TOP TECH - TechSmartWorld

If there’s a special place in your heart for single-purpose utilities that solve a nagging problem, then you’re going to want to skip your daily Starbucks coffee and instead buy yourself a copy of the new iOS contacts utility Vignette.

The new app is focused on doing one thing well: finding photos for your contacts by scouring social media profiles and updating them.
Many people don’t bother to add a photo when entering in an iOS contact for the first time — it’s often an afterthought at best.
And because the iOS Contacts app directs you to your own photo library to find an image when editing a contact, adding a photo tends to be something people only do for close friends and family.
(After all, most people don’t carry photos of co-workers, clients or business colleagues on their iPhone.)
But that means when you use Apple’s Phone app or iMessage and others, you see gray boxes with the person’s initials instead of a colorful picture.
It’s a minor grievance, sure, but one that can impact people with wide networks — like those who interact with a range of clients or customers as part of their job, or remote workers who like to be reminded of what far-flung colleagues look like, for instance.
Plus, the gray initial boxes are just aesthetically displeasing.
Vignette is simple to use. The app will scan select fields in your Contacts, including Email (which is used for Gravatar), Twitter, Facebook, and the Custom social network field, Instagram. (Instagram is not one of the built-in options in iOS Contacts, unfortunately).

You can then choose to update each contact with the photo it finds. In the case of multiple photos, you can pick which you prefer.
And you don’t have to make these updates one-by-one — you can “Select All” to make dozens or even hundreds of updates at once.
If you’re worried the app won’t find anything — or not enough to warrant spending $4.99 — you can opt to run the scan first, before committing to paying.
But if you decide to proceed with the updates, you’ll need to make the one-time purchase.
There are some third-party utilities for contact management, including those that will update based on social network profile data; but they tend to require you to authenticate with the third-party network in order to pull in the additional content.
Vignette does not. The app instead takes a privacy-minded approach to its work. It doesn’t require you upload your contacts to its servers, and it only uses the social networks anonymously as opposed to having you log in.
The indie developer behind the app, Casey Liss — who you might know from the Accidental Tech Podcast or the video series Casey on Cars — says he has a few ideas for improving the app in the near-term.
This includes duplicate detection, limiting Vignette’s scans to select contact groups and better Facebook integration. (Right now it requires a numeric Facebook ID like Fb://profile/1234567, which Liss realizes is undesirable).
He also acknowledges that many people are asking for LinkedIn integration.
“That would require a login, which I’m currently kind of allergic to, but I’ve gotten enough requests to at least consider it,” he tells us.
The app was built over three months’ time and is now launching just days before Apple’s annual developer conference, WWDC, where it’s expected we’ll see updated versions of core apps, including Messages.
Given its singular purpose, Vignette may not have a wide audience. Liss admitted that’s the case on a recent episode of the Analog(ue) podcast, in fact. Related: The Realme 3 is an impressive budget phone for India
When asked who the app was for, he responded: “it’s for me.”
“This is really scratching an itch that I had. I really was tired of looking at all these initials in my Contacts list — I wanted to have pictures,” he explained. “But I didn’t want to go through the manual process of adding them all one-by-one.”
He may be surprised to find quite a few of us were similarly annoyed by all the gray initials. The app today is making the rounds across the Apple blogs and news sites, including 9to5Mac, MacStories, The Mac Observer, Cult of Mac and others, where it’s being largely well-received.
Vignette is a free download with a $4.99 in-app purchase on the App Store.
SOURCE
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Blockchain TOP TECH

Alibaba to Use Blockchain Tech for Cross-Border Supply Chains

March 9, 2019 TECH TEAM

Chinese e-commerce big Alibaba cluster is considering blockchain school implementation for cross-border provide chains, aforesaid Liu Song, vice chairman of Alibaba cluster, per People’s Daily, the largest state-owned newspaper of China.
According to the report, Alibaba is attending to implement blockchain technology for cross-border provide chains to make a closed-loop ecological system that would be coupled with native governments.
The Jack Ma promoted firm conjointly plans to develop new technologies like the net of Things (IoT) and blockchain within the fields of customs brokers, international supply and trade finances, per Song’s extended remarks to brokerage and investment bank China Galaxy Securities.
Last month, Alibaba’s international online marketplace, Tmall international, conjointly proclaimed that it had launched a blockchain pilot that might trace foreign product and verify their believability and fight food fraud.
In October, Alibaba has proclaimed that its cloud computing arm, Alibaba Cloud, aims to expand their enterprise-level Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) to major international markets together with Europe, u. s. and geographical region.
In Gregorian calendar month, the corporate has conjointly proclaimed the upgrade of its foreign trade integrated service platform to a cross-border provide chain platform.
In India, cross-border wholesale business was one amongst Alibaba’s 1st businesses within the country and it’s already invested with over $200 million bucks in its cross-border wholesale trade business in India and per a report by FactorDaily, the corporate plans to speculate $1 billion over 4-5 years within the India operations of an equivalent.
To recall, in Jan last year , according that however a cryptocurrency referred to as TRON has Associate in Nursing Alibaba affiliation as most of its members are roped in from Alibaba, and conjointly as a result of TRON’s founder Justin Sun was the sole time period to attend Hupan University, Associate in Nursing elite enterpriser leadership program in China based by Alibaba’s Jack Ma .
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Top featured image – REUTERS/Bobby bark/supply

Clean Energy TOP TECH

What is Clean Technology?

March 4, 2019 TECH TEAM Clean Technology, Solar energy

Clean technology, typically cited as Cleantech, maybe a term typically wont to outline a collection of technologies that either reduces or optimisms the utilization of natural resources, while at a constant time reducing the negative impact that technology has on the world and its ecosystems.
Examples of such technologies are comparatively new property energy sources, like wind and wave power, or improved standard energy production processes, like clean coal technology.
In examples higher than, clean technology solutions have a positive profit in regard to global climate change and property development. within the eyes of the investment community, it’s additionally vital that clean technology solutions are economically viable and have the potential to be profitable.
Conversely, for environmental teams and governments, the helpful impacts on the atmosphere of fresh technology solutions are doubtless to be of bigger importance than current gain calculations.
One ought to additionally bear in mind that technology that is presently thought of to be unprofitable, once oil is fairly low cost, can have a future once oil hits another record high in worth because it did towards the tip of 2014. The “total cost” of fresh technology and thus gain, is tough to outline and sometimes depends on individual agendas.

Key Clean Technology Sectors

To the general public clean technology is focused around the following key areas; property energy and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, the supply of fresh water to any or all WHO wants it, pollution reduction, employment, and waste management.
Within every of the higher than sectors, it’s attainable to additional sub-divide clean technology into many sub-classes, the list below provides some examples:

Sustainable Energy

There are varied technologies that create use of property sources of energy. Listed below are a number of the foremost common that are being employed across the globe:
Wind power – this property resource is usually exploited within the form of huge wind farms, usually found offshore. A wind energy facility contains an outsized cluster of individual wind turbines connected to 1 another, that generate electricity while not manufacturing any greenhouse emission emissions.
Hydroelectric power – this refers to the utilization of the attraction of water falling or flowing to supply electricity. Once created, an electricity power-plant can turn out extraordinarily low levels of greenhouse gases when putting next to fossil fuel-based techniques.
Solar energy – 2 techniques are wont to generate electricity from star energy; photovoltaics (PV) or targeted solar energy systems (CSPs). the previous uses the photostatic impact to directly convert light-weight into associate degree electrical current, while the latter uses lenses or mirrors to focus a beam of sunshine directly onto a little space that is regenerate into heat that afterward drives an engine to get electricity.
Geothermal energy – this is often merely the warmth from the world itself. This heat is employed in the same fashion to the directed light-weight beams for CSPs to heat up water to drive heat engines so generating electricity.
Water treatment – this refers to the treatment of raw water to make sure that it’s safe for human consumption.
Wastewater treatment – the conversion of waste product into water that may then be entered into the water cycle or reused, is cited as wastewater treatment.

Pollution Reduction

Emission control – there are many strategies to scale back international emissions. The adoption of fresh technologies, like the property energy sources, listed higher than, likewise as a transition from petrol-based vehicles to biofuels and electric vehicles are simply many of the recommended ways in which to regulate emissions.
Pollutant watching/sensing – air monitoring stations are used throughout us of America in an exceeding system called State native Air watching Stations (SLAMS) which offer annual reports on the degree of pollutants in every state. Similar techniques of watching the number of air pollutants are utilized across the planet.
Remediation of impure sites – once missive of invitation for environmental rectification of a location is created by government or land remediation authorities, immediate action should be taken by the landowners to make sure the placement is created safe for humans and animals. this may involve improvement soil, groundwater, surface water or sediment, by removing pollutants and contaminants.
Recycling and Waste Treatment
Recycling of client product – the bulk of client products today have massive numbers of components or parts which may be recycled. Once a product reaches its “post-consumer” stage, it ought to be sorted properly to make sure it doesn’t find yourself in landfills.
Reduction and treatment of venomous waste – usually within the form of dangerous chemicals or product, venomous or dangerous waste ought to be treated terribly fastidiously. Most governments across the planet have plans in situate for the reduction, collection, treatment, and regulation of venomous and unsafe waste.
Underpinning the event of fresh technologies are developments in info and communication technology, materials science and engineering, semiconductors and natural philosophy.

What is Clean Technology?

Clean Technology and Regulation
There is a worldwide drive to adopt clean technology solutions thanks to this and future effects of global climate change as an instantaneous result of our reliance on fossil fuels for energy. Governments around the world are currently adapting to a bigger or lesser extent, regulative regimes that need trade and people to scale back their environmental impact.
To support these regimes voluntary reduction schemes and carbon commerce schemes are being introduced. The mounting pressure from international communities and organizations ought to end in the widespread adoption of fresh technologies across the planet within the returning years.
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TOP TECH

All About Bitcoin Part 1

March 4, 2019 TECH TEAM All About Bitcoin

What is Bitcoin?

To cut through a number of the confusion encompassing bitcoin, we’d like to separate it into 2 parts. On the one hand, you’ve got bitcoin-the-token, a snip of code that represents possession of a digital conception – a type of sort of a virtual note. On the opposite hand, you’ve got bitcoin-the-protocol, a distributed network that maintains a ledger of balances of bitcoin-the-token. each square measure cited as “bitcoin.”
The system allows payments to be sent between users while not passing through a central authority, like a bank or payment entrance. it’s created and command electronically. Bitcoins aren’t written, like bucks or euros – they’re made by computers all around the world, victimization free computer code.
It was the primary example of what we tend to these days decision cryptocurrencies, a growing quality category that shares some characteristics of ancient currencies, with verification, supported cryptography.

Who created it?

Anonymous computer code developer going by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto planned bitcoin in 2008, as Associate in Nursing electronic payment system supported proof. the concept was to provide a way of exchange, freelance of any central authority, that might be transferred electronically in an exceedingly secure, verifiable and changeless means.
To this day, no-one is aware of the World Health Organization Satoshi Nakamoto extremely is.
In what ways in which is it totally different from ancient currencies?
Bitcoin may be accustomed to acquire things electronically if each parties square measure willing. therein sense, it’s like typical bucks, euros, or yen, that are listed digitally.
But it differs from order digital currencies in many necessary ways:
Decentralization
Bitcoin’s most vital characteristic is that it’s localized. No single establishment controls the bitcoin network. it’s maintained by a gaggle of volunteer coders, Associate in Nursing go past an open network of dedicated computers unfold around the world. This attracts people and teams that square measure uncomfortable with the management that banks or government establishments have over their cash.
Bitcoin solves the “double defrayal problem” of electronic currencies (in that digital assets will simply be traced and re-used) through an imaginative combination of cryptography and economic incentives. In electronic order currencies, this operate is consummated by banks, which supplies them management over the standard system. With bitcoin, the integrity of the transactions is maintained by a distributed and open network, in hand by no-one.
Restricted offer
Fiat currencies (dollars, euros, yen, etc.) have a vast offer – central banks will issue as several as they require, and may plan to manipulate a currency’s price relative to others. Holders of the currency (and particularly voters with very little alternative) bear the value.
With bitcoin, on the opposite hand, the availability is tightly controlled by the underlying algorithmic rule. the tiny low range of latest bitcoins trickle out each hour, and can still do this at a decreasing rate till most of twenty-one million has been reached. This makes bitcoin a lot of engaging as Associate in Nursing quality – in theory, if demand grows and also the offer remains similar, the worth can increase.
Pseudonymity
While senders of ancient electronic payments square measure sometimes known (for verification functions, and to adjust to anti-money lavation and different legislation), users of bitcoin, in theory, operate in semi-anonymity. Since there’s no central “validator,” users oughtn’t to establish themselves once causing bitcoin to a different user. once a dealings request is submitted, the protocol checks all previous transactions to verify that the sender has the required bitcoin further because the authority to send them. The system doesn’t apprehend his or her identity.
In follow, every user is known by the address of his or her billfold. Transactions will, with some effort, be half-track this manner. Also, enforcement has developed strategies to spot users if necessary.
Furthermore, most exchanges square measure needed by law to perform identity checks on their customers before they’re allowed to shop for or sell bitcoin, facilitating otherwise that bitcoin usage may be half-track. Since the network is clear, the progress of selected dealing is visible to all or any.
This makes bitcoin not a perfect currency for criminals, terrorists or money-launderers.
Unchangeability
Bitcoin transactions can not be reversed, in contrast to electronic order transactions.
This is as a result of there’s no central “adjudicator” which will say “ok, come to the cash.” If a dealing is recorded on the network, Associate in Nursing if over an hour has passed, it’s not possible to switch.
While this could disquiet some, it will mean that any dealings on the bitcoin network cannot be tampered with.
Quality
The smallest unit of a bitcoin is termed a Satoshi. it’s 100 millionth of a bitcoin (0.00000001) – at today’s costs, regarding one-hundredth of a cent. this might conceivably modify microtransactions that ancient electronic cash cannot.

Bitcoin Transactional properties:

1.) Irreversible: when confirmation, dealings can‘t be reversed. By nobody. no one|and no-one} suggests that nobody. Not you, not your bank, not the president of us, not Satoshi, not your manual laborer. Nobody. If you send cash, you send it. Period. nobody will assist you, if you sent your funds to a grifter or if a hacker scarfs them from your pc. there’s no safety internet.
2.) Pseudonymous: Neither transactions or accounts square measure connected to real-world identities. You receive Bitcoins on questionable addresses, that square measure every which way superficial chains of around thirty characters. whereas it’s sometimes doable to research the dealings flow, it’s not essentially doable to attach the important world identity of users with those addresses.
3.) quick and global: dealings is propagated nearly instantly within the network and square measure confirmed in an exceeding number of minutes. Since they happen in an exceedingly international network of computers they’re fully indifferent of your physical location. It doesn‘t matter if I send Bitcoin to my neighbor or to somebody on the opposite aspect of the planet.
4.) Secure: Bitcoin funds square measure latched in an exceedingly public key cryptography system. solely the owner of the personal key will send cryptocurrency. sturdy cryptography and also the magic of massive numbers makes it not possible to interrupt this theme. A Bitcoin address is safer than Fort John Knox.
5.) Permissionless: You don‘t need to raise anybody to use cryptocurrency. It‘s simply a computer code that everyone will transfer for free of charge. when you put in it, you’ll receive and send Bitcoins or different cryptocurrencies. nobody will forestall you. there’s no gatekeeper.
Where am I able to notice Bitcoins?
First, we might advocate you browse this in-depth guide for getting Bitcoin.
You can get your 1st bitcoins from any of those four places.
A cryptocurrency exchange wherever you’ll exchange ‘regular’ coins for bitcoins, or for satoshis, that square measure just like the BTC-type of cents. Resources: Coinbase and Coin square within the U.S., and BitBargain GB and Bittylicious within the GB.
A Bitcoin ATM (or cryptocurrency exchange) wherever you’ll amendment bitcoins or money for one more cryptocurrency. Resources: Your best bets square measure BTER and CoinCorner
A classified service wherever you’ll notice a vendor World Health Organization can assist you trade bitcoins for money. Resources: The definitive website is LocalBitcoins.
You could sell a product or service for bitcoins. Resources: Sites like Purse.
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