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Move over ethereum and litecoin — ripple is suddenly the hot new cryptocurrency.  But ripple is different. It can't be mined. It can't be used to go shopping. And it's operated by a private company. Ripple is still far smaller than bitcoin, the reigning king of cryptocurrencies, but it's had a remarkable 2017. Ripple has increased by 29,000 percent in the past 12 months, pushing its value to more than $70 billion. In comparison, bitcoin — which has had a notably successful, if volatile, year — has risen by over 1,400 percent to a value of $245 billion.  SEE ALSO: Stop pretending like you understand cryptocurrency and take these online courses Read more... More about Tech , Bitcoin , Ripple , Cryptocurrency , and Cryptocurrency Transactions from Mashable http://ift.tt/2DxtUDQ

Blockchain had a big 2017 The technology upon which bitcoin operates is suddenly the hot new thing. Acolytes believe it will change how we conduct business, elections, and even finding a mate (more on that later). Suddenly, there’s a blockchain startup for just about everything. As much as we wish we could, we can’t write about them all. But when thinking back on the year, our email inboxes were so often filled with blockchain pitches that the topic itself deserved attention.  In trying to capture this craziness, we have put together some of our favorite blockchain pitches of 2017 in an attempt to provide you with an idea of just how much of a gold rush we’re witnessing. Some of these pitches are pretty good; others are decidedly not good. As you'll see below, we awarded each of them with a superlative, included the subject line, and abridged versions of the email. Read more... More about Bitcoin , Blockchain , Tech , and Innovations from Mashable http://ift.tt/2BRMKoV

Even though 2017 sometimes felt like a slow descent into madness, some truly amazing things happened this year as well. But not all of them were on Earth.  SEE ALSO: Google released some fascinating data about the coming total eclipse From a total solar eclipse to an interstellar asteroid, space news was filled with incredible stories in 2017.  Here are our top-5 favorites: A total solar eclipse darkened skies across the U.S. Read more... More about Space , Science , Elon Musk , Spacex , and Ligo from Mashable http://ift.tt/2zMxQyw

2017 is almost done, and it's definitely safe to say that this year President Trump kept up one of his most infamous hallmarks: insulting people on Twitter. Or, if you're a Trump supporter, he's "just keeping it real u liberal snowflake lol #MAGA." SEE ALSO: The mystery of Trump's Twitter mentions and where he finds those awful retweets Besides taking shots at the likes of Meryl Streep , LaVar Ball , and his biggest nemesis, the media , Trump branched out as the Commander-in-Chief and decided to start taking shots at, you know, actual government officials and organizations. "But this is nothing new!" one might say. Read more... More about Twitter , Donald Trump , Elizabeth Warren , Culture , and Social Media Companies from Mashable http://ift.tt/2zOAbJm

If you're currently residing in an area where temperatures are below zero, you are not alone.  As a deep freeze settles in across America, there are so many people who are currently colder than you — and that alone should give you solace. All across the country except in beautiful sunny, better Los Angeles (sorry New York), temperatures are dropping into the teens and below. In times like this, all the internet has is each other. SEE ALSO: These beautiful snowflake photos were actually captured using a microscope Thursday morning , temperatures dropped below 32 degrees Fahrenheit in Watertown, New York In the mountains in New Hampshire, temperatures have dropped to minus-34 degrees. Chicago has been nicknamed Chiberia (which is frankly disrespectful to Siberia, where one city is currently minus-45 degrees Please read my article ). Read more... More about Watercooler , Freezing , Tweets , Cold Weather , and Culture from Mashable http://ift.tt/2CbxBDa

Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) offer an attractive, alternative form of fundraising, harnessing cyber currencies instead of approaching banks and VCs. 2017 saw more than 200 ICOs raise a combined total of over $3 billion as early-stage startups, and investors have jumped in with two feet. However, while the prospect of raising money without having to sign your life away to bankers, or enter the VC ‘shark tank’ may make early stage startups’ mouths water, companies raising through ICOs still have to convince individuals to invest in their projects. And with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) having charged a number of… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web http://ift.tt/2CtUEWD

Microsoft Excel has been the gold standard for data organization and presentation for decades, and that shows no sign of changing any time soon. So master the app that masters data with the Ultimate Excel Bootcamp Bundle, on sale now for $49, an over 90 percent savings, from TNW Deals. from The Next Web http://ift.tt/2Ej3pUa

Some of my fondest memories from my childhood are of endless battles and co-operative crusades in a range of 8-bit video games with my older brother and our neighbors. In the small apartment complex we lived in in Bangalore, India, there was a buzz across the halls when the kids learned that someone had got hold of a new game. You’d have to beg and plead for a chance to borrow the cartridge so you could play it at home, or ask to be invited over so you could get a chance to try it at their place. We were… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web http://ift.tt/2zOEIv3

One of the best things about Android is how flexible its interface is: customizing your home screen to suit your usage habits and preferences only takes a few taps, and the possibilities are endless. Here are just a few choice examples of custom home screens from the Android theming community on Reddit: How are these setups created? It’s usually a combination of carefully paired elements, and most of them are easily available from Google Play. Let’s look at all the things you can do to pretty up your Android interface with little to no effort. Wallpapers You probably knew this… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web http://ift.tt/2DAaLl1

The logo design industry is changing at a lightning-fast speed. What was trendy five years ago may not even ring a bell today. As methods of attracting customers become more effective, logo design must keep up the pace. New ideas develop so fast, designers have a hard time following them. Fortunately, experts are committed to studying short-lived trends and forecasting where the logo design industry is heading. With the help of my team, I’ve put together a list of 10 trends that will dominate 2018. Form simplification This trend is all about stripping your design to the basics and making… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web http://ift.tt/2CrnEOX

Sharing emotion-driven narratives that resonate with other people is something humans are quite good at. We’ve been sitting around campfires telling stories for tens of thousands of years, and we still do it. One reason why is because it’s an effective way to communicate: We remember stories. But what makes for good storytelling? Mark Magellan, a writer and designer at IDEO U, puts it this way: “To tell a story that someone will remember, it helps to understand his or her needs. The art of storytelling requires creativity, critical-thinking skills, self-awareness, and empathy.” All those traits are fundamentally human, but as artificial intelligence… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web http://ift.tt/2lmONeg

This is an excerpt from a long interview between an anonymous data scientist and Logic Magazine about AI, deep learning, FinTech, and the future, conducted in November 2016. LOGIC: One hears a lot about algorithmic finance and things like robo-advisers. And I’m wondering, is it over-hyped? DATA SCIENTIST: I would say that robo-advisers are not doing anything special. It’s AI only in the loosest sense of the word. They’re not really doing anything advanced — they’re applying a formula. And it’s a reasonable formula, it’s not a magic formula, but they’re not quantitatively assessing markets and trying to make predictions. They’re applying… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web http://ift.tt/2C8UOG3