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Automation is the best answer to controlling cloud costs, especially if you work with modern solutions like containers and Kubernetes. But automated optimization solutions come in different forms: they focus on automating different cost-saving tactics and give you various levels of visibility and control. Here’s a comparison of two automation solutions available to teams that work with Kubernetes: CAST AI and Spot.io. Keep on reading to find out which one supports your use cases better. – Full-Service Cloud-Native Platform CAST AI – Automated Spot Instance Use Spot.io Created by industry veterans, CAST AI is a comprehensive cloud automation platform for environments. Companies across e-commerce and ad tech are using CAST AI to . Automation features include spot instances, autoscaling up & down, and AI VM type selection. optimizing Kubernetes save from 50% to even 90% on their cloud bills Developed by NetApp, is a cloud cost management solution that focuses on optimizing cloud infrastructure costs with spot instance automation. Using machine learning and analytics algorithms, helps teams to get spot capacity for their workloads automatically, cutting costs and ensuring high availability. Spot.io Spot.io CAST AI vs. – Quick Feature Comparison Spot.io Feature CAST AI 🥇 Spot.io Supported platforms AWS ✅ ✅ Google Cloud ✅ ✅ Microsoft Azure ✅ ✅ Cost visibility Detailed cluster cost breakdown ✅ ✅ Automated cost forecasting ✅ ✖ Cost view across multi-cloud ✅ ✖ Real-time alerting functionality ✖ (coming soon) ✅ Kubernetes cost optimization and automation Rightsizing Recommendations, for instance, types and sizes ✅ ✅ Automated rightsizing via AI-driven instance selection ✅ ✖ Multi-shape cluster construction ✅ ✖ Autoscaling ✅ ✅ Automated pod scaling parameters ✅ ✅ Horizontal pod autoscaling ✅ ✅ Node autoscaling ✅ ✅ Cluster scheduling ✅ ✅ Automatic bin packing ✅ ✅ Spot Instance automation ✅ ✅ Full multi-cloud optimization ✅ ✖ Detailed Feature Comparison of and CAST AI Spot.io Cost visibility and monitoring Cost optimization and automation Spot instance automation Full multi-cloud optimization Security Pricing 1. Cost visibility and monitoring Cluster cost breakdown & forecasting In , you get a cost breakdown at the project, cluster, namespace, and deployment level. Teams can analyze costs down to individual microservices and then generate a detailed forecast of their cluster costs for better planning. CAST AI uses universal metrics that work with all supported cloud service providers. CAST AI The platform also comes with a cost allocation feature that works per cluster and per node. A feature for ongoing cloud cost reporting is also in the near-future pipeline since the CAST AI team plans to expand cost dimensions beyond compute – such as control plane, network, egress, storage, and others. breaks down the infrastructure costs of clusters and offers insights into each of the layers. Costs are broken down into namespaces and individual workloads within every namespace, with the option to filter them according to your container labels and annotations. For each workload, Spot.io displays compute and storage costs. Spot.io Users can use this data to analyze the application costs, perform chargebacks without extensive resource tagging, and estimate future cloud spend. Cost View Across Multi-cloud Many companies use more than one cloud service today. Allocating costs in a multi-cloud context is challenging, but equips teams with insights for addressing that. Its full multi-cloud functionality comes with visibility via universal metrics from Grafana and Kibana that can be used for any supported cloud service providers. CAST AI currently doesn’t support multi-cloud functionality or visibility across its solutions for containerized applications. Spot.io 2. Cost Optimization and Automation Rightsizing uses AI to choose the best instance types and sizes that meet an application’s requirements but still help teams save cloud costs. Whenever a cluster needs extra nodes, the AI-driven instance selection algorithm selects instances that achieve maximum performance at a minimum cost. Your team doesn’t have to lift a finger because it all happens automatically. CAST AI The platform also comes with multi-shape cluster construction, since choosing the same instance shape for every node in a cluster may easily lead to overprovisioning. That’s why CAST AI delivers an optimized mix of different instance types adapted to an application’s requirements. offers a handy Right-Sizing recommendation mechanism. The tool monitors workload utilization in real-time to provide you with recommendations for adjusting the resource requirements of workloads when they start consuming significantly more or fewer resources than requested. Spot.io The solution provides recommendations per container and summarizes them for the entire workload to enable easier visualization at a high level and faster implementation. Autoscaling Horizontal Pod Autoscaling and Node Autoscaling automates pod scaling parameters to help teams avoid overprovisioning their infrastructures. The platform also includes a Horizontal Pod Autoscaler, which uses business metrics to generate the optimal number of required pod instances. The feature then scales the replica count of your pods up and down, scaling to zero and removing all pods if there’s no work to be done. CAST AI CAST AI also ensures that the number of nodes in use matches the application’s requirements at all times, scaling nodes up and down automatically. continuously checks for unschedulable pods, and if it finds one, it scales up to make sure that all the pods have a place to run. The solution also removes nodes automatically when all pods running on the node can be moved to other nodes in the cluster. To optimize costs, Spot.io prioritizes downscaling the least utilized nodes. Spot.io Cluster Scheduling and Termination automatically pauses and resumes clusters created within the platform to help teams avoid paying for resources they’re not using. CAST AI makes sure that all that pods and nodes are terminated in a case of scale-down or instance replacement. Spot.io Automatic Bin Packing Kubernetes presents a cost challenge to teams because it distributes applications within a cluster evenly, with no attention paid to how cost-effective this setup is. changes the default pod scheduling behavior and uses automated bin-packing to achieve maximum savings in line with your settings. Fewer nodes translate to lower costs. CAST AI uses bin-packing algorithms as well. When the tool identifies instances where workloads may be distributed across the cluster, it triggers a scale-down to drain and terminate the instance. Spot.io 3. Spot Instance Automation Spot Instances can result in dramatic savings of up to 90% off the On-Demand pricing. But there’s a catch – the cloud provider can pull the plug anytime. That’s why automation is so critical for effective spot instance use. makes sure that the replacement of spot instances that were interrupted is fully automated. This means that teams don’t have to worry about their workloads not finding a place to run. The platform is always on the lookout for better instance alternatives and provisions in a split-second to guarantee high availability. CAST AI allows users to run their clusters on spot instances without the need to provision or scale instances. The tool also takes care of bin packing containers on spot instances to optimize their use even further. Spot.io 4. Full Multi-Cloud Optimization As more and more companies use multiple cloud services to access best-in-class services and prevent disasters, the need to monitor, manage, and optimize costs across providers is greater than ever. CAST AI meets this need by offering you the option to set up multi-cloud clusters using a number of : multi-cloud features – CAST AI replicates applications and data across multiple cloud services. If one fails, others keep your workloads afloat, guaranteeing business continuity. Active-Active Multi-Cloud – the platform distributes traffic evenly across all the participating clouds, always choosing the endpoints that are up and healthy. Global Server Load Balancing – CAST AI makes cost allocation across cloud services easier thanks to universal metrics from Grafana and Kibana. Multi-cloud visibility doesn’t support the multi-cloud functionality at the moment. Spot.io 5. Security Since both automation solutions work directly with the cloud infrastructure, their security is essential. Created by cybersecurity experts, offers a number of security features such as encryption at rest/in transit, secrets management, network security, logging, visibility, and more. The platform also comes with automatic patching and upgrades to VMs and Kubernetes to eliminate the chance of errors in your clusters. Additionally, CAST AI doesn’t access any environment variables that are considered sensitive such as secrets, passwords, tokens, etc. CAST AI is ISO-certified and well underway to obtaining SOC 2 certification. CAST AI encrypts account data within the browser and re-encrypts it with a secure algorithm when it reaches its servers. The tool doesn’t store any private keys, passwords, or authentication tokens – authentication is based on the IAM Cross-Account Role & External ID. Spot.io 6. Pricing offers a free Savings report you can run to check whether you could save up on your cloud bill. The analyzes your setup and generates actionable recommendations. You can implement them manually or turn automated cost optimization features – in that case; you can choose between two plans: Growth and Enterprise. CAST AI read-only agent CAST AI offers guaranteed savings of at least 50%. offers a free trial, after which users can choose from two different pricing models: Pay-as-you-Go without the annual commitment and Subscription that comes with a commitment but opens the doors to more discounts and priority support. Spot.io Summary Both Spot.io and CAST AI are great automation solutions for reducing cloud costs and facilitating processes like cost monitoring, management, and optimization. Using spot instances is a smart method for reducing the cloud bill, but it’s just part of the picture. By – for example, ones purchased within an AWS Savings Plan – you can drive your cloud bill down even more. rightsizing other instances While Spot.io offers recommendations, CAST AI does the job for you via automated instance selection. The broad range of optimization features combined with automated cost forecasting and unique multi-cloud functionality brings CAST AI to the top of cloud cost optimization platforms. To accurately estimate the savings that you would be able to get – start with the free AI Cluster Analyzer.

CAST AI vs. Spot.io: Two Approaches to Automated Cloud Cost Optimization

Using Sudoku to explore backtracking Sudoku is a number-placement where the objective is to fill a square grid of size ‘n’ with numbers between 1 to ‘n’. The numbers must be placed so that each column, each row, and each of the sub-grids (if any) contains all of the numbers from 1 to ‘n’. Sudoku puzzle The most common Sudoku puzzles use a 9x9 grid. The grids are partially filled (with hints) to ensure a solution can be reached. And here’s the solution. Notice how each row, each column and each sub-grid have all numbers from 1 to 9. Some puzzles may even have multiple solutions. The solution to above Sudoku puzzle. One row, column and sub-grid have been highlighted. Aside: solving a Sudoku puzzle Sudoku is a logic-based puzzle. Needless to say, solving one requires a series of logical moves and might require a bit of guesswork. Since this isn’t an article to explore how to solve a Sudoku puzzle, I’ll just a leave a link to one that helped me getting started: . kristanix.com/sudokuepic/sudoku-solving-techniques Backtracking Backtracking is an algorithm for finding all (or some) of the solutions to a problem that incrementally builds candidates to the solution(s). As soon as it determines that a candidate cannot possibly lead to a valid solution, it abandons the candidate. Backtracking is all about choices and consequences. Abandoning a candidate typically results in visiting a previous stage of the problem-solving-process. This is what it means to “backtrack” — visit a previous stage and explore new possibilities from thereon. Usually, apart from the original problem and the end goal, we also have a set of constraints that the solution must satisfy. The simplest (read ‘dumbest’) implementations often use little to no “logic” or “insight” to the problem. Instead, they frantically try to find a solution by guesswork. A backtracking algorithm can be thought of as a . In this tree, the root node is the original problem, each node is a candidate and the leaf nodes are possible solution candidates. We traverse the tree depth-first from root to a leaf node to solve the problem. tree of possibilities Tree of Possibilities for a typical backtracking algorithm The tree diagram also shows 2 groups — and . Unexplored Possible Candidates Impossible Candidates UPC marks nodes that were never explored. Some of them could have been viable candidates, leading to another solution. Since we never explored them, we can never know. Problems where multiple solutions are acceptable won’t have this group. IC groups are the obvious ones. It contains nodes which have a failed candidate node as one of their ancestor nodes. None of the nodes in this group are candidate nodes and none of the leaf nodes are solution nodes. Sudoku & Backtracking We will now create a Sudoku solver using backtracking by our problem, goal and constraints in a step-by-step algorithm. encoding Problem Given a, possibly, partially filled grid of size ‘n’, completely fill the grid with number between 1 and ‘n’. Goal Goal is defined for verifying the solution. Once the goal is reached, searching terminates. A fully filled grid is a solution if: Each row has all numbers form 1 to ‘n’. Each column has all numbers form 1 to ‘n’. Each sub-grid (if any) has all numbers form 1 to ‘n’. Constraints Constraints are defined for verifying each candidate. A candidate is valid if: Each row has unique numbers form 1 to ’n’ or empty spaces. Each column has unique numbers form 1 to ‘n’ or empty spaces. Each sub-grid (if any) has unique numbers form 1 to ‘n’ or empty spaces. Termination conditions Typically, backtracking algorithms have termination conditions other than reaching goal. These help with failures in solving the problem and special cases of the problem itself. There are no empty spots left to fill and the candidate still doesn’t qualify as a the solution. There are no empty spots to begin with, i.e., the grid is already fully filled. Step-by-step algorithm Here’s how our code will “guess” at each step, all the way to the final solution: Make a list of all the empty spots. Select a spot and place a number, between 1 and ‘n’, in it and validate the candidate grid. If any of the constraints fails, . Otherwise, check if the goal is reached. abandon candidate and repeat step 2 with the next number If a solution is found, stop searching. Otherwise, repeat steps 2 to 4. Pen-paper demo . Now let’s try all this in practice with a simple 3x3 grid. Groovy A 3x3 Sudoku puzzle We start off by listing all the empty spots. If we label each cell in the grid with a pair of numbers and mark the first cell , then our empty spots will be at locations: (x,y) (1,1) (1,2) (2,2) (2,3) (3,1) (3,2) We now select the first spot to work with. Since this is a 3x3 grid, we have numbers 1 to 3 at our disposal and no sub-grids to worry about (sub-grids are only a bother for grids with squared sides, like 4, 9, 16 etc.). (1,2) Let’s place number in this spot and see if it fits. 1 Filling ‘1’ in spot (1, 2) It does. Great. We can now select the next spot on the list and do the same thing again. This time however, it fails. We already have a in this row. This means that we must — which is . (2,2) 1 abandon candidate and repeat step 2 with the next number 2 Filling 2 in spot (2, 2) One more spot is filled. Also, it might not look like it, but we did just perform backtracking on a single spot. We abandoned a candidate solution ( at spot ), visited a previous stage (empty spot ) and explored a new candidate solution (number at spot ). Huzzah! 1 (2,2) (2,2) 2 (2,2) When we move on to spot , we have another problem. As you can see, we are all out of options. None of the possible numbers fit in. This means that we must now . Only this time, we must visit spot first to fix spot . (2,3) abandon candidate and repeat step 2 with the next number (2,2) (2,3) Failure to fill spot (2, 3) We need to fill number in spot and that will resolve the issue. 3 (2,2) Backtracking to spot (2, 2) and then re-visiting spot (2, 3) We now repeat this process until with either reach the goal or we hit one of the termination conditions. Since this was a demo problem, it should be obvious that we’d arrive at the solution without any further complications. Solved 3x3 Sudoku puzzle However, consider the same grid with one small change. Replacing the in cell with a renders the grid unsolvable. Similarly, removing hints from cells and allows for multiple solutions. But since this algorithm has a single goal, it stops after the first solution is reached. 1 (3,3) 2 (2,1) (3,3) Unsolvable 3x3 puzzle (left) and Multi-solution 3x3 puzzle (right) Here’s what the looks like: tree of possibilities Tree of Possibilities for 3x3 Sudoku Implementation Enough talk. Let’s code … Disclaimer (for python-istas): The code you’re about to see is not pythonic.IMHO, it is borderline ugly. The purpose of this snippet is to explain convert the steps shown above into simple, meaningful code and not to boast the elegance of python. What next? This article aims to strengthen the concept of backtracking by drawing connections with a popular game of logic. I should tell you that Sudoku is an ‘ . As complex as it may sound, it really isn’t (not for the scope of this article): NP-complete combinatorial problem’ means that while we can verify a solution, it is rather to arrive at one. NP-complete easily difficult means that to arrive at a solution, we must perform selection and arrangement of some data — combination and permutation. Combinatorial Sample problems We can try to solve some other problems by basing our approach on our current understanding. The problem is a close enough relative to the Sudoku solver. Two more problems that rank similar are and . Binary Watch Combination Sum III Permutation Sequence There are that you can try on. However, trying to mold them into the Sudoku solver pattern might not always be trivial. It’s best to try to formulate your approach in the following pattern: a lot more problems Problem Goal Constraints Termination conditions Step-by-step algorithm

Sudoku and Backtracking

In the context of global digitalization, governments have implemented various legislations on data privacy. However, some companies make minimal changes to their operations to formally comply with requirements or even ignore them if there are no precedents of sanctions. Moreover, violations can happen involuntarily. Using link shorteners is a common practice. You can create whatever link you want using services like Bitly, Rebrand, TinyURL, IPLogger, Cuttly, or many others, and instead of showing a user a long, clumsy link, give them one that looks good. Privacy policies of link shorteners state compliance with all legislative requirements concerning the processing and storage of personal data. If you are the one creating a link on the website, you will be asked to express consent to your data being collected. But what happens if you just click a link created by someone else? Your data is gathered and processed, and in most cases, without your consent, as you do not have the opportunity to give it; you just follow a link. While in some instances, the processing of personal data can be justified, for example, for purposes connected with the functioning of the service, sometimes such collection goes above and beyond the norm. One way link-shortening services monetize is by selling analytical data about clicks to different companies. The data may include details about the geography of clicks, sources of traffic, types of devices and browsers used, as well as language preferences - all of which are of significant interest for optimizing marketing campaigns, analyzing sales effectiveness, and so on. To provide such analytics, link-shortening services may need to collect, process, and store personal data on their servers. Some of this information, for example, the country and city, is usually based on the user's IP address. This pertains to the processing of personal information according to data privacy regulations such as GDPR classification. Often, users are not aware of such processing - even if mentioned somewhere, it may be buried in tons of legal documents located on an external website, which is rarely, if at all, being visited.


Many link-shortening services use cookies, recording them in the browser of the user who clicked on the link. In the EU and many other countries, placing non-functional cookies in users' browsers requires active opt-in.


Some of the services offer integration into the short links tracking pixels from third-party services, such as Facebook, which also uses cookie technology. Scripts executed to make it work collect data and send it back to the platform. Data policies of these platforms usually require explicit consent from end-users before loading such pixels into their browsers, but if a tracking pixel is activated during a click-through on a short link, there’s an issue with obtaining it.


And the last one - this user data can be transferred beyond the territories of the EU or the US unless there are adequate safeguards in place. Thus, if the creators of a short link are located in one country, they automatically gain access to information about all the users who click it, regardless of their geographic location. While some platforms provide such adequate safeguards, some of them do not. For example, GA4 is valid for transfers from the EU to the US, while TikTok pixels do not have adequate certification under the Data Privacy Framework. Therefore, user consent for transfers might be required. According to European legislation, the user's consent to the processing, and transferring, of personal data must be explicit, informed, and given freely. In the US context, similar initiatives for the protection of personal data also exist (the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)). These laws, although not as unified as the GDPR in Europe, reflect a growing trend in the United States toward more stringent data protection. Still, there are hundreds of millions of users, who use short links and leave their data without realizing that it can be used for commercial purposes. According to Bit.ly, it processes 10 billion redirects through its short links per month. Rebrand.ly reports that their links are clicked 2 billion times a month. It's crucial to note that some services may not fully grasp the extent to which they violate legislative requirements, so the initial step is to fully acknowledge the problem. Once done, efforts can be directed towards solutions, such as creating intermediary pages akin to those utilized by websites to obtain user consent. While this may lengthen the user's journey, it presents a method to adhere to regulations for both link-shortening services and the companies utilizing them. There could also be additional strategies to explore. Upon recognizing the issue, optimism can be fostered for the development of technologies that contribute to creating a safer and more ethical digital space. In the context of global digitalization, governments have implemented various legislations on data privacy. However, some companies make minimal changes to their operations to formally comply with requirements or even ignore them if there are no precedents of sanctions. Moreover, violations can happen involuntarily. In the context of global digitalization, governments have implemented various legislations on data privacy . However, some companies make minimal changes to their operations to formally comply with requirements or even ignore them if there are no precedents of sanctions. Moreover, violations can happen involuntarily. data privacy Using link shorteners is a common practice. You can create whatever link you want using services like Bitly, Rebrand, TinyURL, IPLogger, Cuttly, or many others, and instead of showing a user a long, clumsy link, give them one that looks good. Privacy policies of link shorteners state compliance with all legislative requirements concerning the processing and storage of personal data. If you are the one creating a link on the website, you will be asked to express consent to your data being collected. But what happens if you just click a link created by someone else? Your data is gathered and processed, and in most cases, without your consent, as you do not have the opportunity to give it; you just follow a link. While in some instances, the processing of personal data can be justified, for example, for purposes connected with the functioning of the service, sometimes such collection goes above and beyond the norm. One way link-shortening services monetize is by selling analytical data about clicks to different companies. The data may include details about the geography of clicks, sources of traffic, types of devices and browsers used, as well as language preferences - all of which are of significant interest for optimizing marketing campaigns, analyzing sales effectiveness, and so on. To provide such analytics, link-shortening services may need to collect, process, and store personal data on their servers. Some of this information, for example, the country and city, is usually based on the user's IP address. This pertains to the processing of personal information according to data privacy regulations such as GDPR classification. Often, users are not aware of such processing - even if mentioned somewhere, it may be buried in tons of legal documents located on an external website, which is rarely, if at all, being visited. Many link-shortening services use cookies, recording them in the browser of the user who clicked on the link. In the EU and many other countries, placing non-functional cookies in users' browsers requires active opt-in. Some of the services offer integration into the short links tracking pixels from third-party services, such as Facebook, which also uses cookie technology. Scripts executed to make it work collect data and send it back to the platform. Data policies of these platforms usually require explicit consent from end-users before loading such pixels into their browsers, but if a tracking pixel is activated during a click-through on a short link, there’s an issue with obtaining it. And the last one - this user data can be transferred beyond the territories of the EU or the US unless there are adequate safeguards in place. Thus, if the creators of a short link are located in one country, they automatically gain access to information about all the users who click it, regardless of their geographic location. While some platforms provide such adequate safeguards, some of them do not. For example, GA4 is valid for transfers from the EU to the US, while TikTok pixels do not have adequate certification under the Data Privacy Framework. Therefore, user consent for transfers might be required. To provide such analytics, link-shortening services may need to collect, process, and store personal data on their servers. Some of this information, for example, the country and city, is usually based on the user's IP address. This pertains to the processing of personal information according to data privacy regulations such as GDPR classification. Often, users are not aware of such processing - even if mentioned somewhere, it may be buried in tons of legal documents located on an external website, which is rarely, if at all, being visited. To provide such analytics, link-shortening services may need to collect, process, and store personal data on their servers. Some of this information, for example, the country and city, is usually based on the user's IP address. This pertains to the processing of personal information according to data privacy regulations such as GDPR classification . Often, users are not aware of such processing - even if mentioned somewhere, it may be buried in tons of legal documents located on an external website, which is rarely, if at all, being visited. GDPR classification GDPR classification Many link-shortening services use cookies, recording them in the browser of the user who clicked on the link. In the EU and many other countries, placing non-functional cookies in users' browsers requires active opt-in. Many link-shortening services use cookies, recording them in the browser of the user who clicked on the link. In the EU and many other countries, placing non-functional cookies in users' browsers requires active opt-in. Some of the services offer integration into the short links tracking pixels from third-party services, such as Facebook, which also uses cookie technology. Scripts executed to make it work collect data and send it back to the platform. Data policies of these platforms usually require explicit consent from end-users before loading such pixels into their browsers, but if a tracking pixel is activated during a click-through on a short link, there’s an issue with obtaining it. Some of the services offer integration into the short links tracking pixels from third-party services, such as Facebook, which also uses cookie technology. Scripts executed to make it work collect data and send it back to the platform. Data policies of these platforms usually require explicit consent from end-users before loading such pixels into their browsers, but if a tracking pixel is activated during a click-through on a short link, there’s an issue with obtaining it. And the last one - this user data can be transferred beyond the territories of the EU or the US unless there are adequate safeguards in place. Thus, if the creators of a short link are located in one country, they automatically gain access to information about all the users who click it, regardless of their geographic location. While some platforms provide such adequate safeguards, some of them do not. For example, GA4 is valid for transfers from the EU to the US, while TikTok pixels do not have adequate certification under the Data Privacy Framework. Therefore, user consent for transfers might be required. And the last one - this user data can be transferred beyond the territories of the EU or the US unless there are adequate safeguards in place. Thus, if the creators of a short link are located in one country, they automatically gain access to information about all the users who click it, regardless of their geographic location. While some platforms provide such adequate safeguards, some of them do not. For example, GA4 is valid for transfers from the EU to the US, while TikTok pixels do not have adequate certification under the Data Privacy Framework. Therefore, user consent for transfers might be required. According to European legislation , the user's consent to the processing, and transferring, of personal data must be explicit, informed, and given freely. In the US context, similar initiatives for the protection of personal data also exist (the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) , the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) , and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) ). These laws, although not as unified as the GDPR in Europe, reflect a growing trend in the United States toward more stringent data protection. According to European legislation According to European legislation (the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) (the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Still, there are hundreds of millions of users, who use short links and leave their data without realizing that it can be used for commercial purposes. According to Bit.ly, it processes 10 billion redirects through its short links per month. Rebrand.ly reports that their links are clicked 2 billion times a month. reports reports It's crucial to note that some services may not fully grasp the extent to which they violate legislative requirements, so the initial step is to fully acknowledge the problem. Once done, efforts can be directed towards solutions, such as creating intermediary pages akin to those utilized by websites to obtain user consent. While this may lengthen the user's journey, it presents a method to adhere to regulations for both link-shortening services and the companies utilizing them. There could also be additional strategies to explore. Upon recognizing the issue, optimism can be fostered for the development of technologies that contribute to creating a safer and more ethical digital space.

Link Shorteners: Yet Another White Spot in Data Collection

AI has been all the rage since late 2022, and it has many more practical applications than we saw from the blockchain craze. We’re seeing AI crop up in many products and, in many ways, some more useful than others. One of the segments that I’ve been watching is how it can work in a data exploration context. To that end, I ran across a new product called “ ,” created by the originators of the BI tool , which I in 2019. They say it is the world’s first NLP & AI-based Data Engineering tool, so let’s take a look. Ask On Data Helical Insight wrote about Getting Started I got an early look at the product a couple of months ago, and they are iterating quickly with updates. The UI was updated even when I started to write this piece a few weeks ago. The are being kept up to date, though, which is what I used to try out the product. The docs are clean and succinct, making them easy to reference. docs The UI presents a clean interface, and the first thing you need to do is add some data, which is done with that center icon in the upper right: A robust choice of connectors for a product just coming out of the gate exists. I tried some voter registration Excel files I was just looking at, so we go with the Flat Files option here. Now, we go back and create a new job. The icon on the home page, upper left, that looks like a speech bubble. You connect a job to data files that have been registered, which is convenient because you don’t have to keep loading them for each job. Working with your data With my votre role file loaded, I first wanted to sort it by the last name, and I can do that by literally saying “sort by sznamelast ascending”: Next, I wanted to count each occurrence of the street name so I’d know how many voters live on each street. AskOnData has autocomplete of commands and columns, which is convenient: This command gave me the following: Export options are also included, so any of these resulting datasets can be exported to use in another tool. Take a look at the for a complete list of currently available transformations. docs Those are some quick examples, but it was fascinating to say what I wanted from the data and get it back rapidly. I had an older friend whose data I was working with give it a little try; he hates computers, so he asks me to help him. This was a much more intuitive experience for him than understanding the user interface of something like Excel. That was an eye-opener to me, as computers are like swimming for me, I have done it for so long that I have trouble understanding when people can’t. Other features In the non-free version of the application, you can also schedule these as jobs. For example, you can connect to a database, pull weekly sales data, and run it through some aggregation functions. That could be set up to run every Sunday night, and then you come in on Monday morning and have your sales report ready. The command window also has slash (/) commands that allow you to execute an Excel-like expression, SQL, or BI style command. I tested out some expressions, which were straightforward enough; the SQL commands are also what you’d expect, except you refer to the current working data as for . It looked like this: df dataframe If you’re an SQL person, then this will feel pretty natural for you. I think these slash commands are very much a work in progress at the moment, but those two worked well for my use case. Summary This is a new product, and as such, it is iterating rapidly. Some of the UX flow needs some polish, but I’m told that some of that is related to the training. For example, I had specified the entire command in the earlier command, but after I issued it, the product asked me to specify what aggregation I wanted to perform, so I had to say again. My initial hurdle was just the mindset of saying what I wanted. I’ve been using computer software for so long that I’m accustomed to working with it in a particular way. Understanding prompt engineering is definitely the wave of the future, and it behooves all of us to add it to our arsenal. count count This is a fun product to work with. I appreciate the unconventional thinking that went into it. There is definitely a segment of the public that can use an easier way to interact with data that doesn’t require that they learn a lot of new skills. Is it a good tool for your use case? Try it and see. I liked it.

Spotlight on Ask On Data

NFTs have taken the crypto world by storm over the past year. From Bored Apes to CryptoPunks, valuable digital collectibles are selling for millions. But what about the rest of us who can't afford a whole NFT but still want in on the action? That's where fractionalization comes in. Platforms like Pandora have pioneered the concept of dividing up ownership of an NFT into multiple tokens. This allows anyone to invest a small amount and own a piece of the pie. However, existing fractionalization methods have their limitations. You have to trust a middleman to securely store your NFT. Liquidity can be an issue if you want to sell your fraction. And recombining pieces back into a whole NFT is a pain. A solution to this is ERC-404 - a proposed standard that aims to revolutionize fractional NFT ownership. By the way: if you are keen on expanding your knowledge on AI, we have a good news for you: our newsletter, was launched to present our audience the crème-de-la-crème of the AI world. The best thing - it comes completely free of charge! , AI Huntees And now, here’s a deep dive into what ERC-404 is all about: A World of Native Fractionalization Most tokens issued on Ethereum and traded on exchanges follow the ERC20 standard. NFTs, on the other hand, adhere to the ERC721 standard. However, the popularity of NFT projects like CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club has left many crypto enthusiasts frustrated that they only have a limited amount of funds in their wallets but want to profit from the hype surrounding expensive NFTs. With ERC-404, fractionalization is baked directly into the token standard rather than handled off-chain. When an NFT is initially minted on ERC-404, it simultaneously mints a set of ERC-20 tokens that represent ownership shares. What's the Point of ERC-404? Each fractional token is cryptographically linked to its corresponding piece of the NFT. Buy 0.5 tokens? You own half the asset. Collect enough to make a whole token? The full NFT is migrated to your wallet. No more relying on third parties. Let us consider a practical example. Say, I issue 5000 PIXEL tokens in the ERC-404 format. PIXEL tokens include 5000 ERC-20 tokens and 5000 NFTs. Each ERC-20 token in this system is linked to a specific NFT, allowing for fractional ownership. • When buying 1 whole ERC-20 token, the corresponding NFT automatically appears in the buyer's wallet, confirming full ownership of the asset.
• If only a fraction of the ERC-20 token is purchased (for example, 0.5 PIXEL), the associated NFT is destroyed. As a result, the buyer only has a share of the token without linking to the NFT.
• When the owner of the fractions collects enough to form a full ERC-20 token (for example, bought 0.2 PIXEL, then 0.5 PIXEL, and another 0.3 PIXEL), a new NFT is created in their wallet, restoring full ownership of the unique asset. Built-In Liquidity From Day One Because ERC-404 tokens behave just like normal ERC-20s, liquidity pools can be set up from the beginning. Want to sell your fractions? Just swap on an AMM dex like usual. No manually finding a buyer or dealing with order books. Additionally, unlike ordinary fractionalized NFTs, ERC-404 can be automatically fractionated into one NFT or an entire collection. Massive Potential But Major Caveats The promise of smooth, trustless fractionalization is undeniably appealing. However, ERC-404 is still very early and carries risks like bugs, scams, and lack of adoption. Let’s not disregard the fact that the Ethereum developer community has not officially approved the standard, so rug pulls, vulnerabilities, and other issues are quite possible. Moreover, combining two tokens will not return the same NFT, so its value may be variable—this will depend on the specific project. Last but not least, eternal mints, remints, and burns are driving up the price of gas. Today, it reached its maximum in 8 months - $60 for an ordinary transaction in the Ethereum network. We strongly believe that with refinement, ERC-404 could be huge. We already started to work with . However, in its current state, it’s better to keep a close eye on ERC-404 as it develops — only time will tell if it lives up to the lofty vision. ERC-404 projects P.S. Check out my previous articles at HackerNoon: DeFi Community Building: A Step-by-Step Guide for Crypto Startups The Best Of The AI World: Spotlighting 5 Projects and Researches Pushing The Paradigm This Week Crypto's Next Chapter: 2024's Game-Changing Predictions Top 10 AI Trends of 2024: How AI Transforms Everything How to Build Your Personal GPTs: From Zero to AI Hero GPT-4 Turbo: The Most Monumental Update Since ChatGPT's Debut! Essential Insights from 'State of AI 2023' GPT-4V Unveiled: From Detecting Emotions to Ordering Food - You Won't Believe What Else It Can Do! ChatGPT Now Speaks, Listens, and Understands: All You Need to Know

Breaking Down the Next Big Thing in NFTs: ERC-404 Spotlight

The world of AI moves fast, and staying on top of the latest breakthroughs can oftentimes feel near-impossible. That's why we decided to bring you a weekly roundup of the most impactful and innovative AI projects to help you keep up with this fast-paced field. In this edition, we present you with an exclusive compilation of the most exciting projects and noteworthy developments from the past week. Join us as we dive into the forefront of the AI revolution with , your one-stop destination for all things AI — absolutely for free! AI AI Hunters And now, let’s get into it: OpenVoice Opens New Phase in Voice Cloning , a collaborative effort by MIT, Tsinghua University, and MyShell, introduces a game-changing AI-based voice cloning tool. Unparalleled in its precision, OpenVoice empowers users with granular control over tone, emotion, accent, rhythm, pauses, and intonation. Addressing the lack of robust open-source voice cloning research, this cost-effective tool promises to revolutionize the field. OpenVoice OnlyBots Launches First Social Network for AI Imagine bot AIs cooperating on problems or keeping each other updated on the latest developments. , the pioneering AI social network, designed its platform as a bot-to-bot interaction, this way fostering innovations and ideas exchange within the AI community. That level of integration between non-human intelligence allows for pushing frontiers of collaboration and problem-solving. OnlyBots Trellus Offers a Real-Time AI Coach to Join Sales Calls leverages AI and machine learning to deliver real-time feedback and training to sales reps. Packed with features such as an embedded Auto Dialer, localized data, call summarization, and an AI-powered assistant, it empowers sales professionals to boost productivity without compromising quality. By analyzing call patterns and outcomes, Trellus can identify strengths and weaknesses and even recommend rebuttals. With an embedded dialer, too, it looks to streamline the sales process from start to close. Trellus Rosebud AI Automates Game Development The makers of are using generative models to create game assets, worlds, and even animated characters - all without human designers. Tools like their conversation AI "Tokkingheads" bring new interactive life to games through avatar animation, breathing life into portraits by seamlessly syncing lip movements with text or audio. As AI-powered content creation scales, indie devs may find new creative space for self-realization. Rosebud AI Coursebox Supercharges Online Learning with AI harnesses the power of AI to streamline the course creation process. With Coursebox, educators and individuals can design course structures and content in minutes, unlocking unprecedented efficiency in online course development. As online learning grows, AI stands to upturn the access to education globally. Coursebox Research and Reports That Are Worth Your Attention Dissecting Chatbots with The Guardian Discover the inner workings of AI chatbots, including ChatGPT and Bard, in this piece by . Delving into the crucial aspects of large language models (LLMs), such as the "transformer" reweighting step and the "attention" principle, the article sheds light on the extensive training required for refined question-and-response skills while filtering out undesirable replies. The Guardian Neural Network Explainer Series Join renowned researcher Andrej Karpathy in his captivating on neural networks. Karpathy introduces insights into the architecture and training process of large language models (LLMs), unraveling the fundamentals behind these powerful AI systems. For those looking to better understand the technical foundations of conversational AI systems, this is a must-watch. video series AI Detects Unknown Artist's Touch on Raphael Painting Witness a as AI researchers analyze Raphael's "Madonna della Rosa”. By training an AI algorithm on Raphael's style, experts meticulously scrutinize every detail, shedding new light on the artist's work and authorship. This breakthrough opens up exciting possibilities for understanding and appreciating art in unprecedented ways. groundbreaking discovery

The Best Of The AI World: Spotlighting 5 Projects and Researches Pushing The Paradigm This Week

The Noonification: Microsoft, Apple Trade Blows For Top Spot (1/31/2024)

What company is more valuable, or ? That's the question Wall Street wants to answer entering into 2024 as both firms compete head to head in a race to be crowned victor. Microsoft Apple With a market capitalization of over $3 trillion, Apple has been the in the world for quite some time now, but after the ultra sensationalized success of Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT, the Windows maker has slowly and broke the $3 trillion threshold to appear as a formidable challenger to the creator of iPhone. most valuable company gained ground finally In fact, at the time of writing, Microsoft already the most valuable company in the world, but in the of Dr. Dre, "Anybody can get it; The hard part is keepin' it, motherf*cker." was infamous words So now the question is, will Microsoft remain the most valuable company in the world? Well.. Say what you will of Microsoft's business, products, and business products, the company holds a commendable sway over the industries it operates in. We're talking OSs; Productivity tools; Cloud; the list goes on. As we understand it, there's no part of the technology world that doesn't rely on or use a Microsoft product in some shape, way, or form to function, and that's why the company has been able to invent and reinvent itself while staying relevant since the time it was founded by Bill Gates. precisely Instead of wanting to sell products directly to customers, a majority of Microsoft's business has to do with offering tools to the people that make the products that then customers want to buy. And that's a very important distinction to make because that's what makes Microsoft a little different from Apple, which is very, very reliant on customer trends. Apple's entire business model has to do with making products people want, and it is very, very good at what it does. Apple products are cleverly designed, often innovative, and come with the oomph consumers are looking for, but there's really not a lot the company can do if people just can't (or won't!) buy its iPhones, as was the case recently when the company reportedly saw a 30% decline in the smartphone's sales in China due to growing competition from the likes of Huawei. And THAT perhaps is the biggest reason why the company's stock price has been taking a dip, leaving Microsoft with the opportunity to zoom on past ahead. Microsoft's stock also did phenomenally well last year, 57% in 2023 as compared to the 48% rise Apple shares experienced last year. So it's safe to say, the future, as it stands, belongs to Apple and Microsoft, at least, in terms of who is the most valuable — regardless of who is #1. rising So with Microsoft and Apple so far ahead, where does that leave the likes of and ? Unfortunately for Google parent Alphabet, CEO Sundar Pichai's prediction that the success of ChatGPT was a for the company may be coming true since the company hasn't even reached the $2 trillion mark! Meanwhile, Amazon is stuck in a involving its business practices and finds itself at an even lower valuation than Google. Google Amazon code red range of legal issues The one rising star amongst all of these companies continues to be , which not only became worth last year, has already experienced such a in its share price that it's already halfway through to adding trillion to its market share. For those that don't know, Nvidia sells the hardware that makes generative AI possible. Nvidia $1 trillion surge another Anyway, it's going to be a ride this year and we'd be excited to see who comes up on top. wiiiiiiiiiiild Microsoft was ranked #1 on HackerNoon's this week, followed by Apple at #3, Google at #5 and Amazon at #6. Tech Company Rankings 👋 You’re reading HackerNoon's , a weekly collection of tech goodness that combines HackerNoon's proprietary data with internet trends to determine which companies are rising and falling in the public consciousness. Subscribe to receive the newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday. Tech Company News Brief here complete Reddit, Now Coming to a Stock Exchange Near You! 👽 Love it or hate it, Reddit is as much a part of the internet lexicon as Google or Facebook. Depending on what you fancy, there's almost always a community to be found, and some reddit threads are.. Well, . classic Reddit might not necessarily have the same corporate clout as traditional social media companies, or, atleast, the deep coffers that run in billions, but it does command sizable respect around the web, particularly as an outlet for some of the more niche communities. I mean, who hasn't turned to Reddit to find answers to burning questions about.. Ahem, . bowel movements Now, Reddit wants a seat at the big boys' table. Having been the platform where "meme stocks" originated, the social media company now wants to float its own stocks to the public market with a soon-to-be-coming initial public offering this year. According to media reports, the mecca of memes (4chan not counted because of 😉) could file for an IPO as early as February, with plans to wrap up the entire process by the end of March. The IPO has been a long time coming, with the platform said to have sketched plans to go public as far back as 2021; for one reason or the other, the company held up on actually pulling the trigger, but the plan seems to be picking up steam. Rule #1 So how much Reddit going to be worth? During its last funding round in 2021, the platform was said to be worth about $10 billion despite the fact that it has never come close to profitability. The valuation might sound like a lot until you realize that it's next to nothing when compared to the likes of Meta (close to a trillion dollars in valuation) and TikTok-owner Bytedance (hundreds of billions of dollars). is Nonetheless, the public at large will have a chance to own a piece of the pie with the IPO which would see Reddit float 10% of its ownership in public markets. So keep your eyes peeled for when that happens! What's Up With Bitcoin? 🪙 To any crypto pundit who thought the world's largest currency was headed To the Moon™, is going on with Bitcoin?? what the heck Ever since the US Securities & Exchange Commission approved a bunch of spot bitcoin exchange traded funds (ETF), the price of the cryptocurrency keeps falling. In fact, as of the time of this writing, bitcoin has gone down to $40,000 at least once! below But don't worry, if you're just as confused as we are as to what's going on, we just might have the answer for you. The ETF approval was already pegged as a "sell-the-news" event by on-chain analysis firm CryptoQuant, one of the very few firms that bitcoin prices would go down following the SEC action. The firm continues to maintain that bitcoin will fall to around $32,000 as the market corrects itself, possibly spelling doom for Hodlers who got in the action when bitcoin was in the $40,000 range (unless said Hodlers have diamond hands). And if things continue the way they are, it's likely the firm's analysis will come true. warned But keeping aside what analysts say, part of the reason why bitcoin prices have gone down has to do with now defunct crypto exchange FTX, which apparently sold $1 billion worth of  Grayscale's Bitcoin ETF as part of its . bankruptcy proceedings Whether bitcoin is going to go up or down is anyone's guess, but it should be interesting to see how the crypto landscape evolves with the SEC's oversight (the cryptocurrency is already up back to $42k levels!). Fun fact: HackerNoon is running a poll asking the community what THEY think about the whole bitcoin pricing scenario, so feel free to add your . voice to the discussion In Other News.. 📰 NFTs Outpaced Ether's Gains in January — via CoinDesk Elon Musk’s $56B Tesla pay deal is unfair, judge rules — via TechCrunch MrBeast tested Elon Musk’s theory and took home $250,000 — via CNN Investors punish Microsoft, Alphabet as AI returns fall short of lofty expectations — via Reuters Tech rivals hound Apple over EU App Store plans — via Axios Lawmakers to grill CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media firms at hearing on child safety — via CNBC And that's a wrap! Don't forget to share this newsletter with your family and friends See y'all next week. PEACE! ☮️ — Sheharyar Khan, Editor, Business Tech @ HackerNoon *All rankings are current as of Monday. To see how the rankings have changed, please visit HackerNoon's page. Tech Company Rankings

Microsoft, Apple Trade Blows For Top Spot

After a decade since the submission of the first Bitcoin Spot ETF application in the U.S. last week no less than 11 Bitcoin Spot ETFs were approved by the SEC! The approval of the ETF marks one of the most monumental moments in Bitcoin's history. This news is absolutely massive - and while the price has traced back a bit since the exuberant levels on launch day, I cannot understate how bullish I think this is for long-term price appreciation. Institutional and retail investors alike now have access to investable vehicles on US soil that give direct exposure to . Bullish! Bitcoin SEC Commissioners in Divided Opinion Despite Approval By analyzing the made by the commissioners of the SEC, it is obvious how torn they have been about approving the ETFs. statements Particularly, comments made by the SEC chair himself tell me that had it not been for Grayscale winning in court over the SEC, it is likely the ETFs would not have been approved. His counterpart, Hester Pierce – also known as 'Crypto Mom' – celebrated the decision, noting that the approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF in the U.S. 'marks the end of an unnecessary but consequential saga.’ ETFs are Trading: What now? The ETFs are a big deal for Bitcoin because it makes investing in BTC so much more accessible for the masses. Especially for those limited by the security, accounting, and tax implications, the ETFs are a gateway to BTC exposure. In other words, we can expect the Bitcoin ETFs to do wonders for the capital influx into the Bitcoin network. One thing they don’t change, however, is Bitcoin’s fundamentals. There are a number of traders who are currently calling for lower valuation levels of BTC. Personally, I like to take a contrarian view on where BTC is moving next, and I think once we start seeing that the ETFs are providing consistent inflows on a weekly basis, we will march higher in price. After all, the net inflows into the ETFs have already passed $1.4B in capital inflows after just three days of trading. My question to you is: What will that number be in 1-5-10-50 weeks? Noteworthy Mentions The Little Book About Bitcoin Investing I recently crafted a concise 20-page educational booklet on Bitcoin Investing. This comprehensive read delves into various aspects, including technology trends, monetary theory, and my personal Top 5 Reasons why Bitcoin stands as a sensible investment. Industry Shakers Visa to Pilot Web3 Customer Loyalty Service Visa is introducing a Web3 loyalty service enabling brands to establish digital wallets for storing reward points and experiences. The Visa Web3 Loyalty Engagement Solution seeks to transform the conventional loyalty experience by providing incentives and advantages for active engagement, such as involvement in augmented reality treasure hunts. USDC Issuer Circle Files for IPO With SEC Circle Internet Financial, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, has submitted a confidential draft S-1 document to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), intending to initiate the sale of shares to the public. As of now, the specific details regarding the number of shares and the offering's price range remain undetermined. Stay Updated - Follow me on Twitter! Enjoyed these insights? There's more where that came from. Follow me on for daily tidbits and updates. Twitter/X Also published . here

Bitcoin's Decade-Long Wait Ends with 11 SEC-Approved Spot ETFs: What Now?

What digital antibodies will be mandated to make sure we only see what we’re supposed to see as a matter of cybersecurity? The unelected globalists at the (WEF) and partners declare that the online spread of misinformation and disinformation “are now core cybersecurity concerns,” according to a new report. World Economic Forum Published on December 5, , “ ,” says that: the report Cybersecurity Futures 2030: New Foundations “Shoring up trust will be a key goal of cybersecurity efforts over the next decade. The online spread of mis- and disinformation are now core cybersecurity concerns” The architects of add: the great reset agenda “ Cybersecurity will become less about protecting the confidentiality and availability of information and more about protecting its integrity and provenance” The findings of the report are “based on discussions held at a series of in-person workshops conducted throughout 2023 in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Washington DC (USA), Kigali (Rwanda), New Delhi (India) and Singapore, as well as a virtual workshop with participants from multiple European countries and the United Kingdom,” where four fictitious scenarios taking place around the year 2030 were discussed. cybersecurity Participants concluded that cyber literacy training and digital security education would be necessary to combat so-called misinformation and as they were “core cybersecurity concerns.” disinformation According to the report, there is an “ ” where “ .” urgency for broad cyber literacy training to combat disinformation and garden-variety cybercrime education and awareness of digital security will be critical In other words, doing your own research simply won’t do. The authors of the report go on to say that “stable governments” could become “trusted brands” in controlling the flow of information to the people: “Stable governments that follow through on long-term technology and cybersecurity strategies can become trusted ‘brands,’ gaining advantages in attracting talent, seizing leadership opportunities in multilateral standards-setting processes and countering disinformation campaigns” As we all know, governments are the best authorities to determine what is true and what is disinformation. In a similar vein, the report says that “ .” In the US, there was much more tension about who is ‘in charge’ of trust – the government or the private sector The authors conclude that the merger of corporation and state would be necessary to bolster cybersecurity and keep misinformation and disinformation at bay if only the right “incentive structures” were in place: “Agreement that public-private partnerships are imperative to move the needle on combating sovereign and criminal cyberattacks and information operations was accompanied by an equal sense of disillusionment about the feasibility of such partnerships given current incentive structures” The United Nations (UN) is already lumping “hate speech” with so-called “mis-disinformation” to encourage crackdowns. , “ .” According to the UN Mis- and disinformation and hate speech are related but distinct phenomena, with certain areas of overlap and difference in how they can be identified, mitigated and addressed Meanwhile, the unelected globalists at the WEF are lumping misinformation and disinformation with cybersecurity in last week’s report. Now, “ .” Digital security is being reframed as the ability of societies to match the speed of trust with the speed of innovation And how do they propose to gain the trust of society? According to the report, the public should be “inoculated against mis-, dis- and mal-information:” “Having a digitally literate public and customer base that is media savvy and inoculated against mis-, dis- and mal-information (MDM) will be a source of strength for organizations that wish to succeed in an era of degrading trust” https://youtu.be/-0oZA1B3ooI?embedable=true The report echoes what WEF founder Klaus Schwab said at the annual cybersecurity preparedness event Cyber Polygon in July, 2021. During the height of worldwide lockdowns, Schwab likened cybersecurity to health measures, saying: “We have to protect ourselves not only against the virus, we also have to develop the ability to withstand a virus attack.“In other words, masks are not sufficient. We need vaccines to immunize ourselves.“The same is true for cyberattacks. Here, too, we have to move from simple protection to immunization.“We need to build IT infrastructures that have digital antibodies built-in inherently to protect themselves” https://youtu.be/DnwtG1VDvh0?embedable=true The Moscow-based Cyber Polygon exercise was , and a future date has not yet been set. postponed in 2022 Previous editions were focused on that the WEF says is not a matter of if it will occur, but when. prepping for a cyber pandemic At this year’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, WEF managing director that based on a survey they conducted with business and cyber leaders: Jeremy Jurgens said “Geopolitical instability makes a catastrophic cyber event likely in the next two years” "Geopolitical instability makes a catastrophic cyber event likely in the next two years": WEF Managing Director Jeremy Jurgens on the Global Cybersecurity Outlook Report 2023, #wef23 #cyberpandemic pic.twitter.com/7lSLdr7iZF — Tim Hinchliffe (@TimHinchliffe) January 18, 2023 At Cyber Polygon 2020, Jurgens said he believed that there would be another crisis, and that it would spread much faster than COVID. “I would anticipate that when we do see this next crisis, it will be faster than what we’ve seen with COVID,” said Jurgens, adding, “the exponential growth rate will be much steeper, the impact will be greater, and as a result the economic and social implications will be even more significant.” https://youtu.be/msYb8Pk_unk?embedable=true Now that misinformation is mixed with cybersecurity, what measures will be taken to inoculate the public? What digital antibodies will be mandated to make sure we only see what we’re supposed to see as a matter of core cybersecurity? This article was originally published by on Tim Hinchliffe The Sociable.

WEF Report Highlights Cybersecurity Challenges: Misinformation and Disinformation in the Spotlight

229 Stories To Learn About Bitcoin Spotlight

In a worrying trend that doesn’t seem to be coming to an end anytime soon, another major tech company is looking to lay off a reasonable chunk of its workforce to manage operational costs. For the third time this year, the shoe fits Spotify. Yikes! After two rounds of layoffs earlier in the year, the music-streaming giant looks to let go of 1500 additional employees from the 8,800 people on its roster. i.e. about 17% of its current workforce. This comes on the back of a 600-person-strong downsizing in January and another round of layoffs that saw 200 members of staff exit the company in June. In a note to employees, later , CEO Daniel Ek cited rising capital costs as one reason for the reduction in headcount. published on the audio company’s blog “In 2020 and 2021, we took advantage of the opportunity presented by lower-cost capital and invested significantly in team expansion, content enhancement, marketing, and new verticals. These investments generally worked, contributing to Spotify’s increased output and the platform’s robust growth this past year. However, we now find ourselves in a very different environment. And despite our efforts to reduce costs this past year, our cost structure for where we need to be is still too big.” For anyone who took a look at the company’s and considers a 17% downsize excessive, the Spotify CEO agrees with you. At least up to a point. In reference to the drastic nature of the company’s latest round of layoffs, Daniel Ek writes in his note to employees - “We debated making smaller reductions throughout 2024 and 2025. Yet, considering the gap between our financial goal state and our current operational costs, I decided that a substantial action to rightsize our costs was the best option to accomplish our objectives.” q3 earnings report For context:  Spotify recorded upward trends in monthly users (26%), subscribers (16% Y/Y), and total revenue (11% Y/Y). Not to mention a gross margin that finished above guidance at 26.4%. To ease the way for the swathe of talent getting terminated by the company, Spotify will incur between 130 and 145 million Euros in charges, including five months' worth of severance payment, as reported by . Reuters The layoff trend continues to ravage industries globally, across a slew of Big Tech companies due to an increasingly volatile economy and changing consumer patterns. Unfortunately, the markets are a ruthless thing and appear to be rewarding this trend, as Spotify’s U.S listed shares climbed by 11 points, after the CEO’s note went out, to trade near its 2-year peak at close of day. as 225,000 employees have seen the axe Source Spotify holds a modest rank of #269 on this week’s HackerNoon Tech Company Rankings. Netflix Secures Classic GTA Trilogy to Boost Its Gaming Efforts By now it’s no news that Netflix, the predominantly video-streaming platform, has been dipping its feet into the video game industry. Following the release of its interactive film, Bandersnatch, in 2020, and subsequent interactive storytelling projects, the company has pushed further into the gaming market. , the streaming giant launched mobile gaming functionality to its subscribers worldwide. The initial push made five games available on mobile, including an offshoot of the platform's super-star title, Stranger Things. In November 2021 , Netflix went a step further by rolling out its cloud-streamed games. Effectively extending of devices on which games were playable to include Smart TVs. Fast forward to August 2023 In the on the week of the announcement, we asked members of the community if they were interested in trying games on Netflix. The divided results saw 14% minority vote Yes. However, 24% of the respondents expressed uncertainty, waiting to see what kinds of games the platform would acquire. HackerNoon Technology Poll If you were a part of that minority or perhaps share their sentiments, then Netflix’s latest video game title acquisition might be just the thing to push the needle for you. Last week, the , in a post shared by VP of Games Mike Verdu, that Rockstar’s golden goose is coming to the streaming platform. company announced Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy— is coming to Netflix on December 14 for Netflix members on the App Store, Google Play, and in the Netflix mobile app. The Definitive Edition I don’t know about you, but I do love me some GTA. Acquiring a gaming title with a following of this size might just be the spark that Netflix games need to get to the next level. Especially when you consider the positive uproar that Rockstar’s trailer for its heavily anticipated unleashed in gaming communities across social media. Grand Theft Auto VI It’s still too early to tell whether this acquisition is Netflix’s smoking gun, considering that the game titles are still available to play on more gaming-focused consoles. Nonetheless, it’s an exciting time for the gaming community. Netflix sits pretty at #6 on this week’s HackerNoon Tech Company Rankings. 👋 You’re reading of HackerNoon's Tech Company News Brief, a weekly collection of tech goodness that combines HackerNoon's proprietary data with internet trends to determine which companies are rising and falling in the public consciousness. went live yesterday. Prefer reading the whole thing a day early AND in one go? No problemo! Just subscribe to receive the newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday. part 2 Part 1 here complete In Other News… Nvidia CEO will look to Japan first for AI Processors - via The Japan Times Crypto stocks enjoy uptick as Bitcoin crosses $40K mark - via Reuters OpenAI’s GPT store stalls till 2024 following leadership debacle - via Tech Crunch Intel wins appeal to overcome $2.18 billion VLSI patent verdict - via Reuters Instagram and Facebook cross-messaging is coming to an end - via The Verge This brings us to the end of this week’s Tech Company News Brief. Don’t forget to share this newsletter with your family, friends, and everyone in between! See you next week! - , World News & SciFi Editor at HackerNoon Asher Umerie The Tech Company Brief is a weekly newsletter written by HackerNoon editors to help you dissect the last week in tech news! Subscribe here for the full scoop delivered straight to your inbox: https://hackernoon.com/tech-company-brief

1500 Employees Wrap Up Their Time with Spotify in Its Third Round of Layoffs this Year

1500 কর্মচারী এই বছর ছাঁটাইয়ের তৃতীয় রাউন্ডে Spotify-এর সাথে তাদের সময় শেষ করেছে

1500 Mitarbeiter verbringen in der dritten Entlassungsrunde dieses Jahr ihre Zeit bei Spotify

1500 empleados concluyen su tiempo con Spotify en su tercera ronda de despidos este año

1 500 employés terminent leur travail chez Spotify lors de sa troisième série de licenciements cette année

इस साल छंटनी के तीसरे दौर में 1500 कर्मचारियों ने Spotify के साथ अपना समय समाप्त किया

1500人の従業員、今年3回目のレイオフでSpotifyでの仕事を終える

올해 3차 해고로 1,500명의 직원이 Spotify와 함께 시간을 마무리합니다.

1.500 funcionários encerram seu tempo com o Spotify em sua terceira rodada de demissões este ano

1500 сотрудников завершили свое время со Spotify в третьем раунде увольнений в этом году

Bu Yıl Üçüncü Turda 1500 Çalışan Spotify'daki Zamanlarını Tamamladı

1500 nhân viên kết thúc thời gian của họ với Spotify trong đợt sa thải thứ ba trong năm nay

Spotify 今年第三轮裁员 1500 名员工结束工作

BitDelta, the global multi-asset exchange geared to transform the financial landscape by bridging traditional and digital assets under a single platform, proudly announces the integration of cLFi, the core utility token of the LFi ecosystem, into its growing spot trading portfolio. Democratizing Access to Opportunities Following the successful launch of the BitDelta which extended an invitation to students globally to embark on our Learn, Earn & Connect mission. The exchange is continuing its upward roadmap for 2023 by listing the cLFi token. Student Ambassador Program, The addition of cLFi reinforces BitDelta's commitment to providing users with diverse and innovative trading options. The LFi ecosystem, powered by cLFi, aims to democratize access to opportunities in the crypto world, ensuring inclusivity in blockchain participation. Revolutionizing the Crypto World cLFi is not just a token; it's a symbol of innovation and empowerment. It serves as the utility token of the LFi ecosystem, a decentralised platform with the goal of giving access to opportunities in the crypto world, ensuring everyone has the chance to participate and benefit from blockchain. Within the LFi ecosystem, cLFi serves as a minting token, enabling users to activate the NFT Unit license and engage in a unique minting process through the various products offered by the ecosystem. cLFi's listing on BitDelta will give the token access to a global community of traders not only in crypto but also the traditional financial markets. Regarding the listing, LFi’s CEO stated Luiz Góes “LFi represents more than a technological breakthrough. LFi is a commitment to social inclusion thanks to blockchain technology. Our mission goes beyond innovation towards empowering people worldwide with cutting-edge tools for accessing the digital age.” He further continued about the exciting projects the ecosystem is working on “LFi’s One smartphone and its minting feature is just the first step, along with other innovative devices and digital services, redesigning how we interact with blockchain networks. I am grateful to each of our community members for supporting the project and believing in our vision of a more inclusive world.” Seamless Trading Experience on BitDelta Starting from 30th November 2023, users can trade the pair on BitDelta, experiencing the seamless and secure trading environment that has become synonymous with the BitDelta brand. cLFi/USDT Further information on cLFI: cLFi has a total supply of 1,000,000,000 tokens. As a token used for the minting operations in the LFi ecosystem, the tokenomics are divided into an 80-20 split amongst Mining & Ecosystem Liquidity, respectively. Website: https://lfi.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/lfiofficial CMC: https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/cLFi/ Whitepaper: https://white-paper.lfi.io/ The Future of Trading Is Here BitDelta invites users to embrace the future of trading with the introduction of cLFi to its spot exchange. As the boundaries of financial innovation are pushed and financial journeys are ignited, BitDelta remains dedicated to empowering individuals on their trading journey in making Every Trade Count. About BitDelta BitDelta is a global multi-asset trading platform servicing 120+ countries with a mission to revolutionise the financial landscape by empowering young individuals and ambitious investors to ignite their trading journey. The platform offers a comprehensive trading experience through a range of innovative features, like Spot Trading, Derivatives Trading, Card Crypto Purchases, OTC Leverage, Token Launchpad Services, a Student Ambassador Program and more. Along with these features, BitDelta users can diversify their portfolios into a variety of assets like cryptocurrencies, commodities, indices, stocks, and forex, all while using a highly secure asset custodian. With a steadfast commitment to making trading accessible for all, BitDelta aims to create a sophisticated and engaging trading experience where every trade counts. To learn more about BitDelta, visit: | | | | Website Twitter Telegram LinkedIn Instagram

BitDelta Lists cLFi on its Spot Exchange

Introduction Every year, Spotify users eagerly await the release of Spotify Wrapped, a personalized year-in-review showcasing their most listened-to songs, artists, and genres. What if I told you there's a way to get a sneak peek at your Spotify statistics before the official release? In this guide, I'll walk you through a Spotify Wrapped hack that allows you to create your own personalized stats using your Spotify streaming data. This way you won’t need to wait for Spotify Wrapped, and you will also be able to create stats that Spotify won’t show you. Prerequisites Similar to one of , we will use Jupyter Notebook for this one. It’s a great tool for experimenting and working with data. my earlier projects If you haven’t installed Jupyter Notebook yet, follow the instructions on their . Once installed, you can create a new Jupyter Notebook and get ready for diving into your Spotify stats. official website Gathering and Sanitizing Data To get started, you'll need to request your Spotify streaming data. You can do this (make sure you request the “Extended streaming history”). It will take some time for Spotify to send you your data. Requesting only the “Account data” will be faster and will also give you last year’s streaming history. However, it is way less detailed and you will have to adapt the code. here Once you have the data, we can import it. You will get multiple JSON files. Each file consists of an array of objects containing information about a played song or podcast episode: {
	"ts": "2023-01-30T16:36:40Z",
	"username": "",
	"platform": "linux",
	"ms_played": 239538,
	"conn_country": "DE",
	"ip_addr_decrypted": "",
	"user_agent_decrypted": "",
	"master_metadata_track_name": "Wonderwall - Remastered",
	"master_metadata_album_artist_name": "Oasis",
	"master_metadata_album_album_name": "(What's The Story) Morning Glory? (Deluxe Remastered Edition)",
	"spotify_track_uri": "spotify:track:7ygpwy2qP3NbrxVkHvUhXY",
	"episode_name": null,
	"episode_show_name": null,
	"spotify_episode_uri": null,
	"reason_start": "remote",
	"reason_end": "remote",
	"shuffle": false,
	"skipped": false,
	"offline": false,
	"offline_timestamp": 0,
	"incognito_mode": false
} This allows you not only to figure out when and on which device you listened to a song but also gives you information such as if and when you skipped it. We will simply merge all of them into a single Pandas data frame: path_to_json = 'my_spotify_data/'
frames = []
for file_name in [file for file in os.listdir(path_to_json) if file.endswith('.json')]:
    frames.append(pd.read_json(path_to_json + file_name))

df = pd.concat(frames) Afterward, we'll sanitize it by removing podcasts, filtering out short play durations, and converting timestamps to a more readable format: # drop all rows containing podcasts
df = df[df['spotify_track_uri'].notna()]

# drop all songs which were playing less than 15 seconds
df = df[df['ms_played'] > 15000]

# convert ts from string to datetime
df['ts'] = pd.to_datetime(df['ts'], utc=False)
df['date'] = df['ts'].dt.date

# drop all columns which are not needed
columns_to_keep = [
    'ts',
    'date',
    'ms_played',
    'platform',
    'conn_country',
    'master_metadata_track_name',
    'master_metadata_album_artist_name',
    'master_metadata_album_album_name',
    'spotify_track_uri'
]
df = df[columns_to_keep]

df = df.sort_values(by=['ts'])
songs_df = df.copy() Analyzing and Visualizing Your Spotify Stats Top Songs of All Time Let's kick things off by exploring your all-time favorite songs. We can easily unveil our top tracks based on your streaming history: df = songs_df.copy()


df = df.groupby(['spotify_track_uri']).size().reset_index().rename(columns={0: 'count'})
df = df.sort_values(by=['count'], ascending=False).reset_index()

df = df.merge(songs_df.drop_duplicates(subset='spotify_track_uri'))
df = df[['master_metadata_track_name', 'master_metadata_album_artist_name', 'master_metadata_album_album_name', 'count']]

df.head(20) Top Songs in 2023 Curious about this year's music trends? We can use this function to reveal the top songs of 2023: def top_songs_in_year(year):
    df = songs_df.copy()

    df['year'] = df['ts'].dt.year

    df = df.loc[(df['year'] == year)]

    print(f"Time listened in {year}: {datetime.timedelta(milliseconds=int(df['ms_played'].sum()))}")

    df = df.groupby(['spotify_track_uri']).size().reset_index().rename(columns={0: 'count'})
    df = df.sort_values(by=['count'], ascending=False).reset_index()

    df = df.merge(songs_df.drop_duplicates(subset='spotify_track_uri'))
    df = df[['master_metadata_track_name',
             'master_metadata_album_artist_name',
             'master_metadata_album_album_name',
             'count']]

    return df.head(20) Interactivity With Widgets That works very well already, but why settle for that? We can use interactive widgets to customize the queries using UI elements. This allows us to find out your top songs in any specific time range effortlessly: @interact
def top_songs(date_range=date_range_slider):
    df = songs_df.copy()

    time_range_start = pd.Timestamp(date_range[0])
    time_range_end = pd.Timestamp(date_range[1])

    df = df.loc[(df['date'] >= time_range_start.date())
                & (df['date'] <= time_range_end.date())]

    df = df.groupby(['spotify_track_uri']).size().reset_index().rename(columns={0: 'count'})
    df = df.sort_values(by=['count'], ascending=False).reset_index()

    df = df.merge(songs_df.drop_duplicates(subset='spotify_track_uri'))
    df = df[['master_metadata_track_name',
             'master_metadata_album_artist_name',
             'master_metadata_album_album_name',
             'count']]

    return df.head(20) Temporal and Weekday Distribution Now that we know our top songs, top artists, and top albums, we can go a little further. For example, exploring which days of the week we're most active on Spotify: def plot_weekday_distribution():
    df = songs_df.copy()

    df['year'] = df['ts'].dt.year
    df['weekday'] = df['ts'].dt.weekday

    df = df.groupby(['year', 'weekday']).size().reset_index(name='count')

    fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 8))

    for year, data in df.groupby('year'):
        ax.plot(data['weekday'], data['count'], label=str(year))

    weekdays_order = ['Monday', 'Tuesday', 'Wednesday', 'Thursday', 'Friday', 'Saturday', 'Sunday']
    plt.xticks(range(7), weekdays_order)

    plt.title('Weekday Distribution of Played Tracks Over Years')
    plt.xlabel('Weekday')
    plt.ylabel('Number of Played Tracks')
    plt.legend(title='Year')

    plt.show() How to Do It Yourself Ready to dive into your own Spotify stats? Check out my to find all the code, including even more functions to explore your listening stats. GitHub repository Conclusion Creating your Spotify stats before the official release not only adds an element of fun but also provides insights into your unique listening habits. As we eagerly anticipate Spotify Wrapped, why not get a head start on your music analysis adventure? Get ready to groove into your personalized Spotify Wrapped experience!

Spotify Wrapped Hack: Create Your Own Stats Before the Official Release

Spotify Wrapped Hack: অফিসিয়াল রিলিজের আগে আপনার নিজস্ব পরিসংখ্যান তৈরি করুন

Spotify Wrapped Hack: Erstellen Sie Ihre eigenen Statistiken vor der offiziellen Veröffentlichung

Spotify Wrapped Hack: crea tus propias estadísticas antes del lanzamiento oficial

Spotify Wrapped Hack : créez vos propres statistiques avant la sortie officielle

Spotify रैप्ड हैक: आधिकारिक रिलीज़ से पहले अपने स्वयं के आँकड़े बनाएँ

Spotify ラップハック: 正式リリース前に独自の統計を作成

Spotify Wrapped Hack: 공식 출시 전에 나만의 통계 만들기

Spotify Wrapped Hack: crie suas próprias estatísticas antes do lançamento oficial

Spotify Wrapped Hack: создайте свою собственную статистику до официального релиза

Spotify Sarılmış Hack: Resmi Yayınlanmadan Önce Kendi İstatistiklerinizi Oluşturun

Spotify Wrapped Hack: Tạo số liệu thống kê của riêng bạn trước khi phát hành chính thức

Spotify Wrapped Hack：在正式发布之前创建您自己的统计数据

Let's learn about via these 31 free stories. They are ordered by most time reading created on HackerNoon. Visit the to find the most read stories about any technology. Spotify /Learn Repo 1. Write Code to Build Your Own Playlist and Throw Away Spotify You don't need a whole music cloud service to get music recommendations 2. What is Spotify And How Does It Work? Are you a person who likes to play different music based on various events or simply your mood? If yes, then Spotify is there to bring the best soundtracks in your life. 3. What Apple And Spotify Know About Me Unsurprisingly, the data that our apps have collected about us is both impressive and concerning, though it can be very interesting to review and explore it. 4. 🎉 Introducing Spottr - Your Spotify Stats Year-Round Spottr is a PWA built to view your Spotify listening stats year-round. 5. Improving Focus and Productivity Using the Pomodoro Technique Have you ever gotten to the end of your day and while you've completed tasks, you don't feel you accomplished what you set out to do? Are you're working hard at a list of tasks that you're trying to finish but you're not able to give 100%? Do you have no idea where time has gone and you have nothing to showcase your work? Do you procrastinate? Do you lose time in your day scrolling social media feeds, your inbox or YouTube? There may be a solution that could help you. The Pomodoro Technique and it could transform your life. 6. Spotify Audio Features Time Series in Additive Spotify Analyzer There are many articles on analyzing Spotify data and many applications as well. Some are a one-time analysis on individual's music library and some are an app for a specific purpose. This app is different in that it does not do one thing. It is meant to grow and provide a place to add more analysis. This article is about how the audio features time series was created. 7. Why Spotify Migrated From Its Homegrown Orchestration Tool (Helios) to Kubernetes? Kubernetes optimizes audio streaming on Spotify. There's a story behind why it migrated from innate Helios to Kubernetes for container orchestration. Read on. 8. Why Streaming Has Not Conquered the World Read this post to understand how the trials of Netflix and Spotify have underlined a reality about the fragility of the streaming industry. 9. Visualizing The Data: Spotify Data for Favorite Artists Over Time How do your favorite artists change over time? This is the story of how I visualized my favorite artists from Spotify in a Plotly chart using Python. 10. TODAY: Spotify 💚 Social · Y FB 💸 $400M on Giphy · Uber & Ryanair Cut Jobs I read the news so you don't have to: Spotify has launched a co-listening product stream so that you can listen to the same song with anyone, anywhere, in-sync; big surprise: Facebook bought Giphy for the data; both Europe's budget airline Ryanair and Uber are laying off a bunch of people; and France and Germany are pushing for a $545bn coronavirus relief fund. 11. How we built an A.I Radio Presenter "Radio, we still love you." 12. The Freemium Model's Reciprocation Effect Spotify is a music app, Adobe provides apps for creatives to draw and design, Fortnite is a game. These three products are completely different when it comes to what service they provide. But they all have same revenue model: a  subscription model. To be precise: The Freemium Subscription Model. 13. How I Got a Job at Spotify via my GitHub Profile How my GitHub profile got me a job at Spotify. It doesn't have to be a good profile, but having one can be a difference-maker. 14. Why Spotify’s “Wrapped“ Feature is the Growth Hack of this Decade By Nikolas Vogt
Founder, Growth Academy | Ex-Growth Lead, Google Assistant | Guest speaker, Santa Clara University 15. Streaming Revenue Growth Slowed by 19.1% Year-Over-Year in 2019 What Do the Music Industry and Netflix Have in Common? The Slowing Streaming Growth 16. Web3 and Metaverse are Overcomplicating the Music Industry Web3 is overcomplicating solutions in the entertainment industry by trying to shoehorn crypto and NFTs into everything and I don’t think it’s necessary. 17. On the Decentralization of Spotify and Similar Platforms Music streaming services should embrace Blockchain Technology and leverage their accumulated knowledge to launch new types of marketplaces. 18. How to Choose the Right Type of MVP for Your Startup Idea MVPs can come in a thousand shapes and forms. So, in this article, we will focus on the most popular ones. 19. The Only 15 Apps I Downloaded and Keep on My MacBook 👨‍💻 Today we'll be looking at my personal top 15 Mac apps. I'm actually quite a minimalist in installing and keeping apps, so these 15 are the only "extra" apps I'm using on my device. 20. Spotify's VP of Marketing Explains How To Get Your Music on Discover Weekly Adam Gonzalez’s experience in the music industry comes from his early days of opening shows for artists like Drake, Trey Songz, YG, Tyga, and various others. 21. Spotify Hits Windows Software That Downloads Tracks & Removes DRM A law firm acting for Spotify has taken down a piece of Windows software that allows users to download and remove DRM from music tracks while skipping ads. XSpotify, which also carries an ad-blocking feature, is described as a tool that "steals" Spotify encryption keys in contravention of the anti-circumvention provisions of the DMCA. 22. How AI Helps DJs, Artists Work with Sound (Beyond Spotify Algos) Machines now possess basic human skills: speak, write, see. Logically, the next evolving step is the process of creation. 23. These People Bought and Scammed Their Way to Get Instagram Verification Checkmarks A ProPublica investigation determined that Jugenburg’s dubious alter ego was created as part of what appears to be an Instagram account verification scam. 24. 6 Ways Spotify Devalues Music All Is Not Well In Music-Land 25. Top 10 Music Streaming Apps to Explore in 2020 The music streaming world has experienced a drastic shift in recent years. Due to advancements in technology, the way of leveraging the music service has changed drastically. People these days prefer to opt for the best ways of helping them to enjoy their favorite songs utterly free of cost. This has helped the curb to cater to their needs and proved to be beneficial for artists helping them to earn more for their work. 26. Spotify’s Joe Rogan Problem isn’t Going Away This slogging thread discusses Joe Rogan's case and misinformation online, particularly through Spotify. 27. When AI Algorithms Recommend Other Algorithms What do AI algorithms know of each other? And how ethical is it for them to recommend each other? Including a Hilarious RAP courtesy of ChatGPT 28. GTFO of Your Spotify Echo Chamber: Best New Artists From Eurosonic 2020 Exactly one week ago today, I boarded a train heading North from Amsterdam to a town called Groningen, to attend the Eurosonic Music Festival (ESNS). 29. Spotify's Backdoor: How Podcasts Could be the Platform's Downfall The podcast market has been more consumed than ever, and the unpreparedness of music platforms, may lead to piracy within them 30. Building the Klio Infrastructure to Support Audio Research at Spotify We just open-sourced Klio — our framework for building smarter data pipelines for audio and other media processing. 31. Creating a Spotify Like Music Streaming App, Service or Website That Actually Boost Your Revenue Build your own music streaming app/website like Spotify with complete headway technologies, features, and monetization models to maximize your revenue. Thank you for checking out the 31 most read stories about Spotify on HackerNoon. to find the most read stories about any technology. Visit the /Learn Repo

31 Stories To Learn About Spotify

Hi there, fellow coders! We’re all on a quest to level up our programming skills, right? So, how do we become coding wizards? Well, here’s what people generally do: Scouring through other people’s code — because we all know there’s wisdom in those curly braces. Devouring programming articles — the ones that reveal secrets, shortcuts, and maybe even a joke or two. Sifting through documentation — yes, those sprawling tech manuals that often make us feel lost in a maze. But they hold the keys! But here’s the fun part: to reach greatness, you’ve got to be a detective and search for those telltale signs of being, dare I say it, an “average” developer. 🕵️‍♂️ My mission is to guide you in discovering these four telltale signals of a short-sighted programmer, so you can steer yourself down the right lane. coding They don’t “design” prototypes, they “build” it! Let me tell you a little story about my journey from a code-centric prototype skeptic to a design enthusiast. I used to be all about code-based prototypes, and I couldn’t fathom why anyone would bother with non-code-based ones. I’d ask questions like: “Why on earth would we need a figma prototype when we can whip up a code-based one that mimics real user interactions?” I mean, I loved the fact that with a code-based prototype, you could thoroughly test all the features and squash those pesky bugs early on. Plus, you’d get a head start on understanding the nitty-gritty technical challenges from day one. Not to mention, having something tangible to show customers was pretty sweet. But guess what? In the grand scheme of things, it turned out to be a bit of a dud. Here’s why: First off, building a code-based prototype is like a time-sucking black hole. It can drag your project timeline into a never-ending abyss. Once you and your team dive headfirst into coding, you’re stuck on that roller-coaster, even in the project’s infancy. Making changes to a code-based prototype? Buckle up for a bumpy ride because it means a truckload of adjustments down the line. And let’s not forget that . customer requirements are about as stable as a Jenga tower in an earthquake It’s way smarter to give them a sneak peek at a non-tangible product and gather their feedback. Let’s picture this with a scenario — Imagine you’re building a ridesharing app, and you decide to kick things off with a code-based prototype. Your team puts a ton of effort into designing a system where users can book rides and make payments via a third-party API. The client loves it, and you start charging full steam ahead, adding more bells and whistles. But then, oh snap, you realize the API costs an arm and a leg! You’d love to hit the brakes and switch gears, but you’ve already invested so much time and energy that you’re essentially handcuffed to the code. Rolling back? Good luck with that; you’ll need a time machine. Learn the difference between a prototype and an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) If you’d started with a non-coded prototype, you could’ve easily shown it to the client, discussed options, and if necessary, hit that undo button in a jiffy. No extensions, no drama. So, the moral of the story? I’ve learned the hard way that code-based prototyping isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s time to embrace the non-code-based way — your project’s sanity and flexibility will thank you! 😄🚀 They think they can just hit the ‘Undo’ button on life’s big choices! (Like choosing the right tech stack) Back in the day when I was just a code-writing newbie, I had some wild ideas. I was basically a self-taught programmer, and I had this grand notion that I could whip up any project using any tech stack under the sun. I was notorious for my random experiments. If I was building a blog site with Flask and stumbled upon some dude on YouTube singing praises of Django, you bet I’d jump ship without hesitation. I’d scrap all my previous code right in the middle of the project and switch to Django. And guess what? If Django didn’t tickle my fancy, I’d casually saunter back to my old stack like it was a stroll in the park. And it wasn’t just limited to the back-end stuff. Frontend, libraries, payment processors — you name it, I flip-flopped between them more times than I can count. So, what did all these shenanigans teach me, you ask? Well, I developed this quirky belief that I could reverse or change any decision, anytime, anywhere. As time went on, I started reading stuff by other developers, and a couple of times, I heard them griping about their choice of tech stack. They were moaning about how it had made their lives miserable. But in my mind, I was like, “Why are these folks whining? Can’t they just flip the switch to their preferred tech stack?” What I didn’t get back then was how darn hard it is to do a 180 in the professional world (I was just out the college at that time). You can’t do major transitions on a live product with thousands of paid users, nor you can simply plug-and-play major elements in real-world. See, when you’re building your own pet projects, you’ve got all the time in the world. You can try things out, switch libraries, flip-flop between programming languages — it’s all a walk in the park. But once you venture into the professional realm, that’s when the headaches come rolling in. Even if you’ve dotted every ‘i’ and crossed every ‘t’ in your code, adhering to all the best practices like DRY and crafting code that’s as flexible as a rubber band, it won’t save you. Why? Because if the higher-ups decide to change a major design element, all those best practices go out the window. One little tweak to a crucial step, and your project’s timelines are about as reliable as a weather forecast. So, what’s the takeaway from this? In the real world, decisions you make often have no U-turns. So, before you dive headfirst into picking that quirky, unsupported third-party library, take a step back. Do some good old requirements gathering, research like your life depends on it, evaluate your options, assess the risks, and maybe even whip up a prototype. Make sure you’ve covered all your bases before committing to a big decision. It’ll save you a world of trouble down the road! They’re totally clueless about what’s coming up! You know, it’s like developers sometimes forget that the future is a thing! I mean, they swear they get it, but come on, they keep repeating the same old mistake. So, when do they mess it all up? Well, it’s like a clock ticking down to the deadline, and they start panicking more about the here and now, forgetting all about what’s down the road for their software. They ditch those crystal balls for shortcuts, just to wrap up the project. Imagine coding up an analytics tool for your company, and you go, “Oh, that shiny third-party API looks cool!” No research, no second thoughts. But then, down the line, you need some fancy features, and guess what? No documentation! How would you feel? Pretty much like you’d bitten into a sour lemon, right? — Regret City, population: you. Here’s the lesson: Trendy APIs might seem all the rage, but they’re like those one-hit wonders in the music world — here today, gone tomorrow. Go for the trusty folks who’ve been around the block, the ones with a solid track record of dependability. It’s like picking the rock-solid friend over the flaky acquaintance for the long haul! They go for the full app in DIY mode! I still remember that initial rush of feeling like a tech wizard when I whipped up a simple HTTP server in C without using any third-party libraries. Man, that was fun! I thought I was the bee’s knees when I first used my app. I was like, “I can build anything I want, exactly how I want it!” But here’s where I took a wrong turn. I used to be obsessed with crafting the ultimate, perfect product right from the get-go. I didn’t want to waste a minute building a stripped-down version. I had to create an app with 20 different features, but only 2 of them were super crucial. Instead of just putting together a simple app with those 2 must-haves, I went all out, trying to make the mother of all apps with all 20 features from the very start. Silly, right? You see, because I thought I was a genius, I believed I had it all figured out and didn’t need any client feedback. Here’s a nugget of wisdom for all you fellow developers out there: Don’t fall into this trap! Loads of developers, like me, dream of building that flawless app right from the beginning. They don’t want to “waste” time on a basic version. But trust me, building that simplified prototype is the way to go. It helps you spot problems early on, and you can gather feedback to keep improving. Just by having a basic version, you can test your ideas and make sure everything’s working smoothly. Plus, you’ll catch those pesky issues before they turn into big headaches down the road. So, what’s the takeaway here? The next time you’re starting from scratch on a software project, kick things off with a stripped-down version of your product, focusing on the most vital feature. It’ll save you a ton of time and hassle in the long run. Also published here.

Spotting a Short-Sighted Developer in the Wild 

Are you tired of grammar mistakes ruining your writing? Do you want to write with confidence, knowing your work is error-free? If so, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll explore the best Spot and Solve Grammar Mistakes Solution and provide you with expert insights and practical tips to enhance your . writing skills Introduction Welcome to the world of spot-on writing, where are a thing of the past. Whether you're a student, a professional, or just someone who loves to write, it's essential to convey your thoughts clearly and effectively. Spot and Solve Grammar Mistakes Solution is the key to achieving this. grammar mistakes In this article, we will take you on a journey through the art of error-free writing, sharing the most efficient techniques to spot and solve grammar mistakes. From common errors to advanced proofreading tips, we've got you covered. So, grab your virtual red pen, and let's dive into the world of impeccable writing. Understanding Grammar Mistakes Grammar mistakes can be pesky little critters that sneak into our writing when we least expect them. They can undermine your credibility and make your content hard to read. Let's explore some of the common grammatical errors that can plague your writing. The Dreaded Apostrophe Catastrophe Apostrophes can be confusing, but they are vital for indicating possession and contractions. It's crucial to know when and where to use them. can change the entire meaning of a sentence. Incorrect apostrophe usage Subject-Verb Agreement: A Balancing Act Subject-verb agreement ensures that your sentences are structurally sound. When your subject and verb don't agree in number, your writing can sound awkward and incorrect. Punctuation Predicaments Misusing punctuation marks, like commas and semicolons, can lead to misunderstandings. The correct placement of these marks can significantly impact the clarity of your writing. The Art of Pronoun Usage Using the right pronouns is a must in writing. Incorrect pronoun usage can lead to confusion or even offense. We'll delve into the intricacies of pronouns and their usage in writing. Spellcheck Isn't Foolproof Relying solely on spellcheck can be a mistake. It may not catch contextual errors or misused words. We'll discuss the limitations of spellcheck and how to overcome them. Spot and Solve Grammar Mistakes Solution Now that we've identified the , let's move on to the exciting part: the solutions. We've compiled a list of the . common grammar mistakes most effective strategies to spot and solve grammar mistakes in your writing The Power of Proofreading Proofreading is your best friend when it comes to spotting grammar mistakes. Take your time to review your work carefully. Read it aloud, if possible, to catch errors you might have missed. Embrace Technology In this digital age, grammar-checking tools and software have become indispensable. We'll introduce you to some of the best grammar-checking tools available and how to make the most of them. Best Grammar Checker Websites: Grammarly MyEssayWriter.ai Grammar Checker Ginger Software LanguageTool ProWritingAid Learn how these tools can help you spot and solve grammar mistakes with ease. Please note that while all these tools are excellent, many consider to be the best grammar checker website. MyEssayWriter.ai Seek a Second Opinion Sometimes, a fresh pair of eyes can spot mistakes you've overlooked. We'll discuss the benefits of peer editing and how it can enhance the quality of your writing. Learn from Your Mistakes No one becomes a grammar expert overnight. We'll provide resources and tips for improving your grammar skills over time, so you make fewer mistakes in the first place. Grammar Courses and Workshops If you're committed to becoming a grammar guru, enrolling in a could be a game-changer. We'll point you in the right direction to find the perfect course for your needs. grammar course or workshop Be Patient and Persistent Spotting and solving grammar mistakes is an ongoing process. Stay patient and persistent, and your writing will improve over time.

Spot and Solve Grammar Mistakes Solution: Your Guide to Error-Free Writing

Bitcoin has done more in four weeks than in the last 17 months. Just in October, , being its best so far in 2023. What's the cause of this increase? Bitcoin spot ETF. Bitcoin gained 30% WTF is Bitcoin spot ETF, and why does it affect Bitcoin’s price? If you’re conversant with crypto Twitter, you’d have seen activities building up around Bitcoin spot ETF. Financial analysts, traders, and crypto natives are positive and expectant of the Bitcoin spot ETF approval by the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). They also think it’ll open the floodgate of institutional funds for the market, leading to the next bull run. crypto Want to know what Bitcoin spot ETF is? Let me show you! What is a Bitcoin Spot ETF? To understand Bitcoin spot ETF, you need to know what an ETF means. An ETF, short for Exchange Traded Fund, is an SEC-approved investment fund. It lets investors buy into a fund that invests in different financial instruments. So, a Bitcoin spot ETF is an investment fund that tracks the market price of Bitcoin. This fund allows regular investors to invest in Bitcoin without actually owning the cryptocurrency. Currently, to invest in Bitcoin, you need a technical knowledge of how things work — you need to know how to navigate crypto exchanges, have a digital wallet, and the best practices for storing your cryptocurrency to prevent hackers. In short, Bitcoin investing is open to a niche group with technical knowledge of how things work. But with Bitcoin spot ETF, traditional investors can trade the cryptocurrency like they trade stock in their regular brokerage account. When approved, Bitcoin spot ETF will offer convenient and regulated ways for investors to own the digital currency with less risk. How Does Bitcoin Spot ETF Work? Bitcoin spot ETF is an investment fund that tracks the price of Bitcoin. The price of the shares issued by the ETF mirrors the current price of Bitcoin in the crypto market. To track the price of Bitcoin, the registered custodian of the ETF has to hold Bitcoin (the financial instrument it tracks) as its underlying asset in a secure digital vault and issue shares that correspond to the amount of Bitcoin it holds. These shares will be available for trading in the traditional stock market by investors without the technical hassle of buying on crypto exchanges. via Flicker by Image Dan Matt The ETF rebalances its holdings (either by buying more Bitcoin or selling the Bitcoin in its vault) based on the number of shares it has issued. Let’s say the Bitcoin spot ETF share is trading at a premium or discount on the stock exchange than the actual price of Bitcoin. The register custodian will arbitrage the difference by redeeming or creating shares in a large block to align the price of the ETF with the price of the actual cryptocurrency. With a Bitcoin spot ETF, the market becomes more efficient and liquid. It'll be like buying shares on the stock exchange. Is Bitcoin Spot ETF Good For Bitcoin? Absolutely! Spot ETF is good for Bitcoin. First, spot ETF removes the hassle currently involved in Bitcoin investing. It also lowers the barrier to entry, which increases the digital currency's adoption. Here are other benefits of spot ETF to Bitcoin. High Liquidity A will remove the barrier involved in Bitcoin investing. This will move Bitcoin from a tech that attracts high-tech few to a global financial instrument. With this, Bitcoin investing will be opened to a wider group of institutional and private investors who are currently skeptical about the digital currency. It will unlock the floodgate of institutional funds (over $30 trillion) to Bitcoin, which increases liquidity. Bitcoin spot ETF Increase Demand Once the Bitcoin spot ETF is approved, there will be an increase in the demand for the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin spot ETF is required to hold Bitcoin as an underlying asset in a secure vault. With just , the demand for the cryptocurrency rises, leading to a price increase. 21 million Bitcoin to be supplied Ease of Access The spot ETF will make it easier for traditional investors to get involved in Bitcoin. With Bitcoin spot ETF, investing in Bitcoin becomes easier — you don’t need to know how to navigate crypto exchanges, don’t need a digital wallet, and don’t need to learn the best practices of securing your digital wallet. What you need is a brokerage account to buy the shares of the spot ETF. Regulatory Clarity And Market Legitimacy Approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF by the SEC means Bitcoin has become a recognized financial asset -- a global phenomenon. Those waiting at the sideline will be more confident to jump in.  Moreover, with Bitcoin spot ETF approval, there will be more transparency and standardized reporting, which, again, reinforce investors' confidence in Bitcoin. What’s The Difference Between Bitcoin Spot ETF And Futures ETF? Bitcoin spot ETF allows you to track the current price of Bitcoin. Let’s say Bitcoin costs $40,000 on cryptocurrency exchanges. A Bitcoin spot ETF share will also cost $40,000. Moreover, there is a direct exposure to the price change because the fund has to hold Bitcoin in a digital vault to back the ETF. On the other hand, the Bitcoin futures ETF tracks Bitcoin futures contracts. It speculates on the future price of Bitcoin and does not own Bitcoin. The Bitcoin Future ETF may not always reflect the current price of Bitcoin. What Does The Future Hold? As of November 2023, the SEC has yet to approve any Bitcoin spot ETF, citing concerns about market manipulations, fraud, and investor protection. But recently, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel because, in recent weeks, the that concluded that rejecting the Grayscale ETF proposal is wrong. government agency has decided not to appeal the court judgment Speculatively, this means the agency has been reconsidering its stand on Bitcoin spot ETFs. So, the dark cloud is clearing already, and the Bitcoin spot ETF is very near. Conclusion Approval of a spot ETF won’t only benefit Bitcoin but the whole crypto market. It will bridge the gap between crypto investing and traditional investing. Bitcoin spot ETF approval in the US is just a step that begins the journey of a thousand miles for the cryptocurrency industry as a whole. See this just like when the first gold spot ETF was approved in 2004. via Flickr from Image Hash Consultants

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