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BITCOIN FALLS 8%, DROPS BELOW $62K BEFORE REBOUND

$256M LIQUIDATED IN LONG POSITIONS

$256 million worth of long positions were liquidated in Bitcoin's recent price drop. Analysts expect this to be a short-term downturn before the market improves. Despite the dip, demand from Bitcoin whales is growing, with demand from holders outstripping the market supply of new Bitcoin for the first time.

ETHEREUM'S NEXT HARDFORK: PECTRA

Pectra is Ethereum's next hardfork, expected to go live in Q4 2024/Q1 2025. The name combines ‘Prague,' the execution layer upgrade, and ‘Electra,' the consensus layer upgrade. It will include EIP-7251, which allows validators to stake more than 32 ETH, and EIP-3074, which upgrades account abstraction, among other improvements.

AIWAYFINDER AN AI INTENT AGENT (11 MINUTE VIDEO)

Wayfinder demoed an AI chatbot that finds transaction routes based on intents. Users type commands in natural language and the agent finds a series of transactions to execute on that intent. The video covers swapping, sending, bridging, and staking over a number of chains.

THE UNIFIED ARCHITECTURE OF ETHEREUM

This article compares Bitcoin's big block versus small block debate to the modern-day monolithic versus modular architecture argument between Solana and Ethereum. It states that Ethereum's approach, where the L1 is the small block basis for big block L2s, provides an ideal amount of coordination and sovereignty to facilitate interoperability yet still allow for independent ecosystems. By synergizing big and small block ideas, Ethereum achieves greater security and composability while making ETH the default unit of account for L2s.

AN OVERVIEW OF CRYPTO IN ASIA

This author describes learnings from talking to founders and investors in Hong Kong. For example, more people in Indonesia own crypto than stocks, and their trading volume skews towards longer tail assets. The general view is that both stocks and crypto are like a casino and even institutional investors in Asia seem to have a higher tolerance for risk in buying liquid tokens.

THE DECENTRALIZED COMPUTE NARRATIVE

The next big narrative in crypto might be centered around GPU and cloud computing infrastructure, driven by the growing demand for artificial intelligence training and the asymmetry between rapidly advancing software and the slower pace of hardware development. Sam Altman's plan to raise trillions to accelerate chip manufacturing, the potential reunification of China and Taiwan, and the upcoming io.net token generation in April could catalyze interest in this narrative. Numerous projects in this sector could capitalize on this “GPU is the new oil” sentiment.

WHY CRYPTOPUNKS ARE [STILL] VALUABLE

Though NFTs have seen much less interest than in the previous bull market, they represent the evolution of how artists and collectors can place meaning on a work – by permanently inscribing it in a blockchain, timestamped at the moment, a collector realizes its importance. At the same time, the art industry is slowly developing the knowledge to value and distinguish NFT collections from one another. The movement of speculation from NFTs to memecoins has flushed out most of the market's inflated prices. As one of the original PFP collections, CryptoPunks is a market leader responsible for many of the trends and characteristics that future collections will use for inspiration, cementing its status as a pivotal work.

GCR COMES OUT OF RETIREMENT WITH TWEET

The highly-regarded Twitter account GCR broke its 1-year retirement to tell followers that this market downturn is a good time to buy into high-conviction tokens.

CRYPTO AS THE LAST VENTURE INVESTIBLE VERTICAL

With fintech, consumer, and enterprise software sectors overcrowded with VCs and competition, cryptocurrencies and distributed computing are the last compelling industries with massive potential for venture investors.

BERACHAIN'S MEME MARKETING LEADS TO $100M RAISE

After raising a second round of $100 million, Berachain has legitimized the strategy of creating a meme culture around serious blockchain infrastructure.

PAXG TOKEN SPIKES AMID GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS

The divergence between PAXG and bitcoin has raised questions about bitcoin's appeal as a geopolitical hedge.

RSPCA ENTIRELY TRANSFORMED IN FIRST BRAND FACELIFT IN 50 YEARS

Previously seen as “cold and authoritarian,” RSPCA's new look bets big on bright, bold blues and portrayals of happy, healthy animals. Its outdated octagonal logo has been replaced with a more open and inclusive shape, allowing branches to customize the logo with animals.

UH-OH, X'S GROK AI CAN NOW 'UNDERSTAND' IMAGES

Grok-1.5V or Grok 1.5 "Vision" is xAI's first-generation multimodal model. The bot will be able to respond to uploaded pictures and screenshots and reason through complex documents, science diagrams, charts, screenshots, and photographs. It will also have real-world spatial understanding to better understand the physical world depicted in the images uploaded by its users.

USERTESTING EXPANDS AI-POWERED EXPERIENCE RESEARCH FOR DEEPER TREND ANALYSIS

Based on UserZoom capabilities, UserTesting has created a new Feedback Engine, which combines AI with generative capabilities to help better understand feedback from user surveys. The company is also expanding its AI-powered insights capability to provide a deeper analysis of trends from user testing operations by enabling AI-powered surveys. AI-powered theme generation will allow researchers to understand test results better.

THE 7 BEST BOOKS FOR DESIGN IN THE REAL WORLD

"The User Experience Team of One" and "Communicating the UX Vision" offer solutions for designers, "Articulating Design Decisions" guides in explaining choices, "Orbiting the Giant Hairball" navigates organizational constraints, and "Getting to Yes" emphasizes negotiation. "Extra Bold" promotes inclusivity and anti-racism in graphic design.

EXECUTION BEATS STRATEGY EVERY TIME

This article emphasizes the importance of practical execution in achieving success, regardless of the initial strategy's quality, as seen in Meta's development of an ad network. Prioritizing execution, iterating towards success, establishing clear incentives, and maintaining a solid customer feedback loop are key strategies highlighted to drive effective execution.

UNLOCKING ICON USABILITY: INSIGHTS FROM COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

Understanding certain features of icons helps UX professionals improve their designs by making them easier to find and perceive. Designers can create more intuitive and efficient interfaces by learning how visual attention and object recognition work. Improving icon usability involves optimizing icon concreteness, balancing visual complexity, enhancing distinctiveness, and adapting them to different contexts and use cases.

IN-PRODUCT GAMIFICATION

Build gamified experiences in minutes, personalize user journeys, and boost adoption.

APP STORE SCREENSHOT TOOL

Quickly create professional App Store screenshots using a dedicated powerful screenshot editor.

TURN FIGMA DESIGNS INTO TRACKING PLANS

Glazed is a visual tracking documentation tool that helps you collect better data, improve collaboration, and streamline event tracking from weeks to days.

LEGO'S VIBRANT NEW BRAND IDENTITY FEELS BOTH NOSTALGIC AND TIMELESS

Lego intends to facilitate a seamless brand experience across digital and physical products by launching a complete brand identity built in-house. This resulted in 23 guidelines and 110 principles that were boiled down to five fundamental design principles: design for the audience, build from the system-in-play, tell stories, be playful and optimistic, and keep it simple.

SMART TYPOGRAPHY TOOLS

Using typographic intelligence technologies optimizes font choices, line spacing, text rearrangement, and more. Its scope can seem overwhelming, but creating a product that considers several different flexible, multiscriptural, accessible points of view simultaneously is an effort that pays off, as designers can tailor compositions to fit the readers' needs. Innovative typography tools can let designers work on more critical tasks by providing sensitive, high-level controls for managing low-level details.

HUMANE AI PIN REVIEW: NOT EVEN CLOSE

The Humane AI Pin, designed to replace smartphones, operates with an AI assistant and the CosmOS system. However, it lacks basic features and advanced AI. Despite its current limitations, the device shows promise for the future of AI technology. However, its reliability issues and lack of discretion in public settings currently hinder its recommendation for purchase.

I'M STILL TRYING TO GENERATE AN AI ASIAN MAN AND WHITE WOMAN

Meta's AI image generator and Google's Gemini and DALL-E 3 struggle with interracial pairings, often producing inaccurate results.

“THE KEY IS IRREGULARITY”: THIS ARABIC FONT IS MADE TO ACCOMMODATE DYSLEXIC READERS

Maqroo was developed based on several tests with dyslexic users, which revealed that reinforced irregularities - such as different-sized inner spaces -made glyphs easier to distinguish, making them more readable.

LUCOZADE LAUNCHES ITS BIGGEST REDESIGN IN NEARLY 100 YEARS

The redesign followed extensive consumer research, including agile prototyping and real-time workshops, allowing immediate consumer feedback into the design process.

HYPE DEFLATION & INFLATION: THE ENDLESS EBB AND FLOW

This article discusses the cyclical nature of hype in technology, illustrating how various tech sectors like VR, AI, and crypto experience peaks of inflated expectations and troughs of disillusionment, yet true innovation and conviction persist through these cycles. It emphasizes the importance of genuine belief in technology's potential over the temporary allure of hype, using examples of individuals and companies who remained committed to their visions despite fluctuating public interest.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF DEEP TECH

It's time to build in deep tech. This article challenges the misconception that deep tech startups, such as those in robotics, space, and biotech, are overly capital-intensive and difficult to succeed in, arguing that advancements in technology, increased access to venture capital, and a richer talent pool have made these ventures more feasible and less costly than in the past. It highlights the significant reduction in costs for essential tech components, the availability of non-dilutive funding, and global macroeconomic tailwinds as key factors enabling the rapid development and growth of deep tech companies, suggesting an optimistic future for startups in these fields.

WHAT MAKES FOR SUCCESSFUL CONSUMER FOUNDERS?

This research analyzes the characteristics and backgrounds of founders at the helm of consumer unicorns, challenging conventional wisdom about what makes a successful consumer founder. Key findings include that most successful startups have an average of 2.2 cofounders with 7-9 years of experience, are headquartered in California or New York, and often have at least one repeat founder. Engineering expertise is less critical than commonly believed.

EXAMPLES OF REVERSE TRIALS

Debating between a free trial or freemium model? Do both with reverse trials. This hybrid model aims to maximize the conversion-driving power of trials while also leveraging the widespread engagement typical of freemium models. By blending the urgency of trial-based models with the broad accessibility of freemium plans, reverse trials could significantly boost user acquisition, engagement, and conversion.

PAID ADVERTISING 101: WHAT TO CONSIDER BEFORE RUNNING DIGITAL ADS

Paid advertising can be a powerful tool for accelerating business growth, but it can also be overwhelming for those just starting. This article outlines five essential areas to consider when developing a paid advertising strategy. Determine the right timing, select the appropriate platform and target audience, allocate budget effectively, measure performance, and optimize campaigns for better results.

HOW TO RAISE PRE-SEED (AND SEED) FINANCING FOR YOUR STARTUP

Ben Yoskovitz, an experienced investor, provides practical advice for startup founders navigating the complexities of early-stage fundraising. He emphasizes the importance of not getting too caught up in valuation debates, focusing on reaching the next major milestone with the necessary capital, and the benefits of delaying fundraising to improve leverage.

DEBLANK COLORS

Quick, customizable AI-powered color palettes.

THE STATE OF PRODUCT ONBOARDING (REPORT)

Discover the industry report from 80+ companies with B2B, B2C, and PLG models to empower your product onboarding experience.

VIDYO.AI

Generate short clips from long videos.

AI-ENABLED SERVICES ARE OPENING A WHOLE NEW MARKET

AI-enabled services businesses, which combine human expertise with AI technology, are poised to disrupt traditional services firms and capture significant market share. This article provides a framework for identifying the most promising opportunities in this space and offers best practices for building successful AI-enabled services companies, covering aspects such as product development, go-to-market strategies, and organizational design.

WHERE ALL THE TIME WENT

The perceived acceleration of time and mental fog experienced by many people in recent years is due to a lack of novelty and variety in daily life, largely caused by lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. To remedy this, reintroduce novel experiences, such as reconnecting with people, attending events, traveling, and taking on new projects. These can help slow down the perceived passage of time and improve mental clarity by stimulating the formation of episodic memories.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT TECHNICAL BLOG

Great technical blogs stand out by deeply exploring complex topics with clear working examples and by simplifying intricate subjects without oversimplification, maintaining a regular publishing schedule, and discussing both the merits and drawbacks of the topics covered. They avoid using internet slang, memes, and offensive language, aiming to be accessible and respectful to a broad audience, thereby fostering a trustworthy and engaging learning environment.

HOW DO YOU BUILD A REAL EXIT STRATEGY?

To increase the odds of a successful acquisition, startups should focus on creating the best product in a significant market, gaining visibility through media and networking, and building relationships with key figures in potential acquirer companies.

EXTREME PMF: SUSTAINING SUCCESS WITH SCALE

The journey of Looker, which evolved from selling to venture-backed tech companies in the US to operating in five geographies with multiple product lines and sales motions, exemplifies the dynamic and challenging nature of sustaining PMF at scale.

ROKU SAYS 576,000 USER ACCOUNTS HACKED AFTER SECOND SECURITY INCIDENT

Roku acknowledged a security breach where hackers gained access to around 576,000 user accounts. This is the second such incident for the streaming device maker, raising concerns about the company's data security measures and the potential exposure of users' personal information.

PALO ALTO NETWORKS WARNS OF EXPLOITED FIREWALL VULNERABILITY

Threat actors are exploiting a critical command injection vulnerability (CVE-2024-3400) in Palo Alto Networks firewalls that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. The vulnerability, with a severity score of 10/10, affects the GlobalProtect feature in PAN-OS versions 10.2, 11.0, and 11.1.

CANADIAN RETAIL CHAIN GIANT TIGER DATA BREACH MAY HAVE IMPACTED MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS

A hacker breached Canadian retail chain Giant Tiger, exposing 2.8 million customer records with personal information. The compromised data included email addresses, names, phone numbers, and physical addresses, but financial information was not affected. Customers can check if their data was leaked using the HaveIBeenPwned service.

SOC PROJECT WITH FULL AUTOMATION LAB

This blog summarizes the architecture of a fully-featured open source SOC lab consisting of powerful technologies used by Fortune 500 companies. Despite being open source, these tools offer comprehensive security incident detection, response, automation, and threat intelligence capabilities.

SECCOMP INTERNALS DEEP DIVE – PART 1

This blog post explores the internals of seccomp including its architecture, key concepts, and practical applications. The post provides kernel code examples that refer to x86_64 architecture with Linux kernel version 6.7.1. The second part of the post is expected to cover seccomp notifications.

WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE XZ BACKDOOR

This article discusses a significant security breach involving the XZ compression tool, used widely in Linux distributions, which was discovered to contain a malicious backdoor. This backdoor specifically targeted distribution builds using GCC and glibc, raising serious concerns about supply chain security. The openSUSE team, upon discovering the threat, acted swiftly to remove the compromised software and rebuild affected packages to ensure system integrity. The scenario emphasizes the need for heightened security measures and more robust community vigilance in open-source projects.