresses engaging with its dApps over the past 30 days.

On December 26, the native cryptocurrency of the Binance Smart Chain registered an 11% increase in price, reaching its highest value since June. This pattern reflects a continuation of the trend that began last week when the price surged from $233 to $277, an 18% increase, before closing around $264. Although the price is currently experiencing a minor retracement from yesterdays gains, the overall trend appears poised for further bullish moves, with BNB having increased by over 14% this week.

The sudden price increase has surprised many observers, considering the challenges currently faced by Binance. The companys founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to money laundering, resulting in billions of dollars in fines on the crypto exchange and significant personal penalties. As the case remains unresolved, the potential for additional fines and the risk of the former CEO facing up to 18 months in jail looms.

Typically, when such issues arise, people tend to distance themselves from the involved company, as evidenced by the significant withdrawals from Binance in the days following the incident and the bears pushing the price down from $272 to $228 last month. Despite all these, BNB bulls have remained resilient, driving the price beyond the November high.

A careful analysis of the price action reveals that BNB is breaking out of a falling wedge pattern that has constrained its price since January 2022 when the downward and sideways trend began. A successful retest of this pattern could propel the price upward, targeting the top of the channel at around $500. However, this upward movement may encounter some minor resistance at key levels.

Additionally, this analysis aligns with the assessment of a prominent crypto analyst Captain Faibik who shared it with his 75,000 followers on his X account.

The Binance Smart Chain has witnessed a 7% increase in the number of addresses engaging with its dApps over the past 30 days. However, this alone may not sufficiently explain the unexpected rise in price.

However, given that Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by daily trading volume, it follows that the overall health of the crypto market would impact the price of BNB. If the market performs well, accompanied by high demand and positive news, the demand for BNB on Binance is also expected to increase, as the coin serves various functions within the ecosystem.

With major cryptocurrencies experiencing price increases since October, and some like Solana sustaining stable surges, the crypto market is displaying upward price momentum and positive sentiment.

As BNB is used for payment and to access certain privileges on Binance, such as being a verified merchant on Binance P2P, its price is expected to rise alongside increased adoption. It is worth noting that BNB may have experienced even greater price spikes had there not been significant withdrawals from Binance a few weeks ago.

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Binance Coin Up 11%: BNB Price Targets $500 as Crucial Resistance Breaks, What's Behind This Surge? - Coinspeaker

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Infrastructure Vendors Were the Winners in AI’s First Year – PYMNTS.com

December 27, 2023 | Author: admin

The first year of the generative artificial intelligence (AI) era is winding down.

And what a year it has been. As difficult as it is to grasp the revolutionary impact AI might have on the global economy, the potential size of the innovations own market is even more difficult to comprehend.

After all, generative AI is poised to have a transformative impact across almost every piece of software and nearly all human endeavors.

But, one year into the technologys commercialization, where has the most value accrued in the market so far who is winning the AI race by establishing the best product-market fit?

The answer is a potentially surprising, if intuitive, one: the real market winners, at least so far, are the infrastructure vendors. This includes cloud platform providers like Google, Microsoft and Amazon; and GPU producers like NVIDIA, Arm and others.

Thats because when buzzy AI startups like Anthropic, Mistral, OpenAI and others raise eye-popping amounts of money from investors, the first thing they do is turn around and pay that money to infrastructure vendors in order to run the necessary compute for them to train their AI models.

After all, nearly every early industry finds itself facing an inventory and infrastructure challenge, with available resources waning as marketplace hype waxes.

That puts the B2B vendors critical to young, promising ecosystems in an enviable position.

See more:Who Will Power the GenAI Operating System?

A major goal of most AI firms over the past year was simply to get people to use their systems.

And while they succeeded, it was the infrastructure vendors that run training and inference workloads for generative AI models, including cloud platforms and computing hardware makers, that are likely the biggest market winners so far.

Traininggenerative AIrequires either owning or renting time on hardware, significant data storage needs and intensive energy consumption, a structural cost that sharply diverges from the unit economics of previous computing and technological booms.

Some estimates place the cost of a single query using OpenAIs ChatGPT platform at 1,000 times that of the same question asked of a normal Google search, making the margins for AI applications significantly smaller than other software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions.

The high cost of thecomputing power AI models require any firm looking to compete in the space to shell out big. Significant capital investment, industry-leading technical expertise, and above all, intensively expensivecomputing infrastructurebuilt atop rows of increasingly-scarce GPUs are all needed to establish and maintain generative AI models.

Chinas five largest tech firms collectively placed a$5 billion chip orderthis past summer, hoping to build up their own foundational architectures in order to compete with Western tech companies.

See also:Peeking Under the Hood of AIs High-Octane Technical Needs

Still, Google is a leading cloud provider and AI player, as is Microsoft, and Amazon too, meaning some firms among them the most valuable in the world are able to double-dip among their own services while also selling key services to other companies.

As PYMNTS reported in October, Amazon Web Services revenue rose 12% year over year in the companys most recent quarter,to $919 million, while Googles Cloud revenue grew 22% from a year earlier, almost double the rate of growth for the company as a whole.

Thegenerative AIindustry itself is expected to grow to $1.3 trillion by 2032, and PYMNTS Intelligence finds that84% of business leadersbelieve generative AI will positively impact the workforce.

The technology isnt going anywhere anytime soon, except into more and more enterprise workflows. So, while the model providers themselves behind todays cutting edge foundational large language models (LLMs) may not have achieved large commercial scale just yet, there is still a very attractive runway ahead of them.

And if they want to emerge as the marketplace winners and take the crown from their own venders, AI firms might want to take a page from the vendors book and focus on B2B, enterprise-based value propositions.

AI isgoing to be an imperativefor every company, and what you do with AI is what will differentiate your products, Heather Bellini, president and chief financial officer atInvestCloud, told PYMNTS. Functionally, it might get rid of a lot of the manual work people dont want to do anyway and extract them up to a level where they can do more things that have a direct impact on the business.

For further reading on AI solutions, the PYMNTS Intelligence Generative AI Tracker, a collaboration withAI-ID, sorts the myths from the realities of AI and explains how businesses can leverage AI technology wisely and effectively.

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Infrastructure Vendors Were the Winners in AI's First Year - PYMNTS.com

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