Bitcoin reading 🌞 🌲 🍎 #43

Bitcoin reading 🌞 🌲 🍎 #43

19 Dec, 2017

Get Up To Speed With Bitcoin & Crypto’s.

After watching and reading loads of bitcoin, blockchain, cryptocurrency, ethereum talks and posts, I’ve found “The Internet of Money” book written by Andreas M. Antonopoulos the quickest, most engaging listen. It’ll take you from not understanding to really clever, easy-to-comprehend ideas.

If you’ve been thinking you need to learn about blockchain or have a twinkling of interest, there’s something there for you to uncover.

Here’s how you can listen to Andreas’ book for free:

1. Sign up with Audible to get your first book free for 30 days.

2. Login and use your free credit to purchase “The Internet of Money” written by Andreas M. Antonopoulos.

3. On your smartphone download the Audible app, login, then click the image ofAndreas’ book to start downloading the book.

4. Grab your headphones and hit play. 4 hours 8 minutes straight will do it though I like to listen when I’m driving, walking, or while I’m doing something that doesn’t require much attention.

Let me know how you go.

Crypto’s to the end of 2017.

With their wider utility, it’s great to see increasing interest in Ethers. I’m interested to watch what happens with crypto values to the end of the 2017. Perhaps they’ll be in more holiday conversations and people may have time to setup online wallets and purchase.

Favourite Reads & Listens.

  • Excited to have started using web browser Brave, powered by BAT tokens, on my computer and iPhone. Less bugs than expected (still a few) though enjoying it as a alternative to Chrome.

  • Nick Hand’s videos are a calm, collected, usually fascinating watch. He has a respectful and kind way of delving into the person he profiles. Impressive too as many of short films are gathered as Nick rides his bike around countries.  I attended Nick’s Do Lectures video workshop in Wales and it was so good! Next time you’re in Bristol, visit him at the Letterpress Collective.

  • Thinking about a cryptokitty? or buying a cryptopuppy?

  • Food for thought on blockchain and the future. (thread)

  • Someone made it big on Bitcoin and is now giving US$86M. Will you apply? #pineapples!

Great online presence.

  • Delivering all the answers… this captivating site from Nick Jaffe helps you prepare your adventure. Go stay!

  • Great tweets and replies from Elon about selling hats to fund The Boring Company ($20 per hat x 50,000 hats = $1 million). Last I checked he was at 42k and made a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy joke. So fun! His twitter bio has me chuckling:

Bye!

~ Sam
RunwayDigital.com

 

 

P.S. As promised:

Disruption 🚀 💫 👌 #38

Disruption 🚀 💫 👌 #38

10 Oct, 2017

Airline Industry, you’re next.

Just over a week ago Elon Musk announced his Mars plans and (mic dropped) massive airline disruption.

“The goal of these initial missions is to find the best source of water… That’s the first mission. The second mission is to build the propellant plant.”

See the Mars village come to life.

Who knows what will be discovered through exploring and living on Mars. Going anywhere in the world (at similar costs to current tickets) in under an hour will connect people even more 😄

Elon has said “life needs to be more than just solving every day problems. You need to wake up and be excited about the future”.

Each individual contributes to the whole of humanity. Here’s to his talk inspiring you.

This one’s great too.

Love is Love.

In Australia we’re having a vote on marriage equality so there is lots of conversations about LOVE 😍

I loved (ah, pun intended) seeing a t-shirt yesterday with a simple “Love is Love” across the top.

Simple. Let’s get on with things.

Learning about Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies – including Bitcoin and Ethers.

I’ve compiled and ordered 25+ easy introductory and more advanced blockchain tech and cryptocurrency links on this page.

It includes a few recent links, such as “How to explain cryptocurrencies and blockchains to your friends and family” podcast and another great couple of introductory YouTube video I spotted last week.

Getting into this topic takes watching and reading so start out with those at the top of the page and find a couple of hours to enjoy learning – perhaps via your phone as you walk along the river?

Favourite reads & listens

  • Alyssa Ravasio of Hipcamp on how technology is changing how we relate to nature.
  • Fascinating topics in the new “Type Human” email.
  • Designing the future suburb for drones, autonomous vehicles and the changing environment.
  • For years I’ve been a fan of libraries offering great services and here they go again! Seeing this in Kevin Kelly’s email prompted me to check out Lynda.com at Melbourne City Library and it worked well. Perhaps you can access Lynda courses via your library?”Lynda.com has an excellent collection of training videos for learning programming, design, bitcoin fundamentals, bookkeeping, and much more. Lynda charges a monthly fee, but if you have a library card, the chances are you can become a Lynda member for free.”
  • Rebranding dyslexia. Nice one Steve.
  • Enjoy the great acting in Bladerunner 2049. Spot the zen reminders and beauty in dystopia.”It is less a movie and more of an experience. It feels like an immersion into virtual reality without 3D. The unmusical sound track, slow-pace editing (it runs almost 3 hours!), breathtaking visual details, all deliver a stunning alternative world, with even more persuasion than its famous prequel.” Kevin Kelly

For your CEO and senior leaders

  • Meet the world’s first Tech Ambassador & Embassy.”The new job will have four key roles: building partnerships; shaping tech companies’ opinions; spotting new trends; and overhauling the Foreign Ministry itself.”
  • If your leaders haven’t yet gotten Augmented Reality, this may help to see how 3D spaces are being used to get things done via ARKit.

You may be able to guess this photo is me looking across to and imagining myself skiing my favourite Mt Hotham lines. Now that the snow season has ended, I’m transitioning to the surfboard, enjoying the blossoms, being under blue skies, getting caught in the rain, and seeing the kids return to school for Term 4.

May it be a great time for you.

~ Sam

Introduction to Blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies – including Bitcoin, Ethers and more

9 Oct, 2017

Blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies continue to awe and inspire me.

Looking to the future with large amounts of personal data going through our fridge and other devices, blockchain tech could provide the means to protect our individual privacy.

As the internet removes ‘middle men’, blockchain could revolutionise the financial industry and bring greater access to finances for the ‘unbanked’ people of the world.

And wouldn’t it be wonderful to do a Google search or check a social media site without advertising… or be paid to view ads that are tailored to you? 

What are Blockchain tech, cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, digital money, and digital assets?

Find a few hours to learn about what interests and is more relevant to you. Scroll to the heading below that interests you the most and click the links or skip to the YouTube playlist and listen or watch.

A great start is reading the first link under each heading.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

1. Blockchain technology – the introduction

Also these links:

  • MIT’s 2 min Blockchain explainer.
  • 4 hour read or listen to get up to speed on the main aspects (4 hours goes quickly when you listen in between other activities) by master Andreas Antonopoulos~
    “After watching and reading loads of bitcoin, blockchain, cryptocurrency, ethereum talks and posts, I’ve found “The Internet of Money” book written by Andreas M. Antonopoulos the quickest, most engaging listen. It’ll take you from not understanding to really clever, easy-to-comprehend ideas.”
  • What’s in store for 2018.
  • This Blockchain documentary with world leaders’ interviews – 30 mins well spent.
  • Satoshi’s original Bitcoin paper is definitely worth reading – even the Introduction on the first page as it explains the role of blockchain / cryptocurrency and going beyond third party trusted sources. Especially important to read if you are a consultant advising clients.
  • What is Blockchain.
  • How to explain blockchains and cryptocurrencies to your friends and family.
  • Why Bitcoin matters (NYTimes).
  • This Forbes podcast: “The blockchain is about to transform every trust-based interaction of our lives, from financial services to identity, from health care to our Internet of Things devices. In this podcast, host Laura Shin talks with industry pioneers across tech, financial services, health care, government and other sectors about how the blockchain and fintech will open up new opportunities for incumbents, startups and everyday people to interact more efficiently, directly and globally.”
  • Andreas on the future of Bitcoin
    “Bitcoin will be attacked through its mining, the network, legally, and every other possible way. If you don’t think Bitcoin is going to be attacked, you’ve misunderstood what this is about. You don’t go and poke a $20 trillion industry and go, “Hey, we’re going to disrupt you!” You can’t just wait for it to roll over.”
  • Early, simple and clear to understand videos from top investors, leaders and venture capitalists (all who explain the tech and the macro view simply): Introduction to blockchain technology by Mike Hearn in 2012,  Chamath Palihapitiya in 2014 and Marc Andreessen and Balaji Srinivasan in 2014.
Check out blockchain experts via this Twitter list

2. Cryptocurrencies

Learn more about cryptocurrencies using these links:

  • Introduction to Cryptocurrencies by the master, Nick Szabo [Tim Ferriss podcast, 2.5 hours] This is a great introduction. It’s co-presented with one of my favourite thinkers in the world – Naval Ravikant – who kindly simplifies complex topics as they arise.
  • Cryptoassets – [11 hours listen] easy to follow calculations on working out the potential Bitcoin price (and other assets’ price) and great blockchain & new digital assets insights by Chris Burniske & Jack Tatar. Clearly explains uses and provides useful distinctions between currencies, tokens and assets.
  • Want to understand Bitcoin, Ethereum and other coins? This YouTube channel has fast and clear introductory videos.
  • “Why crypto tokens matter” on the A16z podcast.
  • The role of cryptocurrencies presented at Ethereal Summit 2017. I highly recommend watching this full video. The first 4 minutes highlight where banking is headed, how online currencies could become the backbone to improve many systems in the world, and how they’re also not a ‘golden chalice’. At 10:30 there’s mention of how through the blockchain you can pay for your coffee at a cafe and also directly tip the coffee farmer a very small amount without fees on either side. There are incredible supply chain opportunities as the supporting tech comes to be and great opportunities in developing countries too.
  • A beginner’s guide to Ethereum.
  • Ethereum is the Forefront of Digital Currency.
  • Current prices of cryptocurrencies and upcoming ICO’s / new tokens are listed here and here.
  • If you’re thinking of investing in Ethereum and aren’t sure where to start, this could inform you. It could also be a bit too heavy on words such as “exchanges”. If so, read below this amazing view…”…the crypto sector is much more than Bitcoin, fintech, trading and crypto currencies — it’s about building a better, decentralized, (digital) world. By using the term “decentralization” I refer to a process of redistributing functions, people, powers or things away from a central authority. The problem with centralized systems is that they lack transparency, allow for single points of failure, censorship, abuse of power and inefficiencies.” Enjoy the map.
  • Keep up to date with cryptocurrencies – especially good to read if you’re investing in BTC, ETH etc.
  • A more advanced watch or listen on the wider context on the future of cryptocurrencies and finance is Brian Armstrong at Token Summit.
  • How to Get a Job in Crypto (by AngelList).

3. Blockchain technology – going a bit further

  • How blockchains could change the world by McKinsey & co.“The blockchain is …a platform for truth and it’s a platform for trust. The implications are staggering, not just for the financial-services industry but also right across virtually every aspect of society.”
  • “A tipping point could be reached where people will realize ‘that data belongs to me.’” SirTim Berners-Lee
  • Examples of Blockchain uses beyond money / currency.“What if you opened Spotify and paid the artist directly?”

    “Lots of great things have happened, but overall the benefits of the digital age have been asymmetrical. For example, we have this great asset of data that’s been created by us, and yet we don’t get to keep it. It’s owned by a tiny handful”

Easy Watching.

Here’s a YouTube playlist to make things even easier. It includes links above and a few more. I plan to keep adding top videos to it.

Great Blockchain Tech Newsletters

Great podcasts

12+ best podcast episodes on the cryptocurrency / blockchain / token / ICO / bitcoin economy (many of these are also listed above). 

Example startups

More blockchain reading is here.

It’s all so fascinating. I’ll be so interested to hear your point of view on it.

Sam