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Saturday, February 29, 2020
Black Shark 3: The Confirmed Details So Far
The Black Shark 3’s launch is steadily approaching soon in just a couple more days. Without a doubt, the company has released several teasers revealing some of the key specs of the upcoming gaming smartphone in order to build hype.
Confirmed features of the device includes a 120Hz 2K QHD display, a Snapdragon 865 chipset, and up to 16GB RAM. Power-wise, the standard Black Shark 3 packs a 4,720mAh battery while the Pro variant sports 5,000mAh. Both phones support 65W fast charging via USB-C, as well as a magnetic charging solution on its back.
image: Xiaomi via Weibo
Additionally, the upcoming smartphone is revealed to feature mechanical pop-up shoulder buttons on its right. These buttons will rise when in gaming mode and will sit flush in the phone’s edges when not in use. Other than that, the Black Shark 3 will also include a 3.5mm headphone jack.
image: Xiaomi via Weibo
While the company has not revealed any information on its camera setup just yet, a recently leaked live photo reveals a triple shooter setup on its rear. Rumours suggest that it may house a 64MP main camera, while it’s unclear to what the other two sensors may be.
image: Weibo
Besides the difference in battery capacity, it’s uncertain if there are other hardware variations between standard and Pro models, as well as the limited Tencent edition. Regardless, we’ll eventually find out more regarding the Black Shark 3 when it launches in China on 3 March 2020.
Crypto Community Gets Prepping as Coronavirus Spreads
Crypto Twitter (CT) might not be the first place you’d think to look for pandemic survival strategies, but in recent weeks the community has gone into overdrive, busily discussing scenarios related to COVID-19 aka the coronavirus. While some figures have merely wondered what effect the outbreak will have on the bitcoin market, others have started comparing prep notes in anticipation of doomsday.
Messari founder Ryan Selkis was one of the first major figures from CT to get under the hood of this thing: on February 10 he expanded Messari’sdaily newsletterto include the latest coronavirus developments. Mentioning that he had prepared a “what if” disaster plan complete with supplies, travel protocol, and even Messari policy changes, Selkis linked readers to ashared gdocwhich summarized the outbreak, provided historical background and real-time updates, and was chock full of hyperlinks for further reading. ATwitter listof “the people I’m following most closely for new developments and studies of the virus” was also created.
Of course, crypto was referenced in passing, with Selkis noting that the potential pandemic “will tell us quite a bit about how bitcoin and crypto ecosystems respond to disruptive macro events at this type of scale.”
Since the newsletter was published, various figures from the cryptosphere have weighed in. U.S.-based exchange Krakenrevealedthat it had a “global collapse and pandemic survival strategy in place since our founding in 2011” while touting its “remote-first, decentralized team of 800+.”
Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao, meanwhile,announcedthat the platform had donated 10 million RMB worth of medical supplies via its Charity Foundation: the fund paid for everything from nitrile gloves and masks to disinfection liquid, protective suits and oxygen machines.
The most interesting stuff, at least for fans of The Walking Dead, has been conversations centered on prepping: disaster-management scenarios covering short, mid and long-term lockdowns. It’s probably to be expected: at the time of writing there areover 83,000 casesof Coronavirus across dozens of countries, and just under 3,000 deaths.
Survival kits are doing a roaring trade right about now, and one website –theprepared.com– has been suffering periodic outages due to surging traffic. The site contains alengthy guidefor people keen to protect themselves in the worst case scenario which advises readers to “stock up on commonly used medications” and “prepare for the inevitable stomach problems that will arise from eating your shelter-in-place food by buying Imodium AD and similar products.” There are also daily updates and developments, with a survivalist slant, in theirblog.
How Prepping Aligns With Crypto Philosophy
Although they are often treated with derision, preppers only seek to immunize themselves, insofar as is possible, against future disaster. Instability isn’t some illusory mirage on the horizon, it’s already here – manifested by market movements and troubling real-time maps enumerating the infected – and if the virus spreads globally, those who have at least countenanced the notion will be better placed to survive than those who’ve buried their heads in the sand.
In any case, there is much ideological common ground between preparedness advocates and crypto enthusiasts, with the former much more likely to hold gold, precious metals and bitcoin in recognition of the continued devaluation of the dollar. After all, these assets can’t be co-opted by desperate governments or, like paper money, burned to generate heat in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Moreover, it’s easy to see the ideological equivalence between concepts of economic sovereignty and self-sovereignty as it pertains to the most precious commodity of all: life itself.
Going viral
What if this coronavirus is the pandemic that public health people have been warning about for years?
It would accelerate many pre-existing trends.
– border closures
– nationalism
– social isolation
– preppers
– remote work
– face masks
– distrust in governments
As for the disproportionately high number of flexible remote-working posts advertised in the crypto industry, perhaps that’s just a happy coincidence rather than a widespread fear of virus-spreading from handshakes. That said, the borderless nature of work in the cryptoconomy – with project teams spread throughout the world and a preponderance of virtual conferences – should mean, if not business as usual, then more stability in the face of corona-related disruption.
Arecent surveyover 1,500 people on CT sought to determine why the coronavirus was the subject of such intense discussion among the fintech community. Responses to Coindesk contributor Nathaniel Whittemore suggested a combination of “sky is falling” sentiments, macro hedging and belief in BTC as a safe haven. Stephen Palley, an advisor at The Block,tossed in his two cents, opining that “one strand of crypto fundamentalism embraces virus doom prepperism b/c it correlates with a view of bitcoin as an end-days asset class.”
Another Twitter user, @HectorRosekrans, suggested “Finance and tech people are far more attuned to exponential trends than most. Add to this a Bitcoiner’s natural skepticism of authority, plus a conditioned response to media narratives that seem to intentionally miss the plot to serve a narrative, and you have a perfect storm.”
Whatever the answer, Crypto Twitter is unlikely to lose interest in COVID-19 any time soon. If you follow such accounts to learn about bitcoin and ether, don’t be surprised when you’re strongly advised to stock up on batteries andbug out bags.
You don't need insurance.
You don't need weapons.
You don't need backups.
You don't need privacy.
You don't need bitcoin.
Until you do.
Do you think the crypto community is right to be concerned about the coronavirus? Let us know in the comments section below.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock.
Did you know you can verify any unconfirmed Bitcoin transaction with ourBitcoin Block Explorertool? Simply complete aBitcoin address searchto view it on the blockchain. Plus, visit ourBitcoin Chartsto see what’s happening in the industry.
The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) is an agreement between Canada and the lower 48 states of the United States of America in an effort to simplify the reporting of fuel consumption by vehicles that operate in more than one jurisdiction. The IFTA report is used to calculate the net tax or tax refund due to an IFTA license holder.
Member States of the IFTA
Canada
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
United States
Except for Alaska, Hawaii, and the District of Colombia, all states in the US are member of the IFTA.
How Does IFTA Work?
To understand how the IFTA works, it’s important to understand why it exists. Before the IFTA was put in place each of the 48 states in the US had their own fuel tax rates and truckers hauling cargo between these states needed to get fuel permits from each state in order to file the taxes they paid on fuel. The process of obtaining a fuel permit in each state the truck traveled through was time-consuming, slowing down the entire supply chain.
The IFTA was put in place to allow drivers to make a single report of their inter-jurisdictional fuel consumption to their base state using the IFTA license. The IFTA license works as a universal fuel permit. The IFTA puts the base state in charge of processing fuel tax returns and collecting taxes on net fuel use to distribute the appropriate taxes to their respective states. The base state is also responsible for periodically conducting IFTA audits to ensure companies are complying.
Do You Need an IFTA License?
You need an IFTA license if you fulfill any one of the following conditions:
Your base state is a member state of the IFTA.
Your operations are across two or more member states.
Your operations involve the transportation of freight or people.
You operate a ‘Qualified Motor Vehicle’.
What is a ‘Qualified Motor Vehicle’ according to the IFTA?
The IFTA defines a qualified motor vehicle as:
Any vehicle that has two axels with a gross weight or a registered gross weight of 26,000 pounds (11,797 kilograms) or more.
Any vehicle with three or more axels.
A combination of two or more vehicles resulting in a gross weight of 26,000 pounds (11,797 kilograms) or more.
How Can a GPS Fleet Tracking System Help with IFTA Reporting?
When running a large fleet of vehicles, tax reporting can be quite a time-consuming task as the amount of data you need to collect and process is quite large. Manually recording this data and processing it can also lead to a clerical error that can result in tax penalties. This is where GPS Fleet Tracking systems come into play.
Modern GPS Fleet Tracking systems come with a myriad of features that can help you gather accurate data regarding your vehicles and fleet for your IFTA reports in seconds. These features include:
Real-time Tracking
GPS Fleet Tracking systems provide the user with a real-time feed of the locations of their vehicles. Some GPS systems also provide other data like, the speed of the vehicle, and the status of the vehicle, whether it is driving or parked.
Alerts
GPS Fleet Tracking systems also provide the user with alerts and notifications on events taking place within the fleet. These systems will alert you if a vehicle suffers a breakdown or if it meets with an accident. It will also send out alerts for other abnormal activity.
Geo-Fencing
Geo-Fencing is the process of adding digital fences on the GPS between certain points or at certain landmarks. This allows the system to alert you every time a vehicle enters or exits a geo-fenced area. Geo-fencing is great for recording fuel data from different jurisdictions for IFTA reports.
Fuel Sensor
There are some GPS tracking systems that come with fuel sensors attached. These fuel sensors are used to gather fuel data such as mileage, fuel level and when used in tandem with the geofencing feature, it provides you data like, how much fuel was filled in which jurisdiction. This data is used for accurate IFTA reporting.
Trip History
There GPS tracking system will also provide you other data relating to the movement of your vehicle like, the distance traveled, average speed, optimum speed, driver details, idling time, driving time, breakdown history, wear and tear data and lots more. All this data is used to determine various areas of improvement.
The Benefits of Using a GSP Fleet Tracking System
Route Optimization
A GSP tracking device gives you real-time data relating to your vehicles and the traffic on the route. This allows you to redirect vehicles away from congested areas to make sure your packages are delivered on time every time.
Improved Response Time
A GPS system can greatly improve your customer service by reducing the time it takes to service a customer. Since the GPS provides you will real-time data relating to your vehicles, you will be able to effectively direct resources towards your customers to provide them the shortest wait times.
Improved Fuel Efficiency
Fuel data relating to the various trips can be analyzed and provide insights as to where fuel is being wasted or not used efficiently. The idle time of the vehicles can be reduced and the load per vehicle can be adjusted to provide optimum fuel efficiency.
Longevity
One of the main factors in ensuring your vehicles provide you the longest lifespan possible is servicing them on time. The data from these GPS systems can be analyzed to determine when a vehicle needs service or when the parts need to be changed. This can improve road safety as it will reduce mishaps due to mechanical failure.
Improved Safety
The GPS fleet tracking system can provide you vital vehicle data like the speed at which the vehicle is moving, the amount of time it has been moving, and the variation in the speed. This can allow you to determine if your driver is overspeeding or being unsafe in the vehicle. The time spent by the driver behind the wheel can also be monitored, to ensure none of the drivers are being overworked or suffering from driver fatigue.
There are a number of ways to improve and streamline your trucking business, the GPS Fleet Tracking systems being one of the most effective ways. These systems can pair with other software to provide you a seamless fleet management interface and can be used for important documentation like IFTA reporting. So if you’re looking to give your supply chain a boost finding a high-quality GPS fleet tracking system and other fleet management software is what you need.
This Is How Much BTC You Need to Enter Bitcoin’s Elite 1% Club
Today there are 18,244,475 BTC in circulation and during the last few weeks, a number of bitcoin influencers have been talking about how much is needed to be included in Bitcoin’s top 1% of holders. For instance, according to Blockworks Group analyst Jake Levison, if you own 0.28 BTC “you’re statistically guaranteed to be in the richest 1% of the world in BTC terms.” Regardless of the amount of BTC required to qualify as a one-percenter, it’s a debate that has raged on for years.
Members Only: Is 0.28 BTC All It Takes to Make the Bitcoin 1%?
On February 18, Blockworks Group analyst Jake Levison tweeted about what it takes to make it into the top 1% of bitcoin holders worldwide. “If you own 0.28 BTC, you’re statistically guaranteed to be in the richest 1% of the world in BTC terms,” explained Levison. Despite the fact that the tweet received 1.5K likes, not everyone agreed with Levison’s estimate. “Maybe earlier, in 2030, average holdings are only 0.01 BTC, assuming 1 billion using the network,” Twitter user @Haggsbosonreplied. The 2030 assumption came from the recent study written by Unchained Capital’s Parker Lewis called “Bitcoin Obsoletes All Other Money.” Levison’s opinion is not really new either as others have assumed that 0.28 BTC gets you into the richest 1% of bitcoin owners.
Former Google Product Director Steve Lee said the same thing in October 2018. “If you own 0.28 BTC and HODL, you can be certain no more than 1% of the current world’s population can ever own more BTC than you. A modest investment of $1,830 today can ensure you are a 1%er in a future Bitcoin world,” Lee tweeted. Not too many people disagreed with Lee’s statement in 2018 but one replied: “That’s true but you have to factor in that not all wealth will be in BTC. You might be in the 1% top BTC balances but not in the top 1% wealth.” So the average bitcoiner in the eyes of some holds around 0.01 BTC and a few people agree that 0.28 BTC gets you into the Bitcoin 1% club.
An illustrative view of the “average bitcoin per user” from the recent study written by Unchained Capital’s Parker Lewis.
15 BTC to Join the Club: Modeling Bitcoin Distribution by Disregarding Analyzed Wallets and Addresses
But even these two estimates from Lee and Levison might be too low, as research suggests that 15 BTC is the minimum needed to join BTC’s 1%. A chart published in 2017 estimates that the top 1% of bitcoin holders need at least 15 BTC and 89 BTC to make the top 0.1%. According to the Blocklink.info chart, there are 225,000 people within the top 1% percentile. A similar study was published by Bambouclub on September 9, 2017, and both reports leverage a new model of BTC distribution. Bambouclub and the Blocklink.info studies model BTC’s distribution using a scheme that “disregards wallet and address data entirely.” The model’s assumptions include:
Power law applies to distribution of bitcoin wealth.
Distribution of bitcoin wealth exactly mirrors that of global wealth.
25 million bitcoin owners.
No lost bitcoins.
A study published by Bambouclub on September 9, 2017. This chart shows you need more than 0.28 BTC to make the 1% club as Blocklink.info chart shows it takes 15 BTC to make the Bitcoin 1%. It takes over 7,000 BTC to make the 0.001% of the wealthiest bitcoin holders.
In order to make the 0.01%, Blocklink.info’s chart shows you need 433 BTC and to make the highest order of bitcoin holders (0.001%), you would need 7,021 BTC. The study assumes only 500 people are in the 0.01% and just 250 people are in the 0.001% in 2017. However, it’s hard to get more accurate estimates in regard to the wealthiest bitcoiners because no one truly knows the number of people worldwide who own even a small fraction of BTC. Moreover, there’s a great number of lost bitcoins and in January 2020 it was estimated that more than 10 million BTC have been sitting dormant for a whole year. The 10.7 million BTC lost is part of the largest number of coins that haven’t moved since the spring months of 2017.
This image from Unchained Capital’s research on April 17, 2018, shows UTXO age distribution with price peaks labeled. The white lines are ‘Hodl Waves’ which starts a new aging period. On January 13, 2020, news.Bitcoin.com reported on how close to 11 million BTC hasn’t moved in over a year.
From Lost Bitcoins to the Number of True Owners, Bitcoin’s Adoption Metrics Have a Few Unknowns
The number of BTC needed to get into the top 1% is roughly between 0.28 BTC to 15 BTC depending on the person you ask or the study referenced to get that calculation. Steve Lee’s 2018 estimate assumes that there will only be 21 million bitcoins and this is divided by 0.28 and then again divided by the number of people living on earth, which is 7.7 billion people as of April 2019. Jake Levison backed up his statement when someone asked him when 0.28 BTC will get you into BTC’s 1% club. “From now until the end of time,” Levison tweeted. The Blockworks Group analyst added:
My tweet was saying that if you own 0.28 BTC, only 1% of the world will ever be able to own more than you. Hence putting you in the top 1%.
There will never be more than 21 million bitcoin issued. Many speculators over the years have tried to guess what it takes to make the bitcoin one-percenters club. Estimates vary because of uncertainties like the number of bitcoin owners globally.
The answer to the BTC 1% club question is quite debatable and there are a few different calculations. The reason for this is the number of unknowns that cannot be calculated in a precise fashion such as the exact number of BTC holders, the approximate number of lost and stolen coins, and the number of wallets worldwide. Moreover, there’s a lot of skewed data online that attempts to estimate the number of bitcoin owners in different countries and worldwide. For instance, according to a survey and research report written by Spencer Bogart of the venture capital firm Blockchain Capital, “9% of the [American] population owns bitcoin.”
A report published on January 7, 2020, by the digital currency company Decentralised.co which shows the number of BTC addresses has increased year after year. However, Bambouclub’s study on September 9, 2017, notes that “models of the distribution of bitcoin wealth that analyze wallets and address data will always fail.”
“Including 18% of those aged 18–34 and 12% of those aged 35–44,” Bogart wrote on April 30, 2019. However, a big discrepancy with Bogart’s estimate is the fact that the study only surveyed 2,052 American adults rather than the 209 million adults who are currently 18 years of age and over. We can try to come close to answering the speculative 1% question, but just like measuring the world’s richest gold holders, we can only guess the number of BTC held by individuals worldwide.
What do you think about the estimates for making it into the BTC 1% club? Do you think it’s 0.28 BTC or more than that like the 15 BTC estimate from Blocklink.info’s report? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any ideas, software, mining rigs, mining rig manufacturers, websites, concepts, content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
Image credits: Shutterstock, Reddit, 21 Million Bitcoin Club, Decentralised.co, Unchained Capital, Twitter, Franck Muller Encrypto, Fair Use, Wiki Commons, Parker Lewis, and Pixabay.
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) was supposed to happen later in the year. Emphasis on “supposed”, because the organisers of the event have decided to postpone the event.
If you’re guessing that it has something to do with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, you’d be right. It’s much like the case with the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 earlier in February.
Unlike with the MWC though, the organisers of the event intend to still hold the event later in the year. For now, the organisers “fully intend to host a GDC event later in the summer”. The organisers will also be working with its partners to make plans to that effect.
Building up to this postponement was a number of big names, similar to MWC before this. Among the exhibitors that have decided to not be at the event were Activision Blizzard, Amazon, EA, Epic Games, Kojima Productions, Microsoft, and Unity.
For places with four seasons, summer starts on 21 June. When you think about it, it’s a season that’s already packed with other events happening. E3 especially, comes to mind. It’s interesting to see if there’s a gap in the calendar that allows GDC to squeeze in. And more importantly, will the other events during that time suffer the same fate as the GDC and the MWC this year.
A sea change is coming to cryptocurrency in America. It is likely to hit in two separate waves: a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and draconian regulation that shuts down free-market activities, including development.
Robert Wenzel of the Economic Policy Journal has a warning. “A [U.S.] Federal Reserve created digital coin could be one of the most dangerous steps ever taken by a government agency. It would put in the hands of the government the potential to create a digital currency with the ability to track all transactions in an economy—and prohibit transactions for any reason. In terms of future individual freedom, this would be a nightmare.” If recent statements by American lawmakers and bureaucrats are an indication, however, state-issued crypto seems to be on its way.
A shift in attitude on CBDC is in the air. Consider Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard. In May 2018, she stated, “There is no compelling demonstrated need for a Fed-issued digital currency.” While acknowledging the efficiency and low cost of blockchain transfers, Brainard presented a familiar check list of objections to digital currencies. They were too volatile to be utilized as money; their anonymity protected crimes like money laundering and sex trafficking; they eluded regulation. Then Brainard added what may have been the fundamental reason for dismissing a CBDC. At the beginning of 2018, digital currencies were so small a part of the financial system that they posed no stability risk. They did not threaten the monetary status quo. Or, at least, Brainard did not perceive the threat.
In February 2020, her tune differed. “The Fed is conducting research and experimentation related to distributed ledger technologies and their potential use case for digital currencies, including the potential for a CBDC.” The main public argument for a CBDC is a perceived need to stabilize crypto by pegging it to traditional fiat, which is assumed to be less volatile. The “nightmare” of which Wenzel warned already has a name: Fedcoin.
What changed between May 2018 and February 2020?
Crypto surged in popularity and price while central banks and their fiats continued a slow implosion. Several nations — including America’s financial nemesis China — announced an intention to issue e-currencies. “We are collaborating with other central banks as we advance our understanding of central bank digital currencies,” Brainard explained, all the while “making sure” we are at the “frontier of both research and policy development.” Translation: the U.S. does not want to be left behind. Neither will it eat Facebook’s dust; Brainard claimed that Facebook’s digital currency Libra, which emerged last year, “imparted urgency” to the conversation. Digital currency was becoming a large enough part of the financial system for agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Federal Reserve, and the Treasury Department to notice.
The Wave of Draconian Regulation
The regulation attack is surging, and it will extend far beyond the current licensing of exchanges to make them function in conformity with state law.
The IRS has stepped up crypto prosecutions and has created new rules. In his article “IRS Explains What Crypto Owners Must Know to File Taxes This Year,” Kevin Helms observed, “Among the changes to the 2019 Form 1040, the main U.S. tax form, is the addition of ‘an inquiry regarding the acquisition or disposition of any virtual currency’, the agency explained. The new crypto question appears on Form 1040’s Schedule 1, entitled ‘Additional Income and Adjustments to Income’.” This is prelude.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin recently revealed that the Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) was preparing “significant new requirements” in order to provide transparency to crypto in a quest to prevent “crimes” such as tax avoidance. Here, transparency is a synonym for state surveillance. “We want to make sure that technology moves forward,” Mnuchin continued, “but … we want to make sure that cryptocurrencies aren’t used for the equivalent of old Swiss secret number bank accounts.” He added that FinCEN and the Treasury Department are “spending a lot of time on this.”
The Department of Justice was even more blunt, declaring bitcoin mixing to be “a crime” in and of itself. Yahoo Finance’s article “US DOJ Calls Bitcoin Mixing ‘a Crime’ in Arrest of Software Developer,” indicated how seriously the DOJ takes this alleged crime. “Larry Harmon was arrested earlier this week for allegedly participating in a money-laundering conspiracy worth more than $300 million in cryptocurrency involving darknet marketplace AlphaBay. However, the family of the Coin Ninja CEO claims he was never involved with AlphaBay. Harmon’s case raises pressing questions about developer liability in the crypto industry.” The mere development of tools has been criminalized.
The Two Waves Flood Together
As yet, Mnuchin has not supported a CBDC. He merely echoes President Trump’s loud concern that crypto is being used by bad actors, and the “abuses” must be reined in by careful state monitoring. The easiest way for this to be done is to create some form of CBDC on a blockchain protocol that the state controls, however.
The state’s pattern in monetary matters can be judged by how it handled private competition to the money it has issued in the past. Whatever the politicians say now, the same pattern is likely to hold with crypto as soon as it becomes pragmatically possible.
First, state money is issued through a central bank and free-market competitors are controlled by regulation. “To start with, I suspect it’s going to be a parallel currency,” the investment guru Doug Casey explained. “Perhaps usable just within the U.S. which, in effect, would be a form of foreign exchange controls even more effective than the inability of Americans to open up foreign bank and brokerage accounts today … I think it’s a near certainty that they’re going to do something like this and soon.” Second, the state will attempt to establish a monopoly by criminalizing the ownership of free-market crypto and, perhaps, mandating the ownership of state-issue. One manner in which a fiat has been historically mandated is by making taxes or other state fees payable only in that form of money.
Establishing a CBDC may be irresistible to Trump, not only as a way to stay competitive with rival monetary powers but also because of the extreme political power it offers. A CBDC would serve the state in at least two ways:
By controlling the design of the Fedcoin’s blockchain and its terms of use, the state can strip away encryption and anonymity so that every transaction is identifiable. Every user can be taxed. Every coin can be confiscated; the threat of confiscation or of being shut out of the financial system is a means to impose social control.
The CBDC eases people into a cashless society. States dislike cash because it offers an anonymity that blocks their ability to tax and control. If only the CBDC were permitted, however, extra “taxes” could be levied and social control asserted. If the state wanted to prevent someone from traveling, for example, it could block the person’s ability to buy a plane ticket … or ammunition for a gun.
The wording of the coming regulations and probable Fedcoin are not yet known. Their purpose is clear, however; the state wants to convert cryptocurrency into a form of state fiat and a technology of financial surveillance. The latter can reveal far more than economic transactions. As EFF observed, they can point “to everything from your friend network to your sexual interests to your political affiliations.”
State-controlled e-currency means state-controlled individuals.
Op-ed disclaimer:This is an Op-ed article. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. Bitcoin.com is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy or quality within the Op-ed article. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the content. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any information in this Op-ed article.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock.
Did you know you can verify any unconfirmed Bitcoin transaction with our Bitcoin Block Explorer tool? Simply complete a Bitcoin address search to view it on the blockchain. Plus, visit our Bitcoin Charts to see what’s happening in the industry.
Streaming in Canada on Amazon Prime Video, Crave, Disney+ and Netflix [February 24 — March 1]
Every week, MobileSyrup goes over some of the most notable movies and TV shows to have recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
This column typically focuses on content from Amazon Prime Video Canada, Crave and Netflix Canada, but other streaming services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant.
Additionally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made in Canada, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Amazon Prime Video
Bates Motel (full series)
All five seasons of Bates Motel are hitting Amazon Prime Video. This prequel to Alfred Hitchock’s Psycho follows Norman Bates and his mother as they struggle to start a new life.
Bates Motel was created by Carlton Cuse (Lost), Kerry Ehrin (The Wonder Years) and Anthony Cipriano (12 and Holding) and stars Freddie Highmore (The Good Doctor) and Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air).
It’s worth noting that the series was filmed in Vancouver and other parts of British Columbia.
Original TV broadcast run: March 2013 to April 2017
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: March 1st, 2020 Genre: Drama Runtime: 50 episodes (around 40 to 47 minutes each) Rotten Tomatoes score: 93 percent
The full list of movies and shows that hit Amazon Prime Video Canada this month can be found here. March’s content lineup, meanwhile, is available here.
Crave
Antigone
An adaptation of Sophocles’ Greek play Antigone that follows a modern-day immigrant family in Montreal.
Antigone was directed by Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec’s Sophie Deraspe (The Anima Profile) and stars Montreal’s Nahéma Ricci (Ailleurs). The film was shot in Montreal.
Original theatrical release: November 8th, 2019
Crave release date: February 24th, 2020 Genre: Drama Runtime: 1 hour, 49 minutes Rotten Tomatoes score: 92 percent
Stream Antigone here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
A young man dreams of reclaiming his childhood home, which is located in a now-gentrified area of San Francisco.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco was co-written and directed by Joe Talbot (directorial debut) and stars Jimmie Fails (first role; movie is based on his life), Jonathan Majors (White Boy Rick), Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon series) and Tichina Arnold (Everybody Hates Chris).
Original theatrical release: June 7th, 2019
Crave release date: February 28th, 2020 Genre: Drama Runtime: 2 hours Rotten Tomatoes score: 93 percent
Stream The Last Black Man in San Franciscohere. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
The Peanut Butter Falcon
A young man with Down syndrome escapes an assisted living facility and goes on the run with an outlaw as a social worker tries to track them.
The Peanut Butter Falcon was directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz (Alex Hunnold: At Home Off the Wall) and stars Shia LaBeouf (Honey Boy), Zack Gottsagen (debut role), Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades series) and John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone).
Original theatrical release: August 9th, 2019
Crave release date: February 28th, 2020 Genre: Comedy-drama Runtime: 1 hour, 38 minutes Rotten Tomatoes score: 96 percent
Stream The Peanut Butter Falcon here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Crave this month can be found here. March’s content lineup, meanwhile, is available here.
Disney+
Marvel’s Future Avengers
This anime series follows a group of superpowered kids who are trained to become heroes by The Avengers.
Marvel’s Future Avengers was animated by Japanese studio Madhouse (Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust) and features the voices of Max Mittelman (Persona 5), Xander Mobus (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate), Roger Craig Smith (Assassin’s Creed II) and more.
Original TV broadcast run: July 2017 to January 2018
Disney+ release date: February 28th, 2020 Genre: Animation Runtime: 26 episodes (23 minutes each) Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Find out what came to Disney+ Canada this month here. March’s content lineup, meanwhile, can be found here.
Netflix
All the Bright Places [Netflix Original]
Two teens going through personal struggles meet and change each other’s lives.
All the Bright Places is based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Jennifer Niven (who also co-wrote the film), was directed by Brett Haley (Hearts Beat Loud) and stars Elle Fanning (Super 8) and Justice Smith (Pokémon: Detective Pikachu).
Netflix Canada release date: February 28th, 2020 Genre: Romantic drama Runtime: 1 hour, 48 minutes Rotten Tomatoes score: 67 percent
Soldier-turned-investigator Takeshi Kovacs returns to Harlan’s World in a new body to find his long-lost love and the planet at war.
Altered Carbon was adapted from Richard K. Morgan’s 2002 novel of the same name by Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island) and stars Anthony Mackie (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Lela Loren (Power) and Simone Missick (Marvel’s Luke Cage).
Netflix Canada release date: February 27th, 2020 Genre: Drama Runtime: Eight episodes (43 to 56 minutes each) Rotten Tomatoes score: 81 percent
A teenager tries to navigate high school, feelings for her best friend and burgeoning superpowers.
I Am Not Okay With This is based on Charles Forsman’s 2017 graphic novel of the same, created by Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World) and Christy Hall (Hold Back the Stars) and stars Sophia Lillis and Wyatt Oleff (It duology).
Netflix Canada release date: February 27th, 2020 Genre: Drama Runtime: Eight episodes (43 to 56 minutes each) Rotten Tomatoes score: 78 percent
Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back — Evolution [Netflix Original]
A CGI remake of the original 1998 Pokémon film, Mewtwo Strikes Back — Evolution retells the story of Mewtwo, the Pokémon clone who invites Ash, Misty, Brock and other trainers to a mysterious island to do battle.
Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back — Evolution was directed by Pokémon anime veteran Kunihiko Yuyama and Motonori Sakakibara (Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within) and features the voices of Sarah Natochenny (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s), Michele Knotz (Queen’s Blade), Bill Rogers (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) and Dan Green (Yu-Gi-Oh!).
Original theatrical release date: July 12th, 2019 (Japan only) Netflix Canada release date: February 27th, 2020 Genre: Animation Runtime: 1 hour, 37 minutes Rotten Tomatoes score: 40 percent
Stream Pokemon: Mewtwo Strikes Back — Evolutionhere.
The full list of movies and shows that came to Netflix Canada this month can be found here. March’s content lineup, meanwhile, is available here.
What are you looking to stream this week? Let us know in the comments.
Oppo Find X2 Leaked Live Images Reveals the Design
It’s only a couple of days left for the official launch of the Oppo Find X2 and the live images are already being booming on the internet. The official launch is set for March 6. Since Oppo was teasing for a quite long time but they never revealed the complete design, and now, live images of the device have surfaced online by a twitter user.
These days leaks and rumors are looked to be a common thing and supposed to be a part of their marketing strategy and press release. Let us find out what we got from the Oppo Find X2 leaked live images.
Oppo Find X2 Leaked Live Images
The live images were posted by a Twitter user Sven who goes by the handle @Mutz1337. Below is the attached tweet of the same.
The #OPPOFindX2 looks so good😍 Really excited for the launch
The Find series is always being a practical implementation of futuristic technology. Now again this time, Oppo seems to be coming in a bit different sense.
Along with the Oppo Find X2, we can expect an Oppo branded smartwatch with a curved screen and 3D glass. The smartwatch was teased twice over the past few weeks. In one of the teasers, Oppo’s VP Brian Shen had mentioned that the company’s smartwatch could be the “most expensive smartwatch of the year”.
At Oppo’s innovation day event late last year, Oppo showed off the under-display selfie camera we originally saw back in June. We were accepting the same under-display selfie camera with Oppo Find X2 but it seems like Oppo is saving it for the next-gen Find series. As we clearly see the punch-hole selfie camera placed at the top left corner.
As always, the camera is the most focused point of Oppo Find X2. Oppo has placed a periscope zoom lens that supports hybrid zoom as we see in the image. It is accompanied by two cameras and a dual-tone LED flash.
Oppo Find X2 Specifications
Oppo Find X2 will sport a beautiful 10bit OLED display with a 2560×1440 pixel resolution and 5000000:1 contrast ratio. From rumors, we got to know that it will feature the OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. It also has the under-display optical fingerprint sensor. Also, it will have the new 5G chip that will enable the users to use 5G connectivity(when available).
It will be equipped with a triple rear camera setup with 48 MP primary sensor, and earlier mentioned periscope zoom lens that supports hybrid zoom. It is accompanied by two cameras and a dual-tone LED flash.
Under the hood, it will be powered with the 2.96GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+(7nm technology) SoC paired with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of onboard storage and the Adreno 640 GPU.
The smartphone is fueled by a non-removable Li-Po 4065 mAh battery with is backed up with a 64-watt fast charger(SuperVOOC 2.0) and will also support 30W wireless charging.
The pricing is still unknown to us and there is nothing to worry about, we will update the pricing as soon as we get any information about it.
Here are the Upcoming Smartphones with Snapdragon 865 SoC
Qualcomm announced the new Snapdragon 865 System-on-chip(SoC) in December 2019 after the last year’s flagship SoC Snapdragon 855+. This(Snapdragon 865) is supposed to be the only flagship System-on-chip(SoC) for the year 2020. Here is the list of Upcoming Smartphones with Snapdragon 865 SoC.
We are in the second month of the year only, and a bunch of brands already announced their flagship smartphones with the latest Snapdragon 865 SoC. The Snapdragon 865 SoC comes with the X55 5G Modem-RF System for the next generation of flagship phones. It comes with support for the 5th gen AI engine, up to 200MP camera, HDR10+, mmWave, Sub 6 GHz, CA, DSS, Dual-mode NSA/ SA 5G network and Dual 5G SIM.
Upcoming Smartphones with Snapdragon 865 SoC
ASUS ROG Phone III
ROG is the gaming series from Asus known as the Republic of Gamers which provides top-class gaming Desktop, Laptop, and accessories. And ROG Phone is the same gaming series but in smartphones. We have already seen two smartphones from ROG Phone. Last year’s ROG Phone II was a great success with top-notch specifications. Asus already announced that the next-gen ROG Phone i.e., ROG Phone III will be powered by Snapdragon 865 SoC.
iQOO 3
iQOO is basically the sub-brand of vivo but only focused in the smartphone gaming segment. iQOO 3 has alredy been launched in India last week. The device is equipped with the Snapdragon 865 SoC paired with upto 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of onboard storage with UFS 3.1 storage technology. It offers some exciting features for mobile gamers such as pressure-sensitive shoulder buttons on the sides and 4D vibration feedback. The device comes with 55W super flash charge technology that can charge 50% of 4440mAh battery in just 15 minutes.
OnePlus is there to get the latest Snapdragon 865 SoC powering their next OnePlus device, that is the OnePlus 8 and also their next pro edition series device OnePlus 8 Pro. An upgrade over the current 90Hz refresh rate, OnePlus 8 Pro will come with a more enhanced display with 120Hz refresh rate to offer an enriched super smooth experience.
Realme is now seems to be more focused in the flagship smartphone after getting a good success in the mid-range and budget segment of smartphones. Realme X50 Pro will be the most premium smartphone from the company. The device is equipped with the Snapdragon 865 SoC paired with upto 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of onboard storage. The phone comes with 65W SuperDart charging technology to power its 4,200 mAh battery. The company claims the latest SuperDart charger can fully charge the larger battery in just 35 minutes.
Black Shark is the official gaming segment smarphone from Xiaomi. We have already seen a couple of smartphones from the brand. The 2nd-gen Black Shark was not a real success if we compare it to the 1st-gen Black Shark. Xiaomi will be coming back to the market with the 3rd-gen Black Shark smartphone. At this time we don’t have much information about the Black Shark 3 but it is predicted to to come equipped with the Snapdragon 865 that will be powered by the company’s latest custom skin JoyUI 11 which is based on Android 10. And it will be announced on 3rd of March in India.
Asus Zenfone 6Z was one of the best performing Snapdragon 855 last year with/under the price segment of 40,000 INR. Now again Asus is coming with the Snapdragon 865 SoC. After a while now Asus has finally gained market in India and other markets as well with their price to value offerings. So we have surely expect a good pricing from Asus for the Asus Zenfone 7.
Legion Gaming Phone
Recently we got a piece of news regarding Lenovo that they are also going to announce their new gaming phone segment, the Legion Gaming Phone series. A few week ago, Lenovo teased the poster of the Legion Gaming Phone in Weibo. The poster show the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 with the 5G logo that means that the smartphone will b powered with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC with 5G connectivity.
Redmi K20 Pro in India has been quite successful, and it’s currently one of the bestsellers in the entry premium flagship segment. So customers have a high expectations for the Redmi K30 Pro. As accodring to the rumors, it will sport a AMOLED display offering 120Hz refresh rate equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 that will be paired with upto 12 GB of DDR5 RAM and 256 GB of onboard storage.
Nubia Red Magic 5G
Nubia is one among the best and affordable brand when comes to the entry premium gaming smartphones. We have already seen a couple of smartphone from Nubia with a good customer response. Nubia has teased its next gaming phone with Snapdragon 865 chipset which will carry support for 5G connectivity. It will run on Android 10 Operating System and will be one the world’s first gaming smartphone that will feature a 144Hz display refresh rate.
Google launches one or two phones every year(with different variants) and their phones always feature the top Snapdragon processor of that time. So obviously we will see Google continuing on that trend and installing the best hardware from Qualcomm on their annual offerings.
