Island Browser for Business Reaches $1.3 Billion Value
06/04/2022Just some weeks after its launch, Island, the webbrowser focused in enterprise and security, has just reached a $1.3 billion valuation. Island browser is based on chromium and has been developed by two former Symantec executives, who were looking for an option configured to the web security needs of companies and not conventional users. The new browser, in addition to limiting the add-ons that many often some people install on company computers and that sometimes cause significant security breaches, incorporates specific tools to prevent this type of actions, protect SaaS applications, identify incidents and prevent data theft. Depending on the level of security required by each company, Island Browser allows, for example, to download content or not, disable or enable the copy and paste option or deny access to certain domains, among other options. From Island, also insist that their project is based on the utility and not on the consumer, so that the characterization level of Island browser it offers the minimum.
[ ... ]
Digital insurance with AI sets the trend in the Insurtech market
12/04/2024Digital insurance, connected and driven by generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), is making a milestone in the Insurtech market, according to a report prepared by the technology consultancy NTT Data. The report, 'Insurtech Global Outlook 2024,' delves into the three waves of innovation that are reshaping the insurance sector and also offers recommendations derived from its main findings. NTT Data experts detail that, after reaching record investment figures in previous years, the sector experienced an adjustment in 2023, reflecting both the bursting of a bubble and a strategic adaptation to new global economic and political realities. Three waves of innovation in digital insurance The NTT Data report identifies "three waves of innovation" in the insurance industry: digital insurance, connected insurance, and generative insurance. The first ones, they explain, mark the entry of Insurtech companies into the market, while connected insurance leads the shift towards proactive prevention strategies and personalized approaches for the client. The latter, generative insurance linked to AI, they add, are helping insurance companies to generate high-impact models in society, while also complying with ethical regulations. In fact, according to this work, cybersecurity and AI emerge as fundamental pillars for the transformation of the sector. The report highlights, for example, an investment of 640 million dollars in cybersecurity, with a growth in the number of transactions and an increasing focus on protection against cyber risks. In addition, artificial intelligence, with investments of over 50 billion dollars, is consolidating, according to the NTT Data report, as a disruptive force, paving the way for revolutionary solutions and business models.
[ ... ]
Huawei
HuaweiHuawei is the world-leading telecommunications provider. It has a wide range of products and services. It is estimated that more than 3 billion people worldwide use Huawei products and services to make calls, send messages or surf the Internet. Founded in 1987 in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, Huawei today employs more than 195,000 people in more than 170 countries around the world. Huawei, an independent, privately-held company, has grown exponentially since its inception to become the world's biggest telco equipment vendor and the second-largest smartphone manufacturer.
[ ... ]
What is Worldcoin and what does scanning the iris involve?
04/03/2024Worldcoin was introduced in summer of 2023 as a revolutionary project with the mission of creating a 100% secure digital identity, essentially a kind of fortified "digital passport," based on the verification of a unique and non-transferable element inherent to each human being—the iris. According to its developers, World ID will help distinguish human online activity from that generated by machines. In the first phase of the project, the creation of this secure digital identity is planned for 2 billion humans. To make this possible, Worldcoin has called on the global population to scan their iris. In return, Worldcoin compensates participants with a few tokens of its successful cryptocurrency, WLD, which has quadrupled in value within a few weeks of its initial launch. The payment in WLD tokens is not coincidental; it is part of Worldcoin's strategy, aiming to leverage the new digital passports to create a comprehensive ecosystem that provides universal and equitable access to advanced financial services for the entire global population. To achieve this, they encourage "iris sellers" to use the Worldcoin cryptocurrency on its fee-free blockchain, unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other cryptocurrencies that do charge transaction fees. How does Worldcoin work? Worldcoin aims to address the issues of bots, rapid creation of fake identities, and content with artificial intelligence. It is designed, according to its developers, to provide every individual in the world with a unique digital identification. Additionally, Worldcoin promises to ensure the financial inclusion of each person in a fair and equitable ecosystem through a universal basic income. Users receive this income in exchange for allowing their iris to be scanned. To create the secure digital passport with Worldcoin, users must undergo an iris scan, which serves as proof of humanity and a unique identity on the blockchain. This process ensures that the individual on the other side of that identity is a human and not a fake profile created with artificial intelligence. In pursuit of the success of their proposal, the company offers users a small amount of their own Worldcoin tokens in exchange for iris scanning. The initial incentive of receiving free cryptocurrency, in the form of a universal basic income, is emphasized by Worldcoin advocates as the basis for the inclusive and universal nature of their initiative. This approach allows anyone to scan their iris, and the WLD tokens received in return can assist people without access to traditional financial services in starting to save and invest. How to Scan the Iris with Worldcoin? The registration process with Worldcoin involves scanning the iris with an orb, the central hardware device of Worldcoin developed by Tools for Humanity. The orb is spherical and processes all the information. Currently, Worldcoin has installed orbs in different countries, including Spain, where users can scan their iris in exchange for Worldcoins. To do this, it is necessary to download the Worldcoin mobile application, World ID, generate a QR code with it, and display it in front of the orb. The orb, upon recognizing it, will scan the user's iris, while a Worldcoin collaborator remotely oversees the operation. The orb takes less than a minute to perform the scan and validate the subject's identity. In exchange for their iris, the user receives a unique number called "IrisHash" and a cryptographic wallet with Worldcoins. "This digital passport is accepted as proof of unique humanity, which people can use in the digital world without the need to share any other data," assure its developers. What happens with my scanned iris in exchange for Worldcoins? Once the iris scan is completed, and digital identity is granted to the user, Worldcoin assures that the orb quickly eliminates the images unless the user requests their preservation. Only the set of numbers called "IrisHash" is stored for identification, without any additional biometric data. Worldcoin also commits to ensuring that users share only the necessary information they wish to share, providing verification options through linked devices or the additional facial authentication orb for high-security cases. Despite these commitments, the collection of biometric data through iris scanning for the unique proof of humanity continues to raise significant questions regarding privacy and information security. Some countries such as Brazil, France, India, or Kenya have halted Worldcoin's iris scanning. How much do you get paid for scanning your iris? Worldcoin pays 25 WLD for scanning your iris, which, according to the cryptocurrency's exchange rate in February 2024, has translated to an average of between 50 and almost €160 for iris sellers, depending on the value of Worldcoin on the day they scanned their iris. At the beginning of February, the value of each WLD unit was around two euros, and by the end of the month, it had risen to nearly seven euros. What can I spend my WLD on? 'Iris sellers' have the freedom to use their Worldcoins from the moment they receive them. They can exchange the payment for other cryptocurrencies, withdraw them in euros from a specialized ATM, or hold onto the tokens in the hope of an increase in their value. Additionally, WLD payments are already accepted on platforms such as Discord, Shopify, Minecraft, Telegram, Mercado Libre, or Reddit, among other places. Who is behind Worldcoin? Worldcoin bears the stamp of two innovative minds: Sam Altman and Alex Blania. Altman is the CEO of OpenAI and a key figure in artificial intelligence development, leading projects like ChatGPT. Blania, on the other hand, is the co-founder of Tools For Humanity, contributing his experience in creating technological tools for a more equitable economic system to this new and successful cryptocurrency.
[ ... ]
Microsoft
MicrosoftThe world of computing would not be the same without the products of the multinational Microsoft Corporation. Who hasn't heard of Bill Gates? Microsoft is considered one of the Big Five companies in the U.S. information technology industry, along with Google, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook. It was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1974 and is headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Microsoft does almost everything. It not only develops and manufactures personal computers and related services but also assists people, and sells computer software and consumer electronics worldwide. Its scope of action is so broad that it supplies individual users and large corporations, institutions, and even governments.
[ ... ]
Google accepts the challenge of bringing the Internet to all of Africa
29/10/2021Google has just announced that it's going to invest a billion dollars in improving the internet infrastructure in Africa through the American technology company Alphabet Inc. The project has the ambitious objective of increasing the Internet capacity in Africa 20 times, reducing the average connection price on the continent and increasing the Internet speed five times in this territory, where countries as Ethiopia or Malawi have an average connection below 0.5 megabits/ second. To complet this objectives, Google hopes to have its Equiano submarine cable ready by the end of this year. This cable has been deployed since 2019 and will connect Europe and Africa, contributing then to a considerable improvement in the current infrastructure of Africa. The “African digital transformation” project as it has been described by Google and Alphabet CEO, Sundar Pichai has a budget of 1 billion dolars, and incorporates a 50 million dolars, 40 million of which for non-profit organizations that works improving the standard of living in Africa, and the remaining 10 million for low-interest loans aimed at tech startups in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
[ ... ]
OPPO joins the Connectivity Standards Alliance
21/10/2021Oppo has announced its membership on the Board of Directors of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), the organization with more than 400 technology companies working together to increase compatibility in IoT through simpler technology standards. One of Oppo's main objectives in his new role, explained Neil Yang, director of OPPO's Standards Research Department, is to promote Matter, the base protocol for the Internet of Things (IoT), offering a simplified user experience that allows connecting different devices "We want to create a highly compliant IoT ecosystem, and drive the development of the Alliance's advancements together with other partners through proposals for new protocols, setting new standards and developing new Matter-based products”, says Yang. For the CSA, Oppo's commitment is an open door to promote Matter in China and throughout Asia, offering the possibility of providing better IoT experiences to more than one billion users.
[ ... ]
The mining hardware market is booming
09/09/2021There is no doubt about it: cryptocurrency mining is booming. According to a report by Technavio, the mining hardware market is expected to grow by about €2.4 billion between 2020 and 2024. It would grow at an annual rate of more than 7%. So much so that Facebook has already announced that it will launch its own cryptocurrency, a stablecoin pegged to the fiat currency of the country where it operates. It also announced that it will get involved in the NFT industry. Meanwhile, interest in different types of mining tools continues to grow. Day after day, miners join the network. “It began as a niche hobby. Early adopters had to set up rigs on their own and then figure out how to connect them to pools (groups of miners) and earn profit. But since hosting facilities became a thing, anyone can purchase a rig and earn some passive crypto”, explains Josh Metnick, CEO of Navier, a company that hosts different types of miners.
[ ... ]