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Stellar (XLM) Wallets

Stellar (XLM) Wallets

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If you are a beginner at exploring the crypto world, especially Stellar (XLM) wallets, you should know that crypto wallets are the digital wallets for storing your cryptos. All wallets come with safety measures, i.e. public and private keys, authentications, PIN codes and so on. Learning how to handle them is easy if you follow the instructions. However, in case you just wish to play and let someone else handle the technicalities, you can always use QBDirect.

Stellar network is an open-source, decentralized platform from where Stellar Lumens originates from. Stellar network provides for very fast cross-platform transactions with transaction fees below 1 cent. According to experts, XLM as the native currency to Stellar network, plays the role of anti-spam factor. It also facilitates the multi-currency transactions. Having said that, let us focus on Stellar Lumens (XLM) itself and the ways to store it.

XLM is among the top 10 cryptos when it comes to market capitalization. Potential users can buy it on Coinbase, among other exchange platforms. Once obtained, XLM should be kept safely in one of the offered wallets. There is a wide range of wallets in the offer. These are a few of the mostly used ones. We tried to compile their features to make the selection easier for you.

Foxlet

Foxlet is the Stellar Desktop Client. It is an open source Stellar Lumens desktop wallet. This means that it does not support any other cryptocurrencies. It functions on Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems.

What makes this wallet distinctive is that it allows for encrypting the XLM private key and storing it in the private computer. Depositing and withdrawing are also available options.

Ledger Nano S

Ledger Nano S is one of the most frequently used hardware wallets. It is popular for several reasons. It provides for storing not only XLM, but many other top cryptos, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, just to name a few. Ledger Nano S is cozy to use, as it comes in a form of a USB that can be plugged into any device. The USB features an OLED screen for checking the transaction details through a double-tap button. Finally, the most important reason for putting this wallet on our list is the amount of security it provides.

Ledger Nano S includes 2 factor authentications, a secured PIN code and a recovery seed accessibility.

Atomic Wallet

Atomic Wallet is the wallet which supports various currencies, such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin Cash SV, and nearly 300 other coins and tokens. This is a desktop wallet that can be used on Mac, Windows, Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian. The interface appears to be very user-friendly and easy to navigate.

Atomic wallet also provides security and anonymity.  Furthermore, it allows that the user controls the funds fully.

Stargazer

Stargazer is a popular wallet due to its availability for usage on both desktop and mobile devices. It is functioning smoothly on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems. Users also consider it to be one of the best XLM wallets for Android devices.

Stargazer provides for possibility of multiple accounts and assets. As per reviews, the interface is multilingual and easy to use, which facilitates for receiving and sending out XLM.

As for security, Stargazer offers setting up of federated addresses and relies on multi-signature security.

 

Let us know whether you find crypto wallets easy to use.

Blockchain and cryptos doing charity work

Blockchain and Cryptos Doing Charity Work

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Sometimes it is difficult to imagine blockchain and cryptos doing charity work. Philanthropic use of cryptos and modern technologies certainly has not been the primary reason why these concepts emerged. However, blockchain is constantly finding its applications in various fields. Philanthropy is just one of those applications that have found its roots. We just need to spread the word in order to get it widely accepted.

A Short Recap of Blockchain Concept

We wrote about how one of the main advantages of blockchain is to move the middleman out of the picture. Having just the two parties involved in any kind of a deal or business, reduces the costs and cutting through red tape. If we put this “no middle-man” business on a blockchain, the red tape is out of the picture as well. The data is secure, reliable, transparent and available within seconds. The question is how charity work fits into this plan?

Blockchain and Charity Work

The widely accepted premise when it comes to the value of money is that people who have earned it are more aware of its value. Therefore, they are more willing to share it, or to invest in into charity. The others, who wore born into wealth, do it mainly for certain tax reliefs. No matter whether we believe in the stated premise, the fact is that giving back to the community or a person in need is the purest human drive. The problem which most charities are facing is the lack of transparency.

Consequently, the money we donate cannot always be traced and people or companies that have donated resources or goods have no way of seeing whether their donation has reached the final beneficiary. Blockchain can help significantly in this matter. However, the reports show that this “new” technology is not so widely accepted by charity organizations. As you can see from the findings from TechTrust’s “Digital Survey 2018” report, 58% of charities among the 1,262 surveyed, do not have a digital strategy. This means that the majority of those charities have not developed plans about their online presence. They are also not planning to offer in-depth feedback about the funds they raised or to invest in IT training.

Paradoxically, the survey shows that 90% of charities have accounts on at least one social media platform. This shows that they are not lacking the basic knowledge. However, it appears that using the Internet structure is recommendable in raising the funds. When it comes to spending, the surveyed organizations apparently did not show the same enthusiasm.

Advantages Blockchain Can Bring to Charity Work

Most importantly, blockchain can cut the costs of international money transfers. An example is The World Food Program, part of the United Nations fighting hunger project. They claimed that by implementing blockchain, they managed to save around $150,000 a month on transaction fees.

By making things transparent and more reliable, charities can improve their image and build a stronger reputation. This can help them in the long run, in future fundraising.

Moving to blockchain can prove their work is sustainable. If donors receive feedback on how their money had been spent, charities will build stronger relationships with their donors. Subsequently, blockchain can trace the roots of a charity mission. Charity work is sustainable if it is well planned in advance, organized and well thought through.

The charity organization is doing sustainable work if it understands the needs of its beneficiaries and knows how to provide. Blockchain offers help in this segment as well. It secures instant exchange of data and funds.

Challenges of Implementing Blockchain to Charity Work

Reportedly, bitcoin is the leading cryptocurrency used in charity donation. However, vast majority of web sites are still not accepting donations in bitcoin. In spite of this fact, the donations in cryptos have exceeded $100 million a year.

The reports show that volatility of cryptos is the main reason for charities to avoid  bitcoin. However, foreign currencies also fluctuate and are non-the-less accepted regularly.

When thinking about challenges and cons of accepting cryptos for charity donations, we should recall the staggering amount of more than $400 billion dollars given away for charity per year and compare it with more than $300 billion in cryptos circulating globally. The potential is immense.

Do you think that cryptos can make this world a better place?

 

 

 

Stellar Lumens (XLM)

Stellar Lumens (XLM)

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One of the stars in the crypto sky is Stellar Lumens (XLM). The home of the Stellar Lumens (XLM) is the Stellar network. This is the network on which XLM was built and where it acts as an asset.

Stellar Network and Stellar Lumens Overview

The Stellar network is an open-source, distributed network. It was developed in order to connect payments systems, banks and individuals. Stellar network is also owned by the community. The main focus of Stellar network is facilitating cross-asset transfers.

This means that it enables users to trade across platforms, as well as to do microtransactions. The stellar network is also on a mission to provide everyone with significantly low-cost financial services at maximum speed.

In order to transfer the assets across platforms and to send the money to anyone in a different currency, a user would need to use Stellar Lumens (XLM). It is the official intermediary currency of Stellar network.

Stellar.org is the non-profit organization behind the Stellar network. The network itself was founded in 2014 by the co-founder of Ripple, Jed McCaleb.

The Easiest Way to Buy XLM

Buying cryptos on Coinbase is the easiest way to get your XLM. First, a user must obtain Bitcoin or Ether and then use these currencies to buy XLM. Once a user opens the account on Coinbase there should be a deposit section with a list of selection of coins or tokens to deposit. Choosing either BTC or ETH is the first step in buying an XLM.

The Speed of XLM

As stated above, Stellar Lumens is really fast, as the creators were aiming for speed to be one of the two main advantages of XLM. Therefore, the transaction speed is approximately between 2 and 4 seconds. The other advantage, the transaction cost, is less than 1 cent.

Overview of Advantages of Stellar Network and of Using XLM

People often compare Stellar Lumens  to either Ripple  or Ether. Possibly because of the many similar features. However, no two digital currencies are exactly the same. Therefore, Stellar Lumens has certain advantages. Here they are:

  • Stellar network functions as a blockchain application development platform. This means that this network can serve as a generator of decentralized Apps.
  • Using the Stellar blockchain, new cryptocurrencies can be created – the same as with Ethereum.
  • Stellar is considered to be a rival to Ethereum, due to the fact that initial coin offerings can run on Stellar blockchain. Rivalry and competition in general can be a driving force for advancement and improvement.
  • Stellar network is extremely fast. This provides for no delays and instant transactions.
  • The transaction fees are unbelievably low and cost less than a cent.
  • Transaction gets verified by decentralized servers. This means that there are no miners competing against each other. All this creates no possibility for delays or high transaction costs.
  • Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) are less expensive and faster, enabling businesses to run ICOs on their network, increasing the demand and value of XLM.

 

Do you have any experience with XLM? Tell us about it.

 

Blockchain based gaming

Blockchain-Based Gaming Is the Next Best Thing

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Tech enthusiasts believe that blockchain-based gaming is the next best thing. We may agree or disagree, but we have to admit that more and more businesses turn to blockchain every day. How does it affect gaming?

By its nature, gaming world is predisposed to keep up with the latest trends. Therefore, blockchain has entered gaming a few years back. Nevertheless, we could say that the process of turning to blockchain completely will take some time.

What Does Blockchain-Based Gaming Look Like

If you are asking yourself how all this could look like in virtual reality and what does it all mean, you can unleash your imagination. To give a simple example the way we see it – imagine being able to develop your own tasks and quests in a game. Let’ s say, you are building a castle, or an island. Then, the result of your work will be stored on a blockchain. Your creation will be considered a property. You would be able to make additions or any kind of changes to it.   Furthermore, all players will be able to obtain the true ownership over the characters or items displayed. All players will take roles of miners. And above all, all players would be able to trade among themselves.

We already wrote about this transition of games, especially when it comes to Ripple. European companies as well, have explored the possibilities. Namely, Ubisoft is deeply involved in the development of Ethereum-based games. Ubisoft is the company behind “Assassin’s Creed”, “Far Cry”, and “Just Dance”. Recently, they issued the statement saying:

The mission of the lab is to explore social, technical and business trends that will shape the future of entertainment. On this basis, we are trying to help Ubisoft to be prepared to these changes. We strongly believe that blockchain is a huge thing, something that will change the gaming industry.”

So, we have this situation where big names in the industry are exploring, developing, observing, while smaller companies are taking the first plunge. Why is that so?

First of all, large companies have a lot more to lose. Starting with funds, ending with image. Therefore, we guess they prefer safety and to invest lot more in planning.  Secondly, it seems that the initiative in the form of initial coin offerings is attractive for smaller players and developers.

Pros of Blockchain-Based Gaming

One of the things that makes blockchain-based games so attractive is the immutable ledger. This makes impossible for players to change any data. Although it does not sound positive, it actually is. This feature promotes  trust between all parties involved, from developers to players.

If we have blockchain involved, there must be some cryptos around. Games contain items. Value of those items is expressed by game tokens. Players can trade with items using the tokens. By doing so, they create their own mini ecosystem. A marketplace, if you will. Having a game token facilitates the exchange. Otherwise, the transaction would be more complicated and would involve multiple currencies.

Apart from cryptos, blockchain also promotes the use of smart contracts. These digital contracts are there to secure transactions and make them more reliable, and you can read more about this here

Cons of Blockchain-Based Gaming

The way most people who are hesitant to this type of gaming see it – new technologies can be complicated. For those not familiar with the entire concept of private and public keys and crypto wallets, all this can be confusing. However, we rarely see complete beginners in the gaming world. And even if they decide to try it out, anything can be learned.

The other main reason against blockchain-based gaming is the volatility of cryptos. It’s a fact that some cryptos fluctuate a lot. On the other hand, the reason for this is their decentralized nature, which is a big plus to begin with.  So, it is debatable whether this is actually a reason against it.

Either way, it remains for us to see how things will unfold. In the meantime, keep spinning those reels.

We are looking forward to hearing whether you would like to experience blockchain-based gaming.

Luxury vacation wild animals

Luxury, Vacation and Wild Animals

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In case you love luxury, vacation and wild animals – especially giraffes, the Giraffe Manor  in Nairobi, Kenya may be just the right place for you. Wilderness and luxury usually do not go hand in hand. However, this unique boutique hotel provides everything you need to enjoy your stay.

The Giraffe Manor Origins

The Giraffe Manor is part of The Safari Collection. It is situated in the midst of 140 acres forest, in the suburb of Nairobi. The hotel itself features the 1930s style, depicting the first European safari adventures. It actually originates from that time. Namely, it was built in 1932 as a family home for Sir David Duncan. It is honest to say that it has kept its character through decades. The rooms feature wooden furniture and are equipped with fireplaces and handmade pieces of interior that add the special touch.

Giraffes as Special Guests

The most interesting thing about this beautiful hotel is the fact it is a home to a herd of Rothschild’s giraffes. Imagine dwelling in the garden in the middle of wilderness and a giraffe walks by and shares breakfast with you. Or gives you a kiss, for that matter. Animal lovers would enjoy making friends. You have to admit that having giraffes sticking their long necks through your window just to say “Hi” is a unique experience.

Interested tourists should know, however, that these giraffes are wild animals and that no one can guarantee that they would be willing to interact. Nevertheless, there are always buckets of grass pellets ready to offer some treats to these beautiful creatures. Luckily, the giraffes got accustomed to feeding this way, so they have developed the habit of “stopping by”. Furthermore, they visit frequently, as they simply love to eat. This particular type of giraffe eats approximately 75 pounds of food daily and spends between 16 and 20 hours chewing each day.

On the other hand, they sleep only about half an hour a day. Supposedly, this means that they can walk by your window while you are sleeping. Sounds cool, doesn’t it?

The most important thing about this place is that they treat these 16 to 19 feet tall giraffes humanely. The Giraffe Manor is very close to the local sanctuary for endangered animals. The staff at the Manor apparently pays close attention to how tourists interact with giraffes. They make sure everything goes smoothly, to the satisfaction of both the animals and humans. They also offer advice on how to approach the giraffes and avoid any type of stress. Everything is adjusted to secure the stress-free environment.

Impressions From Tourists

According to reviews from tourists worldwide, the hotel also offers excellent food and traditional English tea-time in the afternoon. Cuisine appears to be European, featuring fish, pasta, salads and exquisite desserts. The manor is also part of the vineyard, so they have excellent collection of recommended and home-grown vines.

Spa is also an option, while quality service goes without saying. Some say that the hotel lacks pool and gym. Personally, I think that it is difficult to compare this wild experience with swimming in the hotel pool or doing push ups.

Giraffe Manor hosts visitors all year long except in early spring when they do repairs. If you are planning a visit, we advise to inform yourself about the weather. There may be periods of rainy days which can last for a whole month or two. Nevertheless, the rainy season of this kind is usually quite predictable and occurs from mid-October to mid-December.

You should also know that unless you are the guest of the hotel, you are not allowed to visit the gardens and play with giraffes. This is logical, if you think about it. It is not a zoo, and too many people could cause anxiety in giraffes, making the experience less enjoyable.

Looking forward to hearing if the luxury vacation in the wilderness is your thing.