Month: April 2021

Technology has infiltrated our world in practically every way humanly possible by now. We are so familiar with its constant reaches that it is practically a crutch for us. As much as we would all like to believe that technology was necessary for our evolution, the reality is that we could have kept on living a simple life. Nonetheless, the technological evolution has happened, and we are more comfortable and content than ever. And, this is not a bad thing. It is just more than was designed for us. But, perhaps that is the mark of a great evolution – taking what we were created with, and using it to further our own advancements and reaches on Earth. Technology is everywhere. We have more need for IT support and integrated ongoing systems than ever before. And it is wonderful. Of all the vast advancements that technological innovation has brought to the table, the rise of home technology is (arguably) the most profound. Thanks to home technology, we are more comfortable, secure, and content at home than we have ever been before. And this is only the beginning.

The need for stronger home security has been something that has been on the table for years now. Back in the day, the security systems that were integrated into homes worked for the most part, but it was a shock to many that when they really, truly needed their home security system to work, it failed to. Home technology these days integrates new-age, stronger home security functions, integrating everything from property-wide motion cameras and window and door lock control apps, to bulletproof shutters and control rooms. From the seemingly simple to the luxury home security concepts, we have it all at our feet now. Security is important to the average homeowner, and new technologies are being developed all the time that provide that much-needed peace of mind and an exciting little home security quirk. The modern homeowner values their security above all else, and it is important that home security businesses are delivering security options that not only meet, but exceed modern homeowners’ expectations. They will buy the best value for their budget – so being the best is essential.

Home technology is not just about advanced technological security systems, though. Today, home technology is all about making life at home more fun, smarter, and more wholesome. And this is where home technology concepts like the virtual home assistants have made their mark. Initially, home assistants were quite expensive, as they were new technology that was still being fleshed out in the long term. As their popularity increased, and the technology became more advanced, the prices dropped. These days, it is not at all uncommon to walk into a home and see, for example, a Google Home sitting in the kitchen. These home assistants are just one of the fantastic home tech devices and systems on the global market’s wish list, but they are, without a doubt, one of the most exciting. The Google Home virtual assistant can play music, read recipes, set reminders, and be used as a timer. These are just a few examples of what makes the Google Home so fantastic. And, it is finally more widely available to modern consumers.

As one might have guessed, home technology is not exclusively for the wealthy anymore. More and more often, we are seeing home tech devices become commonplace in the modern home. Homeowners can install or plug in home tech devices like virtual home assistants (think Google Home, Alexa, and even Siri on iPhone), smart televisions, light and temperature control functions, and whole property home security systems. While these innovations are worth their financial value, because the technology is not as brand new as it was even a year ago, they are becoming increasingly more affordable. Home technology has well and truly made its impact as one of the world’s most exciting innovations of technological prowess, and it has only begun to make its impact. While innovations like robots for the home are not available just yet, it is likely that we will begin to see them move into the global market sometime soon. Technological advancement has fundamentally changed our species’ reach on Earth forever. We have more of a reliance on technology than ever before, because our obsession with increasing the utilization we have with it has come to be the fuel to add to the fire in our pursuit of active resolution.

Our greatest comfort thanks to technological development has been home technology. Today, home technology is the most profoundly exciting and impactful technological innovation of recent times. And it is no longer exclusively expensive, either. Thanks to home tech, we are more comfortable, and we feel safer, than ever before. Virtual home assistants and lighting and temperature control are exciting and impressive even now, but they are fast becoming more commonplace in modern homes. Because the technology is advancing at such a rapid pace, it is becoming more affordable all the time, and people are embracing it and inviting it into their homes. This is an exciting time to be alive. It is also only the beginning of what is sure to be an exciting technological history.

By any measure blockchain technology is still in the early stages of development. Technical kinks are still being ironed out, there is cutthroat competition among companies to cement themselves in the industry and it's unknown who will emerge on top, if blockchain succeeds in the long-term at all. The potential is huge but also largely unknown. Whether blockchain technology is a passing fad or a complete paradigm shift in the way humans conduct commerce with each other is not something we can say with any certainty. What we can say, however, is that over the past year the game has changed significantly. Most people have heard of Bitcoin now, and are at least curious as to what it is. Many daily goods and services can be purchased with bitcoin now. But will this last, or is it just hype?

The Promise of Decentralization

Bitcoin was born in the ashes of the 2008 financial crisis and was born with a mission statement. It was conceived as a means of transferring currency outside of the control of governments and banks. This was a chance for individuals to take control of their finances again. A chance to escape the fractional reserve banking system that had led to the financial crisis and had become a system that was rigged to benefit the 1% at the expense of the 99%.

As the financial crisis continued things got worse. The banks and governments continued to avoid any real reform and were more interested in bailing out their friends and ensuring they maintained their stranglehold on the global financial system, or so the story goes. Their main weapon? Centralized currency.

This is where blockchain technology comes in. Blockchain is decentralized currency. It doesn't have a central point of failure, and can't be controlled by a central entity. It is the first currency that has the potential to break the stranglehold the banks and governments have on the financial system. It has the potential to completely revolutionize the way the world exchanges currency.

The Promise of Trust

Decentralized currency is just one aspect of what blockchain technology could do to revolutionize the financial system. Another is trust. Blockchain technology is a system that is remarkably transparent and reliable. It is a system that is a fully open ledger that can be viewed by anyone. It is a system that is completely resistant to fraud or corruption. It is a system that will change the way we trust each other.

Nowadays, most people have to trust someone else in order to do business with them. Even if you conduct business directly with someone else, you have to trust that they are who they say they are and that they aren't going to try to rip you off. You also have to trust that their product is as described and that they aren't trying to sell you a product that is of low quality or that is faulty.

Blockchain technology eliminates the need to trust someone else. Blockchain technology is a system that is a fully open ledger. It is a system that is completely resistant to fraud or corruption. It is a system that will completely revolutionize the way we trust each other.

Bitcoin is Already in Wide Use

In the early days, one of the biggest arguments against Bitcoin was that people were hoarding it but nobody could actually use it to buy anything. One of the biggest changes we've seen this year during the pandemic is that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have become widely accepted for most types of goods and services. Major retailers including Microsoft, Home Depot, and Expedia now accept the virtual currency. You can buy backlinks with Bitcoin, and even use it for political donations. And for the things you can't buy with bitcoin, well-capitalized exchanges are filling the gaps - it's now easier than ever to exchange bitcoin for traditional currencies around the world.

Does this mean bitcoin has gone mainstream? Not so fast. While bitcoin has made great strides toward becoming a popular global currency, it's still the first in its market. The jury is still out on whether bitcoin will turn out to be a fad or whether it will eventually become the de facto currency for the world.

Bitcoin is also not without its problems. One of the biggest issues with bitcoin is that it is deflationary by nature. It's built on a system that rewards people for "mining" bitcoin, and if you're new to the space you may not know that mining bitcoin is essentially a process where people use computers to solve complex math equations to "unlock" bitcoin. The problem with this is that only 21 million bitcoin will ever be mined, and the rate at which bitcoin is being mined decreases over time. This deflationary aspect of bitcoin means that as time goes on, it will become harder and harder to mine bitcoin, and the cost to do so will skyrocket.

The last issue with bitcoin is that it's still a currency that is supposed to be used to exchange value, but it's not backed by any underlying asset. The price of bitcoin has been volatile, and there is no guarantee it will retain its value over time.

Conclusion

Blockchain technology is decentralized currency and it has the potential to completely revolutionize the way citizens exchange currency. It has the potential to completely change the way we view trust and financial transactions. It has the potential to completely transform the way we view business. There is a lot of hype around Bitcoin, but it seems that the hype is starting to produce results. Will Bitcoin succeed in the long-term? We don't know for sure, but it's clear that it is here to stay, and that blockchain technology is here to stay. The next few years could be a pivotal point in human history and we won't have to wait too long to find out.