Apple

Steve Job’s Physical Job Application and Mirror Copy in NFT Form to Faceoff on the Auction Block

22/07/2021 by Idelto Editor

In another world-first for the non-fungible token (NFT) space, Steve Job’s handwritten job application letter in its physical form and an accompanying digital NFT of the same item will go head to head in respective auctions.

Auction to Expose How Collectors Value Different Formats

As NFTs continue to push the boundaries of possibilities, whether introducing new, novel use cases for tokenization or adding layers of value propositions to existing physical items, the question of collector preference is set to best tested.

Today, at 9:41 AM Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), Rarible and Snoofa will be hosting simultaneous auctions set to last for six days featuring Steve Job’s 1973 handwritten job application in two rival formats: the original physical copy and an NFT version. The written application highlights Job’s skills and interests, underlining his experience just a year before moving to Atari, which was then just a startup in the gaming space.

Rarible, an NFT marketplace for creators and collectors to issue, sell, and trade NFTs in the IPFS protocol, ensures that Job’s application minted in NFT format is backed up and cannot be lost during the transfer process between owners. Snoofa, which provides auction platform software solutions, will be handling the auction for the physical version. Interested collectors can bid in ethereum (ETH) via the Rarible platform, and Snoofa will accept both U.S. dollars and ether.

Although physical items and assets can back corresponding NFTs depending on the nature of the NFT, this event marks the first instance where identical digital and physical versions will be competing side-by-side in separate auctions.

The physical version of the application already has an auction history, beginning in 2017 when it was first auctioned in New York for $18,750. Since then, it has changed hands two more times for $174,757 in Boston in 2018. Then it sold again in London in 2021 for $224,750, marking a 1,200% increase in value from the initial sale price.

The question remains whether the digital or physical version will command a higher price tag at auction, serving as a strong barometer of collector demand for these new digital iterations of physical history.

Which do you think will sell for more – the paper job application or the NFT? Let us know in the comments section below.

Apple Cofounder Steve Wozniak Says Bitcoin Is a ‘Mathematical Miracle’

10/07/2021 by Idelto Editor

Presenting at the Talent Land Jalisco 2021, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak called bitcoin an “amazing mathematical miracle.” Wozniak said he’s not a bitcoin investor per se, but “believes in it for the future.”

Steve Wozniak Is Not Necessarily Invested but Still Believes Bitcoin Is an ‘Amazing Mathematical’ Creation

Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak is a fan of bitcoin and he’s mentioned the subject on numerous occasions over the years. Back in August 2018, Wozniak revealed he was participating with a crypto startup and spoke highly about bitcoin.

“It’s so independent,” Wozniak said at the time. “It’s kind of like the internet when it was brand new… I was amazed at the technology behind it,” Wozniak added. Still months before the internet comparison, Wozniak told an audience at the Nordic Business Forum in Sweden that he wasn’t obsessed with bitcoin either.

“I had bitcoin to experiment with and when it shot up high, I said, ‘I don’t want to become one of those people that watches it, watches it and cares about the number,’” Wozniak said at the time.

Speaking at the Talent Land Jalisco 2021 event this week, Wozniak had a similar outlook and highlighted that he doesn’t invest in bitcoin. The event which was 100% in digital format, saw more than two million attendees dedicated to the development of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship projects.

Despite not investing in bitcoin, Wozniak said that the leading cryptocurrency was still a very profound invention. Wozniak further stated:

Bitcoin is the most amazing mathematical miracle.

Wozniak’s Efforce Crypto Coin and His Failed Battle With Google

Steve Wozniak also has a cryptocurrency that bears his name called WOZX and the crypto asset was developed by the Efforce team and Wozniak. WOZX was developed “as the energy savings token to allow contributors of the Efforce platform to benefit from the energy savings generated by efficiency projects worldwide.”

WOZX currently trades for 0.00002146 BTC or roughly $0.719 per unit at the time of writing. The market cap on Friday is hovering above $82 million and has made some gains in recent times. Two-week stats recorded on Friday at 2:00 p.m. (EDT) show WOZX has gained 43.3% in two weeks and 14.0% in a month’s time.

Last year in July, Steve Wozniak and 17 other victims sued Google and its subsidiary Youtube for allowing crypto scams using his name. However, less than 12 months later, Wozniak failed to win the lawsuit against Youtube and its parent, Google LLC.

What do you think about Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak saying bitcoin is a mathematical miracle? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.

Apple Hiring Manager With Cryptocurrency Experience to Launch New Alternative Payments Programs

28/05/2021 by Idelto Editor

Apple Hiring Manager With Cryptocurrency Experience to Launch Alternative Payments Programs

Apple Inc. has posted a job notice for a business development manager with cryptocurrency experience. “This position will be responsible for the end-to-end business development, including screening partners, negotiating and closing commercial agreements, and launching new programs,” the job posting describes.

Apple to Hire Manager With Crypto Experience to Lead Its Alternative Payments Efforts

Apple Inc. posted a job notice on Tuesday for a “business development manager – alternative payments.” The job posting states that “The Apple Wallets, Payments, and Commerce (WPC) team is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to lead Alternative Payments Partnerships. We are looking for a proven professional in global alternative and emerging payment solutions.” It further details:

This position will be responsible for the end to end business development, including screening partners, negotiating and closing commercial agreements and launching new programs.

Among the key qualifications the candidate should possess is “5+ years experience working in or with alternative payment providers, such as digital wallets, BNPL, Fast Payments, cryptocurrency, etc.”

The candidate should also have a “Deep knowledge of the alternative payments ecosystem, understanding the complexities of funds flow, roles/responsibilities for settlement, relevant regulations and industry standards and the wide spectrum of fintech products.”

This position is a full-time in-house role at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, once the company returns to an in-office work arrangement post-Covid, the notice clarifies.

The successful candidate will “Lead the partnership program with key players in the Alternative Payments ecosystem,” in addition to providing “industry insights and market opportunities to Apple cross-functional teams, including alliance, product, engineering, and marketing to influence business strategy and product roadmaps for the growth of Apple Pay and Wallet Services,” the job posting further describes.

Apple has been keeping an eye on cryptocurrency for several years. In 2019, ‌Apple Pay‌ Vice President Jennifer Bailey said that Apple is “watching cryptocurrency.” At the time, she said: “We think it has interesting long-term potential, but we’re primarily focused on what consumers are using today … Most people are pretty happy with their debit card as an example. And so helping people do that in a more secure way on our platform and in a more real-time way is what we’re focused on.”

Do you think Apple will soon offer a crypto service? Let us know in the comments section below.

Report: ASIC Giant Bitmain Pre-Orders 5nm Chips Produced by TSMC’s N5 Process

16/05/2021 by Idelto Editor

Bitmain, one of the largest application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) manufacturers in the world, is reportedly working with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in order to leverage TSMC’s 5nm semiconductors. Industry sources say that the 5nm chips being created for Bitmain will start production in the third quarter.

Chip Maker TSMC Reportedly Producing Semiconductors for the Mining Rig Manufacturer Bitmain

Faster bitcoin mining rigs manufactured by Bitmain may be coming at the end of 2021 or possibly next year. A recent report published by digitimes.com says that Bitmain has placed 5nm chip orders with the Taiwan-based chipmaker.

TSMC has reportedly been contracted by Bitmain so the company can leverage the foundry’s N5 fabrication process (5nm). Currently, the world’s fastest bitcoin miners on the market crafted by firms like Bitmain, Canaan, and Microbt leverage chips between 12nm to 7nm.

The digitimes.com reporters Monica Chen and Jessie Shen claim that “industry sources” say that Bitmain has placed an order with TSMC but the amount and valuation of the alleged order are both undisclosed.

The report notes that TSMC will start production for Bitmain this year and start the process during the third quarter. In another report, the same technology columnists detail that TSMC is “stepping up 5nm chip output.”

Bitmain might be trying to acquire the 5nm products before the chips are sold out across the board. Colossal tech firms like Apple and Huawei are already purchasing chips created with TSMC’s N5 process.

Although, because Bitmain can produce capital faster than smaller tech companies, it might be one of the first in line to buy the N5 designed products. However, other bitcoin ASIC mining manufacturers and tech companies can also purchase 5nm products from Samsung.

ASIC Makers Could Also Tap Samsung’s N5 Process

Samsung has also disclosed that it has a working 5nm process and the firm is reportedly taking requests for future orders. One researcher who compared the two products created by both TSMC and Samsung said both companies will “employ more EUV layers at 5nm.”

“Samsung has said their 5nm process offers a 25% density improvement over 7nm with a 10% performance boost or 20% lower power consumption,” Scotten Jones’ post called the “TSMC and Samsung 5nm Comparison” notes. “This contrasts with TSMC who announced a 1.8x density improvement and a 15% performance improvement or 30% lower power,” Jones added.

Alongside Microbt, Bitmain makes some of the fastest ASIC bitcoin miners on the market today. The Bitmain Antminer S19 Pro, with 110 terahash per second (TH/s), gets around $19.40 per day using current BTC exchange rates and $0.12 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

The company’s most recent release, the Antminer S19j mining rig, has a hashrate of around 90 TH/s. The Antminer S19 models use custom-built 7nm chips with an efficiency parameter of around 34.5 joules per terahash (J/TH). Bitcoin ASIC mining rigs that employ the 5nm chips should be a lot faster in terms of TH/s and more energy efficient as far as (J/TH).

What do you think about Bitmain reportedly purchasing 5nm chips from TSMC? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.

Man Loses Life Savings to Phony Bitcoin iOS App- Over a Million Dollars in BTC Drained

31/03/2021 by Idelto Editor

Just recently, an individual lost all of his life savings in a matter of no time after he downloaded a malicious and phony Trezor application onto his iOS smartphone from Apple’s App Store. Phillipe Christodoulou lost 17.1 bitcoin or over a million dollars worth of the cryptocurrency using today’s exchange rates. Christodoulou detailed that he’s more upset with Apple than the hackers who stole his precious digital assets.

Individual Loses His Life Savings- 17 Bitcoin Gone

Malicious and phony applications for smartphones can be a problem for crypto users and not too long ago, Phillipe Christodoulou, lost over 17 BTC. At the time of the theft his stash was worth over $600k, and today it would be well over a million dollars. On that particular occasion, Christodoulou wanted to check his balance, so he headed over to Apple’s App Store and downloaded the fake Trezor application for iOS. However, Trezor doesn’t offer such an application and in fact, the company had been warning about the problem for some time now.

On December 2, 2020, the hardware wallet manufacturer tweeted about a similar scam application on Google’s Play Store. “A warning to all the Android users owning Trezor devices,” the company warned at the time. “This app is a scam and has no relation to SatoshiLabs and Trezor. We’ve already reported it to the Google team. Always confirm any action on your device and never type seed words until your Trezor asks you to.”

Coalition for App Fairness Executive Says ‘Apple Pushes Myths About User Privacy and Security’

The application Christodoulou downloaded was not only a phony decoy, but the malicious hackers also stole his funds. Christodoulou says he’s more heated at Apple and he was once a loyal Apple customer. “They betrayed the trust that I had in them,” Christodoulou detailed to the press. “Apple doesn’t deserve to get away with this.” Apple is supposed to do due diligence and applications downloaded from the App Store are touted as safe.

“Study after study has shown that the App Store is the most secure app marketplace in the world,” Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz stressed. However, according to a report from the Washington Post, Meghan DiMuzio, executive director of the Coalition for App Fairness disagrees.

“Apple frequently pushes myths about user privacy and security as a shield against its anti-competitive App Store practices,” DiMuzio explained. “The truth is, Apple’s security ‘standards’ are inconsistently applied across apps and only enforced when it benefits Apple.”

What do you think about the guy who lost 17 bitcoin from the scam application? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.