Bitcoin’s penetration into the mainstream was gradual: as of mid-2010, one bitcoin was priced at less than $0.1 on the few exchanges already in existence. As of the time of writing, it’s worth around $33,000. Thanks to a heady combination of fate and circumstance, 2011 was the year that everything changed for the cryptocurrency.
“One important milestone in Bitcoin’s history was WikiLeaks,” says Klara Jaya Brekke of Durham University. In November 2010, when the whistleblowing venture built by Julian Assange was blacklisted and rendered unable to raise funds through conventional payment platforms, Bitcointalk forum users started discussing whether they should advise Assange to accept Bitcoin donations. Bitcoin’s mythical and still anonymous founder Satoshi Nakamoto strongly opposed the idea, wary of “the heat” that the association with WikiLeaks would bring upon Bitcoin.
You don’t have to use an Apple or Android phone. You don’t even have to use Windows on your computer. Spoiler alert: You might not like the options.
Alternatives to the mainstream smartphone
Smartphones are arguably the most used pieces of consumer technology today. There are more mobile devices on Earth than there are people, so that should give you an idea of how prevalent they are.
What if you’re ready to ditch Apple and Google-owned Android? The Light Phone and Blackphone are two mobile devices focused on privacy.
The Light Phone, created by Joe Hollier and Kaiwei Tang, is a no-frills experience. Without skimping on an aesthetically pleasing design and commonly used features, the Light Phone is crafted to be used as little as possible.
You don’t have to use an Apple or Android phone. You don’t even have to use Windows on your computer. Spoiler alert: You might not like the options.
Alternatives to the mainstream smartphone
Smartphones are arguably the most used pieces of consumer technology today. There are more mobile devices on Earth than there are people, so that should give you an idea of how prevalent they are.
What if you’re ready to ditch Apple and Google-owned Android? The Light Phone and Blackphone are two mobile devices focused on privacy.
The Light Phone, created by Joe Hollier and Kaiwei Tang, is a no-frills experience. Without skimping on an aesthetically pleasing design and commonly used features, the Light Phone is crafted to be used as little as possible.