News
Facebook will launch its cryptocurrency called Diem
Managed by a not-for-profit association
Facebook had plans to launch a new cryptocurrency called Libra, but the project received a lot of criticism, and key partners gradually walked away. But that’s not enough to demotivate Facebook. The social network says it intends to launch a stablecoin called Diem in 2021.
The pilot will be launched with a single stablecoin pegged to the US dollar as it scales back its global ambitions of revolutionising developing markets. The project was formerly known as Libra in 2019, but recently the name is changed to Diem.
A stablecoin is pegged against a fiat currency (like US dollars). Hence its value isn’t as volatile as other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. However, stablecoin can still leverage blockchain technology to enable quick transactions.
The Diem Association is the digital currency project group of Facebook, which aims to launch the Diem as the single US dollar stablecoin with 26 corporate firms and non-profit organizations.
The non-profit is based out of Switzerland and was supposed to apply for a license there, but it recently relocated to the United States regulator. It intends to create a sophisticated blockchain digital payment system that will permit real-time eCommerce transactions with Diem stablecoins.
Keep in mind, Facebook doesn’t own the cryptocurrency is merely a part of the association, like other stakeholders. The organisation is supposed to serve as a monetary authority for the cryptocurrency and reach people who don’t have access to traditional banking systems.
“Diem is planning to launch the payment system from the USA in the first phase because initially, the project will focus on the USA as its target market,” Diem Association said. It will be based largely on payments between individual consumers, potentially allowing users to buy goods and services.
Read Also: Mastercard will start accepting cryptocurrencies this year
Nothing goes together more than a Chinese smartphone brand and the relentless pursuit for a bigger battery. For years, Chinese brands have engaged in a war for this particular component. Now, the latest salvo has been fired. Honor is reportedly working on a phone with a gigantic 14000mAh battery.
Today, the biggest battery capacity you can find on an Honor phone is 11000mAh. The Honor X80 Pro Max already offers a battery that can last you more than a single day. At this point, it’s certainly more than enough for our daily needs.
According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, a smartphone brand is currently working on a 14000mAh battery. Though the leak does not explicitly pinpoint Honor, the emoji used (a wolf) is historically used to imply the Chinese brand in Weibo parlance.
A 14000mAh is just absurdly huge. With a battery larger than some powerbanks, battery anxiety becomes moot. It’s bordering on “can we bring this on a plane” territory.
As with all rumored features, the next question is when this battery will arrive on a consumer-ready device. Given how serious the battery wars are for the Chinese market, it’s only a matter of time.
SEE ALSO: HONOR continues APAC expansion, to launch 600 series in Taiwan
Yesterday, Nothing officially teased the Phone (4b), an all-new line positioned below the Phone (4a) series. At the time, the teaser revealed nothing but the design of the upcoming phone. However, ahead of its July 7 launch, the Phone (4b) suddenly appeared on Geekbench, spoiling a few of its mysterious specs.
According to the listing, the Phone (4b) will run the SM6650, more popularly known as the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4. It’s a modestly powered processor built for the budget to midrange segments of the performance spectrum. Having this processor does confirm that the phone belongs to the step below the Phone (4a), bringing affordability to a name other than CMF.
Besides the processor, the new phone will come with an Adreno 810 GPU and 8GB of RAM. Inside, it will ship with Android 16 out of the box, but this will likely be upgradeable to Android 17 later this year.
It’s already confirmed that the Phone (4b) will be quite the looker. The phone will slightly depart from the design philosophy of the Phone (4a) series. Though it will still have a sizable rear island, the camera setup will just be a small vertical strip on the top-left corner. Additionally, the lighting element typical of all Nothing phones will be a small horizontal strip on the bottom-right corner.
Thankfully, the wait for more specs won’t be long. Nothing has confirmed that the phone’s launch is set for July 7.
News
Polaroid says, enjoy the beach before AI ruins it
“We know what we stand to lose if we don’t protect it.”
Tongue-in-cheek marketing is a soothing balm for a world where false promises are more often advertised. But, what happens when those tongue-in-cheek jokes strike a nerve and make you think, “maybe this isn’t a joke anymore”? Polaroid, a huge proponent of analog technology, has put up such a billboard to enjoy the beach “before the data centers drink it all up.”
Right in front of Coney Island (and right in time for summer), Polaroid has a simple message: “Go jump in the water before the data centers drink it all up.”
Though funny by itself, the message plays on an ongoing fear that today’s data centers, built for AI, have such a high water requirement that each query takes up gallons every time. This is, of course, slightly hyperbolic, but data centers are indeed exerting a lot of pressure on their area’s resources. They take a lot of water for cooling and electricity to keep open.
In a statement, Polaroid says that they’re not anti-digital. Rather, “we know we have to live alongside it, but we’re deeply pro-human and know what humanity gives us. And we know what we stand to lose if we don’t protect it. That’s a fight worth fighting,” says Polaroid’s creative director Patricia Varella, via LBB.
Now, this isn’t a completely altruistic ad. It’s still advertising the new Go Generation 3. Still, if you’re looking for a product to go alongside today’s shifting sentiments against AI, a Polaroid might be it.
SEE ALSO: The Loop PH rebrands as lifestyle-tech destination
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