Image: IOTA Foundation

Cryptocurrencies are hot. In our last post we talked about Bitcoin: it has the potential to change our world in many useful ways, but at a price. To keep its blockchain secure, Bitcoin requires as much energy to run as entire countries. In a world where climate change is a growing concern, people may start to ask questions.

In fact, there are a number of alternative technologies in development. An interesting example is IOTA, which is envisioned as a distributed ledger for the Internet of Things. It’s not based on a blockchain, but instead uses a Directed Acyclic Graph called the Tangle. So, what exacly is the Tangle, how will it allow payments between smart devices, and how is it different from a blockchain?

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Image: Peloton

We’ve witnessed some upsetting security incidents in the United States of America recently. As a new president is entering the White House, the latest security concern is in fact… a bike! We’re not talking about an ordinary bike. Part of Joe Biden’s favourite fitness routine includes a Peloton exercise bike, which is a stationary exercise bike combined with an interactive tablet. This setup allows you take part in group training sessions remotely, which is perfect when gyms are closed because of lockdowns, or when you’re keeping a busy schedule, for example because you were just elected president of the USA!

So what’s the concern? The bike is in fact part of the Internet of Things and contains a camera and microphone that connect to the Internet. Bringing these devices into the White House could potentially allow hackers to access them remotely and capture all kinds of sensitive information. I’m sure they’ll eventually work out a solution that will allow the President to stay fit and his conversations private. The good thing is that at least they’re aware of the risks being posed by bringing all kinds of devices in our homes online… quite unlike some unsuspecting people that recently had their Ring doorbells hacked or their stuffed animals taken hostage!