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- Leak says Apple Watch Series 7 has two huge changes we weren’t expecting
- As Washington inks ‘most ambitious’ climate rules in U.S., lawmaker praises tech’s supporting role
- Android 12 beta might’ve just leaked Google’s first foldable phone
- Google just fixed the worst thing about dealing with hacked passwords
- How parents are addressing the costs of college after a tumultuous year
- Americans reveal the age at which they begin to enjoy the finer things in life
- What is HARO? – A Look at the Platform for 2021
- How Upstream Is Evolving Professional Networking And The Future Of Work
- Decentralized Finance Needs Feasible Solutions, Not Trendy Ones
- Avoid these 3 dumb password mistakes like the plague
| Leak says Apple Watch Series 7 has two huge changes we weren’t expecting Posted: 19 May 2021 04:39 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Jacob Siegal  Few leakers have made as much noise in recent weeks as Jon Prosser, host of Front Page Tech on YouTube. Since the beginning of May, Prosser has shared exclusive information and renders of the upcoming M2 MacBook Air, Pixel 6, and Android 12, the last of which was validated during the Google I/O 2021 keynote. He isn’t slowing down, either, and on the latest episode of the Genius Bar podcast, he had some interesting hints about the next Apple Watch. According to Prosser, the Apple Watch Series 7 will have what he refers to as a “slight redesign” from last year’s model. Prosser wasn’t willing to share any more, but his co-host, Sam Kohl, noted that the images he saw of the Apple Watch Series 7 “followed similar Apple design language to a number of their other products.” Later on, Kohl added that the sides of the new watch look “similar to the edge of an iPad,” which obviously implies that the edges of the Apple Watch Series 7 will be more squared off than what we’ve seen in recent years from rounder models. Today’s Top DealEveryone’s rushing to Amazon for this Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush deal!Price: $39.95 Today’s Top Deals The gadget that helps you cook perfect steak is $33 at Amazon, a new all-time low Trending Right Now: Biden isn't sending out any more stimulus checks, but there's another way you might get one The post Leak says Apple Watch Series 7 has two huge changes we weren't expecting appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy             |
| As Washington inks ‘most ambitious’ climate rules in U.S., lawmaker praises tech’s supporting role Posted: 19 May 2021 03:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Lisa Stiffler  The electrification of Washington's ferry system is one of the plans for cutting the state's carbon emissions. (Brent Roraback Photo) Washington Gov. Jay Inslee this week signed into law what many are calling the nation's most ambitious package of climate policies. One of the key lawmakers behind the legislation gives the region's tech and business sectors some of the credit for the state's ability to lead in tackling climate change. "We have an entrepreneurial spirit that allows us to think big," said Sen. Reuven Carlyle, prime sponsor of the Climate Commitment Act, which puts a cap on carbon pollution in Washington. Carlyle, a Democrat representing part of northwest Seattle, is himself an entrepreneur. He previously worked in telecommunications and aerospace, and has served on the boards of businesses in wireless networking, consumer electronics and energy. Carlyle called out some of the state's biggest corporations, including Microsoft, Amazon and Starbucks, as "real moral-authority thought leaders on climate." He cited their bold, self-imposed carbon reduction goals — with Microsoft aiming to be carbon negative by 2030 and Amazon establishing The Climate Pledge and urging others to join it. Carlyle noted the importance of both tech companies' funds for investing in clean energy innovation, as well as venture capital from Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy and others that's flowing to next generation batteries and cleaner fuels. "The entrepreneurial spirit and public policy spirit came together," Carlyle said of the legislative successes, "and we found our groove." Sen. Reuven Carlyle, primary sponsor of a key piece of climate legislation that was signed into law this month. Carlyle is pictured on the floor of the Senate in March. (Washington State Legislature Photo) Microsoft came out in support of the Climate Commitment Act, or Senate Bill 5126, as did BP America and Vulcan, the company created by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Amazon backed House Bill 1091, which creates a clean fuel standard. Support for the policy is "part of our commitment to sustainability," said Amazon general counsel David Zapolsky, in a blog post. But even harder work is still ahead, and there's been a hiccup with some of the climate legislation. When Inslee signed the legislation into law on Monday, he vetoed parts of SB 5126 and HB 1091. He nixed language that made the bills' implementation dependent upon a yet-to-be-approved transportation package. The governor's vetoes riled Washington lawmakers who deemed it an executive office overreach, and Carlyle said he'd asked Inslee not to take that step. The state senator and others, however, are optimistic that the transportation package will be approved in an upcoming special legislative session, making the vetoes a moot point in some respects. Here are some more details on the new policies, and their broader implications. Suite of climate policiesSenate Bill 5126: Provides a playbook for reaching incremental carbon emission reduction goals set by the state last year, with a final goal of reducing emissions to net zero by 2050. The law covers roughly 75% of Washington's emissions, and includes pollution from electricity generation, transportation, oil and gas, and landfills. The policy puts a cap on carbon pollution that declines over time and creates allowances that polluters must pay for to cover their emissions, with some exceptions. The revenue generated by the sale of the allowances is spent in communities hardest hit by climate change and pollution. Supporters call the approach "cap and invest." Washington is the second state after California to cap carbon emissions, and this new legislation is considered stronger in many regards, including the fact that it doesn't require reauthorization over time. (Check out David Roberts at Volts for an in-depth analysis of the climate policies.) House Bill 1091: Establishes a Clean Fuels Program that limits the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels, lowering their carbon intensity. California, Oregon and British Columbia have clean fuels standards in place. House Bill 1050: Puts tighter regulations on hydrofluorocarbons, a much more potent heat-trapping gas than carbon dioxide, that is used for air conditioning and refrigeration. Senate Bill 5141: The HEAL Act creates an environmental justice council and builds on work to reduce the impact of pollution and other environmental harm on disproportionately affected communities. Next stepsThe special session for hashing out the transportation package could happen around September, Inslee told the The Seattle Times on Monday. Carlyle is confident that he and fellow lawmakers can pull off approval, saying there is "a fierce commitment to getting a transportation package done and done quickly." The proposed funding package includes an increase in the state's gas tax, highway improvements, repairs to culverts that block fish passage, electrification of Puget Sound ferries, bridge construction and other projects. WA vs. CACalifornia launched its carbon cap-and-trade program in 2013, so why has it taken so long for a second state to follow suit? Washington admittedly has been trying for years to get on a carbon diet, with two failed efforts led by Inslee and two failed voter initiatives. The most recent ballot measure was in 2018, which had backing from individuals and companies in the tech sector, including Microsoft. With a massive economy and leaning strongly blue, California can be dismissed as an outlier, Carlyle said. Washington has the opportunity to be seen as a role model. Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, who sponsored the two climate house bills, agreed. His legislation along with SB 5126 "provide a road map for what robust climate action looks like at the state level for other jurisdictions in the United States and around the world," Fitzgibbon said in a statement. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee this week signed into law what many are calling the nation's most ambitious package of climate policies. One of the key lawmakers behind the legislation gives the region's tech and business sectors some of the credit for the state's ability to lead in tackling climate change. "We have an entrepreneurial spirit that allows us to think big," said Sen. Reuven Carlyle, prime sponsor of the Climate Commitment Act, which puts a cap on carbon pollution in Washington. Carlyle, a Democrat representing part of northwest Seattle, is himself an entrepreneur. He previously worked in telecommunications and aerospace,… Read MoreCivic, Climate change, Legislature The post As Washington inks 'most ambitious' climate rules in U.S., lawmaker praises tech's supporting role appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy       |
| Android 12 beta might’ve just leaked Google’s first foldable phone Posted: 19 May 2021 03:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Chris Smith  Google announced Android 12 in all its splendor on Wednesday during a packed I/O 2021 keynote. And in the process, the company confirmed all the Android 12 leaks we had witnessed in the past few weeks. Android 12 brings over a massive design overhaul with user interface customization sitting at its core. “Material You” is the evolution of the Material Design principles that Google first introduced a few years ago, and it's all about allowing Android users to create their own unique Android UI experience without installing third-party themes. Android 12 also brings over various new privacy and security features to users, including a new privacy dashboard that shows you which apps have access to your location, microphone, and camera. You can also use this new dashboard to quickly manage permissions. There are plenty of visual changes under the hood as well, including new widgets, notifications stacking, and a new Quick Settings menu to explore. Users can already test Android 12 on their own devices as long as they own a compatible Pixel or one of the other supported phones that are capable of running the first beta. They can explore the new design and features, and also discover other Android 12 secrets that Google did not have time to mention during the virtual press event. They also might uncover secrets that regular users aren't even meant to find in the first place… like the mention of several unreleased devices, including two Pixel 6 models and Google's first foldable Pixel phone. Today’s Top DealAirPods Pro are back in stock at Amazon’s lowest price of 2021!Price: $197.00 Today’s Top Deals The gadget that helps you cook perfect steak is $33 at Amazon, a new all-time low Trending Right Now: Biden isn't sending out any more stimulus checks, but there's another way you might get one The post Android 12 beta might've just leaked Google's first foldable phone appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy       |
| Google just fixed the worst thing about dealing with hacked passwords Posted: 19 May 2021 01:39 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Chris Smith  Security researchers advise people to use unique, strong passwords every time hackers compromise an app or service. That's because many people use weak passwords to protect their online accounts, and they often recycle those passwords. Remembering tens to hundreds of different username and password combinations is almost impossible for most people. That's where password managers can help. These services only require users to remember a single password, which secures all the other logins. Password services also offer suggestions for strong passwords, and some of them warn users if their accounts were compromised, advising them to change the hacked password immediately. Some of these password managers require a one-time cost or a monthly subscription, while others are free of charge. Google has its own password manager built into Chrome, and the company has just released the best possible fix for changing a compromised account. A single tap is enough to change a hacked password, a technology that most other password managing apps might not be able to match. Today’s Top DealThis iPhone case is thin and light but extra Tuff – now it’s at Amazon’s lowest price ever!Today’s Top Deals The gadget that helps you cook perfect steak is $33 at Amazon, a new all-time low Trending Right Now: Biden isn't sending out any more stimulus checks, but there's another way you might get one The post Google just fixed the worst thing about dealing with hacked passwords appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy       |
| How parents are addressing the costs of college after a tumultuous year Posted: 19 May 2021 12:59 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Daniel Webster  By Joseph Staples // SWNS NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC According to new research, seven in 10 parents (71%) are feeling nervous about paying for college this year after the tumultuous economic climate in the past year. However, a survey of 2,000 American parents of prospective college students and current college students has found 76% of parents have begun talking with their kids about how their family plans on addressing college finances. Half (51%) have found just talking to their kids about the cost of school can reduce the amount of stress parents feel about it. Commissioned by College Ave Student Loans and conducted by OnePoll, the study found on average, parents expect the full cost of college — including tuition, books, room and board — to be above $26,000 annually. More than four in five (87%) parents with kids in high school have talked with them about the transition into college. Those talks include good study habits (80%), time management (69%) and budgeting (62%). A fifth of parents surveyed (21%) said they would cover more than half of their kid's college cost. Meanwhile, more than two-thirds (68%) expect their kids to foot up to a third of the bill themselves. While 57% are confident their kid has some knowledge about how to best manage their collegiate budget, at least one in four (28%) feels like their kid isn't prepared for college overall. Specifically, parents feel like their kids aren't prepared for the academic load (54%), mental stress (49%) and emotional load (44%) that comes from higher education. "College is one of the biggest investments for the child's future," said Joe DePaulo, CEO and Co-Founder of College Ave Student Loans. "Creating a plan as a family on how to pay for higher education costs can set up the child for success now and for the years to follow." For families looking to save and budget money, two-thirds of parents agree applying for scholarships (66%) or living at home (65%) were the top two ways to save. The average prospective student will apply for three scholarships to help pay for college. If they plan on attending a four-year degree university, they'll apply for an average of four scholarships. On top of scholarships, two-thirds said their kids are either planning to or already have a job to help pay for college. However, 63% worry their kids' job won't be enough to put a dent in college costs. Over a third (35%) of respondents felt like they've already exhausted all their options to pay for their kid's college costs. To get the best financial advice possible, parents are turning to college financial aid offices (49%) and internet research (32%) to see what other options are available. Scholarships aside, things like savings accounts (85%), federal student loans (48%), college funds (26%) and private student loans (17%) can all play a role in paying for college and saving personal costs. "When looking at ways to pay for college, make sure to exhaust all financial aid options available, including scholarships and grants," said DePaulo. "If you find your family still has a gap to cover after scholarships, grants, savings and income, student loans are one option to explore. Make sure to look at federal student loans in the student's name first — as those come with unique benefits, such as loan forgiveness and income-based repayment plans — before exploring private student loans. Always shop around for private student loans with good rates and flexible repayment plans that fit your budget and financial goals."
THE SMARTEST WAYS TO PAY FOR COLLEGE: Savings accounts or Income 85%
THE BEST WAYS TO SAVE WHILE PAYING FOR COLLEGE: Applying for scholarships 66% By Joseph Staples // SWNS NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC According to new research, seven in 10 parents (71%) are feeling nervous about paying for college this year after the tumultuous economic climate in the past year. However, a survey of 2,000 American parents of prospective college students and current college students has found…USA-only The post How parents are addressing the costs of college after a tumultuous year appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy       |
| Americans reveal the age at which they begin to enjoy the finer things in life Posted: 19 May 2021 12:59 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Daniel Webster  By Danielle Moore // SWNS NEWS COPY W/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC Get those pinkies up in the air: three out of four Americans claim to have an appreciation for the "finer things" in life, and it typically develops at a much younger age than you'd expect. According to a recent survey of 2,000 respondents above the age of 21, the average American first begins to appreciate the "finer things" when they're 26 years old. Almost four out of five said they were even younger when their tastes became more refined, while only one in five said it took them until age 30 or older. 9 So, what makes a person more mature? At the top of the list, respondents cited having an opinion about the stock market (38%), being knowledgeable about different wines and spirits (35%) and investing in expensive tailored clothes (35%). One in three believe that visiting museums is something adults are expected to do, while another one in three mentioned talking about current events — and one in four don't care about seeming mature at all. Reported by OnePoll on behalf of Wine.com, the data also suggests that male respondents feel especially pressured to present themselves as sophisticated. In fact, 42% of men cited knowledge of wine and spirits as a marker of maturity, compared to only 30% of women. The survey's "timewine" also indicates that the average respondent starts drinking wine at age 23 and takes them two years before they begin to fully appreciate the experience. When they first started drinking wine, 67% said they stuck to standard varieties like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's not until age 24 that the typical respondent begins to actively seek out foreign wines — coincidentally around the same time that they start developing a taste for gourmet cheese. "It doesn't take long to develop a love of wine," said Addie Wallace, Director of New Business Strategy & Insights at Wine.com. "It's a category where the more you know, the more you want to know. You can spend a lifetime learning about it!" And the learning curve is steep — seven in 10 admitted that when they first started drinking wine, they couldn't tell much of a difference between wine varieties of the same color. Now 60% believe their knowledge makes them "sommelier material," and for good reason — the average respondent has over a case of wine on hand at home. Still, only one in five could correctly identify the name of the largest type of wine bottle when tested (the "Nebuchadnezzar," which is equivalent to 20 standard-sized bottles). Regardless of their wine knowledge, selecting a wine is not straightforward. 58% of respondents indicated flavor is the most important attribute when selecting a wine — but 42% have purchased a bottle just because the label looked cool. "The hardest part of shopping for wine is that you usually don't know what it's going to taste like. When faced with the proverbial 'wall of wine' at the store, the bottles look nearly identical and the labels – if you speak the language! – note only the place of origin and not the flavor." Addie Wallace added. "The savviest drinkers get around this by going online to read professional reviews and get expert recommendations, so that they can both shop and sip with confidence." TOP FIVE THINGS AMERICANS EQUATE WITH MATURITY Having an opinion on the stock market 38% By Danielle Moore // SWNS NEWS COPY W/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC Get those pinkies up in the air: three out of four Americans claim to have an appreciation for the "finer things" in life, and it typically develops at a much younger age than you'd expect. According to a recent survey of 2,000 respondents above…USA-only The post Americans reveal the age at which they begin to enjoy the finer things in life appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy       |
| What is HARO? – A Look at the Platform for 2021 Posted: 19 May 2021 12:39 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Milosz Krasinski  Marketers are constantly looking for new ways to improve their website profile organically through semantic keywords or some growth hacking tactics (look out for NLP!), which becomes more of a challenge every year as consumers become more savvy. In 2021, one of the effective SEO tools for marketers is HARO – Help A Reporter Out. What the heck is HARO?Help A Reporter Out is an innovative platform that allows reporters and journalists to seek out – and receive – input on articles and news pieces they may write. It's especially useful for digital PR enthusiasts, as well as those keen on link building. Rather than just laziness (who would accuse reporters of such a thing??), this allows the writer to gain a more rounded sense of the subject and, therefore, put together a more comprehensive and interesting article. HARO is divvied up into a number of different genres, which include: Biotech & Healthcare Journalists post their query onto the platform under one of the above topics, and members are then able to respond. What are the benefits of HARO for marketers?Glad you asked. HARO is a great tool for marketers as should your response be accepted by the journalist, your name (or company name) will appear as a source in their article along with a link. This, of course, means that your business can potentially reach an entirely new audience and help drive traffic to your site and solidify your place as a thought leader in your industry. From its humble beginnings on Facebook, HARO is now home to over 55,000 verified journalists and bloggers. That's 55,000 good reasons for getting started with this helpful platform as soon as possible. How do I hitch my wagon to HARO?Signing up to HARO as a source is pretty straightforward and it goes something like this: Head on over to https://www.helpareporter.com/ Once you're all set up, you'll receive daily emails at the following times: 5.35am EST These emails will contain all of the queries which are relevant to the preferences that you set up. A query will look something like this:
How does HARO work?Once you've received your email, take your time to browse the queries. Finding those which you feel that you can answer takes a couple of minutes. Once you've selected the queries that you're going to respond to, you can do so in two ways: Online – Through the online form, which you can find under 'My Pitches' on your dashboard Email – By sending an email to the address included in the query If the reporter likes your response, he or she may contact you by email to ask further questions and inform you of when the article will be published. How much does HARO cost?HARO offers four different price plans and, these are as follows: Free Plan – Guess how much this one costs? The free plan is pretty basic but fine for beginners, and it includes three daily emails and email support. Standard Plan – $19 per month. With the standard plan, you get a little more, including one keyword alert, one profile, text alerts and online search access. Advanced Plan – $49 per month The Advanced Plan gives you all the goodies from the Standard Plan, plus three keywords, three profiles, Head Start Alerts (these mean you receive the alerts as soon as the editorial team has approved them). Premium Plan – $149 per month The big honcho of HARO plans gives you unlimited keywords, unlimited profiles and phone and email support. Things To Know About HAROHARO can be a great SEO tool – as long as you follow a few rules and use the platform wisely. This said, the following are my golden rules for mastering HARO: Be SelectiveI mentioned earlier that I wouldn't recommend selecting the 'Master' option when choosing your topics – and there's a good reason for this. The reporters looking for help on HARO are looking for real, expert insights. Unless you happen to be some kind of Oracle with an encyclopedic knowledge of pretty much everything, this won't work for you. When busy reporters receive responses from people who clearly don't know what they're talking about, not only will they ignore your response but, they're also likely to blacklist you while they're at it. Instead, only ever respond to queries that you have some knowledge of and feel that you are qualified to offer useful insights. I know you will probably be eager to get started, but it's much better to hold out for the queries that are super relevant to you and your experience. Be A SnobYou've identified a response that fits the bill, and you're ready to go full steam ahead – before you do, cool your jets a little as you first want to make sure that it's worth your while. Look at who is posting the query and check out their website authority (SEMRush is a great tool for doing this). Why? You want to make sure that the website and the reporter have enough clout – and authority – to make it worth your while as a contact.
The Clock is TickingWhen considering a query, pay close attention to the deadline as some of these are pretty tight (and always keep in mind that the time is EST rather than your own particular time-zone). Reporters are often working against the clock, so these deadlines really matter (if you try to respond through your dashboard once the deadline has passed, your response won't be sent). If you do find that you've inadvertently missed the deadline, you can try sending your response by email as, on occasion, the deadline is just a guide but, as a rule of thumb, do try to stick to the time limits specified as this is just good manners. Watch the Word CountThe reporter has asked for 150 words but, they'd much rather have a three-page essay from you, right? Wrong. Your reporter is unlikely to have the time (or the inclination) to wade through a lengthy response to find the key info and, so, all your hard work is likely to end up in the bin. In the same vein, you're not writing poetry so resist the urge to use long-winded sentences and flowery language – keep it short and simple for the best results.
Catchy ContentWhen writing your pitch, don't be afraid to insert some personality into your response. Remember, the reporter is likely to be wading through a fair number of responses. Anything that makes you stand out is a good thing. Because of this, I find that I get the best results by making each response personal such as 'I do this' or 'I have used this to great effect,' rather than a more generic reply. What's in a Name?When looking at a HARO query, you'll notice that these will either include the name of the reporter and the name of the publication or, it will simply state "Anonymous." This is a moment to tread carefully as the "Anonymous" author could be writing for a student rag of a local university or being a resident of one of the publishing big boys such as Forbes or Entrepreneur. When responding to these queries, I tend to assume the latter. Therefore, I make my pitch as detailed and thought-led as possible. Cracking the ContactOne of your main objectives with HARO is to gain a new contact who may be useful in the future. For this reason, it's a good idea to include as much contact information as possible, including your name, email, website and LinkedIn. These sites give the reporter ample opportunity to check you out when considering your response. Again, you can go with the Premium Plan if you can afford to, as it allows you more options here. Stop the SellUnder no circumstances should you attempt to turn your pitch into an advertisement for yourself or your business. Reporters are not known for their patience, and this will absolutely not win you any friends (or indeed influence anybody). To Link or Not to LinkOften, a HARO query will state that a link will not be offered to a source. While this may be disappointing, it's still very much worth doing. Brand mentions are still valued by the Gods of Google, link or no link. Photo FinishIn most cases, reporters like to 'see' the person they're speaking to. For this reason, it's always a good idea to include a headshot with your pitch. This should be provided in your response as a link rather than a copied and pasted picture. If you're replying through the HARO site, an attached photo won't work. Since the reporters are getting hundreds of messages, this works as a protection for them. Unless specified otherwise, pitches should be short, sweet and super-engaging. The Follow UpYou've got your HARO mojo working, and you're firing off those responses on a regular basis – how do you know if you've been successful? In an ideal world, the reporter will get in touch with you to let you know that your response will be used. If they're super nice, they'll also tell you the publishing date of their article and ask you to promote the post once it goes live. Unfortunately, we don't live in an ideal world and, so I highly recommend signing up for a tool like Brand24, which will alert you to mentions of your name (or your brand name) whenever they appear on the world wide web. This is an essential tool for marketers these days. It's a great way of staying updated on your HARO alerts. Often, the publication will be several months from the date that you submitted your response. Cutting a DashThe 'My Pitches' section of your dashboard will also tell you if a response has been accepted. Scroll through your pitches here and lookout for a yellow thumbs-up symbol that denotes acceptance (similarly, thumbs own denotes the opposite). Unfortunately, reporters don't always take the time to update this. Reach OutWhen using HARO, you don't always have to stick to sending responses and hoping for the best. Sometimes, it can be just as effective to send the reporter an email to introduce yourself (briefly, of course) and to let him or her know that you are available to help out on future projects). This is something I do as a matter of routine and it's a great way of boosting your contacts. I also make it my business to try to connect with the reporter on LinkedIn. This helps to keep me in their peripheral vision and gives them an easy way of contacting me. HARO can be a fantastic way of upping your SEO game and gaining you lots of shiny new contacts.Remember that HARO only works if you work it. In order to be successful with HARO, you need to make it an integral part of your strategy. Meaning, you must make time to research your responses and write really engaging pitches. While the pitches may take a little getting used to in the beginning — I promise you it'll be worth it if you use HARO. Make this your long-term strategy for your branding and SEO. Top Image Credit: markus winkler; unsplash; thank you! The post What is HARO? – A Look at the Platform for 2021 appeared first on ReadWrite. Marketers are constantly looking for new ways to improve their website profile organically through semantic keywords or some growth hacking tactics (look out for NLP!), which becomes more of a challenge every year as consumers become more savvy. In 2021, one of the effective SEO tools for marketers is HARO – Help A Reporter Out. The post What is HARO? – A Look at the Platform for 2021 appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy       |
| How Upstream Is Evolving Professional Networking And The Future Of Work Posted: 19 May 2021 11:40 AM PDT dWeb.News Article from Brad Anderson  The importance of networking in business cannot be overstated — some studies have estimated that upwards of 85% of job openings are eventually filled through networking — but the systems that facilitate these processes today simply are not working in the way many people would like them too. COVID-19 has meant that just about everyone in the business world has spent the last year stumbling. It seemed they were stumbling in and out of Zoom conferences, or trying to connect with people on LinkedIn. No matter the case, it's been a struggle for connection. These media will work just fine for some people. However, the fact of the matter is that it's next to impossible to form a meaningful relationship with someone through the sanitized, haphazard platforms of modern business communication. This is the problem that Michael Schonfeld and Alex Taub were seeing when they decided to found Upstream, an app they hoped could cut through the noise of modern networking and allow people to connect with one another in real, tangible ways. Here's how they're making that happen: Bringing Engagement to Virtual ConferencingThe fundamental problem at the heart of virtual communication is the apparent opposition between connecting and time. It's difficult to really get to know someone in just a short period of time. But, anyone who has ever spent hours on a Zoom call knows that too much time in a certain medium just promotes further disengagement. There are platforms that are disrupting the system. However, their exclusivity and lack of effective curation has made them slow to transform the business world at large. Upstream gets around this by encouraging people to network and form meaningful connections in relatively succinct periods of time. The core of Upstream is the Upstream event. This event can be best described as a miniature virtual conference headlined by a keynote speaker at the forefront of her field. Speakers have included such faces as ESPN's Pablo Torre, Senator Cory Booker, Forerunner's Kirsten Green, and just about everyone in between. This lineup is so diverse. Consequently, the only common thread linking all Upstream event speakers is dynamism. In other words, no event ever kicked off without an insightful bang. Making Digital Connections PossibleIt's in that invigorating kickoff that the power of the Upstream connectivity model starts to rear its head. Following the event's presentation, attendees break up into one-on-one video breakout rooms for 5 minutes. Taub and Schonfeld believe this is the ideal amount of time to lay the groundwork for a great business relationship. It's too short to contain any forced filler talk or unnecessary pleasantries. However, it's just long enough for each participant to really show their true selves to the other. Of course, 5 minutes will indeed not be long enough for some connections to fully blossom. In that case, the opportunity to schedule a longer meeting after the event is always available. Each event attendee will be in 2 or 3 of these one-on-one meetings. This ensures that no one mixes up names or blurs details because of too many forced encounters. Just a handful of 5-minute meetups may not sound like a solid foundation for a relationship, but the idea of Upstream is that it serves as the ideal starting-off point for something bigger. By bringing together a group of people interested in what a certain speaker has to say, the event has already created possibilities for connection — it's up to the participants to make them happen. Upstream and The Future of WorkDaylong Zoom conferences and an endless stream of LinkedIn notifications are no way to manage your personal network. 2020 forced the future of work upon just about everyone, and while digital infrastructure has kept up fairly well, it's been far from perfect. You may have more tools than ever you can use to communicate with other people, but how many of those tools help you genuinely connect with them? The Upstream model isn't just something that conceptually checks out: it's already performing in big ways. Hot off a $3.25 million dollar seed round led by Ibex investors, Upstream is ready to expand its usership in such a way that can no longer be ignored. Some 75% of first-time Upstream event attendees come back for more — with engagement figures that large, it's just a matter of time before Upstream starts to become a crucial node in the connectivity network. The post How Upstream Is Evolving Professional Networking And The Future Of Work appeared first on ReadWrite. The importance of networking in business cannot be overstated — some studies have estimated that upwards of 85% of job openings are eventually filled through networking — but the systems that facilitate these processes today simply are not working in the way many people would like them too. COVID-19 has meant that just about everyone The post How Upstream Is Evolving Professional Networking And The Future Of Work appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy       |
| Decentralized Finance Needs Feasible Solutions, Not Trendy Ones Posted: 19 May 2021 11:40 AM PDT dWeb.News Article from Kor Kiang Sean  In 2008, Bitcoin's release initiated a financial movement, whose present form is Decentralized Finance or DeFi. Over the years, DeFi has steadily made its mark globally, with the promise of upending traditional financial systems. The response, of course, has been genuinely overwhelming. DeFi's positive impact in mitigating conventional economic pain points has also been significant. Yet, scrutiny of the bigger picture reveals something grave, a problem that we must overcome to transform finance. Speculations, trends, and hype have been significant growth drivers since the early days of the blockchain-cryptocurrency domain. The so-called "ICO Craze" of 2017 was among the worst-possible manifestations of this scenario, resulting in losses worth millions. Presently, as we stand at the frontiers of a new financial paradigm, we must learn from past mistakes. Decentralized Finance Needs Feasible SolutionsThe DeFi boom is nothing like ICOs; mere white papers drove the latter, while to a great extent, delivered results are fuelling the former. Despite that, new trends emerge at regular intervals, and innovators jump on the bandwagon without much vision. In all of this, the tendency has been to completely disregard and oppose the founding principles of Centralized Finance (CeFi). This approach is dogmatic and short-sighted, with the potential to hamper our long-term interests as stakeholders of new finance. CeFi has problems, no doubt, but there's also quite a lot that we can learn from legacy financial systems.This article lets us discuss how we can transform finance through pragmatic and comprehensive solutions rather than trendy ones. How, in the longer run, can we innovate systems that cohere with the broader needs of consumers and enterprises? That is, precisely, the question we must try to answer. Centralized Finance: The Good and The BadA cool-headed approach cannot possibly deny the impact of CeFi in our day-to-day transactions. For one, the domain has evolved through decades of experience; there's a deep knowledge pool that we must not ignore. Most financial services that we experience today — deposits, lending, borrowing, and so on — have emanated out of developments in CeFi. Elaborate credit rating systems, for instance, have been of great use across sectors, facilitating cross-border lending, microfinance, and so on. Innovations in Fintech, as well, began within CeFi. Everything seems excellent with CeFi. Where did it go wrong?Why, if at all, do we need new financial systems? Because of three significant aspects, centralization can be very harmful: governance, record maintenance, and risk management. To exemplify the point, consider the regular lending procedure, where a central authority is in complete control. From background check to interest rate determination, this entity governs every aspect of the process. A few decide for the many, which may not always be advisable or even acceptable. Consumers, on their part, have little or no say in the process that involves their funds and futures. The distribution of risk is highly concentrated.The banks involved are usually the sole bearer of the defaulting risks. Banks charge hefty interests to compensate for high risks, which is ultimately detrimental to financial inclusion. As a whole, the distribution of value and risk in CeFi is highly inequitable, affecting every stakeholder somehow. Centralized record-keeping and data storage is another aspect of concern with CeFi, as it dramatically hampers security. Centrally located servers represent single-points-of-failure, becoming easy targets for hackers. Apart from that, censorship, espionage, manipulation, and fraud are some of the other persistent problems of CeFi. Additionally, monolithic systems imply high costs for implementation, maintenance, and upkeep; this inflates the cost of the end-product or service. Decentralized Finance: The Alternative to CeFi?DeFi has the potential to resolve financial pain points, no doubt. It is still too early, though, to make sweeping claims about how it will completely replace CeFi. Although DeFi is treading with long strides, there's still much ground to cover before it reaches where CeFi is today. This is true in terms of usability and applicability, at least. Nevertheless, DeFi has been transformative in more ways than one. Consider — a distributed community governs the lending procedures.As opposed to CeFi, considering the previous example, a distributed community governs the lending procedure, involving an automated consensus protocol. The determination of interest rates is also algorithmic, ensuring a fair rate structure for everyone. Above all, there's a horizontal distribution of risk across lenders, and no single entity carries the entire burden of default. Furthermore, distributed record-keeping and data storage mitigates the risks of hacks; the absence of centralized governance prevents censorship, monitoring, and manipulation. The immutability of distributed ledgers, such as blockchain, ensures optimal transparency and data security. However, DeFi is not without shortcomings, especially concerning legal risks and low accountability. Open financial systems uphold the individual's right to autonomy, but this results in adverse outcomes under specific scenarios. What about the loosening of the regulatory controls — for profit?For instance, enterprises can misuse the loosening of regulatory control to maximize profit and bypass obligations towards consumers. Wash trading, price manipulation by sharks, and scam are among the most prominent negativities arising from open finance. Often, platforms that do not comply with KYC/AML requirements serve as breeding grounds for black markets and money laundering. Low scalability and interoperability obstruct the realization of DeFi's fullest potential.Unlike conventional financial services, DeFi, by and large, is still unable to facilitate day-to-day economic interactions. Solutions in this domain must be able to interoperate, not just amongst themselves but also with the existing financial infrastructure. Only when DeFi and CeFi work in tandem shall we have the comprehensive financial that befits the future. Semi-Decentralized Finance: Combining the Best of Both WorldsDeFi and CeFi, as we have seen, both have their upsides and downsides. Presently, we are unable to have fully decentralized financial systems without compromising their functionality or robustness. The need of the hour, then, is to find ways to leverage the strengths of both CeFi and DeFi. Semi-Decentralization—the middle-way, of sorts—is the most feasible and pragmatic approach to finance, at least for now. Connecting compiled credit reports.In lending, decentralized platforms can collaborate with centralized credit unions, aggregating credit scores for prospective borrowers. By connecting compiled credit reports with users' on-chain wallets, it's possible to liberate them from overcollateralized loans. The determination and standardization of interest rates shall remain decentralized, thereby ensuring optimal fairness. Semi-Decentralization fares better with risk management as well. Borrowers can still get loans from liquidity pools rather than from individual lenders. But legal integration with conventional finance provides a way to recover funds in the case of default. The process is swift and cost-optimized, as the arbitration occurs in bulks. In most cases, we can recover in this manner; if not, then liquidity providers bear the loss in proportion to their staked liquidity. Globally, the financial community has started the future. Innovators within the global financial community have already embarked on this journey towards the future. A significant number of upcoming projects are adopting the semi-decentralization approach. Ripple and XinFin, for instance, are famous names in this regard, innovating with centralized and decentralized technologies in unison. Centaur is another hybrid solution, leveraging CeFi's efficiency with DeFi's distributed management. In projects like Centaur, the flexibility and robustness of conventional finance augment the potential for immutable and transparent data storage and enhanced security. The direct outcome of this combination is an unprecedented broadening of the scope for use-cases in new finance. By integrating financial licenses with blockchain's backward-compatible interoperability, semi-decentralized innovations lay the foundations for the seamless financial experience. Image Credit: burst; pexels; thank you! The post Decentralized Finance Needs Feasible Solutions, Not Trendy Ones appeared first on ReadWrite. In 2008, Bitcoin's release initiated a financial movement, whose present form is Decentralized Finance or DeFi. Over the years, DeFi has steadily made its mark globally, with the promise of upending traditional financial systems. The response, of course, has been genuinely overwhelming. DeFi's positive impact in mitigating conventional economic pain points has also been significant. The post Decentralized Finance Needs Feasible Solutions, Not Trendy Ones appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy       |
| Avoid these 3 dumb password mistakes like the plague Posted: 19 May 2021 11:40 AM PDT dWeb.News Article from Andy Meek  It will never cease to baffle me how many people still choose childishly simple passwords like “12345” or “password” to attempt to secure their digital accounts and devices, and how those same people — even if they choose a sufficiently complex password — will nevertheless marry their password with easy-to-guess password recovery answers. For some reason, the only time we don’t even blink an eye regarding these kinds of slipshod practices is when it comes to securing our digital accounts. In the real world, of course, nobody would ever willingly hand over something like their house key just because a guy walked up and said he knows your mother’s maiden name or where you went to high school. Yet, this is exactly what we do too often in the online realm, which is the kind of thing that leads to so many of the hacks, data breaches and leaks that have dominated cybersecurity news headlines this year. In this post, which comes just a few days after World Password Day, will take a closer look at some of the password-related mistakes you should avoid — and some best practices you should follow. Today’s Top DealAirPods Pro are back in stock at Amazon’s lowest price of 2021!Price: $197.00 Today’s Top Deals The gadget that helps you cook perfect steak is $33 at Amazon, a new all-time low Trending Right Now: New $3,000+ stimulus payments are coming – here's when you'll start getting yours The post Avoid these 3 dumb password mistakes like the plague appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy       |
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