Micromobility has taken off over the last couple of years. Between electric bike-share and scooter-share, these vehicles have made their way all over the world. Meanwhile, some of these companies, like Bird and Lime, have already hit unicorn status thanks to massive funding rounds.
Horace Dediu, the well-known industry analyst who coined the term micromobility as it relates to this emerging form of transportation, took some time to chat with TechCrunch ahead of Micromobility Europe, a one-day event focused on all-things micromobility.
We chatted about the origin of the word micromobility, where big tech companies like Apple, Google and Amazon fit into the space, opportunities for developers to build tools and services on top of these vehicles, the opportunity for franchising business models, the potential for micromobility to be bigger than autonomous, and much more.
Here’s a Q&A, which I lightly edited for length and clarity, I did with Dediu ahead of his micromobility conference.
Megan Rose Dickey: Hey, Horace. Thanks for taking the time to chat.
Horace Dediu: Hey, no problem. My pleasure.
Rose Dickey: I was hoping to chat with you a bit about micromobility because I know that you have the big conference coming up in Europe, so I figured this would be a good time to touch base with you. I know you’ve been credited with coining the term micromobility as it relates to likes of shared e-bikes and scooters.
So, to kick things off, can you define micromobility?
Dediu: Yes, sure. So, the idea came to me because I actually remembered microcomputing.
Can you never find a scooter to rent when you need one? Here’s a radical idea. Buy one. While Bird, Lime, Skip, Scoot, Uber, Lyft and more compete for on-demand micromobility, a new startup invented a vehicle worthy of ownership. The Unagi looks downright futuristic with its classy paint jobs, foldable body, LED screen, and built-in lights. The ride feels sturdy, strong, and responsive while being light enough at 24lbs to lug up subway stairs or the flights to your home.
That’s why Unagi has become a hit with musicians like Kendrick Lamar, Chance The Rapper, Halsey, Steve Aoki, and teen pop megastar Billie Eilish, who use the scooter to rip around the empty venues as they soundcheck before concerts. Paparazzi shots of those moments have spurred demand for the $990 dual motor and $840 single motor Unagis, with co-founder David Hyman telling me the startup can’t make them fast enough but it’s ramping up production.
To fuel the fervor for the scooter before it’s inevitably copied by cheap knock-offs, Unagi has raised a $3.15 million seed round led by Menlo Ventures. Building on its $750,000 in Kickstarter, angel, and founder-contributed funding, the cash will go to building out a distribution network and developing its next-gen scooter with a smoother ride but no more pounds.
“We felt Unagi’s focus on light weight and substantial powering in a beautifully designed package was the right approach for ownership” Menlo partner Shawn Carolan tells me. “This is what premium brands do – continue to reinvent the way we think about the world. This category of vehicle – personal, portable, and electric has enormous potential and we are still in the first inning of the game.”
The magic of the Unagi Model One is how it balances speed, battery, weight, price, and style so it works for most anything and everyone. That combination won it CNET‘s best all-around scooter award versus the hardcore but extremely heavy Boosted Rev, cheap but weak Swagtron, long-lasting but boring Ninebot, and speedy but scary Mercane.
The Unagi’s biggest flaw is the smoothness of the ride due to its harder airless wheels and narrow handlebars that can make gravelly roads precarious. The high-pitched beeeeeep of its horn is also so annoying that people are more likely to cover their ears than get out of your way, but Hyman promises his 12-person team will fix that.
Where Unagi truly excels is in its looks. The lithe curves of its polished carbon fiber frame are accented with candy paint jobs in matte black, white, grey, and blue. It ditches the bike handlebar vibe for something closer to space shuttle controls. And while many people scoff at scooter riders, I saw those smirks turn into curious awe as I flew by.
Hyman got the idea for a premium scooter you own after a rental turned into a melty mess. He’d taken an on-demand scooter to the grocer on a hot day, picked up some ice cream, and emerged to find his ride snatched by another user. He hustled to another nearby but someone else got their first. He walked home dripping sugar everywhere wondering “Why am I messing around with rentals i just want to own one?”
He bought a generic scooter off Alibaba, and despite being janky straight out of the box “it made me feel like I was a super hero with this magic carpet”. But he wanted something better.
Previously the CEO of audio fingerprinting giant Gracenote and then Beats Music before it sold to Apple, Hyman is known for his obsession with hi-fi speaker systems. So after touring Chinese scooter factories and still being unsatisfied, he partnered with a group of inventors called QMY who’d prototyped a slick vehicle they called the Swan. Hyman funded it to production, brought the team in house, and now they’re selling Unagis as fast as they can.
Now the startup wants to double-down on selling to more petite riders who could never carry the 46lb Boosted Rev out of a train station. But the clock is ticking before copycats with similar silhouettes but inferior insides spring up. Meanwhile, Unagi must keep safety top-of-mind to avoid any disastrous crashes hurting customers and its brand. There are plenty of better funded mobility giants that could barge into the space if Unagi can’t build a lead. It also has to prove why the reliability of ownership is worth the price of renting a scooter hundreds of times.
Scooters are part of a powerful wave of new technologies that actually sell us back our time. When a 20-minute walk becomes a 4-minute scoot, you gain something priceless. Urban landscapes unfold beneath their wheels as you explore new neighborhoods or parts of parks. I was once a diehard electric skateboarder until a crash on a Boosted Board shattered my ankle. Unagi is the first scooter that delivers that same gliding feeling of weightlessness and freedom but in a form-factor safe enough for most people to experience.
GoPro has released new versions of both its hero line, and its newer 360-degree ruggedized action cameras. The $399 GoPro Hero8 Black’s most significant change is that it gains a new body design that incorporates GoPro’s signature mounting system right into the case, so that you no longer need add-on frames to attach it to selfie sticks, suction mounts, body mounts and more.
The GoPro Hero8 Black shoots at resolution between 1080p and 4K, and also gains HyperSmooth 2.0, the aptly named second generation version of GoPro’s proprietary digital stabilization technology. The first version, which premiered on the GoPro Hero7, was hailed for its effectiveness, and the follow-up is apparently even more powerful – plus, it provides new adjustment options so you can tweak how aggressive it is.
GoPro’s proprietary variable speed recording mode TimeWarp also gets upgraded to 2.0, and there’s better on-board wind suppression for mic-free recording. The body changes mean that the lens is no longer removable, but GoPro is planning to release a new mounting system for filters soon to make up for this limitation.
On top of the new design, there’s a series of new aftermarket add-ons, which GoPro calls “Mods,” to provide add-on features. There’s a Media Mod ($79.99) that includes a built-in shotgun mic; a Display Mod ($79.99) which has a flip up LCD viewfinder for vlogging, and a Light Mod ($49.99) which has a 200 lumen LED continuous video light source.
The other new camera, the GoPro MAX, is a $499 successor to the GoPro Fusion, and provides 360 capture. It’s designed to also produce great single lens, traditional wide angle footage, and has its own version of HyperSmooth stabilization called Max HyperSmooth (which you know much be extreme because it’s called ‘Max’).
The MAX seems less oriented at 360 video and more at advanced content creators who want maximum editing flexibility and the ability to more easily vlog, since it also includes a front-facing display.
GoPro faces increased competition from legit sources in their home category, including competing devices from DJI and Insta360, but the slate of new upgrades here really do sound like quality, meaningful improvements vs. the existing Hero7, and the new all-in-one body design should make it even more convenient for general use while out on the go.
Pre-orders are live now for the cameras, with shipping starting on October 15 for the GoPro Hero8, and shipments for the Max starting on October 24.
Books on tape were the lifeblood of self-help. But eLearning startups like Khan Academy and Coursera demanded our eyes, not just our ears. Then came podcasts that make knowledge accessible yet rarely focus on you retaining and applying what they teach.
Today, a new startup called Knowable is launching to provide gaze-free audio education at $100 per 8-hour course on topics like How To Start A Startup or How To Sleep Better. The idea is that by layering chapter summaries and eventually interactive activities atop premium, long-form, ad-free lessons, it can become the trusted name in learning anywhere. With always-in Bluetooth earbuds and smart speakers becoming ubiquitous, we can imbibe content in smaller chunks in new environments. Knowable wants to fill that time with self-improvement.
The big question is whether Knowable can differentiate its content from free alternatives and build a moat against copycats through savvy voice-responsive learning exercises so you don’t forget everything.
To evolve beyond the podcast, Knowable has raised a $3.75 million seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz ‘s partner Connie Chan, and joined by Upfront, First Round, and Initialized. “The market is ready for a company like Knowable. Their timing is right and their team possesses the rare combination of product expertise and creative media experience necessary to win. That’s why I’m not just hosting Knowable’s first course, Launch a Startup , we’re also one of the earliest investors in the company” says Initialized’s Alexis Ohanian.
There’s certainly a market opportunity. 32% of Americans listen to podcasts monthly, up from 26% in 2018, with 74% of those citing the desire to learn. Half of Americans have listened to an audiobook. The eLearning market is $190 billion today but projected to grow to $300 billion as bloated and expensive higher education succumbs to cheaper and more focused options.
But to score consistent revenue, Knowable must build up its library and execute on plans to offer a subscription service with access to updates on prior lessons. A major challenge will be bundling classes on the right topics that don’t exhaust users so they keep listening and paying.
Building A School From Sound
“My first-generation immigrant parents came here without college degrees. Great teachers let me move up the socioeconomic ladder pretty quickly” says Knowable co-founder Warren Schaeffer. “The genesis of the idea came from our shared interest in education and the value of great teachers.”
Schaeffer and his co-founder Alex Benzer have already been through the struggles of startup life together. After meeting at MuckerLab in LA and splitting from their respective co-founders, in 2007 they created SocialEngine, a community website builder that sold to Room 214. Next they built up a video platform for independent creators called Vidme that raised $9 million but never became sustainable before selling to Giphy in 2018.
The pair had glimpsed how great content could rope in an audience, but felt like the true potential of the podcast hadn’t been explored. Why did they have to be produced on the cheap, distributed on generic platforms, and supported by ads? Knowable emerged as a way to create luxury audio, delivered through a purpose-built app, and paid for with direct sales or subscriptions. Instead of recording unscripted discussions as episodes, they mapped out course curriculum and filled them with structured advice from experts.
I’m a few hours into the Ohanian-hosted How To Launch A Startup. It’s certainly a lot more efficient than trying to learn the basics just through storytelling from podcasts like Reid Hoffman’s Masters Of Scale or NPR’s How I Built This. One chapter breaks down the top ways startups die and the traits you’ll need to persevere. From optimism and resilience operating in unstructured environments to a refusal to make excuses why you can’t succeed, Ohanian cooly recaps the learnings at the end of the chapter. Open the app, and you’ll get a written summary plus suggested blog posts and books for diving deeper. An accompanying 95-page PDF workbook collects all the key learnings for rapid review later.
The topic is huge, though, and Knowable is at its best when it’s distilling knowledge into neatly packaged lists and frameworks. The course’s weakest moments are when it feels most like a podcast, with somewhat meandering conversations with random founders discussing how they dealt with problems. Meanwhile, it currently lacks some basic tools like in-app notetaking and sharing, or as wide a range of playback speeds and rewind options as you’ll get on Audible. “We don’t think of ourselves as a podcast company” Schaeffer says, but that’s still who he’s competing against.
— Alexis Ohanian Sr. (@alexisohanian) May 28, 2019
What’s also missing is any true interactivity. The downside of audio learning is that if you’re not paying full attention, it’s easy to zone out. Knowable needs to develop voice- and touch-controlled exercises to help users apply and retain the lessons. There are plans to launch learning communities where students can confer about the classes, akin to Y Combinator’s “Bookface” forum too.
However, Schaeffer says that “we’re on a mission to make education more accessible and quizzes might be an impediment to that” which leaves questions about what the learning activities will look like, even though they’re crucial to users coughing up $100 per class. It’s easy to imagine Spotify/Anchor, Gimlet Media, or other major podcast players developing their own interactive features and classes if Knowable doesn’t get there first.
Snackable Audio Education
The startup’s bid for virality is the ability to give a friend a code to take the class with you. Knowable is also hoping big-name experts and quality driven by a team cobbled together from NPR, Washington Post, William Morris Endeavor, Masterclass, and Vice will set it apart. They’ve got a lot of work ahead to grow beyond the six courses currently available on topics like climate change activism and real estate, especially since there’s a 100% money-back guarantee if classes fall short.
For the moment, Knowable feels a bit late with its homework. It has the potential and demand to reinvent audio learning but currently sounds too similar to what’s already everywhere. I was hoping for a Bandersnatch for education that made a broadcast experience feel more like a game.
But the opportunity will only continue to grow as we spend more of our lives in earshot of AirPods and Echoes. With a broad enough library and clever editing, one day you might tell Knowable “teach me something about venture capital in 8 minutes” as you walk to the coffee shop. That’s going to have a much better impact on your life than just scrolling through another feed.
Because technology advances so quickly, a product you buy today could be superseded by its next iteration in a month. Knowing this, is there a “best time” to buy an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to get the biggest bang for your buck?
Let’s examine Apple’s historical release schedules and try to figure out when the right time to buy new Apple hardware is.
Before we dive into specifics, we should set a baseline expectation first: the right time to buy any tech product is when you need it.
Say the Mac you use every day suddenly stops working. At that point, you probably don’t care about Apple’s computer release schedule. It would be pretty silly to wait months for a new computer just so you can get the shiniest new model when the current offering works just fine.
The same goes for if you’re, say, starting college and don’t have a computer. It’s a good idea to buy whatever is on the market at that time, as you need a computer and fast.
However, if you really want to wait, you might have other options. For instance, you could buy a cheap Chromebook to fulfill your computing needs in the interim. Should you break your iPhone, you might have a spare old device you can use in a pinch.
If you’re not under this pressure, you have more flexibility to wait. By the way, if you often break your device, you might consider AppleCare so you can get it fixed after accidental damage.
Consult the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide
Any time you’re thinking of buying an Apple device, you should consult the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide first. This resource collects information on the average number of days that pass between each Apple hardware release. It then tells you how many days it’s been since the latest device in each category came out, so you can know if now is a smart time to buy.
You’ll see several colored lights on the page:
Green means now is a good time to buy that product, as it was recently released.
Gray is neutral and indicates that a product is in the middle of its life cycle. It’s not necessarily a bad buy, but may be worth waiting if you can help it.
Yellow indicates that a product is approaching the end of its sale cycle. If you can wait, you probably should.
Red means you should avoid buying the device. It likely has a replacement imminently on the horizon, or has been discontinued.
Using the Buyer’s Guide Wisely
Of course, you don’t have to take these recommendations as law. They’re definitely a useful tool so you get the most for your money, but they don’t take your personal circumstances into account.
For example, the Buyer’s Guide recommends avoiding the 12″ MacBook as Apple discontinued it in July 2019. This means if you want to buy a brand-new device, your money is better spent elsewhere. But if that model of MacBook does everything you need and you find a great deal on a used one, it might still end up serving you well.
Apple has a tendency to let some devices sit dormant if they’re not particularly popular. While you can pretty much guarantee a new iPhone every year, other units, like the Mac Pro, go years without a hardware refresh. Thus, the guide is at its most useful when it recommends buying something.
The Best Time to Buy a New iPhone
Wondering when to buy a new iPhone? This is the easiest piece of Apple’s lineup to determine. For many years, Apple has released the latest iPhone in September/October.
When the newest iPhone comes out, it typically launches at the same price point as the prior year’s model (though it’s sometimes cheaper). For instance, the iPhone XS started at $999 when it launched in 2018. Its successor, the iPhone 11 Pro, was the same price at launch in 2019.
That means your $999 will get you a better phone in late September than it will in August. You’ll not only get a device with a better camera and performance, but it will receive iOS updates for a longer time.
If you always want to have the newest iPhone, you should consider Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program. This allows you to pay a set cost every month that includes the latest iPhone and AppleCare+ coverage. When the new device comes out, you upgrade to it at no additional cost, as long as you’ve made 12 payments on your current device.
This has obvious benefits, though there are some drawbacks too. You can’t keep your old device as a backup or to trade in/sell. Plus, the monthly payment never ends.
Of course, if you don’t care about the latest and greatest, you can take advantage of new releases to get a deal on an older (and perfectly functional) device. If Apple doesn’t offer the past model you’re interested in, you can still get older devices at a discount from other sellers, like your carrier or Best Buy.
The Macs release cycle isn’t as clear-cut as the iPhone. Generally, you can expect new Mac models to launch in the middle of the year, sometime between April and October.
Mac computers don’t often seen major changes with new releases. Aside from small advancements, like the Force Touch trackpad introduced in 2015 and the Touch Bar on higher-end MacBook Pro models from 2016 onward, the changes are mostly internal. Generally, a year’s difference usually includes a more powerful CPU, a speedier SSD and RAM, and slightly better battery life.
Occasionally, Macs do see a huge refresh. Every release of the MacBook Air was quite similar from 2010 onward until Apple released a redesigned Air in late 2018. Apple also unveiled a revamped entry-level 12″ MacBook in 2015, though the company discontinued this in 2019.
Even if you don’t want a brand-new Mac, keep an eye out during the middle months of the year. When a new model comes out, you can usually score an older version at a discount. Check out Apple’s refurbished Mac page often. Plus, our tips on how to save money when buying a MacBook will help at any time of year.
The Best Time to Buy a New iPad
Apple’s tablet lineup is the hardest to predict, mainly because the company jumps between releases for several different models.
There’s the entry-level iPad line, plus the iPad Pro in a few sizes. Apple also released a new third-generation iPad Air and fifth-generation iPad Mini in 2019, after both lines had sat dormant for several years.
The fifth and sixth-generation baseline iPad models released in March of 2017 and 2018 respectively. However, the seventh-generation iPad arrived in September 2019, bucking the March release trend. March 2019 saw the launch of the third-gen iPad Air and fifth-gen iPad Mini instead.
Meanwhile, the iPad Pro also hasn’t been consistent with months of release. Its third-gen models released in October 2018, while the second generation came in June of 2017.
iPad Buying Summary
Taken all together, we can say that new iPad models generally launch between March and October. However, there’s often no telling which line Apple will choose to refresh and at what time.
Because of this, if you’re interested in an iPad, we recommend looking at which lines have gotten an update most recently. If you’re not interested in that device, it’s probably best to wait until one that’s more to your liking gets an update, and buy then. Check our iPad buying guide for more details on them.
Like Macs, new iPad models rarely bring amazing new features. They typically offer refreshed internals and small enhancements, like support for the Apple Pencil. And since they’re less expensive than other Apple devices, you don’t miss out as much by buying a slightly older model.
Buying Other Apple Devices
We’ve looked at when to buy an iPhone, iPad, and Mac, since they’re Apple’s three major device lines. But you might also wonder when to buy other Apple accessories or less popular devices, so we’ll mention these briefly.
Since 2016, the Apple Watch has released yearly in September alongside the new iPhone models. This trend will likely continue as Apple unveils the latest model at its September events.
The iPod Touch is currently Apple’s only iPod offering, and allows you to dip your toes into iOS for a low cost. Since 2015, it’s received a refresh every other year: July 2015, July 2017, and May 2019. If Apple keeps the device around, this trend will likely continue.
Other devices have inconsistent release schedules. The HomePod hasn’t seen a refresh since its release in early 2018. Meanwhile, the Apple TV has seen sporadic releases in September or March over the past several years. And Apple revamped the AirPods for the first time in March 2019, after their release in late 2016.
The Right Time to Buy Apple Devices
While nobody knows exactly what Apple’s plans are for new products, we can get pretty good estimations based on past trends. Keep an eye on the Buyer’s Guide when you’re interested in a new device to know when the best time to pull the trigger is.
If you can wait, try to time it so you get the newest device. But if not, don’t worry, as Apple devices still hold their value for a long time.
There are several reasons why you may not want your Facebook friends to know you’re on Tinder. Including nosey family members and creepy acquaintances.
But do you need Facebook for Tinder? And are there ways to prevent your Facebook friends from spying on your adventures in the world of online dating?
Here’s how to use Tinder without Facebook, and more importantly, how to use Tinder without Facebook friends knowing about it.
How to Use Tinder Without Facebook
Can you use Tinder without Facebook? Yes. This means that, technically, the best way to use Tinder without your Facebook friends knowing is to not link your two accounts in the first place.
Tinder offers an alternative sign-up method that links to your phone number rather than Facebook. When you first create your account, simply choose Log in with phone number.
Tinder will ask you to enter your phone number and send you a verification pin. The app will link this verified phone number to your account and you do not need to link Facebook at all.
If your number has changed and you can’t get into an existing account, you can choose the Login by email option to access your account.
You don’t need to link your Facebook account in any way to be able to use Tinder. This wasn’t the case when the app launched, but privacy concerns over the years means that Tinder no longer requires this kind of information to sign up.
Tinder and Facebook Common Connections
If you have already linked your Tinder and Facebook account, don’t despair. Firstly, Tinder no longer includes the common connections feature.
The feature used to let you know if you and another Tinder user shared Facebook friends. This made it easier for matches to track down your Facebook profile. It also presented the risk of other Tinder users notifying a mutual friend that you were on the app. However, the feature no longer exists.
Furthermore, Twitter has also retired Tinder Social. The feature allowed you to invite Facebook friends who use Tinder to a group outing. This was a double-edged sword since it identified everyone you know who uses the app.
So, now that common connections and Tinder Social have both been removed, are there other ways Facebook friends can find you on Tinder? There are some indirect ways, and here’s how to lower the risk of each.
Change Your Tinder Settings to Protect Your Privacy
Even though Tinder does not post to your profile and no longer includes Tinder Social, there are indirect ways that Facebook friends may see that you use Tinder. Some of the most obvious ways have been removed. For example, Facebook no longer lets you search for “friends who use Tinder”. Nor does Facebook allow you to view “Apps others use” any more.
With the few indirect ways you can find other Tinder users on Facebook, you can tweak your settings to prevent the app from being visible on your profile. Here’s how…
Hide Tinder From Your Facebook Page
While Tinder does not post to your Facebook page and others can’t see which apps are authorized on your account, you should set your app visibility for Tinder to private. This will protect you if Tinder or Facebook ever reintroduce features that show your app usage.
To prevent others from seeing that you use Tinder, make sure you visit the Apps and websites menu in your Facebook settings. When you view and edit your settings, you can change the app visibility to Only me.
Adjusting this visibility means that even if Facebook returns to displaying Tinder in the apps section, your privacy settings will prevent this happening to you.
Hide Your Likes or Unlike Tinder
Facebook no longer automatically shares information about other friends who use a certain app, except for games. So if you’ve hidden Tinder’s app visibility others on Facebook, there’s only one other thing that can really give you away… your Facebook likes.
Technically, liking the Tinder app page doesn’t definitively mean you use it. But it is a clue for nosey Facebook friends. To prevent this from happening, either remove your like from the Tinder page, or adjust your privacy settings to hide likes from friends.
Other Ways to Avoid Facebook Friends on Tinder
Since Tinder uses location data to show potential matches, there’s always a chance you might show up on a Facebook friend’s discovery feed. There’s not much you can really do to prevent this.
However, there are a few ways to make your profile less recognizable to Facebook acquaintances.
Firstly, don’t use your Facebook profile picture on your Tinder account. This will make you instantly recognizable to most Facebook friends, even ones who aren’t that familiar with how you look.
You should also avoid linking platforms like Instagram that appear on your Facebook page too. Even if a Facebook friend doesn’t recognize your profile image, they may recognize your Instagram handle if you frequently share your pictures on both Facebook and Tinder.
Should I Use a Fake Profile With Tinder?
The desire to keep your social media friends away from your Tinder profile may tempt you to use a fake account. However, this is an extreme option that could result in you being banned from the dating app.
Using a fake Facebook account with Tinder could be a red flag for potential matches, since fake and duplicate profiles are used by scammers on Tinder. If it’s discovered that your account is a duplicate or fake, Tinder will also likely ban you from the service.
Instead, if you want to keep your social profiles separate, link your Tinder profile to your phone number. There’s no need to involve social media or any fake accounts at all.
The Most Common Tinder Mistakes to Avoid
Now that you know how to avoid snooping Facebook friends on Tinder, you probably still have some questions. So we’ve put together a list of mistakes people make on the dating app.
When you think of a hacker, you might imagine a shady figure who’s up to no good. It’s time to thing again: ethical hackers also exist, aiming to find security issues that can be fixed rather than exploited.
You can even make a living as an ethical hacker, and we’ll show you how.
How to Make Money as an Ethical Hacker
When it comes to ethical hacking, there are a number of ways to earn money.
1. Bug Bounty Programs
One of the main ways ethical hackers make money are bug bounty programs. These are where companies offer cash rewards for hackers to find vulnerabilities in their products and disclose them. Loads of companies have bug bounty programs, which pay out varying amounts depending on the severity of the issue that you find.
There are also live hacking events where ethical hackers come together to hack a particular device or piece of software. The Pwn2Own event, for example, is one of the biggest hacking events and takes place every year at the CanSecWest security conference. Participants are tasked to hack a device, such as a phone, a MacBook, or even a car like a Tesla.
If they can hack the device, they win it.
Pwn2Own also offers cash prizes for hacking software such as web browsers, enterprise applications, and servers. The event has a large prize pool and the results are covered by the tech press as well. That means it’s a great place for new hackers to make their name, as well as meeting other people in the ethical hacking community.
3. Consulting With Companies
Another big source of income for ethical hackers is doing security consulting. A company may hire a hacker to test their security system, or to advise on a new version of their product. If you are known as a competent and professional hacker, companies will approach you with offers for work that can be either freelance or long term.
How to Learn Ethical Hacking
If you’ve never done any hacking before, you can learn the basic skills at any age. Some people think it helps to get a university degree in computer science. However, most university courses don’t teach a lot of programming. Even if they do, they likely won’t teach hacking skills.
This isn’t to say computer science degrees aren’t useful. But they teach you a broad overview of computing issues. They don’t prepare you for a job in hacking specifically.
To learn hacking, almost everything you need can be found for free online. If you’re willing to dedicate the time to learning the craft, anyone can pick up the basics. For example, a great place for beginners to start is Hack This Site! This features “missions” which teach hacking in a safe and legal environment, with lots of information to help you along the way.
The HackerOne website, a digital hub for hackers, also has lots of information for beginners. Their online resources page for new hackers has site lists and guides where you can learn the basics of ethical hacking. There’s also Hacker101, which offers free online video lessons in hacking.
You may also want to learn to use hacking tools like Burp or OWASP Zap which can help you perform specific types of hacks.
How to Transition to a Job in Ethical Hacking
One of the advantages of taking up ethical hacking is that it’s something you can do alongside your regular job. If you’re interested in hacking, you can start hunting for bugs in your free time after work or at the weekends. If you find a bug and submit it to a bug bounty program, you can start collecting some income on the side.
One important tip to note is that the report you write which you submit to a bug bounty program is almost as important as finding the bug itself. Your report should clearly lay out what the vulnerability you found is and how you were able to exploit it. Be clear and specific. This gives you the best chance of getting a payout.
As you become more experienced with bug bounty programs, you’ll learn how much income you can expect. You get an idea of how many hours of work will pay out how much bounty. Once you feel confident that you can earn a stable income from ethical hacking, you can try it part-time or even full-time.
It can be scary to think of leaving a job to go into hacking. But you can try out making money as an ethical hacker on the side. If you like the experience, you can do it more and more. There’s no barrier to entry for ethical hacking jobs, so you can start whenever you’re ready.
Being a Successful Ethical Hacker
The ethical hacking community is a supportive place. Like other security communities, ethical hacking involves lots of people working together to make software and the internet safer for everyone. Because of this, there is a high value placed on being a contributing member of the community.
Most ethical hackers have blogs where they describe the vulnerabilities they have found and explain how they located them. This helps others in the community to learn.
There is also the issue of responsible disclosure. When you find a vulnerability, you should disclose it to the affected company in a responsible way. It would be irresponsible to post publicly about a vulnerability before informing the affected company, for example.
Also, it’s not a good idea to demand unreasonably high bounties for finding a bug. Nor should you ever threaten a company if you find a vulnerability. Instead, work with the company to reach a payout which is fair and disclose the issue in a way that they can fix.
Once you gain a reputation as not only a good hacker but also someone who is professional and easy to work with, you’ll find plenty of job offers available.
Learn Hacking and Get Involved in Security Research
Being an ethical hacker means not only having an interesting job, but also doing something which will benefit many people. Making software, hardware, or websites more secure benefits everyone who uses them.
A variety of options are open to earn money for ethical hacking. And you can start it as a side gig to see if you enjoy it before going full-time. Better still, you don’t need any particular educational requirements to be an ethical hacker. You just need a keen eye for detail and a commitment to learning more about security issues.
With companies vying for consumer interest and a crowded smartphone release cycle, you’ll likely feel the pressure to upgrade to a new smartphone sooner than expected. After all, within six months manufacturers are already promoting the latest and greatest release.
But do you really need to upgrade your device? Here are five questions you should ask yourself before choosing to upgrade to a new smartphone.
1. Does Your Budget Allow for a New Smartphone?
The very first thing you need to consider when it comes to getting a new smartphone is your budget. Premium smartphones are going for higher prices than ever, with more and more new phones exceeding the $1,000 mark.
If you don’t have much disposable income, the last thing you need to do is purchase a device that loses a significant portion of its value as soon as you open the box. If you are buying on contract or credit, this locks you into a monthly payment. Other considerations include interest on credit purchases or potential penalty fees for early contract cancellation.
Even if a shiny new gadget looks tempting, you need to take a realistic look at your own finances first. There are many budget devices on the market that you can choose. But if your current device is a recent flagship, upgrading to a budget device could prove to be a downgrade instead.
2. Has New Smartphone Tech Advanced Enough?
Release windows for devices are mostly set. This means manufacturers will release the scheduled iteration of their device regardless of whether they’ve made real advancements in their technology. Sometimes you’ll see vast improvements. But often there are only minor tweaks or improvements and a slight update in design.
Regardless of the technological strides made, prices tend to increase based on the market. So you need to decide whether the technical improvements made since your current device was released justify a new replacement. After all, you want to make sure you’re still getting value for your money.
Usually, when it comes to yearly release cycles, the improvements are incremental. For example, there’s not that much difference between a Galaxy S8 and a Galaxy S9. However, the Galaxy S10 is a more significant improvement on the S8’s tech and is way ahead of the Galaxy S7.
When it comes to software improvements, this depends on whether you receive regular software updates on your particular device. OS upgrades can improve your device significantly, reducing the need to update your hardware.
Unfortunately, Android updates are inconsistent across brands so not everyone can rely on these refreshes. If you do receive timely updates, consider when the next major update is scheduled. If it’s in the near future, you may want to hold off on a potential upgrade a little longer.
When it comes to both hardware and software on new devices, make sure that you don’t fall for marketing pitches. Look at the actual improvements and user reviews to see whether the latest phone really makes such great strides.
3. Does Your Smartphone Contract Need Reviewing?
Another consideration to make is whether it’s time for you to update your contract, switch to a new provider, or move to a prepaid plan. With most contracts lasting between 24 and 36 months, a lot could have changed since your last upgrade.
For example, over time data costs tend to decrease. New apps and communication methods also change the ratio of SMS limits, talk minutes, and data limits that you need.
Take a look at your current contract and see whether it’s time to move to a cheaper provider. You could also choose to forgo the upgrade your provider offer at the end of the period and cancel your contract completely.
If your phone is still in great shape and you have Wi-Fi at home and work that you can rely on, a prepaid SIM might suit your needs better.
4. Does Your Smartphone Still Meet Your Daily Needs?
Speaking of needs, you should consider whether your phone meets your daily needs and requirements before you choose to upgrade.
If your phone doesn’t hold enough charge to last more than a few hours, can’t efficiently run the newer apps you need to use, or is stuck on an old OS that has performance and security issues—you should go ahead and consider a new device.
But if your new phone does exactly what you need it to, you might want to delay an upgrade. You don’t need the latest camera technology if you don’t rely on smartphone photography for your work or hobbies. You also don’t need an ultra-high-performance device if all you use your phone for is WhatsApp and Candy Crush.
A flashy new device might be tempting, but assessing wants versus needs will help you decide if an upgrade is really needed.
5. Are There Cheaper Alternatives to Upgrading?
Upgrading is not the only solution when your phone is underperforming. For example, more manufacturers are offering battery replacements for smartphones to increase their longevity. Since lithium-ion batteries degrade over time, phones start losing battery capacity and battery efficiency.
Replacing a degraded battery fixes this and can improve the phone’s performance. If your phone’s battery is the main reason you want to upgrade, rather see if your manufacturer warranty provides a battery replacement.
You can solve issues like storage capacity in a cost-efficient way if you have expandable storage. You could also move certain items to cloud storage. Storage problems can slow down your phone’s performance, making the entire device feel outdated. If performance is your main motivator for an upgrade, see if a factory reset and upgrades storage helps.
Meanwhile, take a look at smartphone accessories that may offer the features you’re looking for. These include camera accessories, audio accessories, and more. You’ll be surprised with how much accessories can improve your experience.
When to Upgrade Your Phone
If you’re still weighing up whether it’s time to upgrade your smartphone, you could look for signs that your phone is no longer running properly.
Telegram Messenger is a popular messaging app with a growing reputation. But what is Telegram? How does it work? And what features have helped Telegram grow such a loyal userbase?
In this article we investigate why people love Telegram. And if you read about the features that make Telegram stand out from the crowd perhaps you’ll discover you love it too.
What Is Telegram?
At its core, Telegram is a cloud-based instant messaging app. It’s one of many WhatsApp alternatives worth checking out.
Telegram was founded in 2013 by Nikolai and Pavel Durov. Previously, the pair launched the popular Russian social network site, VKontakte (VK). They sold the business in 2014 and fled Russia after refusing to release data about Ukrainian protest leaders.
The Telegram app has received praise for its more open, safe, secure, and private approach to sending messages. Unlike WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, Telegram Messenger is controlled and operated by an independent company.
Today, Telegram Messenger is available on all of the major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. There’s also a web-based version. Telegram is free to download and use.
Which Telegram Messenger Features Do People Love?
Why has Telegram grown so much in recent years? And what features differentiate it from the other instant messaging apps on the market?
1. Telegram Messenger Is More Secure
Telegram uses the MTProto protocol. This protocol is divided into three components:
High-Level Component: The client and the server send messages within a session. Sessions are connected to client devices rather than relying on a WebSocket.
Cryptographic Authorization Component: Messages have a 64-bit key identifier and a 128-bit message key. The two keys are combined with a 256-bit key that’s scrambled using AES-256 encryption.
Transport Component: Establishes whether to use HTTP, HTTPS, WS, WSS, TCP, or UDP for the client and the server to transmit their messages.
WhatsApp uses the Signal protocol to operate its end-to-end encryption. It uses Curve25519 key pairs for the public keys, and a mix of 32-bit and 80-bit values for the session keys.
2. Telegram Has a Bot API
If you’re a developer, you can create your own custom bots for Telegram. Users can interact with them using messages, commands, and in-line requests.
This presence of bot APIs opens up a world of possibilities. Of course, you could make one for simple tasks like receiving weather forecasts and news headlines. But it’s also possible to come up with more advanced uses; you can integrate it with third-party apps such as WordPress, payment services, and other social media platforms.
We all know about Facebook’s laissez-faire approach to user data. And while WhatsApp remains ad-free and data collection-free for now, that’s all set to change in 2020.
At the annual Facebook Marketing Summit in May 2019, it was revealed that WhatsApp statuses would start adding ads. According to leaked images, ads will take up the entire screen when you click on someone’s update. It feels like the start of a slippery slope.
Telegram Messenger takes a much more acceptable approach. On its website, the company confirms that “Telegram is free and will stay free—no ads, no subscription fees, forever.”
So, what is Telegram’s monetization policy? According to the Telegram FAQ:
“Pavel Durov […] supplied Telegram with a generous donation, so we have quite enough money for the time being. If Telegram runs out, we will introduce non-essential paid options to support the infrastructure and finance developer salaries. But making profits will never be an end-goal for Telegram.”
4. Telegram Supports Larger Groups
Telegram allows people to add up to 200,000 users to a group. In contrast, WhatsApp’s maximum group size is 256, despite rumors constantly circulating that the company is planning to increase the limit.
Although very few users will ever need 200,000 people in a group, there are lots of conceivable situations where you might need more than 256. In those cases, Telegram is the better solution.
Telegram also supports hashtags. They can help to provide structure to larger groups.
5. Telegram Supports Larger Files
You can use Telegram Messenger to send files up to 1.5GB in size. Those files become instantly available on all your devices and can be easily shared with other users.
In contrast, WhatsApp limits shared files to 100MB. That’s barely enough for a medium-length video.
6. You Can Schedule the Sending of Messages
Telegram allows users to schedule messages in the future. The feature has a number of practical benefits. For example, you can create reminders for yourself about future appointments or release a piece of news to a large group at a specific time.
7. You Can Save Messages on Telegram Messenger
All Telegram Messenger users have access to a personal cloud storage facility. The feature rolled out in November 2017.
You can bookmark messages and keep them in your saved folder (useful if you use Telegram in a professional environment), write yourself notes and reminders, and forward saved messages to other users and platforms.
8. Send Messages to Anyone
If you want to send a message to someone on WhatsApp (or almost every other mainstream instant messaging app), you first need to know their phone number and add them as a contact.
Telegram works on a username basis. As long as you know someone’s username, you can send them a message. There’s also a search feature, so you can try and find the person you want to contact even if you’ve never spoken to them before.
For security, users can disable unsolicited messages in the app’s settings. You are also under no obligation to set a username. Without one, other people will not be able to find you in search.
More Telegram Features to Explore
The Telegram features we’ve discussed here explain why people love Telegram over its rivals.
However, there’s a long list of features we haven’t mentioned. Secret chats, self-destructing messages, channels, the ability to delete your messages for all users without a trace, photo albums, pinned messages, and customizable themes are just some of the other Telegram features worth exploring.
If you aren’t using Siri for seamless, hands-free control of music on your iPhone or iPad, you may want to start. Not only is it more convenient for day-to-day playback, but it’s safer for you when your hands are busy (like when you’re driving).
Unfortunately, Siri doesn’t officially support third-party music streaming services like Spotify. However, with a bit of know-how and a few minutes of setup, you can make it work. So if you prefer Spotify over Apple Music for music streaming, you aren’t out of luck!
Here’s our step-by-step guide to setting up Siri with Spotify. By the end, you’ll be able to control your music playback using nothing more than your voice.
How to Use Siri With Spotify
While setting up Siri Shortcuts for use with Spotify may sound like a long, grueling task, in reality, it is a very straightforward one if all steps are followed closely. Also, please note that a Spotify Premium account will be necessary for this method to work properly.
Install Shortcuts
First, we’ll need the Shortcuts app, which, in summary, is Apple’s way of allowing users to customize what Siri can do.
On your iPhone or iPad, launch the App Store.
Search for Shortcuts.
The Shortcuts app should show up as the very first result. Proceed to download.
Download the Spotify Shortcut Installer
Once the Shortcuts app is installed and ready to go, we’ll need to do a bit more browsing, but this time on Safari or your browser of choice.
Open your browser.
Open this link to find the Spotify Shortcut setup file, which will allow you to begin to connect Spotify and Siri.
Once the page is loaded, press Get Shortcut and tap Open.
Now, this is where the process becomes a bit more complicated.
You should be redirected to the Shortcuts app, as seen below. Press Get Shortcut again. In a few seconds, you’ll see quite a lot of text and scripts pop up on your screen. The important part, however, is in the play button below the “Spotify Shortcut setup” text located at the top center of the screen. Press the play button.
You’ll see a notification that asks you if you want to run the shortcut. Tap Run Shortcut.
After that, you’ll see a wall of text, which instructs you to copy and paste a token later on. Press OK.
You’ll now see a couple of options to set up specific Shortcuts with different functions.
For the sake of this tutorial, choose Play Spotify at the very top. This shortcut in particular functions similar to telling Siri to “Play Music.” It will open Spotify and automatically play a song from your library. (Unfortunately, if you have a standard Spotify subscription, this function will only open the Spotify app and do nothing else.)
After choosing Play Spotify, you’ll then be redirected to the Spotify login website. Log In and authorize the shortcut to work with your account. Press Agree.
Upon doing this, you’ll be redirected to a page with the aforementioned token. Copy all of the text below “Spotify authorization code.” This is important! Be sure to be very careful and precise with what you select. Just copy the code, no blank spaces. Otherwise, you’ll have to start over once it’s time to paste the code.
Now that you’ve done that, press Done.
You should now be greeted with the “All Set” message. Tap OK.
And then, the “Get Shortcut” message. Press the blue Get Shortcut button.
Remember the token we spoke about earlier? Well, here’s when it finally comes in handy. In order to finish your setup, just paste the code you copied onto the Enter text box.
At last, the shortcut is finished and ready to go! But we’re not done just yet.
Record Your Voice Command
Now, we need to have Siri recognize when to execute the shortcut we just installed. To do this, we need to set up a voice command.
Open the Play Spotify shortcut box.
Tap on the settings icon on the top right of the screen. You’ll now see the Settings menu.
Press Add to Siri.
Inside of the Add to Siri menu, you’ll be prompted to record a voice command, so whenever Siri hears whatever phrase you decide to record, she’ll run the Play Spotify shortcut and play music. You can choose to say whatever you want. As you can see below, I chose “Bagel,” because why not? So whenever I say “Bagel,” Siri will now launch Spotify and play a song. Neat!
And presto! We are finally finished.
Keep in mind that there are other shortcuts with different functions, like skipping tracks, to install as well. We can use the same installer that we already have within Shortcuts to get those. Just open the Spotify Shortcuts setup box, press the play button, and choose your desired option.
Once that is set up, go to Settings to record a voice command, and you’re all done! You can finally take control of all your Spotify jams using just your voice, as long as you have a working internet connection and a Spotify Premium subscription.
Schaeffer and his co-founder Alex Benzer have already been through the struggles of startup life together. After meeting at MuckerLab in LA and splitting from their respective co-founders, in 2007 they created SocialEngine, a community website builder that sold to Room 214. Next they built up a video platform for independent creators called Vidme that raised $9 million but never became sustainable before selling to Giphy in 2018.
(@alexisohanian) 
