​Will the birth of the 21 Chip be the death of monthly fees?

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

Following large investments from big names like Pay-Pal co-founder Peter Thiel, 21 Inc has recently announced the 21 Bitcoin computer (cue excitement from Bitcoin community).

The 21 Bitcoin computer promises users the ability to generate their own Bitcoin, at a rate of approximately 10 cents per day. Many may find themselves questioning the point of such technology (especially Bitcoin mining experts). To the single-minded observer, the 21 Chip does seem to be somewhat redundant, but its revenue generating capabilities could prove invaluable when applied to payment for streaming services.

Netflix and Amazon Prime, two streaming giants with payment plans of around £4.99 a month, have spoken about increasing the cost of membership. Talks of impending HD packages and the threat of no longer being able to share accounts across multiple devices have been floating around for a while now, making an alternative method more appealing.

The 21 Chip could present a worthy alternative, allowing users to pay while they watch. A chip capable of creating revenue simply by being used presents us with a potential replacement for those pesky monthly fees, currently viewed as a necessary evil. Streaming sites like YouTube or platforms like Spotify could now reward frequent users with less adverts, but not to the financial detriment of creators.

The 21 Chip is a truly versatile piece of hardware and its unique functionality is not limited simply to “free” movies and television. Can you imagine having a smartphone that pays its own bills? Or WiFi hotspots that generate revenue for the precise length of time it has been used? Imagine a phone or tablet that automatically pays for extra cloud storage space, or has the capability to pay for an ebook as you’re reading it.

These exciting possibilities may just be conjecture at this point, but the 21 Chip has incredible potential. Proving our point that services that require a monthly static fee - such as paywalls and monthly subscriptions - may well be on the out, the 21 Chip has caused quite a stir. Put simply, the malleability of the 21 Chip allows it to hypothetically work in tandem with almost any platform (which probably means the idea of a utopian society where free streaming is available won’t become a reality). In that regard, the possibilities are endless. We look forward to finding out where it goes in future!

Google to Launch Micropayment Service

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

It seems Apple have the tech world divided once again.

iOS9 houses a myriad of new (and necessary) features designed to tackle issues with poor battery life, a more intuitive ‘maps’ and an improved Siri so smart that all those Skynet jokes seem a little more relevant. Much to the dismay of app publishers and video streaming website hosts who depend on the revenue from pop-ups, iOS9 also comes complete with adblocking software. While most of us rejoiced at the announcement of iOS9, the latest smartphone operating system by tech superpower Apple, it seems app developers and publishers weren’t so keen on celebrating.

For anyone who’s been following tibit for some time, the concept of a sustainable alternative to pop-ups is nothing new. Functionality based around small micropayments which reward quality content or which include a gatekeeper mechanism seem like a godsend to developers, especially when compared to the prospect of seeing marginally less revenue as all iPhone and iPad users bask in the joy of advert-free web surfing.

Google is no stranger to micropayment software either, having recently launched a service with a similar philosophy to tibit. Google Contributor asks users to spread small payments across several websites, in a similar fashion to a subscription service (i.e. the more money you donate, the less ads you’ll be bombarded with). Could adopting this ambitious approach soften the backlash Apple is facing from disgruntled developers?

Here at tibit we envision a world where micropayments are as ubiquitous as a Facebook like. With large companies like Google engaging with developers and providing alternatives to ad-based revenue streams we’re confident that in the world of micropayments, Google Contributor is just the ‘tib’ of the iceberg.

Will the Blockchain method be adopted by the big banks?

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

According to the latest news in the financial tech sector, in the near future we could see Bitcoin being adopted by the biggest banks in the world.

The Blockchain method of online security comes in the form of a public ledger, which tracks all Bitcoin transactions. Bitcoin enthusiasts and developers alike believe that complete transparency is the only way to purge the (ever-omnipresent) threat of online theft made during transfers.

Nine of the world’s biggest banks share a similar philosophy; Barclays, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, The Royal Bank of Scotland and a few others have all joined the blockchain initiative in a bid to investigate new ways of protecting transfers..

The strong focus on transparency which is now required for larger banks following the recession has led to this new interest in technology such as the Blockchain method. Keeping records in an open yet secure manner will allow banks to maintain their trustworthiness, but keep financial records as secure as possible.

Here at tibdit, we feel it makes perfect sense for large banks to mirror systems created for Bitcoin transactions. In the past, the only threat to Bitcoin security came from hacks on wallets or in the exchanges themselves. By marrying a transparent ledger with the security the bigger banks possess, we could eventually eradicate the worst of the online fraud we battle today.
Whilst the future of online banking is still uncertain, one thing that we might be see is the cost of reporting on transactions falling dramatically once an open ledger system is implemented. That being said, it is unlikely that we’ll see a change overnight, as the use of the Blockchain technology will initially be limited to recording the purchases of stocks and shares. We will also have to wait for the big banks to finalise their studies of the Blockchain technology; there is currently no timetable for the scheduled beginning of technical trials.

Are micropayments the future of gaming?

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

We are currently living in the age of entertainment, with more people playing video games than ever before due to ease of access. More than 51% of smartphone owners use their devices for gaming, and games console sales continue to rise. The question on many people’s lips is how this frenzy for gaming can be monetised in a way that is accessible to everyone. Could small payments be the future of gaming?

Gamecredits certainly seem to think so. As the first open source gaming currency made by and for gamers, Gamecredits is set to integrate cryptocurrency into three of its brand new games.

The first of the small payment-funded game trinity of games launched this week. Named Turbocharged, the game features online racing with players making small bets on race outcomes and missions. The addition of micropayments adds another level of pressure to the frantic no-holds-barred style of play. Gamecredits currently has two other game titles on the horizon, an online fighting game and a four player co-op shooter set in space.  

This bold move by the Gamecredits team should hopefully increase cryptocurrency adoption, eventually leading to a more widespread adoption of the payment alternative across the gaming industry. That being said, Gamecredits are not the first company to attempt this; Metal Gear Solid 5, arguably one of the biggest games to drop this year, surprised fans by incorporating its own micropayments system.

By allowing the player to purchase in-game coins to spend on their military base, Metal Gear Solid 5 has provided an optional micropayments system giving the game another level of depth. The popularity of the game and the warm reception of the micropayments feature gives the team here at tibdit further confidence that tibbing will take off in the future.

With our platform at tibdit being versatile enough to be applied to a variety of gaming options, we don’t think it will be long before tibs are seen across console and tablet-based games. In-game purchases are slowly becoming the norm, and the tib button could soon be coming to a console near you - just watch this space!

North American newspaper’s micropayment system launch is a success!

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

Winnipeg Free Press is the first North American online news outlet to launch a micropayment system, seeing a large number of users switch to pay-per-view subscription.

Currently 1,300 of its 150,000 registered users are now paying a small amount per article they read, with many more predicted to make the switch over the coming months. Winnipeg Free Press estimates that in seven to eight months, they will reach their goal of 5,000.

The current landscape of online micropayments is expanding exponentially. Winnipeg Free Press’ current business model comes in the form of a monthly subscription process, billing the user based on the articles they have read. This is but one example of the many ways frictionless micropayments can be incorporated in the digestion of online content.

Winnipeg Free Press has approached the inevitable problem of user dissatisfaction by providing a refund option, enabling the user to request their money back should they feel like the article in question wasn’t quite up to scratch. This was certainly a gamble, and the potential for users to repeatedly request a refund was an initial worry for Winnipeg Free Press vice president Christian Panson. His fears were allayed by the nearly unanimous response of most readers, who have happily paid without requesting refunds.

Winnipeg Free Press has enjoyed an increased amount of its readers transitioning to a pay-per-article system following its announcement of the innovative paywall structure in February. Panson has gone on to state his goal of 30-40 percent of the Winnipeg Free Press’ reader base being micropayment subscribers, noting that he doesn’t have many brands to compare to.

This is where we at tidbit feel we can help the journalism world. We’re always excited to see different platforms adopting a micropayment system, as it’s well suited as a method of monetising online content. With news outlets like Winnipeg Free Press embracing micropayment systems to provide a positive user experience, it’s only a matter of time before the whole world is taking notice - and tibbing!

Traction & News

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

We’ve been working diligently since the last blog, to partner with particular sectors in the donation space; from charities, to student mags and wellness bloggers ahead of our launch in October.

Our platform is still ‘live’ for existing tibbees and tibbers, but others will roll out when we launch.

Watch this space to find out which tibbees we’ll be bringing onboard.

There’s been a fair bit of press recently around newspapers closing down altogether or moving to online only http://www.theguardian.com/media/newspaper-closures

Also, @Grant Feller has written a very interesting article about micropayments versus free content http://www.forbes.com/sites/grantfeller/2015/08/03/how-micropayments-will-trump-the-foolishness-of-free/

tibdit are in the right space to provide an additional revenue stream.

team tibdit

Successful crowdfunding

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

Following our successful @seedrs crowdfunding exercise, we are delighted to inform you that we now have the resources available to us, to get it right. To this end, we’re going to put our thinking-caps on and work diligently towards building the functionally-rich, innovative and engaging social platform that will radically change the face of internet @donation and content pre-payment.

 

We’re going to ensure tibdit works equally well for the enthusiastic @blogger as it does for the commercial @publisher; that it brings reward for the international @charity in the same manner as the bedroom-guitarist; that we’re all able to say thanks for the great free software download and keep-up the good work.

 

Watch this space and put our launch date of Tuesday 13th October into your diary now. Thanks for your patience and continued support.

the tibdit team.

Microdonations for charities

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

I’ve long held the opinion that @charities need additional avenues for funding. @TheGuardian recently wrote an article about struggling small/medium sized charities which can be found here.  Here are some of the standard methods currently in use:

  • Charity shops - great for people who have the time/inclination to go in to them.
  • Bags put through letter boxes for collection of items for resale - often end up being used as rubbish bags
  • Sponsored events (e.g. @GreatNorthRun, @LondonMarathon) - motivational
  • Cold calls - very annoying or can be upsetting for recipients who can’t afford to donate, but feel pressured into doing so.
  • Charity websites - dependent on people searching for them specifically, and there are minimum donation values which can deter people who don’t have much money.
  • Advertising - expensive for the charity and frustrating for viewers/listeners when they see charity money being used for something other than the issue they’re trying to raise money for.

No matter what the charity is there to help, all of them could benefit from additional funding through @microdonations, to complement teir other avenues.

tibdit.com  hopes to be able to bridge this gap.

Get in touch with your favourite charites to get a tibdit button/url and start earning additional revenue.

Tipping point

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

Sorry about the pun, but I’m strangely attracted to the ‘tipping point’ programme on TV, as sad as that may seem.

We’ve been watching the Seedrs campaign with great excitement and trepidation. Had lots of really good questions about our @micropayment and @microdonation platform, and we’re grateful for all of the interest and faith in our product and us as people.

 

We’re now 100% funded, but would appreciate 200%, for those of you interested. It’s a great opporunity that you can check out  at https://www.seedrs.com/startups/tibdit?promo_code=04RQ4MZS

Over the last few weeks we’ve had the pleasure to meet some charismatic characters including @Duncan Goldie-Scot and 2 of the 3 @threelikeminds team (brilliant guys; check them out at http://threelikeminds.com/ ); we look forward to meeting the 3rd likemind later in May.

Best regards

Team tibdit

 

Investment

Pauline HunterUncategorizedLeave a Comment

Hi All

We’re crowdfunding on @Seedrs. This is a great opportunity to be part of our journey. Please check it out at https://www.seedrs.com/startups/tibdit.  You can invest anything from £10 and become a tibdit shareholder. We can send you a button, or if you invest £200, we can send you a limited edition t-shirt. For £100, you can reclaim 50% tax relief under SEIS.

Come with us, and show your support that this will work. We believe it.

Best regards

team tibdit