Bitcoin har et imageproblem . En stor en .
Og det holder den virtuelle valutaen tilbake fra å gå mainstream , sa Hank Lucas , en professor ved University of Maryland , som fokuserer på disruptive teknologier .
"Det er vanskelig for meg å si at Bitcoin kommer til å være den dominerende virtuell valuta for fremtiden , " Lucas sa . " Hvis noen kom opp med en virtuell valuta som folk forstått og som har en verdi ikke svinger så mye , vel , da kan det bli en vedtatt av massene og ikke Bitcoin . "
Det er absolutt ingen mangel på alternative digitale valutaer - Namecoin , Litecoin og Dogecoin , for å nevne noen . Men Bitcoin er langt den mest populære og mye brukt av gjengen . Likevel , er det for tidlig å si om sin popularitet vil vare , sa Lucas .
En grunn Bitcoin har fått nivået av trekkraft den har er fordi selgere ikke trenger å betale transaksjonsgebyrer , sa Lucas . Det er også populært med forbrukere, fordi det gir dem mer anonymitet når du handler , la han til .
Men til tross for sin vekst , folk flest er fortsatt skeptiske av valutaen , sier Lucas .
" En av de største problemene for Bitcoins er folk ikke forstår hvordan de er skapt og som ikke kommer til å lede mange mennesker til å vedta det," sa han .
I utgangspunktet , Bitcoin kan vise seg å være den Napster av digital valuta , sa Lucas . Det kan være den valuta som fører overgangen til digitale utbetalinger , men klarte ikke å gå mainstream fordi en konkurrent markedene seg bedre og gir mer sikkerhet for forbrukere , mye som hvordan Apples iTunes anket til forbrukere i løpet Napster .
Tatt i betraktning den siste svikt i den populære Bitcoin utveksling Mt.Gox - som forårsaket tap av nesten $ 500 millioner og de dramatiske prissvingninger for valuta, er det ikke rart folk kan være redd for å vedta det .
" Jeg synes det er et stort problem for forbrukerne , " sa han . " Dersom en bank ikke du få pengene tilbake , eller i det minste en del av det , men når Mt . Gox mislyktes , det var ingenting der .... Dette må fraråde folk som ikke forstår en virtuell valuta . "
" Du vil aldri se en annonse for Bitcoin . Du ser ikke Bitcoin presser seg ut der , " Lucas sa . " Men hvis det var en digital valuta som kan markedsføre seg selv på en måte forbrukerne kunne forstå , kunne det blitt den digitale valuta av valget. "
The rise of the Internet is undeniable, and unrestricted access from multifarious smart gadgets with more rapid 4G connectivity means that consumers’ potential usages of these devices in terms of the tasks they can accomplish online at any time an at any place are growing fast. In this milieu, the subject of online retail and its correlation with personal communication (either face-to-face or via phone) is being fervently discussed in all sectors.
And so it goes for insurance as well. For the past thirty years, personal connections have been dominated by the contact centre, and while not many can question that the Internet has greatly aided in generating quotes, the accepted rule is that phone calls and in-the-flesh visits are still a vital part of the sales cycle and a major force in enhancing conversion rates. While many situations may call for the application of the personal appearance, it is nevertheless the case that a rising share of everyday insurance tasks can be accomplished without it – in so far as the consumer agrees to it.
Mounting demand for self-service
Instances of these cases include online banking or even grocery check-outs show a significant – and increasing – percentage of consumers would rather ‘operate the system’ themselves, especially if it leads to avoiding queues and being able to finish such chores at their most convenient time.
As it applies now to the insurance sector, Junction recently revealed that one million BGL customers now choose to handle their own policies online. In the same manner, Ageas Insurance Solutions’ biggest motor brand, Auto Direct, moved to a self-service website earlier this year and saw 97% of its clients immediately opt for electronic documentation and messaging over paper.
It is certainly counter-intuitive to bypass this need for self-service, especially in insurance, where the advantage of the aggregator brands has produced a largely price-sensitive market.
Source: Hass and Associates
This morning, like most mornings I sat drinking my coffee browsing my freshly updated list of news feeds and articles. All of a sudden I was floored by a video, my breath lost in a mix of laughter and horror. In it’s wake I was left with a new appreciation for how muchtechnology has changed. Allow me to share this experience with you.
Consider how simple technology has become — how many times you have seen a child of only a few years old using an iPad with no effort at all? In only a few years technology changes in astonishing ways, but I for one find I often quickly forget the time before new invention X.
read more: http://lisacotto95.newsvine.com/_news/2013/08/16/20057005-cringe-and-reflect-the-internet-in-1997
This morning, like most mornings I sat drinking my coffee browsing my freshly updated list of news feeds and articles. All of a sudden I was floored by a video, my breath lost in a mix of laughter and horror. In it’s wake I was left with a new appreciation for how muchtechnology has changed. Allow me to share this experience with you.
Consider how simple technology has become — how many times you have seen a child of only a few years old using an iPad with no effort at all? In only a few years technology changes in astonishing ways, but I for one find I often quickly forget the time before new invention X.
So how much progress have we made? Clearly technology has developed in amazing ways and as a society we have become much more comfortable with technology in every aspect of our lives. That said, we have some interesting issues this video reminds me of. The digital divide is one such issue. Across different age groups we have varying levels of expertise and security awareness on the Internet and many are left very exposed due to a lack of basic understanding.
What makes a secure password? How do you spot a phishing scam? How do you know if your web connection is encrypted? I have heard people say that security awareness is a temporal issue and that as the young generation grows up the problem will naturally be fixed – but I disagree. I’ve spoken to many young people who are extremely capable users of technology but who have less of a concept of privacy and security than older colleagues. Granted, I know many people who are my senior who struggle with these concepts too.
Source: Hass Associates Internet news