Airbnb permanently bans parties at its rental locations

Palm Springs home values in ‘free-fall’ after city cracks down on Airbnb | KTLA

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AirBnB

The Success of Airbnb: Examining the Importance of Hosts and Guests in a Two-Sided Marketplace and Analyzing Its Disruptive Innovation in the Hospitality Industry My first visit to Airbnb's San Francisco office in early January 2020, and later, an in-depth discussion with a professor in class, made me more curious than ever about this firm. It has pushed the boundaries of imagination, not only in the hotel and housing industry but also in the entire hospitality industry. Founded in San Francisco in 2008 by Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nathan Blecharczyk, Airbnb started as an idea for a survival pastime income and has grown to become one of the fastest-growing multi-billion dollar firms, which is set to grow rapidly in the next decade. Airbnb has achieved its success on the back of one of the best data-driven decision-making teams in the valley. Today, it has become the largest peer-to-peer service housing accommodations provider in the world, with a presence in more than 190 countries. To understand its growth from its first principles and to continue growing at the tremendous pace it has done, I would like to share a few thoughts on the following queries. These queries might help us discuss and debate this iconic company. Does Airbnb's success and growth rely more on hosts or guests? I believe that Airbnb, like Uber, Lyft, and Amazon, operates as a two-sided market where the supply side is the key trigger for growth. Quality supply and a platform that ensures a quality experience for consumers lead to an increase in demand. This creates a cycle where more suppliers lead to more demand due to both repeat consumption and new consumers attracted by word of mouth. Therefore, guests are likely to use the platform only if they see a good supply of quality listings and great hosts. Thus, hosts are critical to Airbnb's success. One of my friends, a product manager at a renowned tech firm, provided an interesting perspective. He suggested that customers always had other options such as hotels and motels, even if they had to pay more than an average Airbnb guest. However, homeowners now had a new avenue to supplement their income without committing to a long-term tenant or incurring expenses. Airbnb was the only significant player that catered to this demand, so hosts had limited options. Therefore, hosts had less negotiation power as the alternative was no money or customers at an acceptable price. If Airbnb could enhance the homeowner supply by exploiting this power imbalance, guests would find Airbnb a preferred platform to avail great places to stay at below commercial market-level rates. It seems that Airbnb figured out that hosts were critical to their product -- “Low-cost regular homes for an above value experience” -- the most unique thing they offered. Without this product, Airbnb would not have anything unique or advantageous over other hospitality players for the network effect to kick in. Therefore, I believe that hosts should be the center of the initial focus for Airbnb. However, one may question whether Airbnb is just a complement to the hotel industry or fundamentally changing the way the hotel or housing industry is defined. The powerful disruptive innovation framework, as defined by Clayton Christensen, may not be something that everyone agrees with, but it has helped corporate strategists realize potential industry disruptions. Analyzing such models helps us understand how companies have disrupted incumbents and transformed industries and consumers forever. Is the Airbnb business model truly a disruptive innovation or simply another approach following conventional wisdom for success? Analyze its entry into and impact on the hotel industry. I would classify Airbnb as a disruptive innovation. When it started, it seemed like a very inefficient way of finding a non-rated place when we could easily find a hotel or a motel through phone calls. And the hosts were not very professional or not in abundance to get users interested in the properties whose pictures were very unclear, giving no idea to the customers. However, with the advancement of technology, the speed of the internet, and the learning curve of Airbnb employees, they were able to not only bring both unstructured markets of house providers together but also got named hotels to participate in the platform. With better photos and easy search for users, they slowly become a single stop for cheap overnight stay housing. And now, they have become the first preference for consumers. Starting as a Peer to peer model, Airbnb has expanded to an all-form business model serving consumers of all income groups and supporting the hosts across ranges starting from part-timeshare economy enthusiasts to serious hoteliers. Airbnb is no more the tiny startup whose actions are not going to bother the indirect societal stakeholders — may it be the government, housing markets, brokers, etc., besides the direct stakeholders like hosts and guests. Every step of it is monitored, judged, and opined by powerful institutions and the curious masses. What should be Airbnb's role in building and shaping cities and public policy regarding residential and commercial real estate? Recently, Airbnb has come under increased government scrutiny, with new regulations likely to impact its business model. As a result, the company has a greater responsibility to present its best self to the community. One way it can do this is by implementing programs and initiatives that focus on sustainability, affordable lodging, and housing for lower-income groups, with an emphasis on developing black and marginalized communities. Additionally, as a platform for multicultural exchanges, Airbnb has the potential to become a champion of cultural integration and promote positive social values. By being proactive, Airbnb can build a positive reputation and earn the support of lawmakers and policymakers. Providing excellent customer service has become the minimum benchmark for any consumer-centric company. Companies like Amazon have set high standards for customer service that other tech giants must follow. Airbnb has been at the forefront of consumer obsession, with its data team using sophisticated techniques to understand reviews, ratings, and minute patterns of consumer behavior to improve guest experiences. Additionally, Airbnb maintains standard insurance policies for hosts to ensure quality and safety for its users. However, despite these measures, scams, accidents, and negative customer experiences can still occur. In business, it is impossible to satisfy everyone all the time. Should Airbnb focus more on preventing scams and accidents or would it be an overreaction? And if the answer is yes, what are some meaningful ideas to explore? In today's cutthroat business environment, insurance may not be enough for businesses to maintain their reputation when dealing with hypersensitive, tech-savvy, and unforgiving consumers. Reviews and ratings have helped platform businesses gain insights into both hosts and consumers, avoiding scams, theft, and other unpleasant situations. However, predictive algorithms for user behavior have not yet been integrated with social behavior to prevent sinister activities altogether. Proper risk analysis and the use of deep learning tools could help Airbnb take preventive measures instead of just reacting to incidents with a 24-48 hour response time. In order to provide the best experience for platform users and avoid antisocial activities, superior AI technology should be integrated with public organizations, such as the police and fire departments, with 24-hour hotlines. Also Published Here References and Sources: Airbnb. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.airbnb.com/about/about-us Clayton Christensen. (n.d.). Clayton Christensen's Milkshake Marketing. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2011/04/29/clayton-christensens-milkshake-marketing/?sh=2c9dd4171dd6 Forbes. (2021, March 11). How To Analyze Disruptive Innovation. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/louisefron/2021/03/11/how-to-analyze-disruptive-innovation/?sh=5e5f5b5e5cd5 Kalanick, T. (2021, March 1). The rise of Airbnb: How it became a $100bn company. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/01/the-rise-of-airbnb-how-it-became-a-100bn-company Mangalindan, M. J. (2021, February 22). Airbnb faces challenges ahead of its IPO. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/22/airbnb-faces-challenges-ahead-of-its-ipo.html Porter, M. E. (1996). What is Strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74(6), 61-78. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/1996/11/what-is-strategy-2 The New York Times. (2018, December 7). Airbnb Isn’t Just Greedy. It’s Also Incompetent. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/07/opinion/airbnb-regulation-housing-cities.html Wikipedia. (2021, March 16). Airbnb. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbnb

Airbnb - Time to Reflect for This Disruptive Company

Introduction Airbnb is a marketplace that connects people who need a place to stay with people who need to rent out extra space. Airbnb allows people to search for a list of rental properties worldwide. It's the world's largest accommodation provider, but many may be amazed to learn that the company has no property of its own. This Airbnb business case study reveals what makes Airbnb so successful. It is super convenient for both the renter and the owner. The renter can find a place to stay that is close to their desired location, and the owner can make some extra income by renting out their spare space. Airbnb has been so successful that it is now one of the most valuable companies in the world. As of 11th November 2022, Airbnb is worth $70.39 billion. Airbnb has continually expanded & created a new market for people to rent out their extra space. The company also keeps pace with the times by rolling out new customer incentivizing programs and perks to encourage more hosts to list their properties on their platform. The Airbnb business case study is an excellent example of how a company can be successful by creating a new market. By filling a need that was not being met by traditional companies, Airbnb has become one of the most valuable companies in the world. What is Airbnb & Its Brief History Airbnb is a web-based platform founded in 2008 that connects people who need a place to stay with people who need to rent out extra space. Airbnb allows people to search for a list of rental properties worldwide. The company was started by two former roommates, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia. They had an idea to create a platform that would allow people to find and book rooms easily. Chesky and Gebbia started by renting out air mattresses in their living room, and the company has since grown to offer more than 5 million properties in 191 countries. Airbnb has been a disruptive force in the travel industry and has changed how people travel. The company has been praised for its innovative business model and its ability to make traveling more affordable. Airbnb has also been criticized for its lack of regulation, and some have raised concerns about the platform's safety. Despite these concerns, Airbnb continues to be a popular option for travelers, showing no signs of slowing down. The company is currently valued at more than $31 billion, & continues to grow. Airbnb Business Model Case Study The key to Airbnb's success is its business model, which allows it to offer competitive prices while still generating a healthy profit. Let's have a look at some of the Airbnb business case study examples. Airbnb makes money by charging a commission on each booking. The company also offers additional services, such as insurance and 24/7 customer support, which are optional but come at an extra cost. Airbnb has disrupted the traditional hotel industry and has by offering a more affordable and flexible alternative. The company has been highly successful and is now one of the most valuable startups in the world. initiated business transformation The Airbnb business model has been copied by many other companies, but the company remains the leader in the space. The Airbnb business plan example remains unbeatable and depicts how a well-designed business model can lead to success. Airbnb’s Distribution Strategy Airbnb's distribution strategy is to be everywhere its customers are. To do this, they've invested heavily in a strong online and mobile presence. They are also active on social media and partner with other companies in the travel industry. Airbnb has built a very efficient platform that allows guests to find a place to stay and for hosts to list their properties. Their platform is available in over 34,000 cities in 191 countries, reports livemint.com. Airbnb has partnered with many companies in the travel industry, including TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Google. These partnerships help Airbnb reach a larger audience and make it easy for travelers to find them when planning their trips. Airbnb is also very active on social media. They have over 84 million followers on their Twitter account and over 16 billion likes on their Facebook page. They use social media to share travel tips, promote special deals, and connect with customers. Overall, Airbnb's distribution strategy is working well for them. Their platform is available in many countries, and their partnerships with other companies in the travel industry help them reach a larger audience. Their social media presence is also helping them connect with their customers and promote their brand. Airbnb Experience & Customer Intimacy Model Is Centered on Enhancing End-to-End Overall Travel Experience Beyond Just Accommodation Airbnb has been focused on enhancing customer experience by improving the overall travel experience, not just accommodation. They have trained the owners to provide the best possible experience and have hired freelance photographers to post pictures of areas nearby the accommodation to keep customers intrigued. By doing this, they hope to attract more customers and keep them coming back for more. Airbnb has been able to create a community of passionate travelers who are willing to share their experiences with others. This has allowed them to improve the quality of their service and product offerings. In turn, this has led to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. While there are many vacation rental companies out there, Airbnb has differentiated itself by its focus on customer experience. By creating an end-to-end experience that is centered on the customer, they have been able to build a strong brand and following. As they continue to invest in improving the overall travel experience, they are well-positioned to maintain their position as a leader in space. Airbnb Prioritizes User-Generated Content to Delight Customers Airbnb puts a lot of emphasis on user-generated content because it understands that this kind of content delights customers. In fact, creative in-house content only makes up 30% of Airbnb's content marketing mix. The other 70% is focused on user-generated content, primarily on social media channels. This focus on user-generated content allows Airbnb to connect with its customers on a more personal level and create a sense of community. It also saves Airbnb money on content creation, as user-generated content is generally free or low-cost. Also, the impact of user-generated content is enormous since it gives customers a sense of ownership and a personal connection with the brand. Also, Airbnb has a multi-channel social media strategy. While their YouTube is primarily orchestrated around travel blogs, Instagram is more about visual stuff, customer stories, and some modern-day travel slang. Let’s have a look at some of the content across Airbnb’s social media channels: a)      LinkedIn b)     Twitter c)      Facebook d)      Instagram e)      YouTube The Revenue Model of Airbnb Airbnb's revenue model is based on three key components: hosts, guests, and Airbnbmag. Airbnb earns most of its revenue from hosts, who list their properties on the platform and pay a fee for doing so. Guests also pay a fee to book accommodations through Airbnb. In addition, Airbnb charges a service fee to both guests and hosts. Airbnb also generates revenue from Airbnbmag, its online magazine that offers travel tips, recommendations, and stories about interesting places to stay around the world. While Airbnb does not charge for access to Airbnbmag, the magazine does generate revenue through advertising and affiliate marketing. Airbnb has a few primary ways it makes money: 1. Commission from hosts Airbnb charges hosts a 3% commission fee for every booking made through the platform. 2. Service fees In addition to the commission, Airbnb also charges a service fee to both guests and hosts. The guest service fee is typically around 6-12% of the total booking cost, while the host service fee is usually approximately 2.5%. 3. Advertising and affiliate marketing Airbnbmag, Airbnb's online magazine, generates revenue through advertising and affiliate marketing. Airbnb's business model has been incredibly successful. In 2018, the company generated $2.6 billion in revenue and surpassed 70 billion in 2022. Airbnb is also one of the most valuable startups in the world. While Airbnb's revenue model is simple, it has been incredibly effective. The company has grown rapidly since its inception in 2008 and is now one of the most successful startups in the world. Thanks to its strong growth, Airbnb is well-positioned to continue to be a major player in the travel industry for years to come. Marketing Strategy of Airbnb Airbnb is a private accommodation rental platform that allows people to list, discover, and book unique travel experiences worldwide. The company has grown exponentially since its launch in 2008, and it is now one of the most valuable startups in the world. Airbnb's marketing strategy has played a prominent role in its success. The company has used a variety of marketing channels to reach a wide range of customers. Airbnb's use of social media is one of the most notable aspects of its marketing strategy. The company has an active presence on multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Airbnb has used social media to connect with potential customers and build brand awareness. In addition to social media, Airbnb has used traditional marketing channels such as television and print advertising. However, the company has recently been increasingly focused on digital marketing. Airbnb has invested heavily in online advertising, and it now ranks as one of the top spenders on Google AdWords. Overall, Airbnb's marketing strategy has been highly influential in driving growth and building brand awareness. The company's use of social media and online advertising has helped it reach a wide range of customers, and its focus on customer experience has resulted in high levels of customer satisfaction. Airbnb's strategic partnership with Chegg and other brands helped to improve their marketing campaigns by making it easier for students to find housing options near their campus. The partnership also allowed Airbnb to tap into Chegg's large user base and exposed the company to a new demographic wherein customers were looking for rental properties. As a result of the partnership, Airbnb saw an increase in bookings and a higher brand awareness among students. Airbnb's social media marketing strategy has successfully driven traffic and engagement. The company has more than 13 million indexed pages, and its content is shared across various channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Moreover, their loyal customers often spread positive word-of-mouth, which drives even more traffic and engagement. Airbnb has also partnered with influencers and local travel guides in several global geographies. This has helped them to reach new audiences and build relationships with key opinion leaders. As a result, their social media marketing strategy has been extremely effective in driving growth and brand awareness. How Airbnb Outlasts Its Competitors Airbnb has several critical advantages over its competitors. Firstly, it has a much more efficient business model in terms of costs. Secondly, it has a better product offering and user experience. Lastly, Airbnb has a strong brand and community that gives it a competitive edge. 1. Efficiency Airbnb's business model is built on efficiency. It has a lean cost structure with few employees and low overhead costs. Airbnb also doesn't need to invest in physical infrastructure, reducing its costs. This makes Airbnb very profitable and gives it a big competitive advantage over traditional hotel chains. 2. Product Airbnb offers a better product than its competitors. As customers also value product experience more, here's where the ball swings in favor of Airbnb. They are not just accommodation providers but are also considerate of the end-to-end travel experience of their customers. It provides a more personal and unique experience that is better tailored to the needs of modern travelers. Airbnb also has a superior user interface and customer service. This gives it a significant competitive advantage over other travel options. 3. Community Airbnb has a strong community and brand. This community provides valuable word-of-mouth marketing and creates a sense of user trust and safety. The brand also allows Airbnb to charge a premium price for its product. This combination of factors gives Airbnb a decisive competitive advantage. Business Lessons Learned from Airbnb's Case Study The Airbnb business case study reveals that its business model is pretty simple. The company provides a platform for people who need a place to stay with people who need to rent out extra space. Airbnb makes money by charging a commission on each booking. A few things make Airbnb's business model unique and successful. First, the company has built an incredibly efficient platform that makes it easy for renters and landlords to connect. Second, Airbnb has been very clever in its marketing, using word-of-mouth and social media to attract users. Finally, and most importantly, Airbnb has worked hard to create a community of users who trust and recommend the platform to others. This community is what makes Airbnb so unique, and it's also what makes the company so successful. Airbnb's success is due to a combination of factors, but the company's values and mission are definitely pivotal. The Airbnb business case study reveals that this company fosters community and provides people with an affordable and convenient way to travel. These values have resonated with users and helped the company to snowball. To continue its success, any business, just like Airbnb, needs to keep these values at the forefront of everything they do. The company also needs to continue to innovate and find new ways to make travel more convenient and affordable for its users. If it successfully does so, the company will consequently reflect on and possibly replicate Airbnb's success. Conclusion Airbnb has been one of the most successful businesses of the past decade. The company has disrupted the hotel industry and created a new way for people to travel. Airbnb has been so successful because it is a platform that allows people to rent out their homes to travelers. This will enable people to save money on hotels and provide them with an experience that is more personal and unique. Airbnb has also been able to scale its business very quickly by using technology to connect people with each other. The company has also been very innovative in its marketing, which has helped it attract many users. Overall, Airbnb has been successful because it is a unique platform that allows people to save money and have a more personal travel experience. The company has also been very innovative, which has helped it attract many users. The future of Airbnb is looking very bright. With their recent expansion into the business travel market, they are poised to become a major player in the online travel booking industry. Their unique business model and innovative technology have already disrupted the traditional hotel industry, and there is no reason to believe that they will not continue to do so in the future. As Airbnb continues to grow and expand into new markets, it will continue to face challenges from the traditional hotel industry. However, if they can continue to innovate and create unique experiences for their guests, they will no doubt continue to be a major force in the travel industry for years to come. I hope this blog serves as an ideal take on Airbnb business model development and future challenges case study.

Airbnb Business Case Study: What Makes Airbnb So Successful

What do Tinder, AirBnB, Pokemon Go, and Pinterest have in common? All of them run on the Kubernetes platform. This article explains why IT executives should be evaluating using this technology, how it can help businesses, and the circumstances it should not be used in. We will take a look at enterprise IT use cases in the real world, as well as some of the challenges this technology faces, and how to properly utilize Kubernetes to get the most from it. What is Kubernetes? What is Kubernetes? For those who keep abreast of the latest in tech news, it may suddenly seem like Kubernetes is appearing all over, having become increasingly popular. First rolled out to developers in 2015, Kubernetes has gradually become a platform almost universally loved by developers. But does Kubernetes make a similarly perfect fit for technology executives? And if so, why? is an open-source platform developed by Google, allowing users to coordinate and run containerized applications over a series of multiple devices or machines. Kubernetes’ purpose is centered on total control of the entire lifecycle of a containerized application, with methods providing improved availability and scalability. Kubernetes Kubernetes users are able to manage how their applications interact with other applications outside of the Kubernetes platform, and govern how and when these applications run. Users can easily scale down or up as needs require, can roll out updates seamlessly, and can test features and troubleshoot difficult deployments by switching traffic between multiple versions of the applications. What is the Difference Between Kubernetes and Docker? Frequently, discussions about Kubernetes and Docker will take the form of – ‘Should I choose to use Kubernetes, or Docker?’ But this is a slightly misleading framing, as these two platforms are not strict alternatives. It’s absolutely possible to run Kubernetes without Docker, and vice versa. But Docker frequently can benefit from concurrent use of Kubernetes, and the same goes the other way. is all about containers, and is frequently used to help with the containerization of applications. Note that Docker is able to be installed on any machine as a stand-alone for running containerized apps. Docker The core of containerization is the concept of running an application in a way that isolates it completely from the other elements of the system. In essence, the application acts as though it had its own instance of the operating system, even though in most cases multiple containers are on the same OS. Docker acts as the manager for this process, handling the creation and running of these containers within a given OS. Now, imagine you’re using Docker on multiple hosts. This is where Kubernetes can come into the picture. Each host, or node, can either be virtual machines or physical servers. Kubernetes is able to automate and manage elements like load balancing, scaling and security, and the provisioning of containers, linking all these hosts through a single dashboard or command line. We refer to a collection of Docker hosts (or any group of nodes) as a Kubernetes cluster. The next logical question is: Why would it be necessary to create more than one host or node? There are two primary reasons for it. 1. First, to make your applications scalable. If the workload on the application goes up, you’re able to create more containers, or else increase the number of nodes within the Kubernetes cluster. 2. Second, to increase the robustness of the infrastructure. Even if any node or individual subset of nodes go offline, your application remains online. Kubernetes is able to automate the removing, adding, managing and updating of containers. In fact, Kubernetes can perhaps best be thought of as a platform for . Meanwhile, Docker allows for the creation and maintenance of containers to begin with, at a lower level. orchestrating containers When and Why to Use Kubernetes Beginning with a series of Docker-created containers, Kubernetes manages the traffic and allocates resources for this service. In doing so, it makes numerous aspects of managing a service-oriented application infrastructure simpler and easier. In conjunction with the latest (continuous integration/continuous deployment) tools, Kubernetes can scale these applications without requiring a major engineering project. CI/CD We can take a look at a few of these cases more closely. CONTAINER ORCHESTRATION Containers, in a vacuum, are wonderful, providing a simple way to bundle and deploy your services with a lightweight creation process. This allows for positive attributes like efficient use of resources, immutability, and process isolation. However, when you’re actually implementing your project in production, it’s very possible that you’ll end up dealing with anywhere from dozens to thousands of containers, especially over time. If this work is being done manually, it’s likely to require a dedicated container management team to update, connect, manage and deploy these containers. Simply running the containers isn’t sufficient. You’ll also need to be able to accomplish the following: - Scale either down or up in line with changes in demand - Orchestrate and integrate various modular parts - Communicate across clusters - Ensure your containers are fault tolerant It’s natural to think that containers should be able to handle all that without the need for a platform like Kubernetes. But the reality is that the containers themselves operate at a lower level of organization. In order to gain the significant benefits of a system built with containers, it’s necessary to use container orchestrator tools like Kubernetes, tools that sit on top of and manage containers. MICROSERVICES MANAGEMENT The concept of is far from a new idea. Software architects have worked at breaking up large-scale applications into broadly reusable components for decades. Microservices offer multiple benefits, from a greater degree of resiliency to faster, more flexible models for deployment to simpler automatic . microservices testing Microservices also let decision makers choose the best tool for any individual task. One piece of your application may benefit more from the productivity boost of a high level language like PHP, while another piece may get more from a high speed language like Go. But how does Kubernetes fit in with this microservices concept? It’s true that breaking down your large-scale application into these smaller, less rigidly connected microservices will allow for more freedom and independence of action. But it’s still necessary for your team to coordinate while making use of the infrastructure all these independent pieces use to run. It will be necessary to predict the amount of resources these pieces will need, as well as how your requirements shift under load. You’ll need to allocate partitions within your infrastructure for your various microservices and restrict resource use accordingly. This is where Kubernetes is able to help, offering a common framework that gives a description for your infrastructure architecture that allows you to inspect and work through resource usage and sharing issues. If you’re planning on creating a microservice-reliant architecture, Kubernetes can be massively beneficial. CLOUD ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT It’s no wonder that containers and the tools that manage containers have become increasingly popular, as many modern businesses are shifting toward microservice-based models. These microservice models allow for easy splitting of an application into discrete pieces portioned off into containers run via separate cloud environments. This allows you to choose a host that perfectly suits your needs in each case. Kubernetes is designed to be deployed anywhere, meaning you can use it on a private cloud, a public cloud, or a hybrid cloud. This allows you to connect with your users no matter where they’re located, with increased security as an added boon. Kubernetes allows you to sidestep the possible issue of ‘ ’. vendor lock-in When Not to Use Kubernetes While Kubernetes is powerful and flexible, it’s not the right tool for every use case or project. Keep in mind that Kubernetes was created to solve a certain set of potential issues and challenges. If you’re not actually facing those challenges, it’s very possible that Kubernetes will be more unwieldy than helpful. If your project seems to be reaching a point where scaling and deployment necessitates its own dedicated resource, orchestration starts to become a viable choice. The concepts of orchestration and automation tend to go hand and hand. Automation benefits businesses by increasing efficiency, allowing decreased human interaction with digital systems. With software handling these interactions instead, we see a reduction in errors and cost. As a general rule, automation means automating one discrete task. In contrast, orchestration refers to automating an entire workflow or process consisting of multiple steps, and frequently multiple systems. First, you build automation into a workflow. Then, if the complexity grows to a certain point, orchestration takes over governing them and making them work in concert. Kubernetes is for: not the best choice 1. Simple or small-scale projects, as it is fairly expensive and too complicated. 2. Projects that feature a tiny user base, low load, uncomplicated architecture, and no plans to increase any of that. 3. Developing an MVP version, as it’s better to begin with something smaller and less complex, such as Docker Swarm. Then, after you’ve solidified a vision of how your app runs, you can think about switching to Kubernetes. How is Security Implemented in Kubernetes For systems run on Kubernetes, general should be provided in order to protect against malicious attacks and accidental damage. web application security measures How Kubernetes is Impacting Enterprise IT in 2021 The Cloud Native Survey, which polls Technology/Software organizations, that the use of containers in productions has increased by 84% from the previous year, up to 92%. Use of Kubernetes is up 78% from the previous year, reaching 83%. reports How are large companies using Kubernetes? Pokemon Go on GKE (Google Container Engine) using Kubernetes, allowing it to orchestrate a container cluster that spans the entire globe. This let its team focus more efficiently on putting out live changes for their active player base of more than 20 million daily users. worked Tinder from their legacy services to Kubernetes, a cluster made up of more than 1,000 nodes and 200 services, with 15,000 pods and 48,000 containers. This reduced waiting time for EC2 instances from multiple minutes down to seconds, delivering significant reductions in cost. made the transition KUBERNETES USE CASE #1: DATA ENGINEERING FOR AI-BASED DEMAND FORECASTING SYSTEM PROJECT DESCRIPTION MobiDev had been developing a POS software & venue management adopted by a lot of bars and restaurants. Over time, a huge amount of historical POS sales data accumulated, and MobiDev’s tech experts came up with an idea to apply artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to the data, to find patterns in the previous sales and make predictions for the next period for each venue. An AI-based system was developed, as an independent module integrated into the system. system demand forecasting THE PROBLEMS TO SOLVE As AI computations required significant resources, initially, virtual machines in the AWS EMR cloud service were used. The more venues that adopted the system, the more expensive the infrastructure became. The AI module’s high CPU load occurred overnight, when machine learning algorithms were processing the daily sales data, and were idle during the day. In order to decrease infrastructure costs, manual management of computing resources was implemented with the help of Docker Swarm. At the MVP development stage it didn’t make sense to use Kubernetes as it would require a lot of research and adoption time. However, as the number of venues were supposed to grow, a new approach to data engineering was needed to provide automation and scalability along with cost optimization. TECH TASKS SOLVED WITH KUBERNETES 1. Historical data gathering scripts on scheduled basis 2. Data storage in database that runs inside Kubernetes 3. AI scripts after successful historical data update 4. API that interacts with AI dashboard 5. AI dashboard which shows results of the AI scripts BUSINESS TASKS SOLVED WITH KUBERNETES Kubernetes allowed us to implement auto-scaling and provided real-time computing resources optimization. Performance and cost optimization It was noticed that on Kubernetes, the AI scripts, which calculated the same logic for the same amount of data, returned results much faster than on AWS EMR, at the same time consuming less computing resources than EMR did. On Kubernetes, the average time required for running the AI module scripts decreased 10 times for the same number of venues, in comparison to the previous EMR production environment. Reliability improvement System stability was the key reason that made us switch from AWS EMR to Kubernetes. On EMR, script start failed sometimes for unknown reasons, and the logs didn’t give any helpful information. Scalability improvement While on EMR, the project development was limited by a maximum number of new venues to be added in the future. Kubernetes withdrew the limitation and automated scaling, which is critical for fast growing projects. Amazon PROJECT SUMMARY The system on Kubernetes provides results faster, consumes less computing resources, allows the client to reduce costs of the AWS billing and ensures stable and predictable product delivery. KUBERNETES USE CASE #2: DATA ENGINEERING FOR AN AI VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM Another real-world business use case for Kubernetes MobiDev was involved in, is a smart computing resource auto-scaling for a face blurring feature in a video surveillance system. The system consists of the following applications: front end, back end, back-end queues, and an AI-based feature for face blurring. Kubernetes is used as the Orchestrator for all these applications. When new video processing requests appear, back end auto-scales with the help of Kubernetes API, and automatically adds more workers to process the requests. The Future of Kubernetes Kubernetes’ distributed architecture and scalability pair well with Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. As these technologies continue to mature, 2021 is the year to watch for growth in this space. Enterprises should keep in mind that tools support business goals, and are not an end to themselves. 2020 was a year in which nearly every business was forced to reckon with unexpected changes. Kubernetes has the capability to accelerate the application development services through solutions built with a cloud-native ecosystem, while at the same time allowing for malleable use of applications and data, so that a company can succeed through the modernization of its platforms and apps. Written by Anton Logvinenko , PHP Team Leader at MobiDev

Why Tinder, AirBnB, and Pokemon Go All Use Kubernetes

For CEOs, letting go of employees is always one of the most difficult parts of the job. It is all the harder when layoffs are the result of external circumstances over which companies have no control, like the current global health crisis. As a result of the shrinking economy, many companies have had to make very difficult staffing reduction decisions. The transparency and compassion with which they make these decisions and communicate them to their workforces says a lot about the spirit and heart of these companies. So, too, does their treatment of departing employees, especially regarding the benefit that most closely links staff with their (former) companies: equity. Equity transforms employees into shareholders, alumni into owners. And, in the case of a major exit, equity can create enormous wealth for hardworking staff who helped build a company from the bottom up, even if they had to leave prematurely. AirBnB and Carta Step Up Two companies in particular have made recent announcements that demonstrate generous equity policies that strengthen staff relationships and the companies themselves: AirBnB and Carta. AirBnB is laying of 1,900 employees, or about 25% of its staff. In addition to other thoughtful departure benefits, AirBnB has removed its one-year cliff on equity, so all employees, regardless of tenure, have .  Equity Management Solutions company Carta laid off 161 employees, which is about 16% of its staff. Carta has , and extended its post termination expiration period (how long employees have to exercise their options after leaving the company)  to one year from dismissal. the opportunity to exercise their options likewise removed its one-year cliff The language both CEOs used in their announcements is telling. AirBnB CEO Brian Chesky said, “Everyone departing, regardless of how long they have been here, is a shareholder.” Carta CEO Henry Ward said, “You joined Carta to create owners and to become one. Everyone affected today will be an owner of Carta.” While both CEOs emphasized how much they value their staff and hate to see any of them go, it’s their equity policies that put this sentiment into action. Both are unequivocally giving their employees the chance to take ownership over their work and to reap the benefits even after they move on from the company. This demonstrates smart, savvy, honest leadership that addresses practical and emotional needs of employees in hard times, and expresses optimism in the future of their companies as well. These moves say: This company will recover and flourish again, your piece is worth something and will be worth even more in the future. Moovit employees made bank - or missed out If employees are looking for great stock options success stories, they should look at the recent for $900M. EquityBee helped some of Moovit employees to exercise their stock options. As a reference, some of these not very senior employees saw gains of up to 10x their exercising price, while the investors who supported them did over 150% on their investment And those who didn’t exercise their options unfortunately saw nothing. Exercising equity options at the right company can become a life changing event. Intel acquisition of Moovit CEOs should take a close look at equity policies as part of their severance and layoff packages. Layoffs will always be hard, but equity is a way to give back in a long-term, serious way to employees who helped build great companies, and an even better way to keep close those staff who companies would truly rather not lose. Employees, for whom the layoffs are all the more personal, real, and pressingly critical, should do everything they can to take advantage of the silver lining that is advantageous equity opportunities. Being laid off stings and is scary, but if staff believe in the company they are departing, they have the chance to invest and own a piece of it in an intrinsic, invaluable way.

Crisis Layoffs are Leadership Opportunities: Equity Examples at Carta, Airbnb, and Moovit

Every great empire in the history of mankind eventually disintegrated and fragmented into smaller states. Some of those states became empires of their own, sometimes larger than the predecessors. This is equally true in the business world. Airbnb is a well-known Silicon Valley unicorn and it makes $2.9B in revenue. It's most famous for turning the hotel industry upside down as it opened up an entirely new class of accommodation previously unavailable on the market. But few people know that Airbnb is an example of a much larger and more significant process: unbundling of online platforms. Airbnb is an offspring of Craigslist,  often dubbed "the most universal answer to all problems of humanity". Craigslist has been unbundled in many platforms (Airbnb being one of them, as an unbundler of the short-term rental market), whose combined revenue is now almost 20 times bigger than Craigslist itself. These challenger platforms, however, are no way secured from being unbundled themselves. One of them, , captures 80% of the revenue, while Airbnb commission is only 6%, which makes it particularly interesting. Another one, , targets long-term stays, which makes its business streams more stable and predictable. Le Bijou Sonder Will the grandchildren of Craigslist, Airbnb rebellious offspring grow even bigger than the last disruptor? Why you should care about unbundling Investors who understand the process of unbundling well, like , taught themselves to spot promising ventures at a very early stage, long before their merits become widely recognized. Such a skill gives those investors a competitive edge. Imagine what wealth would you amass if you recognized the unbundling of Craigslist early on and managed to invest at least 100K into Airbnb, Uber, Zillow or Indeed in the first year of their existence, becoming a major shareholder. Andreessen Horowitz So what is Unbundling? Unbundling describes the process of fragmentation of an existing market into many smaller and independent components. The main dominant market player is thus under assault from an inflow of newcomers who specialise in sometimes completely new sub-segments. The key to entry and success is often technological in nature. The newspaper industry is a good example. Before the advent of personal computers (and more specifically tablets and smartphones), the newspaper was the primary medium for information exchange. But the sudden emergence of the Internet completely changed everything. The newspaper’s role as an information exchange terminal was completely replaced by a variety of different and specialised tools (see below). As a result, many papers were shut and the surviving ones had to compete for a much smaller audience. The industry as a whole remains on a trajectory of decline. In almost all cases of unbundling, technology has played a prominent role. The reason why newspapers enjoyed such a long era of dominance is due to the high barrier of entry, erected by the high professional network (a pool of journalists and reporters covering a multitude of topics across the world) and distribution (getting the paper into as many households as possible across the country) costs. The Internet completely changed this by dramatically lowering the cost of both. Many journalists, including foreign reporters, work as freelancers and can be recruited easily on a per-project basis without having to be employed full-time. More importantly, the cost of distributing content in front of viewers has practically fallen to zero as news (and, in its broader form, social media information) is now accessed via smart devices. Unbundling of newspaper industry [ ] 1 The lesson of the story is that unbundling can happen to any player in any industry, so companies and investors need to be constantly alert for emerging threats to their market (which incidentally usually comes from out of the market). The new class of hospitality business Airbnb massively disrupted a stuffy, conservative hotel industry that had not changed in decades. Their software lets users of vacant properties (or rooms) with travelers who need one. It essentially brings two related issues together and solves them in a single stroke: The supply of hotel rooms in any given city is limited and travelers are forced to pay a premium on short-stay accommodation Many existing property owners have spare rooms/properties that are under-utilized and under-monetized. This is a classic case of matching demand with supply and taking a commission from each transaction. Airbnb is now the go-to platform for short-term travelers with a huge market value of $35 billion. How is Airbnb being unbundled? Of course Airbnb is not immune to unbundling, in fact it began quite some time ago already.  So the real question is how do you unbundle a multibillion-dollar unicorn? Just like most of the blue-chip juggernauts of the past, Airbnb was always going to be ripe for unbundling.  It typically takes place when a dominant company overlooks an emerging market segment (usually inadvertently due to their sizes or deliberately as a result of their strategies) which is then served by a new enterprise that quickly satisfies pent-up demand. Here are three growing market segments Airbnb isn’t catering for. Challengers in the luxury short-term rentals segment Airbnb dominates the mass market for short-term rentals and its target audience is the budget-conscious traveler. However, it is unable to cater for the high-end luxury travel segment because it lacks qualitative value in three core areas: security, brand, and service. Firstly, Airbnb is a technology platform rather than an accommodation provider. It relies on the owner of properties (hosts) to complete the final-mile service delivery. As a result, it has very little direct influence on the quality of service. There have been numerous incidents where guests’ financial and even physical securities were compromised by disreputable hosts. This is clearly a no-go for the luxury segment. Secondly, due to the mass-market nature of Airbnb, the brand is considered generic and rather low-end. To mention one is staying in an Airbnb property is like admitting that you fly with Ryanair. This is a particular turn-off for the luxury market. Lastly, most Airbnb hosts simply offer accommodation and do not provide any bespoke services (e.g. concierge, gourmet meals). Consequently, Airbnb is never going to penetrate this meaty new market of high-net-worth travelers who demand elegance and luxury in private apartment-style accommodation, without sacrificing any of the high-end services and features they could previously only find in 5-star hotels. Here are a few of the challenger brands in the ultra-high-end travel accommodation market that are looking to unbundle Airbnb. Website: HQ: United States 1. Sonder link Sonder is a Silicon Valley company that takes on multi-year leases on prime properties in many of the major cities of the developed world. It converts them according to their own unique specification and provides travelers with high-end hotel-style services. Remote customer support is available 24/7 and amenities are freely available to ensure the comfort of guests. "Given that there was such a movement from traditional hospitality to alternative hospitality, we saw that there would be an opportunity at a really massive scale to provide a customer experience that essentially resolves the two problems of consistency for the sharing economy and authenticity and uniqueness that is lacked in the traditional hotel model," Davidson, Sonder’s CEO. The investors . says valued the company at $1B Website: HQ: Switzerland 2. Le Bijou link Le Bijou is a Swiss property technology business with a valuation north of $900M that disrupts the travel industry. By taking on long-term leases on luxury properties across major Swiss cities and refurbishing them according to its precise specification, it controls the end-to-end customer experience. It uses cutting-edge technology (e.g. virtual assistant James, a combination of artificial intelligence and human-powered assistance) and ensures the security and privacy of the guests with zero human contact, something that Airbnb misses out on. According to Moonshot, a Hong Kong-based investment firm, “Le Bijou, with its perfect product-market fit and a powerful entry barrier (scale, brand, and technology), is well-positioned to reap high profitability and deliver a significant return for investors.” No wonder it has a large fan base that Steve Wozniak, John Sculley, a couple of royal families and even Jordan Belfort. Unlike most early-stage companies, it is open for private investors. reportedly includes Website: HQ: United States 3. Luxuryretreats link Luxuryretreats is a market leader in the global ultra-luxury travel sector. By matching some of the world’s most stunning villas with high-end travelers, it solves the property under-utilization problem for homeowners and provides high-end property accessibility for travelers. With a 24/7 concierge service, it is hard to go wrong. It is therefore hardly a surprise that Airbnb decided to acquire this company for over $200 million back in 2017. Challengers in the camping segment Long gone are the days when the only camping adventures you could have involved lugging around tons of heavy gear. Welcome to the new era of glamorous camping. Every year millions of people go on camping holidays where they can relax and enjoy getting immersed with nature again. Yet the Airbnb platform is ill-suited for the needs of campers (due to its property-centric business model). Fear not, there are now many superior alternatives ready to fill its place. Website: HQ: France 1. Gamping link A Paris-based company started by a group of friends who love camping. It is a platform that matches landowners with campers (and thus taking a commission in the middle). It operates predominantly in Western Europe and aims to provide a seamless, private and yet intimate experience for campers to enjoy nature whilst taking the hassle out of camping. Website: HQ: United States 2. Hipcamp link If Gamping is the entry-level land-matching service, then Hipcamp is the premium offering that brings campers close to nature without compromising on comfort. A predominantly US-based platform, it contains thousands of luxury camping accommodations (huts, yurts, tents, RVs) in some of the most stunning locations in the world. A true getaway portal to immerse yourself deep in nature and find inner peace. Website: HQ: United Kingdom 3. Camptoo link A highly specialized niche for matching mobile camping van (e.g. RVs, caravans) owners with renters. It provides a useful portal for road trippers who do not wish to fork out on expensive equipment whilst still enjoying the freedom of being on the road. Challengers in the medium to long-term rentals segment The rental market is ripe for disruption. Millions of tenancies globally still take over a month to sign, with tons of paperwork and even the need to witness signatures, even though almost all of these tasks can be performed digitally. Airbnb, being a short-term property sharing platform, therefore won’t be of much assistance. But these contenders might help. Website: HQ: United States 1. Rentberry link A platform that covers most large cities in the US and Europe, it provides a digital experience for tenants who wish to apply for tenancy. Instead of preparing tons of paperwork to prove identity and income, this process can now all be done digitally (including signature) in the comfort of one’s home. This saves time and cost for both landlords and tenants. Website: HQ: Netherlands 2. HousingAnywhere link Predominantly a European operation (however there are a few selected cities in the US), HousingAnywhere markets itself as having a premium pool of prospective tenants. As well as automating the tenancy application and payment process, it taps into a market ill-addressed by many players, namely mid-term renting (i.e. between 1 and 11 months). Website: HQ: Germany 3. Nestpick link Nestpick is a property amalgamation platform that aggregates listings on major property platforms (e.g. Airbnb, Spotahome) and presents users with a uniform view. It has a global reach and directs users to the relevant platform once selected. It does not hold any listing inventories by itself. The narrow opportunity window Unbundling is a natural course of action as a company expands and the industry mature. It is perhaps ironic that Airbnb itself started off as a result of unbundling and now it is subject to the same onslaught from challengers in areas it neglected. Consequently, smart investors are always on the lookout for assets that have proven profitability and delivers excellent ROI, as well as being future proof. The challenge is to enter the market just at the right time - when you already can recognize the future market-makers, but before it appears on the radar of big venture firms and spoiled with cheap money. In a world where , entering the market before it’s too late becomes harder and harder. the cash is trash Sources Andreessen Horowitz fund - Crypto is financial unbundling - https://a16z.com/ https://haseebq.com/crypto-is-financial-unbundling/

Unbundling New Markets: Who is Doing What Airbnb Did to Craigslist?

So, recently I started my Udacity Nanodegree on Data Scientist. To be  honest the first project speaks about CRISP-DM  which is oss- ndustry tandard rocess for ata ining.Let's leave it apart and start working on what we learn from the dataset. CR I S P D M So three question came to my mind when I look at the data. First.Do the price of the property changes over a year or do it remain constant? Generally we see that during summer and winter breaks the price increases for the property. But to my suprise it remain constant. I tried to plot as much graph but I just saw that there was yes and no fluctuations.That is property is either occupied or remain empty.This also shows that the AirBnB does not support dynamic pricing which is actually cool. Second question that comes to mind is whether low cost property is occupied more time than the rest or the duration of occupancy is not related to pricing. So the property with the maximum price cost around 1650 and when I compared it occupancy it shows mere 60%. Third question to mind is being a superhost matters and did it make extra bucks for the owner. Here I had an interesting finding. I found out that being superhost does not give any extra occupancy benefit. Rather the results came out that people that are not superhost have 86% occupancy whearas people who are superhost have just  83 % occupancy. In Conclusion With this dataset we can also explore on the effect of neighbhorhood on the bookings. Location and their property charges can also be correlated. We can also buld a machine learning model based on the rating on  the price and some extra categorical and quantitative features.

Lets Study the Seattle Airbnb Data

Those who may not know yet, I have bumped into Airbnb Experience recently, through some of the stories that I am sharing people to share life experiences (for traveler or locals like myself) and how Airbnb can be part of it. What's Airbnb Experience First and foremost, in case if you don't know what's Airbnb Experience, here's what I can describe in short. In short, Airbnb Experience One-of-a-kind activities hosted by locals. It’s an activity that goes beyond the typical tour or class, designed and led by locals all over the world. Show off your city, craft, cause, or culture by hosting an experience. You do not need to be an Airbnb Host to host an experience under the Airbnb Platform. Here's an example of local city town of Airbnb Experience in Subang Jaya. So, what exactly has I done with my Experience? Well, the first place I have experienced it is via a "Make Your Bag Sling" workshop conducted by an expert by Sneakerlah Event, where the event is for me catch up with friends and checking out premium sneakers in town. i) Sneaker Event ii) Meeting with friends and some of them are influencers. iii) Checking out a nice pit stop and Sneakers Bag iv) Sneakers Photography with car v) Here's my experience, to attend a short course on how I made a sling bag as per below 1 minute video on how this is made and the unique process of making such a sling bag. vi) As the final outcome, I got a nice sling bag "Sketchers" with my name embedded in it. and proudly show it on how the machine and knitting of the bag detail come about. vii) On the side note, I have also come across a nice sneaker that I wanted, and proudly am viewing my other ideal choice but unfortunately not able to get one of them as it is not for sale. So What Have I Learned and can share with a potential host who may be interested to create unique experiences that I have shared? 1) First and foremost, choosing the right event theme helps. For Sneakers Malaysia, it is "Sneaker lah" as to reflect the hip of famous local slang "lah". 2) Understand of brief description with a unique selling preposition tagline. Below tagline is a real example of an Airbnb Experience Host, The title of the experience is ④in①√Jungle√②WaterfalS√RockJump√BatuCaves. The unique selling point is doing 4 immersive activities plus a nice memory such as "waterfall, nice food, and massage to recap overall experience". Here's the overall tagline Secret jungle + 2 Hidden waterfalls + Natural pool rock jump + Natural Fish Spa pedicure + Natural Jacuzzi Water massage were located only 24 KM from Petronas Twin towers and 15 KM from Batu Caves. 3) Always learn on what drives the conversation, and utilize the relevant hashtag of what people searching on. I am using a tool such as Keyword tool.io to find trending hashtag. 4) Craft the massage in the sequence of beginning, middle and closing to ensure people understand of your overall experience (and left some for surprises) . : how people can be best prepared for an experience, beginning : how you can navigate the challenges and things to look after /cherish. middle : The key element of what you can get after you been through an experience (photo, souvenir, or memoirs) would be your best gift. closing message The best experiences so far that illustrate the above point is a 5-minute video clip of from a traveler who do Solo Car Camping at Port Dickson, done (credit to Chew Hoong Ling and this video has 100,000 Youtube views from Dec 2018). 5) Important Photo Angle and Emphasize Key Messages. Hope all the info helps and as the last token of sharing, best to take few photographs (with a nice wide-angle smartphone and lightings) with 45 degrees of your hand. Such as a picture of you and your types of equipment, unique explanation of a certain product process or important takeaways. If I want to check out or communicate as Airbnb Experience further, can I reach out to you? Yes, I do have to share further stories in my Facebook Group page, Airbnb FB Host If you are ready to join Airbnb Experience below, do check out below link Start Airbnb Host Experience Here (my referral code). Oh yeah, on a side note, if anyone has experienced similar to below Chernobyl Tour picture, that will be very great (as it is my ideal tour). Until then, connect again soon.

My Experience With Airbnb Experiences

A irbnb bans 'party houses' following mass shooting People renting houses on Airbnb and throwing massive parties is not a new phenomenon — nor are associated shootings. In 2017, a party at an Airbnb in the Bernal Heights neighborhood of San Francisco . In June of 2019, a house party at an Airbnb in Elk Grove, near Sacramento, also . ended in gunfire ended in a shooting for JACK MORSE Mashable Google’s big plan to fight tech addiction: A piece of paper Paper Phone is not a joke—it’s part of the company’s “digital well-being experiments.” Digital detox experts aren’t having it. Paper Phone is not a joke. It is real. “It hopes to give people an alternative solution to carrying a phone all day by offering information on a printed piece of paper,” says Emma Turpin, team lead at Google Creative Lab. “We think it might be a useful experiment for people to try.” But Julie Albright, whose book tackles the complicated dynamics between young people and technology, says Google is confusing digital well-being with ditching your phone. Albright says a phone and digital well-being coexist. Left to Their Own Devices: How Digital Natives Are Reshaping the American Dream can “Digital well-being is striking the proper balance between our time spent on devices and our ‘outside’ physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs,” she says. “The problem with people using their phones too much is that time spent on social media, gaming, texting—[that’s] supplanting other healthy activities, like exercising, spending time in nature, or socializing in an unmediated fashion with friends and family.” for Tanya Basu MIT Technology Review Saudi Aramco: The message from the world’s biggest and wildest IPO The oil industry may decline, but it won’t go quietly Consider the imminent stockmarket flotation of Saudi Aramco, which produces 10m barrels of oil a day, or 11% of the global total. As well as Arabian super-light, Aramco pumps out superlatives and controversy (see ). Worth well over $1trn, it could, once listed, be the world’s most valuable public firm, squeezing past Apple. The initial public offering has been delayed several times; a big Aramco processing plant was hit by a missile strike in September and the firm is ultimately controlled by Muhammad bin Salman, an autocratic royal with blood on his hands. But take a moment to look beyond this. Aramco’s underlying strategy is to be the last oilman standing if the industry shrinks, pointing to the upheavals to come. Briefing , the economist print edition Inside the Icelandic Facility Where Bitcoin Is Mined Cryptocurrency mining now uses more of the Nordic island nation's electricity than its homes. The facility, called Enigma and established by Genesis Mining in 2014, is easily the loudest environment that British photographer has ever documented. She visited two years ago while shooting her project . "The biggest thing I remember was just the noise and the flashing lights and wiring," Barnard says. "It was like being inside a computer." Lisa Barnard Bitcoin for ; Photos by LAURA MALLONEE Wired LISA BARNARD by of The Story of Us [Series] Tim Urban Wait But Why

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