📔 Weekly Journal: "Phygital" Boxing Gloves 🥊

[6 min read] Your weekend guide to getting ahead on the digital frontier. Today, the usual market news as well the NFC chips in gloves track fighting data & ensuring authenticity of memorabilia.

Welcome to this week’s Weekly Journal 📔, your guide to the latest news & innovation in emerging technology, digital assets, and our exciting path to the Metaverse. This is week 75 of the 520 weeks of newsletters I have committed to, a decade of documenting our physical and digital lives converge.

New subscribers are encouraged to check out the history & purpose of this newsletter as well as the archive.

Enjoy your weekend! 😎

- Ryan

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🌐 Digital Assets Market Update

🔥🗺️ 7-day heatmap below, which shows the current share of market for the top cryptocurrencies, alongside total marketcap (USD) and the change in price over the last week. Volatile week but no real change.

🎭 Crypto Fear and Greed Index is based on volatility, social media sentiments, surveys, market momentum, and a few other bits and pieces.

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🗞️ Interesting news from this week

🥊 VeChain and UFC collaborate to tokenise fighter gloves, announced during UFC 300. NFC chips in gloves track fighting data on VeChainThor network. VeChain's $100 million UFC sponsorship since 2022 aligns with blockchain integration in sports, enhancing memorabilia value. Blockchain addresses issues like fighter injuries and counterfeit gloves, ensuring authenticity via NFT registration. Gloves become 'phygital' assets, merging physical and digital realms. Post-fight, gloves with fighting data become powerful memorabilia. VeChain and UFC also work on anti-counterfeiting and theft-tracking initiatives. Details revealed by VeChain Foundation's Fabio Konder hint at further developments in blockchain integration for sports

🇺🇸 As we get closer to elections in USA, its going to be interesting to see each candidates stance on Bitcoin and crypto. Looks like Trump might be friendly:

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👓 In the latest XR update, another contender has entered the race for face domination with the introduction of Rokid AR Lite, offering sleek design and advanced features for immersive spatial computing experiences. Click the image below to watch their promo video, not exactly my style but I would love to try them ot.

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👓 Read of the Week

This week’s read is a beginner’s guide to NFTs. If you think they are just monkey pictures selling for silly money, I challenge you to open your mind to the future of digital ownership. Below is their own TL;DR

• Unique Digital Assets: NFTs are distinct digital assets, each with its own unique identifier, differentiating them from interchangeable cryptocurrencies.

• Blockchain Technology: NFTs are created and recorded on blockchain networks, ensuring secure and transparent proof of ownership.

• Digital Ownership and Rights: Owning an NFT often grants a license to use the digital asset rather than full copyright ownership.

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🎥 Watch of the week

I’m starting to see Starlink become more common, especially in New Zealand’s rural communities. I took the time to watch this video and actually learn what it is!

Starlink's role in the emerging metaverse is pivotal, offering widespread access to high-speed internet, essential for immersive virtual experiences. By bridging digital gaps, it promotes inclusivity and expands the metaverse's reach, particularly in remote areas. Its low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity facilitates real-time interactions, enhancing communication and gaming within virtual environments. Starlink's global coverage supports metaverse platform development, driving innovation and participation worldwide. When you stop to think about it, Starlink is integral infrastructure, empowering and shaping the metaverse's evolution.

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AI 🎨🤖🎵✍🏼

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of Bumble, predicts that AI personas will revolutionise dating. She proposes the idea of AI “dating concierges” to assist singles in navigating online interactions, sparking debates about the ethical implications. While some welcome the idea as a solution to dating app fatigue, others express concerns akin to "Black Mirror" scenarios, fearing increased isolation. Whitney advocates for AI to enhance dating experiences, offering guidance and promoting equitable relationships. Despite scepticism, AI-powered dating assistants like YourMove.AI and Volar gain traction, reflecting a growing interest in AI's role in modern romance.

Lots of people dismissed internet dating when it first came out, so no hasty judgment from me

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That’s all for the free version this week! If you have any organisations in mind that could benefit from learning about emerging technology, be sure to reach out. Educational workshops are one of many consulting services I offer.

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DCA With Me 🤑

Dollar Cost Averaging is an investment strategy in which an investor regularly invests a fixed amount of money into a particular asset/asset class at regular intervals, regardless of its current market cycle. By doing so, the investor can reduce the impact of market volatility and potentially earn a better return over time. Motto = time IN the market beats trying to time the market

To experiment with this, I invest $50 NZD into a Digital Asset every week. Each week I will choose an asset that seems underpriced in the short term and has positive long-term potential. My timeframe is 3-5 years. I don’t give financial advice but if you want to follow along with me you can use my easycrypto.co.nz referral link to support this newsletter. Let’s dive into this week’s pick: