What is cryptocurrency? And why you should care?

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Cryptocurrency is a digital currency which is encrypted using cryptography (encryption method), making it virtually impossible to counterfeit or spend it more than once.

They offer the ability to send money anywhere in the world instantly, with only fraction of a penny fees, in a secure environment.

Digital Money

While the concept of money is digital, it is still falls far behind what a cryptocurrency can offer. What may take a bank days, or weeks to process, can be done in a matter of seconds on the blockchain.

While money only has one single use as payment, cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum provide an entire platform for developers to build tools and websites on. These can even be used to build out the digital infrastructure in poorer countries which may not have the money or resources to have done so in the past.

Card providers such as Visa and Mastercard can currently process around 1,700 transactions per second, and PayPal around 170. Bitcoin is able to process over 25,000,000 on the Lightning network.

Money no longer just represents a form of payment, but also becomes a building block.

How it helps

Cryptocurrencies are already having a large impact in poorer, less developed countries as they allow their citizens to hold their money in a secure environment. In countries such as Nigeria, 31% of the population use and trade cryptocurrencies. This is a large increase from the 6% who have a bank account.

Giving the population a way to store, and send money is vital as to send money to family overseas, it can take weeks and have fees of up-to 25-30%.

Realising the benefits, El Salvador has been the first country to recognise and use Bitcoin as legal tender, next to the dollar. And all citizens will be eligible for a $30 worth of Bitcoin to get them started.

Why you should care

In the coming years, companies and entire networks will be built in and around cryptocurrency, with the plan to make the world digital, and take away power from centralised companies such as banks.

Where Google, Apple and Amazon were heralded as “Web 2.0”, cryptocurrency and what is being built is “Web 3.0”.

It is predicted that within 5 years, there will be over a billion people who use cryptocurrency.

Why GitHub Copilot isn’t as it seems

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GitHub recently announced their new artificial intelligence (AI) coding assistant, however it has already run into hot water as it has been found to be stealing code.

How it is trained

AI needs to be trained in order to be effective, and because GitHub is the largest code repository in the world, they have endless code that they can feed the AI algorithm in order to train it how to effectively write code.

This is not without its faults however. Poor quality code can enter the system and potentially cause issues, so only high quality and verified working code should be used to get the best results.

Why it is problematic

Because the AI has been trained using other people’s code, it effectively uses blocks from what it has learned to piece together what it needs to produce.

This is problematic as there have been multiple reports of it taking entire sections of code un-edited from programmers projects, leaving in names, links, and other personal information.

While it does correctly produce the correct results ~60% of the time, it still has a long way to go in terms of development.

Will it take my job?

In order to use GitHub Copilot, it requires human input and knowledge in order to build out effective applications. It is intended to be used as an aid, for quicker development and not as a replacement for a human developer.

AI can not for-see or identify changes that might be required in the future, and can not dynamically work with a client to get what they are looking for.

For now, GitHub Copilot doesn’t have a place in industry due to how new and unpolished it is. However in the future it could well be a useful tool to assist developers.

Windows 11 officially announced

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On Thursday 24th June, Microsoft officially announced the upcoming Windows 11 operating system. 11 will be a free upgrade to anyone running Windows 10 and brings a revised interface design.

What’s new with Windows 11?

Interface Updates

Windows 11 has moved to a “glass” like appearance, akin to that of Vista’s released in 2006. This time, Microsoft has opted to take on a modern approach as opposed to a futuristic take on the user interface and experience.

Task Bar Changes

The task bar and search menus have been moved to the middle (though there is an option to change this back to left align), which is now closer to resembling Apple’s macOS Monterey.

Android App Support

Android apps will now natively run in Windows just like a normal application meaning you’ll be able to use any app that is on your phone, and continue it right on your computer. This lessens the need for progressive web applications as anyone will be able to install any app currently available on the Google Play Store to their PC.

Release Date & Cost

Windows 11 will be available to download in the “Holiday 2021” period as an upgrade to anyone who is currently running Windows 10. This upgrade will be completely FREE! Anyone who does not have Windows 10 will be expected to pay the same price of 10 (£119.99).

If you need a website for your business, or website updating to have a more modern appearance, we offer UI & UX Design services for Web and CMS systems.

Adobe Flash has officially been discontinued by Adobe

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Adobe Flash Player was the browser plug-in that brought rich animations and interactivity to the early websites.

Originally released in 1996, “Flash” was one of the most popular ways for people to stream videos and play games online but it was plagued with security problems and failed the tranistion into smartphones which ultimately has led to its demise.

Adobe (who made Flash) will no longer offer security updates for Flash and has urged people to uninstall it. It will also stop videos and animations running in its Flash Player from 12 January.

In 2009 Adobe said Flash was installed on 99% of internet-connected desktop PCs and Laptops and was used on 70% of all websites in some form.

You can find out more from the BBC’s article.

UK data analytics firm Dataform bought by Google Cloud

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Google Cloud has acquired a London-based startup called Dataform that builds tools to manage data flows for enterprise customers.

The company is described as an “operating system” for data warehouses and some of its co-founders are ex-Google employees. Its platform aims to help data-rich businesses draw insights by mining data stored in warehouses.

This is something that usually requires a team of engineers and analysts, but the Dataform system is about making the process simpler and cheaper for organisations.

Under the terms of the deal, Dataform will continue to operate under its management and focus on BigQuery. The Dataform Web will also be made free for all new users from now on with customers transitioned to the free plan immediately.

What is two factor authentication and why should you use it?

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What is two-factor authentication? 

Breaking it down to the most simple explanation, it’s basically adding a second layer of protection to your account, app or system to go alongside your regular method of logging in. In most instances, this involves receiving a code by SMS to your mobile number, but increasingly apps and services are sending a confirmation number to your device as a notification instead. Sometimes you can just tap the notification to approve the login. More commonly though, emails are sent containing the 6 digit code which you then use alongside your normal username/email and password.

How does two-factor authentication make your account more secure? 

The idea is that you’re adding a confirmatory step to your sign in attempt. Using the SMS example, it means no one can log into the account in question from a new device, even if they have your password. When using two-factor authentication via email, again it requires access to the email account associated with the platform you’re attempting to log in to.

When someone tries to log into your account from a new device, or even new browser, with your password, when they hit “enter” or “submit”, it’ll take them to a new screen asking for a code. This code has been sent to the registered mobile number as an SMS, a notifications via an app or to your email account. 

Some apps that use notifications also send you a code. But increasingly, apps are just sending a notification to your key devices so you can just confirm it was you signing in (in ther words, there’s no code)

Does two-step authentication always need a mobile number? 

As an example, WhatsApp can’t use your mobile number as its second verification method, because that’s the primary method for logging in. So instead, it asks you for a six-digit PIN number every so often, or when you log in from a new smartphone. 

While Apple does use SMS verification for iCloud account security, it also uses its “Trusted Devices” method. Using this method, it sends a four-digit code directly to a trusted and verified device, which then pops up in a little window on the screen once you unlock your iPhone or iPad. 

Where SMS isn’t used there’s often the option of getting a two-factor authentication code from a dedicated app like Google Authenticator. These sorts of apps simply offer access to a time-sensitive code that changes after a given period of time and so is constantly secure but gives you quick and easy access to your account. 

What if I’ve lost my phone? 

Most services – as mentioned – offer more than just the phone number SMS method for logging in. Nearly all of them will offer you the ability to generate backup codes or, like Apple, give you a recovery key that’s a really long chain of letters and numbers which you can input instead of using your password and SMS code.

Be sure to set up a recovery key, and store it somewhere safe like in a password-protected document and/or secure password app. 

Is it worth it? 

Yes. Absolutely. Once it’s set up it only adds one extra step to logging into your account from a new device or browser.

It’s always worth doing and failing to do so can often lead you open to privacy nightmares. An revealed just how dangerous this can be. There have been several reports of incidents where owners of smart home cameras have had their devices hacked and been spied upon by criminals simply because they failed to use a secure password and activate two-factor authentication.

On the off-chance that someone has got your password, and tries to get into your account, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that they can’t get in without also having your phone (or access to your email account) which – even if they have – is likely locked and protected behind a password, pattern or fingerprint scan. 

To add further privacy, there are settings within Android and iOS to ensure that you can stop SMS notifications from showing up on a lock screen. Just head to Settings > Notifications and select which apps you want to have display information on the lock screen, or choose to hide sensitive information (on Android).

More information can be found on PocketLint

Domino’s gets sales increase of 19% thanks to their mobile app

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Sales at Domino’s were up 19% in the three months to September, compared to the same period in 2014, thanks to one simple change to the way that they do business.

The company grew its online ordering business – through its website, an app and even the Apple Watch. So far this year, three-quarters of Domino pizza orders were made online and half of those orders have come through the company’s app or digital devices.

That’s boosted sales by 19 per cent across the group and 20 per cent in the UK exclusively, to £214.5 million in sales across the group, £200 million of which were in the UK.

Domino’s said good summer sales were helped by cooler weather, which saw people shunning barbeques and ordering pizza instead.

Domino’s mobile technology puts it far ahead of rivals. Last year it introduced a Siri-like voice recognition system to take orders through its app and earlier this year it introduced ordering via Pebble and Android smart watches.

iOS 14 released with just one day’s notice to developers! Thanks again Apple! :(

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iPhone and iPad users are being warned that some apps may experience issues because Apple only gave us (app developers) just one day’s notice of the release of the next itteration of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 14. Thanks yet again for the advanced notice Tim!

Chief executive Tim Cook revealed on Tuesday 14th Sep that iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 would launch on Wednesday 15th Sep. Last year, Apple announced the release date more than a week in advance which in our opinion is still not long enough!

We do not have enough time to check for bugs and submit the latest version of our apps to the Apple App Store and we’re not alone! Much larger companies such as Nintendo have also felt the pain, they have warned gamers that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will not launch after the update.

Nintendo have advised players to delay installing the new operating systems until later this month and we would like to follow suit and advise our customers and their users to do the same.

We’re really starting to dislike Apple now!

Aside from being hit with this out of nowhere and given no time to resubmit our apps, us and many in the community have already voiced concerns over the 30% cut the firm takes from sales and its sometimes closed and unhelpful review process. The issue even overshadowed Apple’s WWDC conference earlier in the year, when it became involved in a high-profile public row with the creators of a new email app called Hey.

More recently, a clash with the games developer Epic has led to Apple device owners being unable to get the latest version of Fortnite or install the game at all from scratch. Apple’s restrictions on third-party games platforms have also been criticised by Microsoft, and led to iPhone and iPad users being unable to play Xbox games on the devices, despite them being made available to Android.

iOS 14’s new features… new or just following Android?

iOS 14 has had a significant overhaul to Apple’s user interface.Widgets can be added to home screens to display the weather, time, stock prices or other information at a glance, and the selection can be set to change according to the time of day (sounds like Android OS to us?)

Apps can be automatically arranged into themed folders to make it easier for users to find their favourite services. And videos and Facetime calls can be made to appear in a small box that floats above the app in use, rather than taking up the full screen which will actually be quite useful.

In addition, there is also apparently:

  • a new Translation app
  • new cycling directions in Maps
  • new ways to customise the cartoon-like Memoji owners can use as avatars

iPad owners also gain new features for the Apple Pen, including the automatic conversion of handwriting into text and shape recognition.

There are also a bunch of security and platform updates for us to work our way through! We’re happy the new version iOS is out and that is got some great features but next time Apple, give us a bit more notice (oh, and reduce the 30% AppStore cut, thanks!)

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Note 20 smartphones unveiled

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Samsung has tackled one of the biggest criticisms of its original folding-screen smartphone by giving the new version a much bigger external display for use when it is closed. The original Galaxy Fold’s “cover screen” was a relatively small 4.6in, leading to claims it was fiddly to use. By contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s external screen is 6.2in – the same as the best-selling Galaxy S20.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2

Despite this, Samsung’s focus will be on its new Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra phones. Both deliver 5G connectivity, but otherwise represent a more modest revision to their predecessors than the change in the Fold.

The Ultra offers the benefits of a larger screen – 6.9in versus 6.7in – which is also capable of showing up to 120 frames per second, double the rate of the basic model. Samsung suggests this should make it more attractive to gamers.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

Other changes centre around the stylus and include:

  • faster response times when using the S Pen, to help make writing and drawing feel more natural
  • the addition of five S Pen off-screen gestures to control the device, including flicking to the left in the air to go back a page and a shake to take a screenshot
  • handwriting recognition that automatically straightens scribbled text

Additional new features include the ability to stream video to a compatible TV while continuing to let the handset be used for other tasks – similar to the AirPlay function on Apple’s iPhone.

And files can now be transferred wirelessly by pointing one of the phones at another “ultra-wideband-enabled” device, similar to the way Apple’s AirDrop and Huawei’s Share OneHop work.

The Note 20 will start at £849 and the Note 20 Ultra at £1,179 when they go on sale on 21 August 2020.

You can find out more about the Note 20 and Fold 2 at sumsung.co.uk

3 ESSENTIAL WEB & UI DESIGN TRENDS IN JULY 2020

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1. Text Highlights and Underlines

There’s always been an unwritten rule in website design that text uses more plain styles. Bold is acceptable, italics are OK from time to time, but underlining is seldom used. This design trend bucks that concept with text elements that use highlighter or underline elements to emphasize key words. And it works rather nicely.

What it takes to make this work is plenty of contrast and a design style that fits with underline or highlighted elements.

This design trend works thanks to clear intention. The words are obviously important to the overall meaning of the design or what visitors should take away from the content.

2. Distinct Geometry

Geometric shapes in website design have popped up as trending elements in a variety of forms. This iteration is pretty simple: Use of distinct geometry as part of the overall aesthetic.

Geometry might pair with illustrations, photos, text, or in the background or foreground. What’s great about shapes is that they are versatile and work with a lot of other design patterns.

What can be the most challenging about shapes and design is that distinct geometry requires some space and thought. Just tossing a few triangles or rectangles in a design without reason can look rather strange.

3. Shadow and Gradient Icons

Did you notice all the gradients and subtle shadows in icons in the images previewing iOS 14 or were you just looking at other changes (such as widgets) on the iPhone screen? We’ve been seeing more designers incorporating more shadows and depth into icons for a while, but this move by a major player in design will push it to the forefront fast. Each of the icons moves from a flat style to one with a background gradient color as well as more shadows within icon elements for depth.

Don’t worry, the design still looks very much like Apple, but is a little more reminiscent of the skeuomorphism style icons from earlier versions of iOS.

It’s nice that the color and shadow elements are contained within each icon. This creates more visual interest and depth for each element without getting cluttered or junky. The gradients are also super simple, using a darker version of the main color in a monotone element.