Tag: web https://bizandtech.net/category/search-terms/web en Maybank Goal-Based Investment Solution to Enable Clients in Malaysia to Growth their Wealth https://bizandtech.net/maybank-goal-based-investment-solution-enable-clients-malaysia-growth-their-wealth Maybank announced the launch of Maybank Goal-Based Investment, a beginner-friendly digital retail investment tool that allows customers to kickstart their financial wealth journey easily and conveniently. Available on MAE App and Maybank2u Web, the latest investment feature empowers customers to “achieve their financial goals through... <a href="https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2024/04/224248-maybank-goal-based-investment-solution-to-enable-clients-in-malaysia-to-growth-their-wealth/">Read More</a> https://bizandtech.net/maybank-goal-based-investment-solution-enable-clients-malaysia-growth-their-wealth#comments digital web Fri, 26 Apr 2024 03:11:56 +0000 admin 1852021 at https://bizandtech.net French Collection Society Wants A Tax On Generative AI, Payable To Collection Societies https://bizandtech.net/french-collection-society-wants-tax-generative-ai-payable-collection-societies <p>Back in October last year, Walled Culture wrote about a proposed law in France that would see <a href="https://walledculture.org/new-french-copyright-law-for-ai-creations-would-just-mean-more-money-for-collecting-societies/">a tax imposed on AI companies</a>, with the proceeds being paid to a collecting society. Now that the EU’s AI Act has been adopted, it is being invoked as another reason why just such a system should be set up. The French collecting society SPEDIDAM (which translates as “Society for the collection and distribution of performers rights”) has issued <a href="https://spedidam.fr/2024/03/intelligence-artificielle-un-premier-pas-prometteur-mais-une-route-encore-longue/">a press release on the idea</a>, including the following (translation via <a href="https://www.deepl.com/en/translator">DeepL</a>):</p> <p><em>SPEDIDAM advocates a right to remuneration for performers for AI-generated content without protectable human intervention, in the form of fair compensation that would benefit the entire community of artists, inspired by proven and virtuous collective management models, similar to that of remuneration for private copy.</em></p> <p><em>This remuneration, collected from AI system suppliers, would also help support the cultural activities of collective management organizations, thus ensuring the future employment of artists and the constant renewal of the sources feeding these tools.</em></p> <p>That sounds all well and good, but as we noted last year, collecting societies around the world have a terrible record when it comes to sharing that remuneration with the creators they supposedly represent. Walled Culture the book (<a href="https://walledculture.org/the-book/">free digital versions</a> available), quotes from a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220617085320/https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2149036">report</a> revealing “a long history of corruption, mismanagement, confiscation of funds, and lack of transparency [by collecting societies] that has deprived artists of the revenues they earned”. They also have a tendency to adopt a maximalist interpretation of their powers. Here are few choice examples of their actions over the years:</p> <ul> <li>Soza (Slovenský Ochranný Zväz Autorský/Slovak Performing and Mechanical Rights Society), a Slovakian collecting society, has sought money from villages when their children sing. One case involved children singing to their mothers on Mothers’ Day.</li> <li>SABAM (Société d’Auteurs Belge/Belgische Auteurs Maatschappij/Belgian Authors’ Society), a Belgian collecting society, sought expanded protection for readings of copyrighted works. One consequence of their action was that it would require librarians to pay a licence to read books to children in a children’s library.</li> <li>SABAM sought a licensing fee from truck drivers who listened to the radio alone in their trucks.</li> <li>The British collecting society PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited) sought a fee from a hardware store owner who listened to the radio in his store while cleaning it after he had closed.</li> <li>The Performing Rights Society in the UK sought performance licensing fees from a woman who played classical music to her horses.</li> </ul> <p>SPEDIDAM’s press release is interesting as perhaps the first hint of a wider pan-European campaign to bring in some form of levy on the use of training data for generative AI services. That would just take a new bad idea – taxing companies for simply analyzing training material – and add it to an old bad idea, that of hugely inefficient collecting societies. The resulting system would be a disaster for the European AI industry, since it would favor deep-pocketed US companies. Moreover, this approach would produce no meaningful benefit for creators, as the sorry history of collective societies has shown time and again.</p> <p><em>Follow me @glynmoody on <a href="https://mastodon.social/@glynmoody" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mastodon</a>. Originally posted to <a href="https://walledculture.org/a-french-collecting-society-wants-a-tax-on-generative-ai-payable-tocollecting-societies/">Walled Culture</a>.</em></p> https://bizandtech.net/french-collection-society-wants-tax-generative-ai-payable-collection-societies#comments digital management money new rights social web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 20:50:48 +0000 admin 1852004 at https://bizandtech.net Consensys sues SEC, seeks court declaration that Ethereum is not a security https://bizandtech.net/consensys-sues-sec-seeks-court-declaration-ethereum-not-security <p><a href="https://cryptoslate.com/companies/consensys/">Consensys</a> filed a lawsuit against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consensys-sues-the-sec-in-defense-of-the-ethereum-ecosystem-302127897.html">April 25</a> over allegations that the watchdog has overstepped in its authority in trying to regulate Ethereum (<a href="https://cryptoslate.com/coins/ethereum/">ETH</a>).</p> <p>The lawsuit alleges that the SEC aims to unlawfully regulate Ethereum through enforcement actions against various companies, including Consensys, constituting “aggressive and unlawful” overreach.</p> <p>Consensys intends to prove that the SEC does not have legal authority to regulate ETH, user-controlled software interfaces, or the Ethereum blockchain more broadly.</p> <p>Consensys wants the court to declare that Ethereum is not a security and that the firm neither acts as a broker nor sells securities by operating MetaMask. It also wants the court to declare that legal action or investigations based on those grounds would exceed the SEC’s authority.</p> <p>Furthermore, Consensys is seeking an injunction that prevents a continued SEC investigation of, or future enforcement action against, its <a href="https://web.hypelab.com/click?as=8d03274c2481543e&campaign_slug=badd207e26&creative_set_slug=b279d074e3&placement_slug=bd90f2efcd">MetaMask</a> wallet and related ETH sales. The SEC warned Consensys of potential legal action through a Wells notice and phone conference on April 10. Metamask’s staking and swap features are areas of concern.</p> Three-prong argument <p>The lawsuit has three prongs. Consensys first asserted that the SEC only has jurisdiction over securities and has previously agreed ETH is not a security.</p> <p>Consensys secondly asserted that the SEC’s approach wrongly classifies non-financial platforms as financial applications. It argued that ETH supports applications on Ethereum and, therefore, has non-financial utility separate from its role as a commodity. The firm also said the SEC has no authority to regulate the internet’s technological development in such a way.</p> <p>Finally, Consensys asserted that MetaMask and other applications are not securities brokers but rather allow users to buy, sell, and transfer ETH through broader access.</p> <p>The case, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, names the SEC and its chair, <a href="https://cryptoslate.com/people/gary-gensler/">Gary Gensler</a>, as defendants.</p> Broader implications <p>Whether the SEC considers Ethereum a security is a long-standing issue, and the matter is relevant to the compliance efforts of any company or project that handles ETH.</p> <p>Fortune reported on March 20 that the SEC had subpoenaed numerous crypto companies that have engaged with the Ethereum Foundation. The Ethereum Foundation itself <a href="https://cryptoslate.com/ethereum-foundation-facing-inquiry-by-unknown-state-authority/">seemingly received</a> a subpoena from an unknown state authority at the time of the report.</p> <p>One company in the Ethereum ecosystem, Uniswap, received a Wells notice on <a href="https://cryptoslate.com/sec-issues-wells-notice-against-uniswap-over-securities-laws-issues/">April 10</a>, warning of potential charges. However, it is unclear if the SEC’s potential charges against Uniswap are directly related to ETH.</p> <p>Whether the SEC treats ETH as a security could also impact the approval of spot Ethereum ETFs. SEC chair Gary Gensler identified Bitcoin as a non-security commodity upon the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January and emphasized that the current decision only applied to the asset.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://cryptoslate.com/consensys-sues-sec-seeks-court-declaration-that-ethereum-is-not-a-security/">Consensys sues SEC, seeks court declaration that Ethereum is not a security</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cryptoslate.com">CryptoSlate</a>.</p> https://bizandtech.net/consensys-sues-sec-seeks-court-declaration-ethereum-not-security#comments blockchain web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 20:28:45 +0000 admin 1851931 at https://bizandtech.net Kadena Announces Annelise Osborne as Chief Business Officer https://bizandtech.net/kadena-announces-annelise-osborne-chief-business-officer <img width="1024" height="1024" src="https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg?w=1024" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg 1500w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg?resize=75,75 75w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg?resize=350,350 350w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg?resize=750,750 750w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPSCALED-Kadena-Industry-Announcement-Featured-Image-Template.jpg?resize=1140,1140 1140w" sizes=" 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-285551" src="https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1200x720_CBO_V6_1713981417JY0EB1DTGi.jpg" alt="" width="810" height="486" srcset="https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1200x720_CBO_V6_1713981417JY0EB1DTGi.jpg 1200w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1200x720_CBO_V6_1713981417JY0EB1DTGi.jpg?resize=300,180 300w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1200x720_CBO_V6_1713981417JY0EB1DTGi.jpg?resize=768,461 768w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1200x720_CBO_V6_1713981417JY0EB1DTGi.jpg?resize=1024,614 1024w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1200x720_CBO_V6_1713981417JY0EB1DTGi.jpg?resize=750,450 750w, https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1200x720_CBO_V6_1713981417JY0EB1DTGi.jpg?resize=1140,684 1140w" sizes=" 810px) 100vw, 810px" /></p> <p><em>April 24, 2024 – New York, New York</em></p> <a href="https://www.kadena.io/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Kadena</a>, the only scalable layer-one PoW (proof-of-work) blockchain, expands its leadership team by onboarding Annelise Osborne as Kadena’s new chief business officer. <p>With an illustrious career spanning over 20 years in finance, credit, real estate and digital assets, Osborne will be responsible for developing and leading new business initiatives and partnerships across Web 3.0 and beyond.</p> <p>At Kadena, Osborne’s role as chief business officer is not just a new addition to the team but a strategic move to further propel Kadena’s growth within Web 3.0 ecosystems and adoption with institutional opportunities.</p> <p>Her wealth of institutional experience will be instrumental in shaping Kadena’s future.</p> <p>Osborne’s appointment is a testament to her exceptional leadership abilities and strategic acumen, honed during her tenure at Moody’s, where she spent 12 years, and her previous position as COO of Propellr.</p> <p>Her wealth of experience brings a unique perspective to Kadena, instilling confidence in her ability to drive the company’s growth and success.</p> <p>Before joining Kadena, Osborne was the head of institutional with Arca Labs. She successfully led the team’s work with companies to drive blockchain innovation across strategic partnerships and advisory services.</p> <p>Stuart Popejoy, CEO and founder of Kadena, said,</p> <p><em>“We are thrilled to welcome Annelise Osborne as Kadena’s chief business officer. Her extensive leadership experience, years of university-level lectures and deep involvement in both blockchain and traditional markets position her to bring continued excellence to Kadena’s business operations.”</em></p> <p>Annelise Osborne said,</p> <p><em>“As institutions search for secure and scalable blockchains to build regulated digital assets, I’m elated to join Kadena to offer the necessary technology at such a pivotal moment in time as Wall Street embraces the next frontier of finance.”</em></p> <p>Osborne’s extensive experience in financial services is complemented by her upcoming book, ‘From Hoodies to Suits – Innovating Digital Assets for Traditional Finance’ (Wiley Publishing), set to be released this summer.</p> <p>This book, which delves into the intersection of digital assets and TradFi (traditional finance), is a testament to her thought leadership and her ability to anticipate and navigate industry trends.</p> <strong>About Kadena </strong> <p><a href="https://www.kadena.io/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Kadena</a> is a blockchain technology company that was founded in 2017 by Stuart Popejoy and Will Martino, who created JP Morgan’s first blockchain and led the SEC’s Crypto Committee.</p> <p>Kadena is the industry’s only scalable layer-one PoW blockchain. This scalability enables Kadena to deliver infrastructure-grade performance for any blockchain project.</p> <p>Along with our own smart contract language ‘Pact,’ Kadena’s platform provides the world with the tools and environment to turn ideas and ambitions into reality.</p> <p>Kadena aims to allow for true blockchain mass adoption.</p> <strong>Contact</strong> <p><a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kadena</a>, press</p> This content is sponsored and should be regarded as promotional material. Opinions and statements expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the opinions of The Daily Hodl. The Daily Hodl is not a subsidiary of or owned by any ICOs, blockchain startups or companies that advertise on our platform. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in any ICOs, blockchain startups or cryptocurrencies. Please be advised that your investments are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility.<br></br> <p>Follow Us on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDailyHodl" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thedailyhodl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> <a href="https://t.me/thedailyhodl" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Telegram</a></p> Check out the <a href="https://dailyhodl.com/industry-announcements/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Latest Industry Announcements</a>   <p></p>   <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="" src="https://dailyhodl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Get-Alerts-728x90.png" width="800" height="99" /> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dailyhodl.com/2024/04/25/kadena-announces-annelise-osborne-as-chief-business-officer/">Kadena Announces Annelise Osborne as Chief Business Officer</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dailyhodl.com">The Daily Hodl</a>.</p> https://bizandtech.net/kadena-announces-annelise-osborne-chief-business-officer#comments blockchain digital facebook finance new publishing technology web Web 3.0 Thu, 25 Apr 2024 18:30:17 +0000 admin 1851942 at https://bizandtech.net Best free password managers 2024: Online security doesn’t have to cost a thing https://bizandtech.net/best-free-password-managers-2024-online-security-doesn%E2%80%99t-have-cost-thing <p>You should definitely be using a password manager. Data breaches are happening more frequently, and that flood of stolen info has made cracking passwords even easier. And it’s not just the “password12345” variety that is at risk—passwords that use variations on a single password or substituting numbers for letters are also vulnerable. Even if you’re using unique, random passwords, storing them in a document or spreadsheet is not truly keeping them safe and secure.</p> <p>While <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3207185/best-password-managers-reviews-and-buying-advice.html">paid password managers</a> offer nice extras, a free password manager still protects you from the risks of using weak passwords (or worse, using the same one everywhere). Instead of remembering all of your passwords, you just have to remember one password to access a single, secure place where all of the rest are stored.</p> <p>And because free password managers come in different flavors and styles, you should be able to find one that fits your needs. Even Google’s password manager, built into Chrome and Android, can work as a no-cost option with <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/2257372/windows-hello-protect-your-chrome-passwords-how.html">a nifty Windows tie-in</a>. Plus, if you find that the free versions aren’t enough, down the road you can always upgrade to a paid service as your needs grow.</p> <p><em>Not sure what features you’ll need? Generally, you want a service that offers password generation, autoform filling, two-factor authentication, and the ability to move between different devices </em>-and-<em> device types. For more info, you can read our explanation of </em><a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3085395/5-things-you-should-know-about-password-managers.html"><em>what you need to know about password managers</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Update April 22, 2024:</strong> Our latest evaluation of <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/394924/nordpass-review.html">NordPass</a> revealed a still-robust free password manager—a rarity given how restrictive other free services are. But though this service can be convenient if you’re already using other Nord Security products (e.g., <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/398777/nordvpn-review-3.html">NordVPN</a>), Bitwarden remains a better option.</em></p> Bitwarden – Best free password manager for most people <img decoding="async" data-wp-effect--setstylesonresize="effects.core.image.setStylesOnResize" data-wp-effect="effects.core.image.setButtonStyles" data-wp-init="effects.core.image.initOriginImage" data-wp-on--click="actions.core.image.showLightbox" data-wp-on--load="actions.core.image.handleLoad" width="1024" height="517" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="Bitwarden - Best free password manager for most people" src="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/bitwarden-100894159-orig.webp" loading="lazy" sizes="1024" /> <img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="context.core.image.imageCurrentSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" width="1024" height="517" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="Bitwarden - Best free password manager for most people" src="" loading="lazy" sizes="1024" /> <img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" width="1024" height="517" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="Bitwarden - Best free password manager for most people" src="" loading="lazy" sizes="1024" /> <p class="product-chart-subTitle">Pros</p> <ul class="product-pros-cons-list"> <li> Free plan offers unlimited vault entries and device syncing </li> <li> Paid plan is 70% cheaper (or more!) than rival services </li> <li> Supports two-factor authentication </li> <li> Send feature allows you to securely share notes and files with others </li> </ul> <p class="product-chart-subTitle">Cons</p> <ul class="product-pros-cons-list"> <li> Has occasional trouble capturing and filling credentials on websites </li> <li> Requires more manual setup than many paid password managers </li> </ul> Price When Reviewed: $0 Best Prices Today: <a class="product-chart-item__pricing-details--link" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://bitwarden.com/&xcust=2-1-394076-6-393013-18048&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" target="_blank" data-vars-product-name="Bitwarden" data-vars-product-id="393013" data-vars-category="Consumer Electronics" data-vars-manufacturer-id="18048" data-vars-manufacturer="Bitwarden" data-vars-vendor="Bitwarden" data-vars-po="" data-product="393013" data-vars-link-position-id="003" data-vars-link-position="Product Chart" data-vars-outbound-link="https://bitwarden.com/" rel="nofollow">$0 at Bitwarden</a> <p>Like several other services, Bitwarden offers a free tier and a paid tier—but its free tier packs in so many features that most individuals won’t need more. You can access the service across an unlimited amount of devices <em>and</em> a multitude of device types, enable basic TOTP <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3387420/two-factor-authentication-faq-sms-authenticator-security-key-icloud.html">two-factor authentication</a>, and fill your vault with as many passwords as you’d like. The <a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://bitwarden.com/pricing/&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed">free personal plan</a> also allows privacy-minded users to avoid the company’s cloud hosting and instead <a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://bitwarden.com/help/article/install-on-premise/&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed">self-host</a>. And in recent months, Bitwarden has added security features that let you generate random user names and email aliases (via integration with email masking services) in addition to random passwords.</p> <p>Rivals dole out far less to their free users, and it’s particularly rare for them to grant unrestricted movement between multiple device types. (<a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://www.lastpass.com/&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" rel="nofollow">LastPass</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://www.dashlane.com/plans&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed">Dashlane</a> begin charging as soon as you want to leave the confines of a <em>single</em> device.) Most competitors are also not open-source like Bitwarden, which prevents their communities from being able to hunt for hidden backdoors or security holes.</p> <p>The free personal plan even now includes real-time password sharing with one other account—perfect for couples or people otherwise closely linked. This feature allows unlimited password sharing between the two users, thus allowing both individuals to safely access current passwords for shared accounts.</p> <p>Bitwarden’s other advantage is that should your needs expand down the road, the transition to a paid plan won’t cost much. A premium personal plan is just $10 per year (compared to $36-plus per year for rivals), and a family plan is $40 per year for up to six users (compared to $48-plus per year for rivals). And moving up to a paid tier does come with concrete benefits: support for more sophisticated forms of two-factor authentication, evaluations of <a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://bitwarden.com/help/article/reports/&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed">your passwords’ health</a> (e.g., strength, public exposure, etc.), encrypted file storage, and emergency access for trusted individuals.</p> <p>Finally, if you decide to move elsewhere one day, Bitwarden allows you to export your passwords—with the option to do so as an encrypted file. But with such a generous and thorough set of features, you’ll likely not want to go elsewhere.</p> Read our full <a class="product-chart-item__review-link" href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/394731/bitwarden-password-manager-review.html" target="_blank" score="4"> Bitwarden review </a> KeePass – Best free password manager for DIYers <img decoding="async" data-wp-effect--setstylesonresize="effects.core.image.setStylesOnResize" data-wp-effect="effects.core.image.setButtonStyles" data-wp-init="effects.core.image.initOriginImage" data-wp-on--click="actions.core.image.showLightbox" data-wp-on--load="actions.core.image.handleLoad" width="632" height="275" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="KeePass - Best free password manager for DIYers" src="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/keepass-dropbox-2.png" loading="lazy" sizes="632" /> <img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="context.core.image.imageCurrentSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" width="632" height="275" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="KeePass - Best free password manager for DIYers" src="" loading="lazy" sizes="632" /> <img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" width="632" height="275" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="KeePass - Best free password manager for DIYers" src="" loading="lazy" sizes="632" /> <p class="product-chart-subTitle">Pros</p> <ul class="product-pros-cons-list"> <li> Free to use </li> <li> Highly customizable </li> <li> Provides full user control of data </li> </ul> <p class="product-chart-subTitle">Cons</p> <ul class="product-pros-cons-list"> <li> Requires a higher degree of technical proficiency than modern password managers </li> <li> Dated interface </li> <li> Core program lacks auto capture and replay and other basic password management features </li> </ul> Best Prices Today: <a class="product-chart-item__pricing-details--link" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://keepass.info/&xcust=2-1-394076-6-1683228-24039&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" target="_blank" data-vars-product-name="KeePass" data-vars-product-id="1683228" data-vars-category="Security Software and Services" data-vars-manufacturer-id="24039" data-vars-manufacturer="KeePass" data-vars-vendor="KeePass" data-vars-po="" data-product="1683228" data-vars-link-position-id="003" data-vars-link-position="Product Chart" data-vars-outbound-link="https://keepass.info/" rel="nofollow">$0 at KeePass</a> <p>KeePass may not look like much, <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/1668328/keepass-password-manager-review.html">as our review points out</a>, but under the hood this desktop-application-based password manager has all the features the privacy- and security-minded could want, provided you don’t mind rolling up your sleeves a bit.</p> <p>You return full control over who accesses your password vault—the program and its encrypted database file(s) are stored locally on your computer by default, unlike a cloud service, where you have to trust that servers are set up correctly and that the employees are trustworthy. Moreover, you don’t even have to install it on your system, but can run it via a portable .exe application kept on a USB stick.</p> <p>KeePass is also an open-source program, which means that the community can always vet it for any hidden backdoors or just plain old security-crippling bugs. And you can enable <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3387420/two-factor-authentication-faq-sms-authenticator-security-key-icloud.html">two-factor authentication</a> through the use of <a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://keepass.info/help/base/keys.html&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed">key files</a> (which augments your master password), plus lock the database file to the Windows account that created it, too.</p> <p>You’re not restricted to a Windows desktop system, either—because the program is open source, you can find community-created ports of KeePass for MacOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, as well as a boatload of <a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://keepass.info/plugins.html&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed">plugins</a> that let you customize it to your taste. With plugins, you can re-create most of the features you’d find in paid cloud-based services, like checking to see if any of your passwords have been found as part of a data dump.</p> <p>You can also get creative with how you store your database file—for remote access, you can put it on a home server, or if you’re comfortable, a cloud service of your own choosing. (Perhaps you’re more comfortable with how Google safeguards its accounts than a dedicated password manager service, for example.) And should you ever decide to hang up your hat as a DIY password manager administrator, KeePass allows for <a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://keepass.info/help/base/importexport.html&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed">easy exports</a> of your passwords.</p> Read our full <a class="product-chart-item__review-link" href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/1668328/keepass-password-manager-review.html" target="_blank" score="3"> KeePass review </a> KeePassXC – Best free password manager for easy offline use <img decoding="async" data-wp-effect--setstylesonresize="effects.core.image.setStylesOnResize" data-wp-effect="effects.core.image.setButtonStyles" data-wp-init="effects.core.image.initOriginImage" data-wp-on--click="actions.core.image.showLightbox" data-wp-on--load="actions.core.image.handleLoad" width="1630" height="533" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="KeePassXC - Best free password manager for easy offline use" src="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/keepassxc-logo.png" loading="lazy" sizes="1630" /> <img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="context.core.image.imageCurrentSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" width="1630" height="533" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="KeePassXC - Best free password manager for easy offline use" src="" loading="lazy" sizes="1630" /> <img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" width="1630" height="533" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="KeePassXC - Best free password manager for easy offline use" src="" loading="lazy" sizes="1630" /> <p class="product-chart-subTitle">Pros</p> <ul class="product-pros-cons-list"> <li> Full control over login data </li> <li> Simple, straightforward interface </li> <li> Native support for browser extensions </li> <li> Free to use </li> </ul> <p class="product-chart-subTitle">Cons</p> <ul class="product-pros-cons-list"> <li> Very basic browser extension functionality </li> <li> Setting adjustments are necessary to get the most out of the app </li> </ul> Price When Reviewed: Free Best Prices Today: <a class="product-chart-item__pricing-details--link" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://keepassxc.org/&xcust=2-1-394076-6-2010913-24496&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" target="_blank" data-vars-product-name="KeePassXC" data-vars-product-id="2010913" data-vars-category="Personal Software,Security Software and Services" data-vars-manufacturer-id="24496" data-vars-manufacturer="KeePassXC" data-vars-vendor="KeePassXC" data-vars-po="" data-product="2010913" data-vars-link-position-id="003" data-vars-link-position="Product Chart" data-vars-outbound-link="https://keepassxc.org/" rel="nofollow">$0 at KeePassXC</a> <p>So an online password manager makes you nervous. Or you instead prefer to have 100 percent control over your passwords. You <em>could</em> use KeePass, but that program can be…a little intense.</p> <p>A great middle ground is KeePassXC, a streamlined alternative of the official KeePass app. It boasts a more modern interface, and is much more newbie-friendly. It also has a few features you’d expect from an online manager, like a <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://keepassxc.org/docs/KeePassXC_GettingStarted#_setup_browser_integration&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" rel="nofollow">browser extension</a>.</p> <p>Despite its simplified interface, you’ll still find many of KeePass’s best attributes in KeePassXC. It’s equally open source and free, for starters. Its <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://keepassxc.org/docs/KeePassXC_GettingStarted#_creating_your_first_database&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" rel="nofollow">file format</a> is also the same as KeePass (and generally visa versa), so switching between the two programs is easy. You can download it for <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://keepassxc.org/download/&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" rel="nofollow">Windows, Linux, or macOS</a> as well. And the app stores its encrypted database files on your device by default, so you have full control over your passwords. You can keep them offline, or upload to the cloud if you wish.</p> <p>Using KeePassXC is a cinch. It’s hard to get overwhelmed by it—you can only create one type of entry in a database: Just logins, and you only get five fields to fill out within each entry. Set up of two-factor TOTP tokens, attaching files, and adding custom text fields is also supported, but that’s it. And unlike the official KeePass app, KeePassXC doesn’t support plugins.</p> <p>You will still need to apply a little elbow grease to get the most of this app—for example, password sharing isn’t enabled out of the box. But <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://keepassxc.org/docs/KeePassXC_GettingStarted&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" rel="nofollow">good documentation</a> makes light work of configuring the app. Generally, with KeePassXC, what you see is what you get, and that’s exactly the appeal of this offline password manager. Even leaving it (by exporting all your passwords) is an easily found option in the menu.</p> Read our full <a class="product-chart-item__review-link" href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/2010172/keepassxc-password-manager-review.html" target="_blank" score="4"> KeePassXC review </a> Best free password manager for simplicity: Google, Apple, or Firefox <a class="zoom" href="https://images.idgesg.net/images/article/2021/02/pwdmanagers_browsers-100877550-orig.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img decoding="async" src="https://images.idgesg.net/images/article/2021/02/pwdmanagers_browsers-100877550-large.jpg" alt="Chrome, Apple, and Firefox logos on a gray background" loading="lazy" /></a> <ul> <li><strong>Website: </strong><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://passwords.google.com/&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" rel="nofollow">Google Password Manager</a>, <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204085&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" rel="nofollow">iCloud Keychain</a>, <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569483&url=https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/password-manager-remember-delete-edit-logins&xcust=2-1-394076-1-0-0&sref=https://www.pcworld.com/feed" rel="nofollow">Firefox Password Manager</a></li> <li><strong>Devices:</strong> Varies</li> <li><strong>Open source:</strong> No</li> <li><strong>Two-factor authentication (2FA):</strong> Yes</li> </ul> <p>Password managers within mobile operating systems and major browsers have come a long way. Just a few years ago, we wouldn’t have advised using them at all, but now they’ve shored up their security and features to become a viable (though basic) option.</p> <p>But basic isn’t bad—when it comes to password managers, the best service is the one that you’ll use. For some people, using a dedicated password manager can be too much to keep track of. In those cases, leaning on Google, Apple, or even Firefox can help upgrade your password security with little extra effort necessary. Their built-in password management tools can do the heavy lifting of creating and remembering unique random passwords across the web, and you won’t need to switch to a different app to make it work.</p> <a class="zoom" href="https://images.idgesg.net/images/article/2021/02/firefox-100877549-orig.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img decoding="async" src="https://images.idgesg.net/images/article/2021/02/firefox-100877549-large.jpg" alt="Firefox Password Manager landing page" loading="lazy" /></a> <p>If you’re going to choose a browser-based password manager, Firefox is one of the best options among the bunch.</p> <p>Of course, you will <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3604671/why-your-browsers-password-manager-isnt-good-enough.html">lock yourself</a> into those ecosystems by doing so, but if you live your whole life within those waters already, you won’t be bothered by that fact. Google probably will appeal to most people, as Chrome is ubiquitous, but those who worry about data privacy can instead turn to Firefox and its pledge to not sell your data. Apple also shares Firefox’s commitment to privacy, but it’s the hardest platform to leave, as the company doesn’t provide an easy method to export passwords. We advise choosing Google or Firefox for the widest reach across devices, and Apple if you own both MacOS and iOS devices (and don’t plan to leave). Microsoft’s password manager in Edge can also be worth a look for people deeply enmeshed in the Windows ecosystem.</p> <p><em>Committing to Apple and iCloud Keychain? Follow these tips on </em><a href="https://www.macworld.com/article/3607709/icloud-keychain-passwords-safari-chrome-iphone-ipad-mac.html"><em>how to set it up and make the most of it</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p>The one primary downside to using your Google, Apple, or Firefox account to store passwords is that they’re not as tightly safeguarded as with a third-party service. Even if you secure your account with <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3387420/two-factor-authentication-faq-sms-authenticator-security-key-icloud.html">two-factor authentication</a> (and you absolutely should if you’re storing passwords in it!), Google, Apple, or Firefox tend to be more lax about accessing passwords from a device that’s logged in. Often they don’t ask for reauthentication to use a stored password <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/1946946/chrome-adds-windows-biometric-logins-to-its-password-powers.html">unless you specifically set it up</a>, unlike most dedicated password managers—and that can be a security hazard on a shared device.</p> Free vs. paid password managers <p>Why bother with a paid password manager if you can use a free one? Paid services provide premium features that enable more control over your passwords and how you secure them. For example, you’ll often gain access to password sharing (handy if your household members all need to know the Netflix password), support for YubiKey and other more “advanced” forms of 2FA authenticators, and alerts that tell you if your password turned up in a data dump. Some paid services even have a signature feature that makes them stand out from competitors—for example, 1Password has a “travel vault” feature that hides some passwords when you’re traveling, as an extra security measure when you might encounter aggressive airport screening or simply lose access to your devices due to theft or lost baggage.</p> Our favorite Password manager Dashlane <img decoding="async" width="15080" height="4013" class="product-widget__image" src="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dashlane-Lockup-Green-3619X1385.png" loading="lazy" alt="Dashlane" srcset="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dashlane-Lockup-Green-3619X1385.png?quality=50&strip=all 15080w, https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dashlane-Lockup-Green-3619X1385.png?resize=300%2C80&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dashlane-Lockup-Green-3619X1385.png?resize=768%2C204&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dashlane-Lockup-Green-3619X1385.png?resize=1200%2C319&quality=50&strip=all 1200w, https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dashlane-Lockup-Green-3619X1385.png?resize=1536%2C409&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dashlane-Lockup-Green-3619X1385.png?resize=2048%2C545&quality=50&strip=all 2048w" sizes=" 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> <img decoding="async" class="product-widget__review-details--editors-choice-logo" src="https://www.pcworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PC-ED-CHOICE.png" alt="Editors' Choice" loading="lazy" /> <a class="product-widget__review-link" href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/407081/dashlane-password-manager-review.html" target="_blank">Read our review</a> Price When Reviewed: Free I Advanced: $2.75/mo I Premium: $4.99/mo I Friends & Family: $7.49/mo Best Prices Today: <a class="product-widget__pricing-details--link" href="https://www.tkqlhce.com/click-100470607-12528922?sid=2-1-394076-5-389931-15360" target="_blank" data-vars-product-name="Dashlane" data-vars-product-id="389931" data-vars-category="Professional Software" data-vars-manufacturer-id="15360" data-vars-manufacturer="Dashlane" data-vars-vendor="Dashlane" data-vars-po="" data-product="389931" data-vars-link-position-id="005" data-vars-link-position="Product Sidebar" data-vars-outbound-link="https://www.tkqlhce.com/click-100470607-12528922" rel="nofollow">$4.99 at Dashlane</a> <p>If you need these kinds of features, check out our list of the <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/3207185/best-password-managers-reviews-and-buying-advice.html">best paid password managers</a> to see which ones offer the best bang for your buck.</p> Password Managers https://bizandtech.net/best-free-password-managers-2024-online-security-doesn%E2%80%99t-have-cost-thing#comments apple google management mobile web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 18:30:00 +0000 admin 1851913 at https://bizandtech.net Cyberattacks on Poland surged after election of pro-Ukraine government, NetScout says https://bizandtech.net/cyberattacks-poland-surged-after-election-pro-ukraine-government-netscout-says <img src="https://img-cdn.tnwcdn.com/image?fit=796%2C417&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn0.tnwcdn.com%2Fwp-content%2Fblogs.dir%2F1%2Ffiles%2F2024%2F04%2FUntitled-design-1.jpeg&signature=feaa0da7a88050168a957fdcb653c312" width="796" height="417"><br />Cyber attackers battered Poland after the country’s change of government late last year. DDoS attacks at the end of 2023 were nearly quadruple the country’s average, according to cybersecurity firm NetScout’s observations. The surge began when the Law and Justice party (PiS) lost its majority in last year’s Polish general election. PiS had ruled the country since 2015. It was replaced by a coalition government, which reaffirmed support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion. NetScout described these developments as “a perfect storm” for adversaries. Several hacktivist gangs promptly responded with a barrage of cyberattacks. The most notable group was NoName057, which…<br /><br /><a href="https://thenextweb.com/news/cyberattacks-poland-surge-after-election?utm_source=social&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=profeed">This story continues</a> at The Next Web https://bizandtech.net/cyberattacks-poland-surged-after-election-pro-ukraine-government-netscout-says#comments social web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 17:51:28 +0000 admin 1851863 at https://bizandtech.net Stripe Resumes Crypto Payments After 6 Years https://bizandtech.net/stripe-resumes-crypto-payments-after-6-years <p><strong>Stripe is re-embracing cryptocurrency payments after a six-year hiatus. The company announced its plan to allow merchants to accept payments in USDC stablecoins, initially supporting blockchains such as Solana, Ethereum, and Polygon. </strong></p> <p>This strategic move marks Stripe’s significant return to crypto transactions since abandoning Bitcoin in 2018 due to its volatility.</p> Stripe Back in Crypto Payments <p>In 2022, <a href="https://beincrypto.com/stripe-payments-firm-announces-fiat-crypto-on-ramp/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stripe stepped back into the crypto market</a>, facilitating payouts in USDC but stopped short of allowing crypto payments. The recent expansion, unveiled by co-founder John Collison, signals a more robust integration of cryptocurrency into its payment systems.</p> <p>Collison humorously noted improvements in transaction efficiency and cost, comparing them favorably to the length and budget of Christopher Nolan films. </p> <p>“Stripe is bringing back crypto payments—this time with stablecoins, which are a way better experience,” Collison said.</p> <iframe loading="lazy" title="Stripe Sessions 2024—The future of payments" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GnSlQz-14JY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> <p>The <a href="https://stripe.com/blog/biggest-updates-sessions-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">announcement</a> also highlighted Stripe’s broader strategy to diversify its offerings. The most noteworthy development is allowing customers to integrate competing payment providers within Stripe’s suite of financial services. </p> <p>This move is part of a larger effort to open up its platform, historically known for its selective integration capabilities.</p> <p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://beincrypto.com/learn/how-to-buy-bitcoin-stripe/">How To Buy Bitcoin With Stripe: A Step-by-Step Guide</a></strong></p> <p>Stripe’s approach to crypto reflects its careful balancing act between innovation and maintaining its role as a reliable player in the financial sector. Last year, the company processed transactions totaling $1 trillion and is valued at $65 billion. </p> <p>The post <a href="https://beincrypto.com/stripe-crypto-payments-after-six-years/">Stripe Resumes Crypto Payments After 6 Years</a> appeared first on <a href="https://beincrypto.com">BeInCrypto</a>.</p> https://bizandtech.net/stripe-resumes-crypto-payments-after-6-years#comments media web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 17:47:59 +0000 admin 1851949 at https://bizandtech.net Memorial Day Nintendo Switch deals 2024 — best early sales right now from $5 https://bizandtech.net/memorial-day-nintendo-switch-deals-2024-%E2%80%94-best-early-sales-right-now-5 Memorial Day Nintendo Switch deals have discounted games, accessories and more. Check out the best deals I’ve found from across the web. https://bizandtech.net/memorial-day-nintendo-switch-deals-2024-%E2%80%94-best-early-sales-right-now-5#comments web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 16:43:05 +0000 admin 1851958 at https://bizandtech.net Wacom says its first OLED drawing tablet is cool and skinny https://bizandtech.net/wacom-says-its-first-oled-drawing-tablet-cool-and-skinny <img alt="Someone using the Wacom Movink 13 display drawing tablet with a connected laptop." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Is695YF2SE8Pd03UbWdfeLO2080=/0x10:1920x1290/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73304832/Wacom_Movink_13_hed_hero.0.jpg" /> Image: Wacom <p id="B7UXth">Wacom has thrown a tablet-shaped curveball at digital creatives waiting on Apple’s highly anticipated OLED iPads. The company introduced the <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1514734&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wacom.com%2Fen-us%2Fproducts%2Fpen-displays%2Fwacom-movink&referrer=theverge.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2024%2F4%2F25%2F24140168%2Fwacom-movink-13-oled-drawing-tablet-price-announcement" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Wacom Movink 13</a> on Wednesday, its own OLED-based offering that targets creatives in need of a highly portable display drawing tablet.</p> <p id="5SXyAv">Available now for $750 via the <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1514734&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Festore.wacom.com%2Fen-us%2Fwacom-movink-dth135k0a.html&referrer=theverge.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2024%2F4%2F25%2F24140168%2Fwacom-movink-13-oled-drawing-tablet-price-announcement" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Wacom web store</a>, the Movink features a full HD 13.3-inch Samsung OLED display that gives it several advantages over comparably midrange LED-based tablets. The most notable is the lack of a backlight — not only does that prevent <a href="https://community.wacom.com/en-us/introducing-wacom-movink/">light leakage and excess heat</a>, according to Wacom (the latter being a familiar nuisance for display tablet users), but it also allows the tablet to be more compact.</p> <p id="0yhxIa">Wacom says the Movink is the “thinnest and...</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/25/24140168/wacom-movink-13-oled-drawing-tablet-price-announcement">Continue reading…</a> </p> https://bizandtech.net/wacom-says-its-first-oled-drawing-tablet-cool-and-skinny#comments digital tablet web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 16:05:05 +0000 admin 1851801 at https://bizandtech.net Visa Teams With AWS to Streamline Cross-Border Payments https://bizandtech.net/visa-teams-aws-streamline-cross-border-payments <p><a href="https://usa.visa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visa</a> says it has joined the <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon Web Services</a> (AWS) Partner Network (APN).</p> <p>“Visa’s presence in the APN will help enable its partners and clients, including cloud-native fintechs, to access and integrate select Visa services more efficiently,” the company said in a Thursday (April 25) <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240425648724/en/Visa-Joins-AWS-Partner-Network-to-Help-Simplify-Global-Digital-Payments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a>.</p> <p>Among the first services available as part of the new arrangement is Visa Cross-Border Solutions, which helps streamline cross-border transactions and the holding of multiple currencies. It will allow Visa’s clients to integrate the solution into their operations without having to “step out of their established platforms,” the company said.</p> <p>This is happening as cross-border payments continue to present a key <a href="https://www.pymnts.com/study/cross-border-sales-failed-payments-ecommerce-fraud/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">source of friction</a> for U.S. merchants, as recent research by PYMNTS Intelligence and <a href="https://nuvei.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nuvei</a> shows.</p> <p>“Merchants focused on cross-border sales report an average cross-border payment failure rate of 11%, notably higher than their less internationally focused counterparts,” PYMNTS wrote earlier this year. “This <a href="https://www.pymnts.com/news/cross-border-commerce/cross-border-payments/2024/failed-cross-border-payments-cost-us-merchants-an-estimated-3-8b/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pain point is more acute</a> for mid-sized firms in the $250 million to $500 million revenue range. Additionally, 82% of merchants struggle to diagnose the causes of failed payments, highlighting the need for robust solutions.”</p> <p>In addition to the cross-border solution, Visa plans to use its new connection to AWS to bring more of its products to clients operating in the cloud. And Visa says it is now also part of AWS Activate, AWS’s flagship startup program, letting clients who are members of the Visa Fintech Fast Track program, and verified by AWS as eligible, receive up to $100,000 in AWS Activate.</p> <p>“We are excited to support the expansion of digital payments, banking, and embedded finance capabilities to enterprises and fintech startups building their applications on AWS,” said <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/howard-wright-10b81584" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Howard Wright</a>, global head of startups at AWS. “We are looking forward to working with Visa to help make financial apps in the cloud more accessible, faster, secure, and easier to use.”</p> <p>The news comes two days after Visa announced it was working with <a href="https://www.sc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Standard Chartered</a> to <a href="https://www.pymnts.com/news/b2b-payments/2024/standard-chartered-and-visa-partner-on-cross-border-b2b-payments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">facilitate cross-border B2B payments</a> for the bank’s corporate clients.</p> <p>Standard Chartered has signed up for the Visa B2B Connect multilateral payment network and has become Visa’s new settlement partner for a set of currencies, with the companies rolling out the solution in Singapore before expanding to additional entities in the months ahead.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.pymnts.com/visa/2024/visa-teams-with-aws-to-streamline-cross-border-payments/">Visa Teams With AWS to Streamline Cross-Border Payments</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.pymnts.com">PYMNTS.com</a>.</p> https://bizandtech.net/visa-teams-aws-streamline-cross-border-payments#comments digital finance new revenue web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 15:04:34 +0000 admin 1851815 at https://bizandtech.net F1 24 Driver Career preview: A staple mode gets an overdue overhaul https://bizandtech.net/f1-24-driver-career-preview-staple-mode-gets-overdue-overhaul <img width="300" height="169" src="https://readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/F124HM.REVEAL.MCLAREN.MIAMI_.SG01.16x9-300x169.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="The McLaren car driven by Lando Norris rounds a turn by Hard Rock Stadium at the Miami Grand Prix, as seen in F1 24." decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/F124HM.REVEAL.MCLAREN.MIAMI_.SG01.16x9-300x169.jpg 300w, https://readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/F124HM.REVEAL.MCLAREN.MIAMI_.SG01.16x9-900x506.jpg 900w, https://readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/F124HM.REVEAL.MCLAREN.MIAMI_.SG01.16x9-260x146.jpg 260w, https://readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/F124HM.REVEAL.MCLAREN.MIAMI_.SG01.16x9-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/F124HM.REVEAL.MCLAREN.MIAMI_.SG01.16x9-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/F124HM.REVEAL.MCLAREN.MIAMI_.SG01.16x9-1568x882.jpg 1568w" sizes=" 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p class="p1">By far the driest chuckles, among those present for <a href="https://readwrite.com/f1-24-preview-codemasters-new-physics-suspension-handling/">a sneak preview of F1 24</a>, came at the mention of “secret meetings,” a new wrinkle that Codemasters is using to add flavor to an even bigger overhaul to its Driver Career mode. After all, we just saw a whopper of a secret meeting back in January, when seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton announced he would leave Mercedes to drive for Ferrari next year.</p> <p class="p1">It’s the kind of soap opera story arc that F1 fans find so titillating, even when it’s the off-season, that has been largely missing from the video game series’ otherwise deep driver career mode. Internal friction was condensed to a linear beat-your-teammate rivalry; you led the development of your car whether you were the team’s first or second driver, and contract negotiations ended in jarring mid-season changes or didn’t pose much challenge to extracting the best deal out of a cagey team principal.</p> <p class="p1">If all goes as promised, that will change in F1 24’s new Career, which has been overdue for a big upgrade considering it’s been a bread-and-butter mode for 15 years. More recently, <a href="https://readwrite.com/eas-evolving-business-needs-means-layoffs-at-uk-studio-codemasters/">Codemasters</a> has introduced new features like a captivating My Team, which allows users to create their fictitious team and drive for it, or F1 World, which is more of an online career that unifies the game’s multiplayer, Grand Prix, and Time Trials modes.</p> <strong>F1 24 Driver Career gets much more than a new paint job</strong> <p class="p1">Good ol’ Driver Career last saw a big update when Codemasters introduced a co-operative/competitive option with another friend as either a teammate or a rival in another car. That was in 2021, and even then the mode’s linear development, rote free agency, and lack of sports tabloid sizzle have been the same for nearly a decade.</p> <p class="p1">Creative director Lee Mather pointed out that the last big refresh of Driver Career came in F1 2016, as if to assure fans Codemasters was aware the mode had waited too long while innovations like a narrative, F1 World, and My Team joined the game.</p> <p class="p1">“Career is where the true authenticity and Formula One season really shows through,” Mather said. “And that’s why this year, we felt was the most appropriate time to do a new driver career in F1 24.”</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="F1 24 Official Career Mode Deep Dive" width="750" height="422" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vxQIKjRJm40?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <strong>F1’s real-life drivers finally join the playable roster</strong> <p class="p1">For starters, fans will now be able to play a career mode as an existing driver. I was taken aback to realize this has never been an option since the last big overhaul in F1 2016. But that’s because I always played as my created avatar and assumed others did the same thing, too, finding that type of fantasy competition more appealing.</p> <p class="p1">Boy was I wrong. You can find fans <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/F1Game/comments/14bxq1u/why_cant_we_use_real_drivers_in_career_mode/">complaining about this rather consistently</a>. “We want the players to be able to play the way that they want to play,” Mather said, acknowledging the feedback. Driver avatars are still there for those who prefer that, “but now you can also play as one of your F1 heroes,” Mather said.</p> <p class="p1">“You can choose one of the drivers from the existing Formula 1 roster,” Mather said, “a Formula 2 driver, or one of the icons,” which are all-time greats who usually show up as premium or deluxe edition content.</p> <p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F124?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F124</a>'s tyre physics have undergone significant changes, both in the dry and the wet <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f327.png" alt=" https://bizandtech.net/f1-24-driver-career-preview-staple-mode-gets-overdue-overhaul#comments media new video web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 15:00:23 +0000 admin 1851910 at https://bizandtech.net Movement Labs raises $38M to bring Facebook’s Move Virtual Machine to Ethereum https://bizandtech.net/movement-labs-raises-38m-bring-facebook%E2%80%99s-move-virtual-machine-ethereum <iframe title="Movement Labs Fundraise Video" width="556" height="313" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wwyyfoiFxMc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>Movement Labs has raised $38 million in funding to bring Facebook’s Move Virtual Machine to Ethereum in order to improve security.<a href="https://venturebeat.com/games/movement-labs-raises-38m-to-bring-facebooks-move-virtual-machine-to-ethereum/" target="_blank">Read More</a> https://bizandtech.net/movement-labs-raises-38m-bring-facebook%E2%80%99s-move-virtual-machine-ethereum#comments media video web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 15:00:00 +0000 admin 1851870 at https://bizandtech.net Perplexity AI: Exploring AI-powered search beyond Google https://bizandtech.net/perplexity-ai-exploring-ai-powered-search-beyond-google <img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-AI-Exploring-AI-powered-search-beyond-Google-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt=" Exploring AI-powered search beyond Google" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-AI-Exploring-AI-powered-search-beyond-Google-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-AI-Exploring-AI-powered-search-beyond-Google-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-AI-Exploring-AI-powered-search-beyond-Google-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-AI-Exploring-AI-powered-search-beyond-Google-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-AI-Exploring-AI-powered-search-beyond-Google-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-AI-Exploring-AI-powered-search-beyond-Google.png 1920w" sizes=" 800px) 100vw, 800px" /> <p>The rise of <a href="https://searchengineland.com/large-language-model-optimization-generative-ai-outputs-433148">generative AI</a> and <a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-guide-large-language-models-413227">large language models</a> (LLMs) has opened the possibility of disrupting Google’s long-standing dominance in the search engine market. One such challenger is Perplexity, an AI-powered search platform that aims to provide users with summarized answers and cited sources instead of the traditional list of web page links. </p> <p>While still dwarfed by Google’s massive search volume, Perplexity’s approach offers a glimpse into how AI could reshape the search experience and the multibillion-dollar search advertising industry.</p> What is Perplexity AI? <p>Perplexity describes itself as “your AI-powered Swiss Army Knife for information discovery and curiosity.” It sits on top of ChatGPT 3.5 and its own model. The premium version also includes access to GPT-4, Claude 3, Mistral Large and an Experimental Perplexity Model.</p> <p>While it’s already seeing significant traction, responding to over 2 million queries per day, it has a long way to go to make a dent in Google, which gets that many searches in 20 seconds. However, consumers are starting to find value in the summary of data and information. Getting to a summarized “answer” more quickly can be valuable. </p> How to approach AI-powered search platforms like Perplexity <p>So, how should brands and search engine marketers think about a platform like Perplexity? There are three things to consider:</p> 1. Do your research <p>You must be using these tools. I’m not suggesting that you have to use them exclusively, but you simply can’t take for granted that you will get to it later. These tools are here and are evolving rapidly. </p> <p>Do some research, run some queries, then refine them with different criteria. See what the responses are. </p> <ul> <li>Do the responses favor your business? </li> <li>Do the responses cite your business? </li> <li>Is there new information you had not considered before that should be something you work into your marketing and content strategy?</li> </ul> <p>Below are two simple examples of searches: “best car insurance” and “car wash near me.” </p> <img decoding="async" width="555" height="540" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-vs-Perplexity-results-best-car-insurance.png" alt="" class="wp-image-439883" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-vs-Perplexity-results-best-car-insurance.png 555w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-vs-Perplexity-results-best-car-insurance-347x338.png 347w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-vs-Perplexity-results-best-car-insurance-116x113.png 116w" sizes=" 555px) 100vw, 555px" /> <img decoding="async" width="540" height="540" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-vs-Perplexity-results-car-wash-near-me.png" alt="" class="wp-image-439884" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-vs-Perplexity-results-car-wash-near-me.png 540w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-vs-Perplexity-results-car-wash-near-me-338x338.png 338w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-vs-Perplexity-results-car-wash-near-me-113x113.png 113w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-vs-Perplexity-results-car-wash-near-me-95x95.png 95w" sizes=" 540px) 100vw, 540px" /> <p>Comparing the two results from Google and Perplexity, I first notice the lack of ads in the car insurance example. </p> <p>Allstate takes up pretty much the whole page with their search ad. Perplexity gives the user more of an answer with citations. The information the user may find helpful and dive deeper, but getting to a specific website is harder. </p> <p>In some cases, this may improve the user’s experience by removing the click and summarizing the most “helpful” (as deemed by the model) information. </p> <p>The map details in the car wash search are similar, but Google Maps provides the ability to link to or call the business directly from search results. This requires a click away from the Perplexity results to get there.</p> <p class="inline-form-text text-center mb-0">Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.</p> Business email address Subscribe  Processing... <p class="text-center mb-0"><a class="nl-terms" href="https://searchengineland.com/termsofuse" target="_blank" aria-label="opens in a new tab">See terms.</a></p> 2. Sources = rankings <p>In Perplexity, one of the key differences is the citations or sources. This is critical for two big reasons:</p> <ul> <li>It provides valuable insight into the reasoning behind the answer. While many language models now offer some insight into their sources, prominently featuring them allows users to understand the response better and explore further if desired.</li> <li>From a search marketer’s perspective, these sources can be likened to the new organic search listings. If Perplexity provides the answer directly, users may not need to visit your site to take action. However, being cited as the source of the answer could become the next best option for brands as consumers become more familiar with these models and brands aim to retain their search traffic.</li> </ul> <img decoding="async" width="669" height="600" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Thanksgiving-in-the-US-and-Canada-669x600.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-439885" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Thanksgiving-in-the-US-and-Canada-669x600.jpeg 669w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Thanksgiving-in-the-US-and-Canada-377x338.jpeg 377w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Thanksgiving-in-the-US-and-Canada-126x113.jpeg 126w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Thanksgiving-in-the-US-and-Canada.jpeg 739w" sizes=" 669px) 100vw, 669px" /> <p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/large-language-model-optimization-generative-ai-outputs-433148">LLM optimization: Can you influence generative AI outputs?</a></em></strong></p> 3. Conversations vs. searches <p>Perplexity follows a similar approach to other LLMs, allowing you to carry on a “conversation.” That means you can ask one question, and the next one carries the prior question’s context. </p> <p>For example, when I asked, “I’m a 45-year-old male who runs about 20 miles per week. What are the best running shoes for me?” Then, I followed that response by simply saying, “What if I up my mileage should my options change?” </p> <p>The model kept the knowledge that I am 45 and am looking for shoe recommendations. I didn’t need to resubmit that context. It also suggested some related queries relevant to the conversation and took me deeper into my research with simple answers. </p> <img decoding="async" width="1458" height="474" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Related-results-to-running-shoes-query.png" alt="Related results to running shoes query" class="wp-image-439886" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Related-results-to-running-shoes-query.png 1458w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Related-results-to-running-shoes-query-600x195.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Related-results-to-running-shoes-query-800x260.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Related-results-to-running-shoes-query-200x65.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Related-results-to-running-shoes-query-768x250.png 768w" sizes=" 1458px) 100vw, 1458px" /> What’s next for Perplexity? <p>Perplexity has developed a robust model and user interface, making it easy for users to learn and utilize. But what’s next? They need to determine their revenue model.</p> <p>In the example about running shoes, you might have noticed what didn’t occur. Perplexity didn’t offer a direct link to purchase the shoes, even when asked about buying a specific type. Despite the request to buy that brand, it couldn’t provide a direct link to Asics. Even the sources didn’t link directly to the Asics site.</p> <img decoding="async" width="1414" height="684" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-result-Buying-Asics-Novablast-4.png" alt="Perplexity result - Buying Asics Novablast 4" class="wp-image-439887" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-result-Buying-Asics-Novablast-4.png 1414w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-result-Buying-Asics-Novablast-4-600x290.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-result-Buying-Asics-Novablast-4-800x387.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-result-Buying-Asics-Novablast-4-200x97.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Perplexity-result-Buying-Asics-Novablast-4-768x372.png 768w" sizes=" 1414px) 100vw, 1414px" /> <p>Commerce and conversions aren’t at the forefront of these models right now. The revenue model for Perplexity is the same as that of OpenAI and others. They offer a freemium model, with the ability to upgrade for additional features for $20 per month. </p> <p>As they earn some revenue with this model, I expect things to come that drive more commerce transactions. They may move to an affiliate or PPC model for these queries where Asics can buy access to this “answer” with a direct link to Asics.com. </p> <p>Don’t think for a second that the $110 billion dollars search market is going to go to zero. If anything, the speed and rate at which these tools can provide answers should generate more search volume and transactions and not less. </p> <p>The bigger question isn’t what it does to search volume but rather what it does to the revenue model. For now, we have to wait and see what happens. </p> https://bizandtech.net/perplexity-ai-exploring-ai-powered-search-beyond-google#comments advertising google new revenue web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:03:21 +0000 admin 1851759 at https://bizandtech.net How much does it cost to create a Dapp in 2024? A detailed guide https://bizandtech.net/how-much-does-it-cost-create-dapp-2024-detailed-guide <img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*XE15uyM6wo3BBmcg_3Nb5A.jpeg" />Cost of dApp Development<p>In the previous years, there has been a lot of talk concerning decentralized apps (DApps), which provide an opportunity to transform many industries with blockchain technology. Today, there is a vibrant market for these apps and they can be found in finance, gaming, social media and healthcare among others. However, one important factor to consider when starting off with a DApp project is the cost associated with its development.</p><p>Expenses involved in creating a DApp vary greatly depending on such factors as app complexity, features, platform and rates of development team. For example, simple DApp developed by small companies could cost around $2k to $25k while medium-sized companies may have tariffs ranging from 25k to 200K. Alternatively, well-known businesses might charge between $300k and $450K for developing a Dapp.</p><p>The specific industry within which your company operates also affects the cost. A healthcare DApp would have different requirements from real estate DApp because every sector has unique demands that affect pricing. On top of this, it depends on what type of product it is coupled with the services that will eventually be offered to users. Developing a blockchain-based wallet or launching an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) or crypto exchange requires special skills and knowledge that increase the development costs.</p><p>Moreover, you should not forget about another point: where exactly do you intend to buy your blockchain development services? In North America, DApp developers and engineers often charge over $70 per hour compared to over $30 in Eastern Europe and above $10 in Asia. Therefore these differences lead to threefold to tenfold price fluctuations in quotes making location of developers an important consideration when estimating costs for developing a DApp.</p>Understanding Dapp Development Costs:<p>When calculating the expenses related to creation of a decentralized application (or decentralized applications), it is important that we take into account various components that form part of its total price tag as well as other factors. In this section, we will discuss the range of costs involved in creating a DApp and the differences between blockchain apps and DApps in terms of cost. Additionally, we will highlight the impact of industry, app complexity, type, and development platform on costs.</p><p>The cost of developing a DApp can be as little as a few thousand dollars for basic ones to some hundreds of thousands dollars for complex multi-featured DApps. It mainly depends on the complexity of an app, number of features and the development platform chosen.</p><p>When comparing traditional blockchain app development with that of a DApp, it is important to notice that decentralized applications are generally more expensive due to their decentralization and use smart contracts. Smart contracts are digital agreements whose coded conditions will trigger functionality when met without any human input. They are stored immutably on the blockchain where they can self-execute upon fulfillment of specific preconditions. The cost associated with developing such smart contracts might differ significantly based on contract’s complexity and platform used for development.</p><p>The industry in which your business operates can also affect the cost of DApp development. As an illustration, building a healthcare DApp may need specific functionalities and integrations that might make it more costly than a simple gaming DApp. Also, the nature of the DApp product and its services to users also influences the cost estimation. For instance, developing a blockchain-based wallet, launching an Initial Coin Offering (ICO), or crypto exchange requires specialized skills and knowledge that increase development costs.</p><p>The selection of <a href="https://www.codezeros.com/dapps-development-services"><strong>dApp development platform</strong></a> is another major factor affecting the cost of dApp development. Similar to this concept, popular platforms such as Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain and Polkadot have varying features, instruments and resources that can influence the development cost. In particular, Ethereum is a widely used platform with large developer community who provide various open source tools and resources that lower down on how much it costs for developers during their work. By contrast other new platforms like Binance Smart Chain and Polkadot could have lower fees and fast transaction times which decrease operational budgets but necessitate more specialized development skills and tools.</p>Factors Affecting DApp Development Costs:<p>There are several factors which determine the amount one has to pay for having his/her DApps developed such as; app complexity, type of development team involved among many others.</p><ul><li><strong>Complexity Of The App:</strong></li></ul><p>The complexity of your dapp including any extra features that it may need determines its price tag too. Simple applications can range from $15k — $35k while moderately complex ones will fall anywhere between $30–100K.</p><ul><li><strong>Design smart contracts:</strong></li></ul><p>The design of smart contracts significantly affects how a decentralized application works. Depending on their complexity designing smart contracts can be as expensive as 10K USD or even cheaper at about 5K USD for simpler ones.</p><ul><li><strong>Integrate UI/UX elements:</strong></li></ul><p>A well designed user interface (UI) coupled with good user experience (UX) is vital for a dApp’s success. The cost of integrating UI and UX elements will vary depending on the complexity of design as well as choice tools utilized. You might have to pay from 5K to 15K USD ,or even more, in case you need advanced UI/UX features.</p><ul><li><strong>Implement backend functionality:</strong></li></ul><p>Backend infrastructure plays a crucial role in ensuring uninterrupted functionality of a DApp. Based on the type of server infrastructure opted, database management and backend frameworks used, costs involved in implementing back-end functionalities may differ greatly. Backend development costs range from $5k to over $15k or more.</p><ul><li><strong>Security Audits and Testing:</strong></li></ul><p>The security aspect is an important element of dApp development. Comprehensive audits and testing are critical for securing the app. Costs associated with security audit and testing depend upon app complexities and testing methodologies adopted. Opting for robust security could cost within $5k-$20k or more.</p><ul><li><strong>Regular Maintenance and Performance Audit:</strong></li></ul><p>Maintenance checks and performance audits should be done regularly to ensure that a decentralized application runs smoothly at all times without any hitches or glitches. Ongoing maintenance as well as performance checks can cost between $5–20 thousand dollars per year depending on how complex your app is, its frequency of receiving such services among others.</p><ul><li><strong>Development Team Rates:</strong></li></ul><p>The place where the development team is located can affect how much it would cost to produce DApps. Conversely, North American developers could charge you over $70 per hour as compared to those in Eastern Europe and Asia that may go for more than $30 or even $10 per hour. They can make a difference of between 3x and 10x in the final quote.</p>DApp Development Cost Breakdown:<p>There are many factors that determine how much it would cost to develop DApps; such as the platform used, degree of complexity and services offered by the developing team. This section will provide a cost breakdown for DApp development on Ethereum platform which is one of the most popular platforms for DApp development.</p><ul><li><strong>Smart Contract Development:</strong></li></ul><p>A smart contract is a self-executing contract with the terms of the agreement directly written into code. Stored on a blockchain, they automatically execute when certain pre-determined conditions have been met. The Ethereum platform charges differently based on the complexity of smart contracts; simple ones going at about $5,000 — $10,000 while complex ones might be priced from around $10,000-$20,000 or maybe higher.</p><ul><li><strong>UI/UX Design:</strong></li></ul><p>User interface and user experience are very crucial in order for a DApp to succeed. How complexly designed it is and what tools were used determines how much this feature will cost you when running them using Ethereum infrastructure. You may spend like around at least five thousand dollars up to fifteen thousand dollars or so for more advanced UI/UX features.</p><ul><li><strong>Backend Development:</strong></li></ul><p>The backend infrastructure serves as an engine room for any smoothly operating DApp. However deciding costs that could be incurred by implementing backend functionality onto Ethereum network relies merely on a choice of server infrastructure type made by customer database management or back-end frameworks employed within enterprise systems among others. Backend development on Ethereum may typically range from five thousand dollars up to say fifteen thousand dollars plus.</p><ul><li><strong>Security Audits and Testing:</strong></li></ul><p>In the development of DApps, security is a very important component. Therefore, to ensure that the app is safe and secure, thorough security audits and testing should be conducted. For Ethereum, prices for such security tests may vary depending on how complex the application’s structure would look like or the type of testing methodology used. The price for robust security features might be between $5,000 to $20,000 sometimes more.</p><ul><li><strong>Maintenance and Performance Audit:</strong></li></ul><p>Maintenance and performance checks are performed regularly for smooth functioning of DApps on Ethereum network. The complexity level of an app determines how expensive it may be to maintain while frequency depends on company-specific practices. Ongoing maintenance and performance reviews from time-to-time can cost something close to five thousand dollars going up to twenty thousand dollars annually.</p>Industry Trends and Market Insights:<p>Decentralized applications (DApps) market has been growing at a CAGR 40% from 2017 to 2022¹ . Furthermore, it will likely sustain growth rates beyond these levels following the projection that its CAGR by 2029 will stand above 50%, amounting over $368 billion by then ^3 .</p><p>The e-commerce industry accounted for the largest share in DAppsselling during 2019 at 56.5% as a result of faster transaction processes required and advantages brought about by transparency, reliability, flexibility, scalability among others. This means healthcare sector would see substantial increase in terms of blockchain adoption with market shares anticipated to hit 23.6 percent within forecast period because more individuals move towards private online payment systems which require high-level securities online payments that are safe & secure..</p><p>The DApps market is split up, having large number of small firms and a few big ones which account for much of the global market. Major players in the market have well equipped development facilities and are participating in many acquisitions and partnerships to enhance their presence and deliver innovative solutions.</p><p>Geographically, North America held the largest share of 36.8% in 2019 due to quick adoption of blockchain technology and increasing demand for online payments, digital identity verification, smart contracts in USA, Canada, Mexico. The Asia Pacific is expected to show high growth rates owing to initiatives by research institutions as well as governments in this region towards the DApps market</p><p>The DApps market is driven by growing need for fast transactions process as well as benefits associated with it such as transparency, trustworthiness, flexibility and scalability. Additionally lower costs of developing DApps will fuel its further expansion. However there are factors that may restrain its’ growth such as regulatory issues lack of awareness among users as well as technical complexities.</p>Case Studies and Examples:<p>DApp consulting services providers are crucial to the success of DApp development projects. Here are some examples of successful DApp projects and the consulting services provided:</p><ol><li><strong>CryptoKitties:</strong> CryptoKitties is a blockchain-based game that has become popular among people who collect and breed digital cats. The Ethereum blockchain was overwhelmed by its increasing fans, thereby causing network clog. A <a href="https://www.codezeros.com/dapps-development-services">DApp consulting service provider</a> was engaged to address the issue of gas cost and improve user experience through smart contracts optimization.</li><li><strong>Golem:</strong> Golem is a decentralized computing network in which users can rent out their computation power in order to perform complex tasks. A company offering DApp development services also participated in this project where it brought its expertise on smart contract development, UI/UX design, backend functionality implementation as well as conducting regular security audits and testing thus guaranteeing security and dependability of the dapps.</li><li><strong>MyEtherWallet:</strong> MyEtherWallet is a popular web based wallet for Ethereum and ERC-20 tokens. It involved a consultant from one firm concerned with decentralized application development services for making the wallet have features like those mentioned above while also ensuring that there were regular audits as well as tests within the area of security so that it could be secure and reliable.</li><li><strong>Augur:</strong> Augur is a decentralised prediction market where you can create markets for events and bet on them using cryptocurrencies such as ether (ETH). A company offering DApps development services also participated in this project where it brought its expertise on smart contract development, UI/UX design, backend functionality implementation as well as conducting regular security audits and testing thus guaranteeing security and dependability of the dapps.</li></ol>Conclusion<p>To sum it up, making a dapp in 2024 is complicated because many different things can affect how much it costs. Some of these factors include; which platform you use to develop your dapp, how complex your application or service is and who’s on the development team — all of which contribute directly towards determining the overall expense related with such projects.</p><p>The cost of developing an app includes smart contract implementation, UI/UX integration design, backend functionality implementation, security audits and testing as well as regular maintenance audits and performance. The choice between platforms for building the app affects its price tag too; there are cheaper options available but they may not have all the features that more expensive ones do. Similarly so does complexity itself — if a project requires advanced features then this will increase its cost too — along with other services provided by a development team.</p><p>The DApp market is expected to continue growing at over 50% CAGR from 2022–2029 and reach a market size of $368B by 2027. Many medium sized enterprises operate in this sector but acquisitions by large players are driving consolidation efforts.</p><img src="https://medium.com/_/stat?event=post.clientViewed&referrerSource=full_rss&postId=775f9b184421" width="1" height="1" alt=""><p><a href="https://medium.com/coinmonks/how-much-does-it-cost-to-create-a-dapp-in-2024-a-detailed-guide-775f9b184421">How much does it cost to create a Dapp in 2024? A detailed guide</a> was originally published in <a href="https://medium.com/coinmonks">Coinmonks</a> on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.</p> https://bizandtech.net/how-much-does-it-cost-create-dapp-2024-detailed-guide#comments blockchain digital finance management media new social technology web testing Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:21:47 +0000 admin 1851878 at https://bizandtech.net How to Choose the Ideal AI Chatbot for Your Explosive Business Growth in 2024? https://bizandtech.net/how-choose-ideal-ai-chatbot-your-explosive-business-growth-2024 <img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*bnUfi_tFmX4bt3TgmLdFOg.jpeg" /><p>Do you know that <strong>80%</strong> of businesses are already using or planning to use chatbots by the end of 2024? Pretty amazing, right? With chatbots becoming a customer service staple, it’s no wonder businesses are scrambling to find the perfect one.</p><p>The global chatbot market is projected to skyrocket by <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/chatbot-market-size-reach-usd-235000000.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAL119sXYksLk_6vR7kA6p9EBShwUUwW2YXoTdMIJxTwNLAULmHDWq4Kv2jlz-LoJ9G2f_yNTaSLI8h0SE5l8TOa88zZZLchUaXBZSESdcRNNnjHS0Q7NHSXk-UcjRSdmSXN8nrWxEQEIZN5WyzbtzcgkZSPT4XO-x6oXFTfH127G">21.6% from 2022 to 2032</a>, reflecting the growing demand for these intelligent conversational agents. These amazing numbers are all because of continuous advancement in <a href="https://blocktunix.com/ai-development-company/">AI development services</a> which is taking the technology to new heights.</p><img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/900/1*sbl05sQv3U6t6WPdBWaOvg.jpeg" /><p>But how do you choose the ideal AI chatbot for your unique business needs? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.</p><p>In this article, we’ll break down the key factors to consider when choosing an AI chatbot for your business. By the end, you’ll find the perfect AI chat development solution for your business to soar.</p><p><em>So let’s begin with the hot question -</em></p><strong>What Factors to Consider When Choosing an AI Chatbot?</strong><p>All the factors that we have listed below are important considerations when opting for AI chatbot development. Let’s discuss why each one matters:</p><img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/900/1*NMmrwIOjuIJg2pe9TM1ycQ.jpeg" /><strong>Advanced Natural Language Processing</strong><p>To put simply, NLP allows chatbots to understand and respond to human language. This is crucial for bots to understand the intent behind a user’s question and respond accurately. You want an NLP engine that can handle complex questions, slang, and different sentence structures.</p><p>Therefore, you must look for a chatbot platform that utilizes machine learning to continuously improve its NLP capabilities. Also, integrating features like entity recognition and sentiment analysis can be valuable in producing an accurate response.</p><strong>Multilingual AI</strong><p>By this, we mean to say that your chatbot should be able to communicate in multiple languages. The multi-language support can permit you to have a global audience or cater to diverse demographics.</p><p>Moreover, multilingual chatbot development can remove language barriers and provide a more inclusive user experience. It can also help you target specific customers and tap into new markets.</p><strong>Easy Backend Integration</strong><p>You should know how seamlessly the chatbot can connect with your existing systems and databases. Smooth backend integration allows the chatbot to access relevant information and complete tasks more efficiently.</p><p>For example, it might integrate with your CRM system to access customer data or your inventory management system to check product availability. If you are tight on your budget then you must choose a platform that offers pre-built connectors or uses open APIs for easy integration with existing tools.</p><strong>Hybrid Chat Support</strong><p>While chatbots can handle many tasks, some situations may require a human touch as well. A hybrid chatbot can seamlessly switch between automated responses and live chat with human agents. This ensures a smooth transition for complex inquiries to maintain user satisfaction.</p><p>If your business requires a hybrid chatbot then you must look for a platform that offers features like agent takeover options and co-browsing functionality, where the agent and user can navigate a web page together. This is particularly applicable in food ordering apps and delivery platforms, where immediate attention to customer queries is required.</p><strong>Enterprise-Grade Security</strong><p>An AI chatbot must have robust security measures in place to protect user data and prevent unauthorized access to the chatbot system. This includes safe data storage, encryption, and proper compliance with data protection regulations.</p><p>Remember, working with experienced AI chatbot developers for high-end security measures keeps your business and users’ information safe against potential data breaches and cyber threats.</p><strong>Accessibility</strong><p>The AI chatbot must be easily accessed by everyone which can be done through keyboard navigation and other assistive technologies.</p><p>Go for a platform that offers built-in accessibility features or adheres to accessibility guidelines like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). If you keep these aspects in mind then it will eventually enhance user experience and demonstrate your commitment to inclusivity.</p><strong>Sentiment Analysis</strong><p>The chatbot should have sentiment analysis capabilities to understand user emotions and respond accordingly. This even allows the AI chatbot to tailor its responses accordingly.</p><p>Just for instance, it might offer a more empathetic tone for frustrated users or suggest additional resources for delighted customers. This kind of service enhances user engagement and satisfaction by providing personalized and empathetic responses.</p><p>By carefully considering these factors, you can choose an AI chatbot that aligns with your business needs. In fact, a good <a href="https://blocktunix.com/ai-chatbot-development-company/">AI chatbot development company</a> will help you overcome these challenges with ease so that you can choose the most suitable AI chatbot.</p><strong>What are the 5 Types of Chatbots?</strong><p>Many business owners have claimed an increase of <strong>67%</strong> in sales through chatbots. There are several types of chatbots, each with its own specific functionalities and technologies used to decipher user intent. Here are five types of chatbots:</p><strong>*Generative AI chatbots</strong><p>This is a subcategory of AI-powered chatbots that utilize advanced machine-learning techniques to generate creative text formats, like poems, code, scripts, musical pieces, emails, letters, etc. They can also be used to create more natural and engaging chatbot conversations.</p><p>Although, generative AI is still under development and may require significant training data and computational resources. However, it is capable of providing highly creative and informative responses and can be used for tasks like generating marketing copy or product descriptions.</p><strong>*AI-powered chatbots</strong><p>These chatbots leverage artificial intelligence and natural language processing to understand the meaning behind user queries. They are well-qualified to offer a more natural and engaging user experience. AI-based chatbots improve resolution rates and personalize interactions and are a good fit for various industries.</p><p>However, you will find it a bit more expensive to develop and maintain compared to simpler chatbots because of their high level of technical complexity. And, also the effectiveness of AI-based chatbots depends on the quality of training data and NLP algorithms.</p><strong>*Menu or button-based chatbots</strong><p>These are the simplest forms of chatbots that offer a user interface with pre-defined buttons or menus. With the button-based chatbot, users can navigate through the options to get answers or complete tasks.</p><p>Menu-based chatbots are easy to set up and implement and are ideal for simple tasks with predefined choices. They are highly suited for tasks like Faqs, product selection, or scheduling appointments.</p><p>However, Choose this option only if you have specific requirements as this AI chatbot solution offers limited flexibility and can’t handle complex questions or variations in user input.</p><strong>*Rules-based chatbots</strong><p>This type of bots is also known as keyword recognition-based chatbots. They work on the principle of if-then logic. You can find their application in businesses that know which queries they can receive from their customers. Rules-based chatbots are designed for specific words that trigger appropriate answers and are often used for simple tasks.</p><p>Hence, they make a perfect match for any industry that wants to automate repetitive tasks, improve customer service efficiency, and provide 24/7 support.</p><strong>*Voice chatbots</strong><p>As the name suggests, the AI bots communicate with users via voice commands and responses. They use speech recognition and text-to-speech technology to simulate a conversation.</p><p>This AI solution offers a hands-free and convenient user experience, particularly for mobile devices or smart speakers. Voice chatbots can be helpful for tasks like booking appointments, making inquiries, or controlling smart home devices.</p><p>Going ahead, let’s see reasons for startups and businesses to invest in AI chatbot technology</p><strong>Why Businesses Should invest in the best AI chatbot?</strong><p>We have curated the main reasons for businesses to invest in a high-quality AI chatbot for tangible results. Below given are some of the major benefits:</p><ul><li><strong>Round-the-clock availability</strong></li></ul><p>Unlike human customer service representatives, AI chatbots never sleep. Customers appreciate when they fetch instant responses and support, even during weekends or late hours.</p><p>AI chatbots can answer customer queries, address concerns, and provide basic support 24/7, 365 days a year. This is especially valuable for businesses with global operations or those that cater to customers in different time zones.</p><ul><li><strong>Automation of repeated queries</strong></li></ul><p>An IBM case study showed that using AI-powered chatbots for repeated tasks like customer service inquiries could <a href="https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/GQDGPZJE">reduce resolution times by 30%</a> and free up human agents for more complex issues. This automation leads to cost savings and efficiency gains, as chatbots handle routine activities effectively, providing high returns on investment with minimal effort.</p><ul><li><strong>Increased HR productivity</strong></li></ul><p>AI chatbots can eliminate tedious and time-consuming tasks for employees. This can significantly reduce the workload for HR departments and allow them to focus on more meaningful and challenging work.</p><p>On the other hand, AI chatbots can also be used for onboarding new hires. Chatbots can be designed to scan resumes and select only the most suitable candidates. For instance, Uplers, a talent matchmaking platform uses AI for screening. This way they find the right person for the job with minimal effort.</p><ul><li><strong>Reduced organizational expenses</strong></li></ul><p>We all know that chatbots can handle a large volume of customer queries without any errors or mistakes. Machine learning algorithms can achieve 85% accuracy and save millions of dollars spent on rectifying errors. Despite initial development costs, the long-term savings from using chatbots are substantial, especially with the availability of more affordable development options.</p><ul><li><strong>Improved data collection</strong></li></ul><p>AI chatbots excel at collecting valuable customer data through natural conversations. They can gather detailed insights into customer preferences, pain points, and behaviors. This provides businesses with actionable information for personalized services and targeted campaigns.</p><p>By leveraging real-time data collection and analysis, you can understand your customer base and tailor offerings to meet specific needs.</p><p><strong><em>Looking for AI Chatbot Solutions that drive high User Engagement?</em></strong> You can read the <a href="https://blocktunix.com/detailed-guide-on-ai-chatbot-development/">AI Chatbot Development — Detailed Features, Cost & Factors</a> to make a better decision regarding AI chatbot development.</p><strong>Conclusion</strong><p>In essence, chatbots are no longer an exclusive technology but a necessity for business growth. Therefore, by solving various business problems AI chatbots can significantly boost your ROI.</p><p>Putting money into an AI chatbot development in 2024 is an investment in the future of your business. With their ability to learn and adapt, chatbots will continue to grow in a sophisticated manner and offer even greater benefits in the years to come.</p><p>Hence, businesses need to consult with a trusted <a href="https://blocktunix.com/ai-chatbot-development-company/">AI chatbot development company</a> to get custom solutions that fine-tune their specific business operations. These agencies offer development services like:</p><ul><li>GPT-Based AI Chatbot Engineering</li><li>Tailored CRM/ERP/CM Bots</li><li>Customized AI Voice Assistant Chatbots</li><li>Social Media-Focused Chatbot Programming</li></ul><p>So, don’t get left behind. Embrace the power of AI chatbots and unlock your business’s full potential.</p><img src="https://medium.com/_/stat?event=post.clientViewed&referrerSource=full_rss&postId=64ac3a9d6741" width="1" height="1" alt=""><p><a href="https://medium.com/coinmonks/how-to-choose-the-ideal-ai-chatbot-for-your-explosive-business-growth-in-2024-64ac3a9d6741">How to Choose the Ideal AI Chatbot for Your Explosive Business Growth in 2024?</a> was originally published in <a href="https://medium.com/coinmonks">Coinmonks</a> on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.</p> https://bizandtech.net/how-choose-ideal-ai-chatbot-your-explosive-business-growth-2024#comments finance management media mobile money new social technology web Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:16:49 +0000 admin 1851877 at https://bizandtech.net