Every night I look at the stars and wish I could fly.  Today,  I have become a citizen of Asgardia!

I'm ready to begin this amazing journey!

I can not wait for this journey to begin. I am  a hard working man, a family man, and hope I can get a position in police or security, I know I would be a great asset to assuring the safety of my fellow Asgadrians.

What is Camera Effects Platform ?

Before all else, let’s get closer to the subject and clarify what the Camera Effects Platform is and what it is needed for.

Camera Effects Platform is a set of tools that allow developers to use the camera as an AR platform. Mark Zuckerberg saw huge potential here because now almost everyone has a smartphone with a good camera and enough processing capacity to work with AR technologies (thank you, Mark!). Earlier, we believed that only VR goggles are capable of this.

The platform is powered by an augmented reality engine, which provides face tracking features, 3D rendering and JavaScript framework for free.

Business opportunities with Camera Effects Platform

Camera Effects app platform can become a pot of gold for those who understand all the opportunities it gives. The biggest benefit of the platform is that it doesn’t require any additional expensive hardware to use. Actually, it’s vice versa. The platform works on a piece of hardware that almost everyone already has . On a smartphone! Which means that you can use all the opportunities of the Camera Effects Platform without any extra expenditures.

Let’s see how businesses can take advantage of the Frame Studio, at first:

Frame Studio business opportunities

Users encouragement

You can also encourage users to create the best photo frame for your company or brand and then choose one, rewarding the winner.

Brand awareness

If you create a frame, designed in the colours and style of your company brand, you can improve brand awareness and users’ engagement. For instance, your users can take a selfie with your photo frame and post it in social media for a reward, a discount or bonuses. To make it even more fun, you can pin your frame in a particular place, only for a short period of time.

With AR camera Studio , your business can do much more. There are thousands of ways you can benefit with it. Let’s take a look at some of them:

AR Studio business opportunities

Virtual comments

With the feature to add notes to real objects, you can allow customers of your restaurant (or a cafe or a bar) to leave comments on the walls of your place, so everyone can read how others rated you. It is a new fun way to engage users to participate.

Interactive maps

Just like comments, the notes on walls or the ground can help people to get to a particular place, like your office or cafe. It would also be great to use this feature for quizzes, where customers have to find a place or an object with the help of tips “left” on the walls or floor.

Virtual menu

How cool would it be to come to a restaurant and see the menu on a table? A customer can choose a language and you don’t need to print a set of new books every month or so.

Virtual galleries

Museums and art galleries can use the technology to place notes near articles, to tell their origin and history. Or, an art gallery can come to a customer’s apartment or anywhere a person wants to see it via their camera on a smartphone.

Interactive manuals

Imagine, that there is no need for manuals and instructions. A person who bought an appliance can see how to use it with the help of his camera, at the moment he points it at a device.

Virtual notes

You can create an app where a wife can leave virtual notes on a fridge and an alert on her husband’s phone to check it before leaving for work. An app where a man can leave his love confession on the ground near a house where the girl lives and send her a notification to check it (great way to save community property, by the way).

Virtual objects and devices

Virtual objects added to the real world is not new to us. IKEA, a company that sells furniture and everything for homes, already uses this feature. After downloading the IKEA app, users can “fit” the pieces of furniture they like in their homes. With the new Facebook Camera Effects Platform, everyone will have a chance to add the same feature to their apps. And it is not only about furniture . Mark Zuckerberg offered to create a virtual TV app where people can watch virtual TV everywhere they want, instead of buying real expensive devices.

Games advancement

Games, that already use VR technologies but work only with goggles, soon will be available to anyone who has a smartphone.

Interactive aducation

The platform can be used in educational apps. For instance, a medical student can perform surgeries on virtual patients. Different simulators would also work great.

Virtual tours

Tourists agencies now can show all the views of a place a person wants to visit on an office table.

Virtual makeup

Computer vision recognizes objects and faces, reacts to their changes and changes VR with it. Moreover, 3D masks that cover face and moves with it allows users to create such effects as virtual makeup. Imagine, you can try on something from a shop sitting at home or see how you would look with another hair colour and length and much more.

Lots and lots of ideas can be applied based on the technology so generously offered by Mark Zuckerberg and his development team. Every AR effect that only chosen ones could use is now available to anyone . All spheres and all industries can use it. Now, everyone has a chance to create an awesome application with such great technologies which will only improve in the future.

Fintech App Developers

What is FinTech startup? We decided to structure awarded startups and divide them into 3 categories:

1. Startups for analytical data collection in social media;

2. Startups for recognition of oral and written speech;

3. Startups for financial consulting.

Startups for analytical data collection in social media

Neener Analytics

Area : behavior analytics in social media

Project guarantees 80% of accuracy in determination of FICO score (a key tool for measurement of consumer credit risk level in the USA) on the basis of analysis of one social media profile. Moreover, with the help of this analysis, they can tell you whether your borrower will return funds within the whole period and repay a debt or repay it before/prior to the due date. It is an innovation in FinTech .

Neener Analytics tool for social media analysis

Alpharank

Area : API for data collection in social media

Alpharank in autonomous mode helps understand how clients affect each other's buying behavior. Their technology uses analysis of a user purchase history and social experiences in Facebook.

Alpharank determines the cost of each customer on the basis of the influence of their purchase on others. Developers say that this data will help optimize e-mail marketing, loyalty programs, referral programs and coupons as well as campaigns in social media. The main fields of such technology application are e-commerce, tickets sale, and banking market as well, so it can show the FinTech impact on banks .

Alpharank API for analyzing clients' buying behavior

Startups for recognition of oral and written speech

Capitalise

Area: written speech recognition for asset management.

Capitalise simplifies investment process by recognizing and understanding the text written by investors.

You explain in simple language your investment strategy to a robot that automates the trading process. Automated management of company's portfolio is based on investment scenarios users can analyze and optimize for efficiency increase. In addition to the user request, the platform also suggests alternative and more efficient strategies. Due to the power of FinTech, small business can get benefits from such startup.

Capitalise tool to make your investments smarter

According to founders, only large investors could afford themselves such mechanism, and banks could support personal event managers for such large investors.

Fintech App Developers

What is FinTech startup? We decided to structure awarded startups and divide them into 3 categories:

1. Startups for analytical data collection in social media;

2. Startups for recognition of oral and written speech;

3. Startups for financial consulting.

Startups for analytical data collection in social media

Neener Analytics

Area : behavior analytics in social media

Project guarantees 80% of accuracy in determination of FICO score (a key tool for measurement of consumer credit risk level in the USA) on the basis of analysis of one social media profile. Moreover, with the help of this analysis, they can tell you whether your borrower will return funds within the whole period and repay a debt or repay it before/prior to the due date. It is an innovation in FinTech .

Neener Analytics tool for social media analysis

Alpharank

Area : API for data collection in social media

Alpharank in autonomous mode helps understand how clients affect each other's buying behavior. Their technology uses analysis of a user purchase history and social experiences in Facebook.

Alpharank determines the cost of each customer on the basis of the influence of their purchase on others. Developers say that this data will help optimize e-mail marketing, loyalty programs, referral programs and coupons as well as campaigns in social media. The main fields of such technology application are e-commerce, tickets sale, and banking market as well, so it can show the FinTech impact on banks .

Alpharank API for analyzing clients' buying behavior

Startups for recognition of oral and written speech

Capitalise

Area: written speech recognition for asset management.

Capitalise simplifies investment process by recognizing and understanding the text written by investors.

You explain in simple language your investment strategy to a robot that automates the trading process. Automated management of company's portfolio is based on investment scenarios users can analyze and optimize for efficiency increase. In addition to the user request, the platform also suggests alternative and more efficient strategies. Due to the power of FinTech, small business can get benefits from such startup.

Capitalise tool to make your investments smarter

According to founders, only large investors could afford themselves such mechanism, and banks could support personal event managers for such large investors.

Who benefits of using CRM solutions

The answer is pretty simple. Both sides: businesses and customers. However, before choosing a CRM system, you need to understand whether a client-oriented approach meets the principles of your business. There is no need to use such systems within your business model without a sufficient justification, only because such systems exist and work for some other business.

For example, such businesses as online stores, wholesale companies or beauty salons will not be able to work effectively without paying enough attention to incoming calls. After all, the fulfillment of orders and customers’ satisfaction are very important for each of these businesses. It’s the only way to gain loyal customers .

So, if your business model is based upon the importance of incoming calls or requests (leads) from new customers, or if your business makes effort to obtain and retain new customers, you will gain benefits of using a CRM system.

Benefits of a CRM system for eCommerce

Here are some ways how introduction CRM in eCommerce can help you improve the quality of customer service.

Advantages of CRM software for eCommerce

• Sales growth. Representatives of the sales and customer service department will be able to access information, such as customer order history, payment history, product inventory, and so on. This deep insight will allow to apply a more personalized approach to customers.
• Improved demand and supply planning. Ecommerce CRM software provides demand-driven planning feature as well. Now the company can better predict the demand for its products and better manage its reserves (sales, search, manufacturing, etc.).
• Targeted marketing and advertising campaigns. Due to the centralized information, you can launch targeted and personalized marketing and advertising campaigns.
• CRM solutions allow to create self-service portals for your customers to access the status of their order, track the shipment, check inventory and much more.
• Improved after-sales service. Having all the necessary information, you will be able to better serve customers after the sale, making more personalized offers.
• Integrated RMA Management. Return Merchandise Authorization or RMA may also be among CRM benefits. What does it mean? A support representative who has all need information can find the most suited approach the customer's problem solving on phone or using remote diagnostics.
• Reduced costs and losses. Automatic synchronization of information eliminates the need for manual data transmission, which is subject to errors and can lead to unsuccessful client’s experience.

• How to choose a CRM system

  
  The first step in choosing a CRM system for your business is to identify the goals and objectives you are pursuing. Then, you are ready to investigate the market of currently available CRM systems . Take some time to decide on the functionality and budget that you are willing to spend on implementing your CRM system. Will it be an individual solution or a ready-made option? Let’s figure it out. Here are a few options you should be aware of.
• 
  Cloud CRM system (SaaS)
  The main point is that all information is stored in the cloud. Cloud solution is perfect for small and medium businesses as it does not require extra money for additional equipment and technical personnel.
• 
  Standalone CRM solutions
  Quite obvious that you will have to need your own server. However, unlike cloud technologies, you can fully adapt the system to your needs.
• 
  Individual eCommerce CRM
  The system is tailored to match all your individual business needs and the requirements of your customers.
• 
  Off-the-shelf solutions
  They can be adopted by almost any business. Though they may not be a perfect fit for your company, their development costs and speed to deploy will offset the disadvantages.
• 
  The question is whether to use a ready-made software offered by various vendors, such as Salesforce , Oracle , and Zoho or to develop your own solution from scratch . Therefore, we want to consider the advantages and disadvantages of CRM developed from scratch and customized off-the-shelf solutions with the use of the provided SDKs.

Vue js Vs React js

What is better: Vue.js advantages and benefits of using React.js

Now it is the time to start comparing. What should we use in one case or another?

#1. Need an app with templates? Vue is up to you

Vue attributes should be added to HTML layout - it is a necessary action. It may remind a data-binding feature in Angular library, and directives are targeted for adding functionality on the page. Let's imagine an example of a simple Vue app that displays a message and contains a button name of which can be changed to the opposite by clicking.

This process can be implemented much faster due to Vue.js template. In the case of React, it avoids templates and it requires from the developer to activate DOM in JavaScript that is automated with JSX. So the same app will require more actions from the user.

Working with Vue template

If you want to use templates, you will have to learn advanced HTML. But if you need to write simple functions, standard HTML and JavaScript can be enough. Moreover, the advantage of the creation of functions lies in the easier testing process as well.

However, in the second release of Vue, you can use both templates and create functions.

#2. Don't want to complicate things? Choose a Vue

A simple app written using Vue can be uploaded from the browser directly without a transpilation. It allows the user to add Vue library to the project easily, like jQuery.

You can do it in React library as well, but more often React-written code is based on JSX and ES more.

Vue.js examples' simplicity is reflected in its design. We can compare how two frameworks can process value in the app.

React compares current and previous value - it makes it possible for React to understand when and what to add to DOM. That is the reason why it is impossible to change the value directly.

As for Vue, all data is changed there without any troubles. It may seem that the Vue rendering process lacks React efficiency, but it is not correct. Vue is constantly monitoring DOM conditions and automatically changes values once it is changed. So this process in Vue is not only more capacious but also more efficient comparing to React.

However, everything is not so shiny concerning Vue. Vue cannot monitor editing of values, their deletion, and other massive changes. These shortcomings can be eliminated using React set-methods. So it can give a notion of what is Vue.js .

#3. Need a small and fast app? Vue is waiting for you

Both React and Vue create virtual DOM and sync it to a real DOM once data inside is changed. Both libraries have tools for the optimization of this process.

Vue developers tried to make Vue's rendering system faster than that one of React's. As for library size, Vue gains the lead here. The last release of Vue framework is minimized up to 25.6 kb.

But if you want to get all React tools, you will have to download React DOM (37,4 kb), React library (11.4 kb), and now it is two times heavier than Vue. At the same time, you will get more APIs from React.

#4. Need a large app? React is at your disposal

Comparing simple apps developed on the basis of React and Vue, the majority of developers can give their preference to Vue. It is because apps that are created using templates can be developed more easily.

But these benefits can slow down the development process if the app will increase in sizes. App templates are subject to bugs in the process of the implementation of specific tasks, and it is not easy to restructure and divide this app into components. So when you think about a large web app, create React app.

But JS templates can be structured to components and they have a clean reusable code. Testing of the app is implemented more quickly as well.

History of React.js and Vue.js

So, React is advantageous in large apps when readability and possibility to test code are crucial.

#5. Looking for a library for your web or mobile app development? You need a React.

React Native is a library that helps to develop mobile apps in JavaScript language. It is almost the same as React.js, but there are native components, not the web. If a developer had an experience of working with React.js, it wouldn't be a problem for him to learn React Native.

It is very important that it can build an app for web or mobile without additional skills and tools. Learning React gives the developer an undisputed advantage if he or she plans to develop both web and mobile apps. Now do you see why use React.js ?

Vue.js cannot boast about such features so here React is leading undoubtedly.

#6. Need a large development mechanism? React is the leader.

For sure, React today is a more popular library that has 2.5 million downloads per month. While Vue library has only 225,000 downloads per month.

Popularity is not just a small advantage. It means more discussions, manuals, guides and so on. More add-ons for integration into the project, it saves time and efforts of the developer since he or she can use ready-made solutions.

Both frameworks are open source, but React was created by Facebook team. This is also a strong side. Companies and developers that prefer React can be confident in the long-term technical support of the library. You can find React.js templates all over the Internet.

As for Vue, it was created by one developer whose name is Evan You. He is performing technical support of the library. There are no teams of specialists.

Nevertheless, Vue popularity is growing, and it constantly shows new updates, and new releases. There are a few thousand open and resolved issues on GitHub.

What is the verdict?

In fact, if you use one library in a successful way, there is no sense to change it. To sum up our research, let's list strong sides of both frameworks in a nutshell.

Vue.js pros:

• Flexibility when creating templates and rendering;
• Simplicity of syntax and project development;
• A small size of the library and faster integration.

Advantages of React.js:

• Better for large app development;
• Easier in testing and learning;
• Applicable for cross-platform development;
• A larger system of add-ons and tools.

Strong sides of Vue and React

But anyway React and Vue are exclusive UI libraries that have more similarities than differences. Their best features include the following:

• Quick interaction with virtual DOM;
• Not large size;
• Quickly responding components;
• Can be used on server's part;
• Simple sync to the router, simple management of conditions.

Vue js Vs React js

What is better: Vue.js advantages and benefits of using React.js

Now it is the time to start comparing. What should we use in one case or another?

#1. Need an app with templates? Vue is up to you

Vue attributes should be added to HTML layout - it is a necessary action. It may remind a data-binding feature in Angular library, and directives are targeted for adding functionality on the page. Let's imagine an example of a simple Vue app that displays a message and contains a button name of which can be changed to the opposite by clicking.

This process can be implemented much faster due to Vue.js template. In the case of React, it avoids templates and it requires from the developer to activate DOM in JavaScript that is automated with JSX. So the same app will require more actions from the user.

Working with Vue template

If you want to use templates, you will have to learn advanced HTML. But if you need to write simple functions, standard HTML and JavaScript can be enough. Moreover, the advantage of the creation of functions lies in the easier testing process as well.

However, in the second release of Vue, you can use both templates and create functions.

#2. Don't want to complicate things? Choose a Vue

A simple app written using Vue can be uploaded from the browser directly without a transpilation. It allows the user to add Vue library to the project easily, like jQuery.

You can do it in React library as well, but more often React-written code is based on JSX and ES more.

Vue.js examples' simplicity is reflected in its design. We can compare how two frameworks can process value in the app.

React compares current and previous value - it makes it possible for React to understand when and what to add to DOM. That is the reason why it is impossible to change the value directly.

As for Vue, all data is changed there without any troubles. It may seem that the Vue rendering process lacks React efficiency, but it is not correct. Vue is constantly monitoring DOM conditions and automatically changes values once it is changed. So this process in Vue is not only more capacious but also more efficient comparing to React.

However, everything is not so shiny concerning Vue. Vue cannot monitor editing of values, their deletion, and other massive changes. These shortcomings can be eliminated using React set-methods. So it can give a notion of what is Vue.js .

#3. Need a small and fast app? Vue is waiting for you

Both React and Vue create virtual DOM and sync it to a real DOM once data inside is changed. Both libraries have tools for the optimization of this process.

Vue developers tried to make Vue's rendering system faster than that one of React's. As for library size, Vue gains the lead here. The last release of Vue framework is minimized up to 25.6 kb.

But if you want to get all React tools, you will have to download React DOM (37,4 kb), React library (11.4 kb), and now it is two times heavier than Vue. At the same time, you will get more APIs from React.

#4. Need a large app? React is at your disposal

Comparing simple apps developed on the basis of React and Vue, the majority of developers can give their preference to Vue. It is because apps that are created using templates can be developed more easily.

But these benefits can slow down the development process if the app will increase in sizes. App templates are subject to bugs in the process of the implementation of specific tasks, and it is not easy to restructure and divide this app into components. So when you think about a large web app, create React app.

But JS templates can be structured to components and they have a clean reusable code. Testing of the app is implemented more quickly as well.

History of React.js and Vue.js

So, React is advantageous in large apps when readability and possibility to test code are crucial.

#5. Looking for a library for your web or mobile app development? You need a React.

React Native is a library that helps to develop mobile apps in JavaScript language. It is almost the same as React.js, but there are native components, not the web. If a developer had an experience of working with React.js, it wouldn't be a problem for him to learn React Native.

It is very important that it can build an app for web or mobile without additional skills and tools. Learning React gives the developer an undisputed advantage if he or she plans to develop both web and mobile apps. Now do you see why use React.js ?

Vue.js cannot boast about such features so here React is leading undoubtedly.

#6. Need a large development mechanism? React is the leader.

For sure, React today is a more popular library that has 2.5 million downloads per month. While Vue library has only 225,000 downloads per month.

Popularity is not just a small advantage. It means more discussions, manuals, guides and so on. More add-ons for integration into the project, it saves time and efforts of the developer since he or she can use ready-made solutions.

Both frameworks are open source, but React was created by Facebook team. This is also a strong side. Companies and developers that prefer React can be confident in the long-term technical support of the library. You can find React.js templates all over the Internet.

As for Vue, it was created by one developer whose name is Evan You. He is performing technical support of the library. There are no teams of specialists.

Nevertheless, Vue popularity is growing, and it constantly shows new updates, and new releases. There are a few thousand open and resolved issues on GitHub.

What is the verdict?

In fact, if you use one library in a successful way, there is no sense to change it. To sum up our research, let's list strong sides of both frameworks in a nutshell.

Vue.js pros:

• Flexibility when creating templates and rendering;
• Simplicity of syntax and project development;
• A small size of the library and faster integration.

Advantages of React.js:

• Better for large app development;
• Easier in testing and learning;
• Applicable for cross-platform development;
• A larger system of add-ons and tools.

Strong sides of Vue and React

But anyway React and Vue are exclusive UI libraries that have more similarities than differences. Their best features include the following:

• Quick interaction with virtual DOM;
• Not large size;
• Quickly responding components;
• Can be used on server's part;
• Simple sync to the router, simple management of conditions.

AI in agriculture

What is Mixed Reality?

Mixed Reality (MR) is a term gaining its popularity today. It defines a combination or union of two virtual environments where two worlds coexist together. Sometimes a mixed reality is called a hybrid reality.

Let's discover some mixed reality examples. It makes it possible to simultaneously investigate a virtual environment and real world as a single whole. Using real environment and coordinates virtual objects can be placed in a real world. When a user approaches a certain object, it is enlarging, when moves away - it is shrinking. Owing to a virtual reality, users can explore an object from different angles and at any distance. Besides, a mixed reality allows users to affect virtual object and interact with them as if they were in the same place.

Mixed reality in action

Mixed reality can turn your smartphone into an interactive handbook where the informational environment for places we are located in is building on. How does MR technology affect farming ? 3D-mapping technology makes it possible to turn fields into the virtual environment where farmers can generate different scenarios of crop cultivation, even if they seem fantastic in real life. Special software combined with webcams in a virtual environment augment physical objects as well as integrate us into the virtual world.

Owing to unique capabilities and experience a hybrid reality has, developers start investigating different ways of efficient use of this technology in diversified areas. Present-day medicine, architecture, education, and smart farming are the most advantageous fields for the application of a hybrid reality technology.

Machine learning in agriculture

Machine learning - a complex statistics application for search of consistent patterns in data and development of required forecasts - has eased the process of a task assignment. Developers do not have any longer to build special programs for their computers to solve one task or another. Instead of this, a computer is taught to find the problem by itself, without any assistance. A real breakthrough in the world of information technologies. And, considering technical capabilities of AI, agriculture field cannot be ignored.

History of machine learning has begun in the 1950s when computer scientists managed to teach a computer to play chess. Since then, together with computing capacity, the complexity of consistent patterns and forecasts computer is capable of drafting and detecting has been growing. As well as the complexity of problems computer can resolve today, and farming problems are also included in this list. Moreover, machine learning is a subdivision of artificial intelligence (AI) , so complex methods of smart intelligence are applied in ML technology.

AI pyramid - machine learning position

How does ML work in farming practices ? The algorithm gets a range of training data and then uses it for requests processing. For example, you can upload in the computer a few pictures with the description like 'A flower is depicted on the image' and 'There are no flowers at this image'. If you add new images to the database after this, it will start identifying pictures with flowers on its own.

The algorithm keeps on improving. Right and wrong results of an image recognition are sent to the database, and software is becoming smarter with every processed image. In some sense, such process can be compared to building a muscle - the more you train, the stronger you get. The more images you have downloaded in the program, the more precise result it will produce.

AI in agriculture

What is Mixed Reality?

Mixed Reality (MR) is a term gaining its popularity today. It defines a combination or union of two virtual environments where two worlds coexist together. Sometimes a mixed reality is called a hybrid reality.

Let's discover some mixed reality examples. It makes it possible to simultaneously investigate a virtual environment and real world as a single whole. Using real environment and coordinates virtual objects can be placed in a real world. When a user approaches a certain object, it is enlarging, when moves away - it is shrinking. Owing to a virtual reality, users can explore an object from different angles and at any distance. Besides, a mixed reality allows users to affect virtual object and interact with them as if they were in the same place.

Mixed reality in action

Mixed reality can turn your smartphone into an interactive handbook where the informational environment for places we are located in is building on. How does MR technology affect farming ? 3D-mapping technology makes it possible to turn fields into the virtual environment where farmers can generate different scenarios of crop cultivation, even if they seem fantastic in real life. Special software combined with webcams in a virtual environment augment physical objects as well as integrate us into the virtual world.

Owing to unique capabilities and experience a hybrid reality has, developers start investigating different ways of efficient use of this technology in diversified areas. Present-day medicine, architecture, education, and smart farming are the most advantageous fields for the application of a hybrid reality technology.

Machine learning in agriculture

Machine learning - a complex statistics application for search of consistent patterns in data and development of required forecasts - has eased the process of a task assignment. Developers do not have any longer to build special programs for their computers to solve one task or another. Instead of this, a computer is taught to find the problem by itself, without any assistance. A real breakthrough in the world of information technologies. And, considering technical capabilities of AI, agriculture field cannot be ignored.

History of machine learning has begun in the 1950s when computer scientists managed to teach a computer to play chess. Since then, together with computing capacity, the complexity of consistent patterns and forecasts computer is capable of drafting and detecting has been growing. As well as the complexity of problems computer can resolve today, and farming problems are also included in this list. Moreover, machine learning is a subdivision of artificial intelligence (AI) , so complex methods of smart intelligence are applied in ML technology.

AI pyramid - machine learning position

How does ML work in farming practices ? The algorithm gets a range of training data and then uses it for requests processing. For example, you can upload in the computer a few pictures with the description like 'A flower is depicted on the image' and 'There are no flowers at this image'. If you add new images to the database after this, it will start identifying pictures with flowers on its own.

The algorithm keeps on improving. Right and wrong results of an image recognition are sent to the database, and software is becoming smarter with every processed image. In some sense, such process can be compared to building a muscle - the more you train, the stronger you get. The more images you have downloaded in the program, the more precise result it will produce.

If you hadn’t heard, Asgardia just reached the end of its first election that saw rise to passionate debates, inspirational platforms and innovative solutions to some of the biggest problems facing the nation.

The final voting period of the election is now closed and we’re on the cusp of making history and putting together our first ever Parliament and while there may have been some bumps along the way and some valuable lessons learnt, we’ve achieved something truly amazing.

What’s next?

Now that all the votes are in, there are still a few steps that will be required before our first parliament is fully formed and the process is expected to be concluded around the 31 ^st of March 2018 (06 April 0002).

Asgardia is taking the election process seriously and not only will the votes be counted by the Counting Commission , who will check the voting logfiles, but to further help ensure that all the votes that candidates have were gained fairly and legitimately, several independent companies have also been asked to analyse the votes.

Once each of the votes have been verified, candidates who met the requirements (including the mandatory donation) will be contacted individually and informed of their successful election and formally invited to an event in Vienna which will be the first meeting of Asgardian Parliament.

The event in Vienna is expected to be expenses paid to enable as many of the newly elected members of Parliament to attend as possible and will be attended by both press and other prominent figures with an interest in the space nation.

Once this event (which is expected to last several days) has concluded we will have the first Asgardian Parliament and it will be time for them to return home and start getting to work on building the nation, picking a government and putting laws into place.

Got questions?

If you want to know more about the elections or the election process, drop an eMail to Citizens@Asgardia.space

What does a localized app mean?

To decide what type of app local or global you want to build, we need to understand what both mean. Local app is an application that provides some community specific needs. It’s an app that was designed to develop some specific purposes of people that live in a particular country or area. For people from other countries, such apps can be not even uninteresting but pointless.

Global app is an app that covers a large territory and has no limits for downloads. Usually, such applications are not tied to any country or nationality.

Best local apps examples

We all know the names of the most popular worldwide applications that are famous and recognizable all over the globe. Apps like Instagram, Facebook, Vine, Tinder or Periscope probably need no special introduction. However, there are lots of apps that gained huge popularity in a particular country or area . Let’s take a look at them and the stories behind their success.

Taobao

Taobao is an e-commerce app that works similarly to E-bay or Wish apps. The project was developed by Alibaba group in 2003. It has a C2C business model (customer to customer) and gives small business and retailers an opportunity to work on Chinese online shopping market. The app had more than 370 mln users in 2010.

Taobao website screenshot

There are two ways how sellers can make a deal. They can announce a fixed price on some goods or to auction. Each customer can rate a seller, comment his work or complain in a case of indecent treatment.

Now, the app and site work all over the world. Nevertheless, China and Chinese speaking countries are still the main customers here.

Teen Patti

Teen Patti is a gambling card game, developed specifically for the Indian audience. Why? Because it’s a traditional game for Indian people which they can play now in a mobile app and on the site. The game itself is a simplified version of poker.

Teen Patti app screenshot

For many years there were no games specially designed for the Indian market. People tend to adopted western trends instead of creating something for themselves. To tell the truth, for a long time there was no such need as only a few people had smartphones at that times. However, it has changed and as we all know, if there is a demand there will be an offer.

Pandora Radio

The story of Pandora Radio app creation is amazing. It all started many years ago when a group of enthusiasts decided to process songs in a very unusual way. They hired professional musicians who defined 400 characteristics of each song and put all this data into a database. The project changed its purpose many times. What we have now is a music app which memorizes your preferences and offers you the songs with a strong likelihood that you will enjoy them even if you haven’t heard them yet.

Pandora Radio app screenshots

The app is available only if you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The reason of such limited geography is music licensing. However, we hope that it will change soon and the app will be available all over the world.

TransitTimes+

One more extra popular local app is TransitTimes+. It’s an app that works in Australia. It shows all the public transport facilities in Australia making locals’ lives easier. You can not download the app unless you are in the country. Which is rather sensible because why would you want to know what time the train from Lynbrook to Endeavour Hills lives (if there is such) if you are not in Melbourne.

TransitTimes + app screenshots

There are lots of apps of this type. All of them became ultra popular for good reason. Many of them plan to expand their geography and become global and something tells me that they will manage to do it. Yet, without a small start in a limited area, it would be impossible to do.

It is a very typical question to a developer or a product owner whether it is better to create a local or global application . There is no right or wrong answer. Yet, we’d like to explain why with some apps it is better to start local and when it is better to introduce your app to the whole world.

Globalization vs Localization

Let’s look closer at the cases when small application localization is not a fault but an asset.

When local app development is preferable

Strong national idea

If your app just like Teen Patti has a very nationalized idea or connected with a tradition or custom then it is better to make it local. It doesn’t mean that people in other countries will not be interested in your app at all. However, it is better not to rely on this audience from the very beginning.

You already have a small local business

If you are an owner of a cafe or a restaurant (only in one country) and you’ve decided to develop an app for iOS or Android you probably understand that people (at least not many of them) from other countries will book a table or order food with delivery from your place. The same with a taxi, delivery services, and other services on demand.

Apps for specific spots

What we mean here is that you’re developing an app that has to solve issues of a particular place . For instance, it can be a parking application, apps for airports and other places tied to a specific geoposition.

Event apps and city guides

Such applications have bright future. However, it is better to start with limited area. Only when your product becomes popular you can go further and expand your business.

In-house apps

Applications developed specifically for one company are rarely global. Mostly because there is no such need.

If any of mentioned above cases describe your future project then you need to apply a localization strategy .

Originally  - Choosing App Localization For Your App Based On the Target Audience Of the Project

If you have not been to Asgardia.space this morning you will be greeted with the following announcement. Attached to it is the Preliminary List of Candidates.  This document shows the field of potential MPs narrowed to 94:

District 1, English (64 Seats): 38

District 2, Chinese (12 Seats): 1

District 3, Turkish (14 Seats): 13

District 4, Spanish (16 Seats): 6

District 5, Italian (7 Seats): 7

District 6, French (6 Seats): 6

District 7, Russian (6 Seats): 6

District 8, Arabic (3 Seats): 3

District 9, Portuguese (4 Seats): 2

District 10, German (3 Seats): 2

District 11, FARSI (1 Seat): 1

District 12, Hindi (3 Seats): 2

District 13, Others (11 Seats): 7

Total: 94

As anticipated the entire 150 seats of Parliament has not been filled and this list of 94 candidates may be cut down even further based on interviews (though not mentioned below) with the Central Electoral Commission and validation of votes and whether fraud was or was not found with any of the candidates. To my knowledge the order of the names on the list is random and having no implied preference.  And now the announcement:

“In accordance with Decree No 14 by the Head of Nation from 1 February 2018 (4 February 0002 by the Asgardian calendar) and Article 48 of the Constitution of Asgardia, the Asgardian parliamentary elections have concluded on 9 March 2018 (12 March 0002).

The preliminary list of candidates who have met the mandatory requirements in accordance with the previously published Central Electoral Commission (CEC) Regulations on the Final Round of the Parliamentary Elections is included in the attachment.

If any of your personal information is incorrectly reported on the preliminary list, candidates are asked to immediately write to elections@asgardia.space . They must put "Elections - correction" in the subject line.

Candidates who have submitted guarantee letters for payment of the registration fee must pay the said fee by 31 March 2018 (6 April 0002) to confirm their candidacy. In case of nonpayment of the registration fee by the stated date, the guarantee letter is voided.

During a two-week period, the Counting Commission will check the voting logfiles, confirm their legality, and the absence or determination of the occurrence of falsification during the election. The Counting Commission will present the results of its work to the CEC by 31 March 2018 (6 April 0002).

In accordance with Decree No 14 by the Head of Nation, the CEC will present the draft of Decree No 16 to the Head of Nation, "On the results of parliamentary elections of Asgardia."”

"Parliament Candidates, what can you do in five years to help Asgardia work towards a space station? How can we plan, research, and budget in the near future to lay a foundation which lets us grow towards a habitat in orbit or on the moon?"

The first I can do is to recognize that no one person can achieve this goal.  The next is to understand that I am not a subject matter expert in the technologies that will get us into space.  I do have a technology background and work in the Information Technology field.  I believe some of my strongest contributions to this endeavor is my ability to build people and teams; level headiness is high-pressure situations.  I will work collaboratively with subject matter experts in the various specialties leading to the final goal.  I tend to be a realist.  The general road map to space habitation is as follows:

• Securing the financial future of Asgardia
• 
  
• Gaining recognition as an independent country
• 
  
• Acceptance as a member of the United Nations
• 
  
• Acquire the funding to develop the base or foundation technologies that will lead to space habitation
• 
  
• Acquire the technical expertise.
• 
  
• Developing the technology for long-term space habitation.  Alternately, you would only allow short-term stays until the technology catches up.

With respect to the technological and human factors we must overcome, please read the following article: https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/astronaut-scott-kelly-on-the-devastating-effects-of-a-year-in-space-20170922-gyn9iw.html

I have seen theories on how to create artificial gravity in space but neither NASA in the USA or Russia have actually put forth this technology.  We will also need to reduce the radiation exposure to earth levels.  We must overcome these two fundamental technologies for the safe habitation of space.

The following is my contribution to securing Asgardia’s financial future.  It is on piece of the puzzle but I believe it to have great potential:

https://asgardia.space/en/blog/24002-asgardia39s-financial-independencenbsp/

In my mind, this is all possible as long as we work together and not push the timeline due to arbitrary political goals.  Let space habitation happen only when the technology has been successfully developed.

“Asgardia.  One People And One Vision. Together We Can.”

https://asgardia.space/en/blog/22849-candidate-for-parliament/