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SECURING BITCOIN: HOW TO USE A PAPER WALLET

If you’re planning to hold bitcoins long term, one of the easiest, best ways to store them is in paper wallets, somewhere safe, such as a safe for instance, that you have control over. More technological methods such as the Trezor hardware wallet and others have come about, and we are hoping to acquire one of those for review purposes soon. But the paper wallet serves a lot of important purposes in Bitcoin. Perhaps its most novel purpose is shattering the idea that computers are necessarily required to transact in bitcoins. Indeed, if dealing with an actually trusted party, receiving bitcoins via private key on a paper wallet is as secure as any other way of receiving them. The key word there is trusted party. If two parties have access to a private key, that private key can be swept into another wallet very easily. Thus, if the party was a stranger or an untrusted party, they could as easily sweep the coins into another wallet directly after or minutes before handing over a paper wal...

Bitcoin’s Blocksize Increase Solution

Contrary to most claims, Segregated Witness (Segwit) doesn’t necessarily require users to manually upgrade their systems or wallets in order to receive Segwit transactions. The activation of Segwit does provide notable changes to the layer one of the bitcoin network and as a result, wallet platforms will be required to alter their applications pertaining to the changes made by Segwit to the bitcoin protocol. For users of major bitcoin wallet platforms which already are Segwit-ready such as Blockchain, Coinbase, Copay, Ledger and Keepkey, upon the activation of Segwit, they will be able to receive Segwit-enabled transactions. // Let us help you become financially independent. Read exclusive stories, bitcoin analysis, and tutorials. Use the coupon code "CCN5" and get $5 off. Join  Hacked.com  now. // According to David Harding, the co-author of the Bitcoin.org developer documentation, users will be automatically introduced to Segwit-enabled versions of wallets, wallet ...

Bitcoin Market Dominance is Currently being Challenged

Offered its status as the original blockchain protocol, it must be no shock that bitcoin has prolonged dominated the digital currency markets. In terms of  marketplace capitalization , it dwarfs other cryptocurrencies. Its first-mover status and widespread adoption has (so far) provided bitcoin the dual advantage of network result and steep barriers to entry, retaining choices at bay. But there is proof that this longstanding narrative could be shifting. Latest infighting in bitcoin’s development local community has provided a uncommon opportunity for options to stress their worth propositions and even assert new ones (like getting a hedge in instances in which bitcoin’s potential would seem uncertain). This has led to an exciting, observable trend. While the complete pie of the cryptocurrency marketplace keeps developing more substantial, bitcoin’s slice is getting to be smaller sized. one. Bitcoin’s dominance decline The clearest illustration of bitcoin’s network...

Bitcoin Price Recovers from ETF Rejection, Nears $1,250; Cryptocurrencies are Booming

Bitcoin has swatted away the distraction of a failed attempt to establish a bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) by the Winklevoss twins to supersede its levels prior to the SEC ruling on Friday. On Monday, bitcoin price reached a high of $1,249 at the time of publishing on the Bitstamp Price Index (BPI). It was an eventful and dramatic Friday for bitcoin. Having flirted with $1,200 through most of Thursday, bitcoin price began trading above the milestone on Friday. Anticipation turned to excitement in the lead-up to the decision as frenzied trading pushed bitcoin to an  all-time BPI high of $1350 . The SEC’s  refusal to approve the Winklevoss’ bitcoin ETF predictably led to a rapid sell-off, as bitcoin price  sunk to a low of $975  in a ten-minute period from $1,288. From its all-time high to a new 30-day low, bitcoin has lost nearly 28% in value. In the aftermath of the decision, price resurfaced above $1,100, finding new support. // Let us help you be...

Ireland Is Becoming a “Landing Spot” for Blockchain Tech

byMichael Scott The Republic of Ireland, as it is officially referenced, has a population of 4,757,976 according to the 2016 census. The county’s economy grew a respectable  5.2 percent last year — a rate that exceeded all other euro zone countries and most official forecasts for the third successive year. It is the country’s ascension, though, as an epicenter for blockchain innovation in Europe that is garnering attention. Highlighting this was the  blockchain hackathon event  that took place in November of 2016 at Dublin City University. It attracted more than 150 technologists and fintech entrepreneurs, collaborating together on the creation of new apps and services using blockchain technology. Last year also saw  Travacoin , an Irish startup, achieve acclaim for its work on a blockchain-based voucher system that facilitates a refund and compensation system for delayed and canceled flights. In early 2017, global consulting firm Deloitte, which works with 90 p...

Bitcoins now worth £30,000

Drew Llewellyn bought his first Bitcoin in 2011. Over the years, he has paid up to £899 ($1,100) and as little as £14.70 ($18) for one Bitcoin, as the value of the digital currency has dramatically risen and crashed. But now, for the first time,  one Bitcoin has topped the value of an ounce of gold. And Drew, who owns 18, is pretty happy about it. On Thursday night, the value of a Bitcoin closed at £1,036 ($1,268) while an ounce of gold stood at $1,233. Morerelated stories Guide: What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin value tops gold for first time Does Bitcoin still matter? "For years critics have said Bitcoin will never last - that its value will drop, that it will never be adopted, and even that it's some kind of  ponzi scheme ," he told Newsbeat. "Today's all time high is another example of how, year on year, Bitcoin is becoming more prevalent, reliable and valuable." What can you buy with Bitcoin? Drew, who works in IT in North ...

How to Get a Job in Digital Currency

Bitcoin  and  digital currency  are exciting new areas of business and finance, and an ideal target for anybody looking to break into the tech industry or change career paths. The revolutionary potential of digital currency is only just starting to be fulfilled, meaning that there is a huge range of opportunities for businesses to take advantage of. But because of the fact that it is so new and different, there is also a huge shortage of knowledgeable, experienced and skilled professionals able to take on the challenge of helping businesses to capitalize on the potential of Bitcoin and digital currency. All of which means that this is an ideal time for tech savvy workers looking to get a job in Bitcoin or other digital currency related companies. If you are a digital currency enthusiast with a bit of knowledge about the industry, and any transferable skills such as in marketing, journalism, business admin, or actually writing programming code, then you can expect to com...

Ukraine's New Unmanned 'Phantom' Ground Vehicle Aims To Bust Russian Tanks 

The Ukrainian military hopes it can keep more of its soldiers alive when its new unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) hits the battlefield. This is the Phantom. It’s designed to help minimize the number of soldiers required to fight against the heavily-armed rebels backed by Russia in the Dombass region, where a nearly three-year civil war has claimed the lives of more than 3,100 Ukrainian troops. One of the key features of the Phantom is its anti-tank missile system, called Barrier, and its 12.7 mm caliber machine gun. The machine gun and Barrier are capable of engaging light and heavily-armored targets from 100 to 5,000 meters, according to  Ukroboronprom , the Ukrainian company that makes the Phantom. Besides its offensive power, the Phantom can drive on sand, thanks to its hybrid all-wheel drive engine, hydraulic brake system and independent suspension. And if you’re thinking about the Phantom being hacked somehow, it is fitted with a secure radio channel. I reached out to Ukraine...

Bitcoin’s Block Size Controversy is Morphing Into a Debate Between Hard Forks and Soft Forks

For nearly the past two years, various alternatives to Bitcoin Core have attempted to increase Bitcoin’s  block  size limit via  hard-forking changes  to the codebase run by nodes on the network. While manageable capacity increases are desired by many Bitcoin users, the complications associated with hard forks have left the network unwilling to adopt an increase to the block size limit. A hard fork requires every economically-relevant Bitcoin full node (or at least nearly all of them) to upgrade to a new network, while a  soft-forking change  is backwards compatible. As illustrated by  Ethereum’s hard fork to bailout DAO token holders , contentious hard forks can be difficult to pull off. Of course, a sufficiently contentious soft fork could also lead to users hard forking away from the current group of miners in an effort to opt-out of that particular version of Bitcoin, which could potentially lead to two different versions of Bitcoi...

Analyze Your Facebook Usage

Facebook collects a lot of your data, but you might never get to see what they really learn about you. Data Selfie aims to give you a glimpse by letting you analyze your own Facebook usage. While there’s no way to know exactly how Facebook analyzes your data without working for the company, Data Selfie gives you a rough approximation. Once you add it to Chrome, the extension tracks your activity on Facebook. Everything from what you click on to what you type. Data Selfie stores that information locally and doesn’t share it with anyone (though obviously Facebook is tracking it). After a while of usage, you can generate a report that will let you explore what someone could learn about from your activity. It shows simple things like the pages and people you spend the most time with, as well as complex thoughts like how you lean politically, or whether you’re more relaxed or emotional. If you’ve never paid attention to how simple things like your Facebook activity...

Global Bitcoin Market is Less Dependent on China, Price Surge

Previously, before the People’s Bank of China requested local bitcoin exchanges to implement a trading fee system, the vast majority of traders and investors believed that the Chinese market controlled over 90% of the global bitcoin exchange market. While the Chinese market certainly did demonstrate dominance over the global bitcoin market in the past, the emergence and development of major US and Japanese bitcoin exchanges including Kraken, Bitfinex, and Bitflyer allowed the two countries to takeover and outpace China. Naturally, the PBoC’s involvement and statements on bitcoin showed diminishing impact on the value of bitcoin and the global bitcoin market has become less dependent on China, its government and exchange market. The weakening authority of the PBoC over the bitcoin exchange market allowed the digital currency to r eecover relatively quickly  amidst substantial declines in value and demonstrate a higher level of resilience towards the PBOC and regul...

Japan’s Largest Bank is Testing Digitized Checks on a Blockchain in Singapore

The  Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ , Japan’s largest bank, has chosen blockchain technology as the core infrastructure toward testing the digitization of checks using Singapore’s Fintech-friendly regulatory sandbox installed by the country’s central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. First  announced  [PDF] last year, the Proof of Concept (PoC) testing is the result of a joint endeavor between the bank and major Japanese conglomerate Hitachi. The two companies developed a blockchain-based infrastructure to issue, transfer and collect electronic checks. With the PoC testing, the bank issued and settled checks while the Hitachi Group’s companies in Singapore received the electronic checks and then deposited the funds. “The project is to digitalize entire check processing – from issuing checks to clearing checks,”  stated Hirofumi Aihara, general manager at MUFG’s Asian Systems Office, recently. What is commonly s...

REASONS TO BUY THE SAMSUNG GALAXY A3 (2017)

The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) is a great mid-range device. Samsung hasn’t managed to avoid all faults with this phone but it without a doubt includes a range of functions and features that definitely play in its favor. Here are 5 reasons to opt for the Galaxy A3 (2017). Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) review: the mid-range phone that thinks it's a flagship Has Samsung found the perfect recipe for success with the A series? Before revealing the strengths of this device, it’s important to acknowledge its weaknesses. This way you can ensure that, as a potential buyer, your final decision is based on all the facts from both sides of the coin. The phone was released with Android 6.0.1, an Android interface that has now been available for several months. Samsung didn’t consider it necessary to install Android Nougat on the device, which reflects the  fragmentation problem  that affects the various Android versions. Some also criticize the device’s ...

Nigerian Bankers Committee Plans to Legalize Bitcoin

As there is no centralized entity controlling the ecosystem. Nigerian banks are contemplating to legalize bitcoin, which would give the popular cryptocurrency a significant boost, to say the least. NIGERIA HAS PLANS WITH BITCOIN It is not the first time someone brings up the concept of Nigerian banks legalizing bitcoin. The same idea was  proposed  several months ago. Albert no one saw this as a hint of what the future could hold, it would appear various Nigerian banks are thinking along the same lines. This development caught quite a few people by surprise, even though it makes a lot of sense. An article appeared in The Inquirer, which talks about how the Nigerian Bankers Committee is studying blockchain technology. That is anything but surprising, as nearly every bank around the world is well aware of what distributed ledgers bring to the table. However, there has not been any major product to come forth from this interest so far. Experts predict a few of...

Google forums overrun with Pixel 2 design discussion

It might not matter what you think about  how the Pixel looks  — it worked for the company and it hasn’t deterred demand. The process of getting to the Pixel’s look was profiled by  CNET  last week and Krishna Kumar, Product Lead for the Pixel, decided to take the opportunity to throw some food for thought to the Pixel User Community. The forum has been a discussion center for fellow owners to discuss issues like  image corruptions  and  broken speakers , but it also inadvertently played hub to what people wanted from  a Pixel 2 . “What do you like about the design? What do you hate about it? What did we get right?,” Kumar asked.  “What would you like to see us improve?” Well, that’s a sequel confirmed, right? The discussion took turns supporting more buttons, fewer buttons, stereo speakers, wireless charging here,  waterproofing there  and a lot more. Storage and RAM upgrades were requested with better overall specs and biometri...