How to Survive the Gig Economy

If you’re considering leaving a traditional full-time job to be a part of the gig economy, here are 4 reasons to do it

1.     You get to do what you love, unlike the 44% of millennials who wish they had chosen a job they enjoy more.

2.     You’ll make good money. 1 in 5 full-time independent workers make over $100,000.

3.     You’ll get more work done. Only 30% of US employees describe themselves as engaged at work.

4.     You’ll enjoy a better work-life balance. 69% of millennials wish they had chosen a job with better work-life balance.

Still not convinced? This infographic below from Self Lender breaks down the concept of the gig economy and shares the top five highest-paying fields.

ETHEREUM MINING: HOW IT WORKS

mintdice.com

Ethereum is currently the third-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization and has had its fair share of the spotlight as a platform for building decentralized applications. Its founder Vitalik Buterin has also become a thought leader within the space, and the platform continues to grow despite recently encountering ups and downs.

The comparison between Bitcoin and Ethereum is a common one, and one aspect in which there are very similar is mining. This is the process of securing and sustaining a blockchain network by validating transactions and allowing continuous flow of cryptocurrency within the system. The individuals responsible for mining, are called miners, and they use both complex hardware and software to achieve this.

HOW DOES ETHEREUM MINING WORK?

Ethereum platform runs on blockchain technology, an immutable digital ledger in which all the network’s transactions are recorded. Typically, a blockchain consists of a chain of blocks (batches of transactions). Miners are tasked with adding new blocks to the blockchain in exchange for a reward in the form of 5 ETH.

Although anyone with the resources can mine Ethereum, the process is competitive. This is because Ethereum uses a mining system known as a Proof-of-Work (PoW) to select which miners can append the blockchain. Bitcoin also uses this algorithm but with a few differences. A PoW system requires miners to use computational power to solve certain puzzles with fluctuating difficulty. All the miners continue to guess the answer to the problem until someone figures it out and wins.

Ethereum uses a specific Proof-of-Work algorithm known as ‘ethash,’ which requires more memory to function correctly. This makes it difficult for miners with ASIC devices to mine the currency. ASICs are expensive and in systems like Bitcoin where only a few people can afford to buy them, the steep price can lead to unfair mining distribution. Ethash has succeeded in making Ethereum ASIC-proof, and for now, there are no dedicated Ethereum ASICS on the market.

The Ethereum mining process happens in a few critical steps:

• Miners run a block’s header metadata (which is different for every block) through a hash function which subsequently returns a string of numbers. This string is typically scrambled and fixed in length. All that changes is the nonce value, and this directly affects the resulting hash value.
• When a miner finds a hash that matches the current puzzle answer, they are rewarded in ETH and allowed to broadcast the mined block across the network for every node to validate separately while adding it to the version of the blockchain they have stored. This process is fast and only takes a few seconds. As soon as one miner finds the correct hash, other miners abandon that block and begin working on a separate block.
• Where Ethereum mining is concerned, it is difficult for a miner to cheat the system and initiate double spending. The blockchain cannot be corrupted without tipping off all the others. The only way around the Proof-of-Work method is to do the necessary work, and at the end, block with the most work done is chosen.
• A miner finds a new block every 12 seconds on average. If anything threatens this set time, the difficulty of the puzzle adjusts, to ensure that the process falls within the appointed time. This difficult adjustment either makes the process of finding a hash value slower or faster.
• Mining profitability mostly depends on luck and the amount of hash power a node has. The ETH earned by miners is gradually distributed within the markets and contributes to the sustenance of the coin.
• Ethereum is currently in the process of transitioning from a Proof-of-Work system to a Proof-of-Stake one. A PoS system will allow users to benefit from using smaller, and more affordable devices such as GPUs.

ETHEREUM’S MOVE TO PROOF-OF STAKE

Soon, Ethereum may no longer need the rigorous practice that accompanies mining. Platforms like Ripple have since shown that blockchain applications can function without the need for mining.

Soon, the platform’s developers may leave Proof-of-Work behind and embrace the Proof-of Stake method. In a typical PoS system, those who want to validate transactions must place a stake in that cryptocurrency. This ensures that they have enough of an incentive to properly secure the network, knowing that they may lose their stake if they try to cheat the system in any way.

The aim of moving to a PoS system is to make mining easier and more profitable for the average miner. There will also be distributed consensus within the system instead of within just a small niche.

Tools for Ethereum Mining

Mining involves specialized hardware as well as software and uses a lot of electricity. This is one of the most challenging aspects of the entire process because electricity is not cheap. It puts some extra pressure on miners to earn more money. Unfortunately, Ethereum’s price has gone down to record lows, meaning that miners may have to work twice as hard for less pay.

For mining Ethereum, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) system is considered a better option than a CPU (Central Processing Unit) system since the former uses graphics cards which are a lot faster and more convenient than CPUs.

Usually, a basic ETH mining setup looks like this: An arrangement of six graphics cards, and six risers. Typically, each riser connects the graphics cards which are linked to the motherboard of the computer system.

Software like Ethminer, Minergate, and Wineth are the best options for controlling the hardware during this process.

BENEFITS OF MINING ETHEREUM

Apart from the financial benefits mining ETH, it presents some added advantages, in both the long-term and short-term. These advantages include:

• Ethereum can be mined at home, as a full-time job or something on the side. It takes very little time and has fewer users and thus, fewer miners than the Bitcoin network. This reduces the amount of competition on the network and increases a miner's odds of mining the next block.
• The platform offers security and immutability.
• Miners get the opportunity to secure a platform which has many different decentralized apps on it. This exposes them to more projects that they can potentially benefit from, depending on how strict their mining constraints are.
• There is currently speculation among investors that Ethereum will rise in value again over the next few years. If this happens, miners will be able to earn more in the form of block rewards. For example, right now, the value of 1 ETH is about $120. If the block reward is 5 ETH, that translates into $600. However, in a case where 1 ETH is $500, the same reward becomes $2,500.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Ethereum is immensely popular and for good reason. It offers several benefits and advantages to users over other coins. It was also one of the first digital currencies to provide an excellent use-case for blockchain technology; one that did not just see cryptocurrencies as a store of value.

Although the price of Ethereum has fallen substantially in the past year,  mining this cryptocurrency is still a lucrative venture for those involved. It is evident that the platform seeks to create a process that is secure and fair to all its users. Unlike the centralization of mining happening on the Bitcoin network, almost anyone can mine Ethereum profitably.

So far, the platform has announced plans to change its mining protocol a couple of times and may continue to work on it, to improve efficiency within the system. In due time, when the price of Ethereum rises again, so will the value of mining rewards and more users will be motivated to enter the mining space.

Original Post: https://www.mintdice.com/blog/ethereum-mining-how-it-works

Are you being spied on? The answer is probably yes

by techwarn.com

When you go online, are you sure that no one is watching on you? Is your government secretly spying on you? Well, both are definitely possible, if not highly likely. Your computer could be also infected with spyware while you know nothing about it. Learn the techniques that third parties employ to snoop on your online activities, and how to effectively protect against them.

Surveillance on behalf of the government

It is nearly certain that the government has its eyes on you. In the U.S., the NSA is collecting privatedata legally in the following ways:

●       Data from your personal accounts, such as emails, messages, or other data from Google, Facebook, Microsoft, YouTube, Yahoo, Skype, and others.

●       Collaborating with other governments to tap your internet traffic which passes through undersea fiber-optic cables.

●       Collecting records of mobile phone locations (up to 5 billion a day) for several countries out of the U.S.

Here’s another example, internet traffic is being intercepted in the U.K by the Tempora Program under surveillance purposes by partnering with the country’s telecom companies and the NSA.

Beware, we are only aware of these programs because of leaked information. There may be plenty of other secret programs spying on us in ways we are unaware of.

Weak internet connection security

You may secure your devices and network with a firewall or security software and your ISP probably also has an authenticated connection. But, are you sure your data is taking a secure path while it’s transmitted over the internet?

If you are not using a VPN, you may as well answer “no.”

You may know when your data packets have reached their destination when you send them online, just like when you receive them. But, you may not be aware of which networks your data is passing through on the way to its destination, or if someone has made a copy of it. Therefore, if your internet connection is unsecured, you might be being spied on by governments or other third parties.

Malware

If your computer has any malicious software, it could mean you are being spied on. There are different types of malware which can steal data such as:

●       Spyware: This software aims to steal data while also appearing as a useful service provider. One infamous example of spyware was CoolWebSearch. This so-called ‘browser add-on’ would also steal your account credentials, bank details, chat logs, and more.

●       Keyloggers: These programs record each keystroke you make, which will then be sent to the third parties who track your activity and steal your valuable info such as credit card numbers.

●       Adware: It is a website tracker which sends your browsing history records to third parties who use the data for targeted advertising.

Tracking cookies

Web advertising distribution networks gather cookies from your internet browser each time you see their ads. The problem is, your IP address or the unique identifier of your browser is included in these cookies, and they can use them to identify you.

Big ad distributors have their ads on multiple sites and gather cookies every time you see them. This helps them to track your activity better online and more effectively target their ads.

Indeed, there is a warning on many commercial websites given to their visitors about the use of cookies to improve the users' experience. Whether you decide this activity is spying or not depends on your perspective but tracking cookies can surely be considered as a sneaky violation of privacy.

Protective steps you can take to avoid spies

Here are three simple steps you can take to reduce the chance of being tracked or spied on.

●       The first and simplest thing to do is disable third-party cookies on Chrome, Firefox, or any other browser you may use.

●       The second step is to install security software on your devices to protect them from malware or spyware. Also, remember to keep it updated.

●       Finally, you should get a VPN to encrypt your traffic on the internet so your data packets cannot be seen by spies even if they can intercept your data.

5 Most Useful Blockchain Videos: A Beginner’s Guide

Youtubetomp3shark.com

by Sarah Pritzker

You might be somewhat familiar with the idea of blockchains, or you might have only heard of the phrase in passing (or you might not have any idea what a blockchain is but thought the article title sounded more interesting than the topic currently being discussed in the meeting your supervisor is making you sit through…). Either way, there are still a lot of questions that you probably have.

What is a blockchain?

How does a blockchain actually work?

Are blockchains really as secure as they claim to be?

Can you invest in blockchain itself?

What is the advantage of blockchain?

Maybe you’re getting more involved and want to delve deeper into the exciting and fascinating world of blockchains. In that case, your questions might be more advanced like:

What programming language is used for blockchains?

Is blockchain open source?

Is blockchain hackable?

Are there other use cases for blockchain beyond bitcoin storage?

Will blockchain change the world?

No matter what your string of queries, the best place to find the answers is always the internet. There are thousands and thousands of videos out there explaining the definition, uses, and inner workings of the blockchain.

I know what you’re thinking. Great! Let’s sift through thousands of videos to find the ones that actually make sense, answer your questions, and give over the information you want in an appealing manner. If that doesn’t sound as much fun as a barrel of monkeys (why would a barrel of monkeys be fun anyway?!), then you’re in luck.

Since we know how interested our readers are in the topic, we’ve aggregated the best videos from across the web that talk about blockchains. From the straight-up definition to the more advanced jargon that most of us will never really understand, check out the 5 most useful blockchain videos out there to help you get started down the path of blockchain wisdom.

Great Blockchain Video #1: What is blockchain? CNBC Explains by Tom Chitty

And here’s why: It gives you all the important information you want to know, starts from the beginning, and explains the entire concept well

There are a lot of blockchain for beginners videos. You’ll recognize them by the names like, what is a blockchain, blockchain explained, or blockchain for beginners. The truth is, though, that most of these videos take a lot for granted, assume you know more than you actually do about the topic, or don’t really explain the concept in a practical way.

And that’s why this CNBCexclusive done by Tom Chitty is our first recommendation for anyone who is just starting out on the learning journey to blockchain technology. If you can understand the accent and overlook the poor wardrobe choices, then you can actually learn a ton from this explanation video. Chitty goes through the ABCs of blockchains, showing the negatives alongside the positive uses for blockchains. He also shows you exactly how it works, why it is so secure, and what future applications might be possible for this technology.

The CNBC video also takes you through the benefits and possible financial ramifications that are involved in embracing this technology. All in all, Chitty does a great job of explaining a complex topic and gives you a lot of food for thought.

Great Blockchain Video #2: New Kids on the Blockchain by Lorne Lantz

And here’s why: Practical ways people are currently putting blockchain to good use and how they will even more so in the future

Aside from the fact that this is a TED talk, which automatically makes it amazing, LorneLantz explains exactly how blockchain works quickly and eloquently. He then moves on to break down how blockchain works within the bitcoin universe, something that most people are curious about. Finally, Lantz illustrates how blockchain can be used in other instances. This is not only fascinating, but it is a great way to educate the public about how this brilliant technology can be utilized in the future and within our day-to-day interactions.

Great Blockchain Video #3: Understand the blockchain in two minutes by Institute for the Future (IFTF)

And here’s why: It’s fast and easy to watch but surprisingly thorough for a two-minute video

We all want to know more about various topics like cybersecurity, the effect of drug and alcohol combinations, or depression and prevention. But let’s face it, we’re lazy! And what’s more, our attention spans are shorter than Michael Jordan’s laughable attempt at becoming a baseball star. For this reason, I am highlighting this videofrom IFTF.

The Institute for the Future does snapshots of interesting topics, trending concepts, and technological advancements that they deem worthy of a closer look. This video on blockchain is just two minutes long, but somehow it manages to explain everything you really need for a cursory understanding of the topic (and even a little more). So, if you’re already antsy just from reading this intro, check out the IFTF blockchain video (you can watch it double speed if you’re that strapped for time!).

Great Blockchain Video #4: How the blockchain will radically transform the economy by Bettina Warburg

And here’s why: Food for thought on a more advanced technology that is offering a safer and more reliable forum for value exchange

Whether you’re a conspiracy theorist, a budding financial mogul, or just someone who thinks it’s really cool to see entire empires brought to their knees by the unlikely underdog (think David and Goliath or Spartans against the Persians), this is a must watch video. BettinaWarburg explains briefly how throughout history we have used various methods to exchange values within our societies. From protection to fish and coins and now to the more advanced banks and digital currencies, the world has always had its way of trading valuables for desired goods.

In this video (yep, another TED talk), Warburg takes us through the process of how blockchain is the next chain in the evolution of value exchange. She expertly breaks it down, so you can see how this makes sense on a sociological, economic, and technological level. What’s more, she demonstrates how blockchain is the safest, easiest, and most reliable method we have come up with yet.

So basically, Warburg’s video shows viewers how blockchain is like a solid, unbreakable safe, which makes it more trustworthy and evergreen than any other transaction method that came before it. I don’t want to spoil the video for you, so just watch it for yourself.

Great Blockchain Video #5: Blockchain: Massively Simplified Richie Etwaru

And here’s why: A fabulous twist

This video starts off seemingly like all other beginner’s guides to blockchain. It talks about the early days of the internet (those dark times of dial-up modems and even earlier ARPAnet packet switching technologies) and quickly fast forwards to show you how kickass technology has become (as if we needed a video to tell us that).

All very interesting stuff, but nothing new. And then Etwaru does something that nobody else we’ve seen so far attempt. He takes blockchain and explains how it can bridge a gap that no other technology has been able to traverse, a gap that is so fundamental to human interactions and our society as a whole that it’s truly a marvel that we’ve gotten this far in history without having a more reliable failsafe for it.

In this video, Etwaru explains that inventions are all about bridging gaps in our society, world, and lives. He then continues on illustrating how blockchain bridges the gap of trust, one of the most core and necessary element of our society, one that holds trillions of dollars on its wobbly shoulders. With his mesmerizing voice, witty personality, and mind-blowing revelation, Etwaru really blows the top off of this simplified concept. And that’s what makes his video on blockchain really stand out.

Blockchain Explained, Expanded, and Explored

So, there you have it. Sure, you could sit there for hours and hours watching video after video, sifting through the crap and suffering through the clunky terminology, but why bother? We’ve rounded up the cream of the crop, the best videos out there, the ones that’ll give you the biggest bang for your buck. In fact, if you just watch these five videos, you’ll:

• Know all the basic information about what blockchain is, how it works, and what it’s used for
• Be able to hold your own in a conversation that is arguing the different sides of blockchain
• Have some interesting ideas to help stir up controversy when everyone’s talking about this technology at the office water cooler, at your next family barbecue, or this Thursday night at the bar
• Just generally sound like a smartass because you know more about an interesting topic than almost anyone else in the room

Of course, if you are a real newbie to the blockchain concept, then here’s some quick information to warm you up to the subject and to ensure you don’t sound like a complete idiot the next time the subject comes up.

• Blockchain is an online database that can be accessed by anyone and from anywhere in the world (provided you have an internet connection)
• Blockchain is decentralized, which means its ledger is shared on every computer around the world, so it has no single central location
• Blockchain can be added to by anyone, but once a record (or block of information) is created, it cannot be tampered with, changed, or deleted
• Bitcoin is NOT the only use case for blockchain technology. In fact, it’s just the beginning baby! From banking to cybersecurity, crowdfunding, Internet of Things, and healthcare, blockchain has so many real-life applications.

Now that you’ve got all this information in your head, knowledge is power. So, get out there and do the best thing anyone can do with a boatload of interesting information; flaunt it in front of your friends.

This article was originally published on https://www.youtubetomp3shark.com, all rights reserved

A GUIDE TO ARK CRYPTOCURRENCY

mintdice.com

ARK is a decentralized digital platform and cryptocurrency, designed to foster blockchain adoption. It serves as a fast and secure way for individuals and enterprises to capitalize on the numerous benefits of emerging technology. ARK does this by providing a stable ecosystem in which user groups can create their own blockchains which can communicate back and forth.

ARK cryptocurrency was created in February 2017, based on the models of Lisk, Bitshares, and Crypti. Its platform acts as an all-in-one solution to several problems, due to its speed, scalability, decentralization, open source nature and allowance for collaboration. It is designed to be accessible and easy for just about any user to navigate. This is why it incorporates as many other blockchains and coding languages as possible.

One of the fastest-growing currencies, ARK is currently the 78th largest digital currency by market capitalization, out of more than 1,500 cryptocurrencies in existence. Its current price lies at $0.394 per unit, and its market capitalization is about $42.5 million. Despite its five-year projected price of $410.69, including scheduled inflation of 6.31% in 2017 and 5.93% in 2018, ARK has underperformed in the past year.

Like many other cryptocurrencies, its price plummeted in 2018 but may make a full recovery. This likelihood makes it a great time to invest in it. Before doing that, it is essential to know how the exchange platform works.

HOW ARK WORKS

ARK functions just like any other blockchain concerning immutably recording transactions through a consensus mechanism. In this case, that mechanism is the Delegated Proof-of-Stake in which the task of securing the network is delegated to a select few.

For comparison, ARK delegates the duty of confirming transactions to 51 nodes, while Bitcoin allows anyone to take up the task. This means that ARK does not have miners or any form of a profitable mining operation.

The decision of choosing delegates is left to members of the network since they have voting rights. However, each ARK holder is only allowed one vote at a time, can only pick one delegate, and each vote costs 1 ARK coin. The more tokens a user has, the more powerful their vote is.

Usually, potential delegates draft proposals, detailing what they are willing to contribute to the ARK ecosystem why users should vote for them. To ensure that users vote, some potential delegates even go as far as promising to share profits earned from securing the blockchain. So users who vote for such delegates receive dividends from their block rewards over time. Usually, delegates are awarded 2 ARK per forged block, and it takes roughly 8 seconds to confirm a transaction. However, each block contains only 25 transactions.

SMARTBRIDGE

ARK uses a unique technology known as a SmartBridge to allow its users to communicate with other blockchains via blockchains of their own. This means that a user on the ARK blockchain network can merely connect a SmartBridge and send a message to the Bitcoin or Ethereum blockchain. Data functions known as encoded listeners and Vendor Fields make this possible.

The ARK platform might be the first to put such connective technology to use within the industry, and this sets it apart from other cryptocurrency projects. As a result of this new technology, users on different blockchains can still interact with smart contracts and decentralized applications built on platforms like Ethereum and Tron. This new development ensures that blockchain projects can easily connect.

To connect ARK to another blockchain, computer code must be added to the source code of the receiving blockchain. The code doesn’t change or harm the system in any way and only ensures that the chain is bridge-compatible with ARK. As long as it is, a SmartBridge transaction can be issued via the ARK wallet.

As an example, a user who holds ARK tokens can interact with a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain by sending the transaction through a SmartBridge from the wallet. The ARK code on Ethereum recognizes and facilitates this interaction while also granting access to the user. The same happens for other blockchains as well.

BENEFITS OF ARK

While ARK has several disadvantages, its advantages greatly outweigh them. Some of these advantages are:

• Transaction Speed: ARK transactions are relatively fast, with a confirmation time of 8 seconds since its center produces quick exchanges. This makes scaling easier for users who need to make several micropayments within a short period. Compared to platforms like Bitcoin and Ethereum, ARK  currently has one best that speeds.
• Security: The issue of security is a source of constant worry in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. All platforms must maintain security to ensure their long-term sustenance and trust from their users. Without putting proper measures in place, malicious actors can manipulate and compromise a platform to initiate double spending transactions and steal other users’ funds. To avoid such a situation, ARK binds all its security and cryptographic functions throughout the entire framework. The platform also carries out hazard examination and tests regularly to further improve on the currently existing measures.
• Self-Sustenance: ARK has measures that will ensure its long-term sustenance, such as its ease of use and accessibility. The platform aims to satisfy its customers and ensure that they can use it to carry out transactions without knowledge of blockchain technicalities.
• Privacy: ARK offers users the ability to carry out transactions through its anonymous network integration which contains discretionary protection, and ensures the confidentiality of those transactions.
• Decentralization: The Delegated Proof-of-Stake consensus protocol creates a system that is adequately decentralized. It also eliminates the class issues seen in Proof-of-Work systems like Bitcoin. The votes are spread out among users according to their stakes, and the delegates are not permanent, ensuring that several people have the chance to contest for the position at different points.

DISBENEFITS OF ARK

• Although there are excellent security measures in place, cybercriminals become smarter every day. Just like any other platform, there is no guarantee that users’ tokens will remain safe. Users must remain cautious and take as many protective steps as they can.
• Regulatory uncertainty threatens so many things in the cryptocurrency space, including the mainstream adoption of ARK. This is causing a lag in the platform's activities. When strict regulations are made in the industry, the platform will continue to function as others. However, there is still a degree of uncertainty concerning the after-effects of future regulation.
• Voting may cause economic rifts since the value of each vote depends on how much the voter has on the ARK network. Due to this policy, the wealthier users could have more control over who becomes a delegate and chaos may eventually occur.

FINAL THOUGHTS

New cryptocurrencies continue to emerge, but only a few have unique applications with significant future implications. ARK is one of such digital currencies and has continuously proven that it has more to offer.

Its innovative SmartBridge technology may play a more significant long-term role in the cryptocurrency industry than anyone thinks. Its support for multiple programming languages also encourages developers to contribute to the platform. Although it has a few disadvantages here and there, ARK offers numerous advantages to users, exchanges, businesses, and other blockchain platforms. Presently, ARK may very well be seen as a solid foundation for more exciting future applications of blockchain technology.

Original Post: https://www.mintdice.com/blog/a-guide-to-ark-cryptocurrency

How to Make Money from Android Apps and Websites

joyofandroid.com

 

What if I told you that the phone in your pocket could make you enough money to pay for your phone bill and more? I’m not just talking about designing an app, or clipping virtual coupons, but real ways to make money from Android apps and websites. Before I even get started here, I need to let you know; these are not get rich quick schemes or a ticket to a six-figure check in seconds.

Everything I’m about to mention is going to take work and effort on your part, but everything on this list will make you anywhere from enough to pay off your phone bill, helping with a car payment, or even a mortgage.

These are real strategies, apps, and ways to make money straight from your phone. It’s not all easy, it’ll take time, but at the end of the day, you’ll have more money than you woke up with, and have even more on the way.

Where Do I Start?

Making money on Android can mean anything, from doing surveys here and there to starting an online sales catalog on eBay or Amazon, or even building your own mobile business. It’s a lot to think about, and pretty overwhelming if you think of all of it at once.

So let’s start out small, and work our way up from there.

Method 1: Online Survey Apps and Sites

When looking at online surveys for cash, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself before you sign up or download an app:

• How long will it be until I get paid?
• How am I paid?
• How many people use this service?
• Is the payment worth my time?

Not every survey site is created equal, and once you start asking yourself these question, a few start to rise and fall above the rest. Don’t worry; you don’t have to sift through the internet, asking yourself these questions for every site and app you come across because I’ve already done that for you.

Below are two sites I’ve picked personally and can recommend, but don’t expect to make much more than a couple of bucks a week at the most using places like this. Survey sites aren’t designed for you to sit down for hours at a time and chew through questions, but to check every once in awhile and get rewarded for that.

1.    tellwut – Tell What You Think! (No App)

(Most Rewards are US Only)

First up, is tellwut, which is an interesting survey site where most of the questions are made by users on the site. The basic premise is that you’re given questions daily, you answer them, maybe interact with the community, and then you can even post questions yourself. Each survey usually consists of 1-5 questions, often multiple choice.

It’s essentially like taking user polls that you eventually get rewards in return for your opinion. This isn’t the only way to get money on tellwut, but it’s one of the biggest, and most reliable. So let’s ask tellwut my four questions to see if it’s worth a try.

Tellwut doesn’t have an app that you can use, but the site works well on mobile devices, even without the site having a mobile version. Visit it here and see what you think about how the site looks and works.

How Long Will it be Until I Get Paid?

Tellwut rewards are shipped physically, so expect anywhere from a few days, to a week’s time to get your rewards by post. If you live outside of the US, expect an even longer wait, and possible fees forwarded to you with international shipping.

Because of this, I can only recommend using tellwut if you live in the US. Otherwise, you’ll end up losing more time and money.

How am I Paid?

Tellwut primarily rewards its users with gift cards (Amazon, Visa, Walmart, etc.), and helpful technology. For example, one of the current rewards is a MotorollaXoom tablet. You purchase these with points you earn over time through answer questions and creating your own.

How Many People Use This Service?

Tellwut has an active and vocal user base that often comments on the quick surveys they take. You can chat with other users using the service at any time down below a survey, so it’s easy to get to know the people using it.

Is the Payment Worth my Time?

If you live in the US, yes. If you’re outside of the US’s borders, no, most of the rewards are US only, and the ones that aren’t you need to pay extra shipping to get them to you. Earning points is easy, and sometimes fun, so I recommend the site if you’re living in the US.

2.    QuickThoughts – Earn Rewards (Free)

This next service is another survey site, but this time with an accessible app to match. QuickThoughts works more like a traditional survey service, where you answer an initial set of questions, and then you’re matched to different surveys based on your answers about your personal life and income.

The app alerts you as soon as you get a new matched survey, so you can expect to slowly start making money if you do at least one survey a day, and keep getting matched with new ones.

How Long Will it be Until I Get Paid?

Payments happen quickly and are sent digitally. The minimum payout on QuickThoughts is $10.00, and depending on how quickly you’re matched with surveys, you can reach this in a few days to weeks.

How am I Paid?

The only form of payment with QuickThoughts is through digital Amazon gift cards. You’re sent a code, you redeem it, and then you’re good to go.

How Many People Use This Service?

The app itself has over a million downloads and mostly favorable reviews. This isn’t a good indication of how many people are using the service currently, but since it’s still running smoothly, a good amount of people must still be using it.

Is the Payment Worth my Time?

Since you don’t earn just cash through Paypal, or a Visa gift card, I can only recommend this if you’re fine with payment through Amazon.

If all of this sounds like it’ll work for you, then you can download QuickThoughts down below:

QuickThoughts

Method 2: Offering Your Services

One of the most tried and true methods to make money is advertising something that only you can do for someone. Now that almost everyone is connected to the internet, this is getting easier and easier. There are a few apps that take advantage of this, but I want to talk about one of the biggest on the market, Fiverr.

1.    Fiverr (Free)

Fiverr’s premise is a pretty simple one, at least in concept. You have a skill, users on the site need your skill, Fiverr provides you a marketplace to sell your skill. Can you write a paper flawlessly? Can you make a book cover that looks professional? Does your voice sound like a good fit for an indie film trailer? Whatever skill you have, there’s a market for it on Fiverr.

The only problem with Fiverr is how large the marketplace is. For almost every service, there are at least five or six different people who have already built up a good reputation in their craft, and control most of the market.

Starting out on Fiverr is a rough job unless you have a niche skill that’s in constant demand, or can advertise yourself in a way that makes you more appealing than the competition. Fiverr is all about selling yourself and your abilities in an appealing way, so let’s talk about how you can start making money with the app.

Where Do I Start?

Before you decide if Fiverr is right for you, think about your skill set, and what you can offer someone. Can you write, draw, voiceover, do graphic design, or quickly process information? Think of something that’s easy to provide over a digital storefront, and then search for that service on Fiverr. Your first results are your competition.

Do you have something you think you can market? If you do, you can start your Fiverr journey by making an account.

How Do I Get Started?

Even after you’ve chosen a skill you want to market, Fiverr is still overwhelmingly crowded. It sounds like, at that point, it’s easier to move to a different digital marketplace, but at the end of the day, you’ll get the most eyes on Fiverr than anywhere else similar.

The easiest way to at least get your feet wet is to study your competition. Ask yourself a few key questions about each page you see:

·         How much do they charge?

Since I feel like this is one of the most important questions, I’ve started with it first. While the idea of Fiverr is that you get paid $5 for a micro job, you can add to the initial $5 with service packages. See if your competition uses service packages, or just charges a flat $5.

·         How is their page organized?

·         What’s the tone on their page?

·         How do they present themselves?

·         How do they interact with customers?

·         What do their customers think about their business?

After you’ve asked all of these questions, you’ve chosen a skill you want to market, and you have the confidence to follow through with starting a business; you’re ready to make an account and start making money.

When and Where Can I Use Fiverr?

The most convenient place to use Fiverr in on your phone, and you can download it straight from the Google Play Store.

Fiverr

Otherwise, it’s available on desktops and other devices right here at any time. Making an account is easy, the hardest part is earning your first customer. However, as long as you use your competition as an example, and have a honed craft worth paying for, you’ll start making money on Fiverr in no time.

What AboutFiverr Alternatives?

While I mentioned earlier that I think Fiverr is the best marketplace for micro jobs, there are alternatives that you can try. These don’t have the same bustling population that Fiverr has, but with the smaller market, there’s less competition. It’s a trade-off, but the same money making rules that apply to Fiverr apply here.

Here are a few sites that are like Fiverr, but are easier to break into the market on, or have different specializations:

·         Upwork – A site for freelancing opportunities, one of the most well known.

·         SEOclerks – A site that focuses on raising SEO of other sites, sells services related to it, and lets you offer your similar services to potential clients.

·         DoJobsOnline – Another freelance site where you can hire freelancers, or offer your services yourself.

·         FiverUp – This site is essentially Fiverr, but with a smaller user base.

·         PeoplePerHour – Think Fiverr, but with more of a focus on paying people what they’re worth for their time.

·         TaskRabbit – When I think of Fiver I think of digital jobs, but TaskRabbit focus on physical jobs just as much. Here, you can list your tricks of the trade and get hired for small jobs with how you present your skills and availability.

There are plenty of avenues out there to make money on Android with just your skills alone, and you can do all of it from the comfort of your home. If there’s anything you can learn from this section, it’s to sell yourself with confidence.  If you put forth the attitude that you’re the only person that can get the job done right, your client will feel the same way.

Method 3: Auction Apps like eBay and Amazon

I used to see infomercials all the time about people that made millions on eBay, and while there are a few people that could make that much on the site in their lifetime; it’s just not possible for everyone. That said, there’s nothing stopping you from making some additional income, or even starting your own business online.

Amazon, and more so eBay, give you an avenue to make large amounts of money on junk you have lying around the house, collecting nothing but dust. I’m already starting to sound like an infomercial, but you get the idea. The only problem is how do you start selling your junk, and on what app do you sell it? I’ll go over everything you need to know to get started, so pull out a notepad and remember where you stuffed those old baseball cards.

What’s the Difference Between the Two Biggest Apps?

There are way too many online auction houses out there, so let’s just focus on the two biggest ones in the room: eBay and Amazon. At a glance, the two seem similar, but I can tell you personally, I have experience selling items on both, and they’re very different. They’re different enough, and in close enough competition to have many videos on the subject.

Amazon is like a gated showroom where you need to make any purchases at the front desk after you’ve examined your selection. If you’re buying on eBay, it’s a flea market that’s open to everywhere, and anyone who can pay the flat fee to set up a table. Both have their perks and their downsides that make each a very different online storefront.

Both eBay and Amazon take a cut of every sale you make, but Amazon takes a much larger piece of the pie since you’re using its expensive showroom floor. You’ll get more eyes in the pristine showroom, but if one of those pairs decides to put down money, Amazon gets its hefty cut first.

On eBay, the cut they take is much smaller, but you’re forced to compete with a much larger crowd of a salesman in a variety of different ways. It doesn’t cost much to set up a table in eBay’s flea market, but since the barrier to sell is so low, there are tables as far as the eye can see if every direction.

Which App Should I Use?

So which storefront do you turn to when you want to make money on Android? It comes down to what you want to sell.

If you’re selling multiple smaller items: sell your stock on eBay. If you have a lot of items, each selling for a low price, eBay is your best bet. A buyer is even much more likely to take a chance on a cheap item on eBay, instead of Amazon.

If you’re selling a few expensive items: sell your inventory on Amazon. Amazon will take a large cut of your profits, but they’ll ensure your inventory is sold in a safe and trusted environment. You can even ship your stock off to Amazon, and they’ll ship it to any buyers when a sale is made.

If you want to be paid through Paypal: make all of your sales through eBay. Paypal is used widely throughout the service, and with good reason; Paypal is a property of the site.

If you want to be paid directly through your bank account: make all of your sales through Amazon. Amazon will pay you directly after your buyer receives their product, but there will be a hold on your money for a short time, upwards of a month.

It’s more than possible to make a living using both Android apps, and you don’t even have to use just one or the other; you can use both without the other app getting jealous. If you have any other concerns about making a choice between the two, please ask any questions you have down below.

What Should I Sell?

Here’s where things get tricky, deciding what to sell. Before start diving into more advanced parts of the online auction business, you need to ask yourself one question: What do I have around the house that I don’t need?

Have any appliances you have haven’t used in forever? Do you have a collection that’s just taking up space? Need to clear out a room in your attic? Anything you have sitting around in boxes, cabinets, or anywhere else that just isn’t doing anything for you should go up for sale in a heartbeat.

Once you’ve run out of excess “junk” around the house, and you still want to keep your online auction business thriving, it’s time to turn to yard sales, thrift shops, and flea markets. These places are full of items that would get a killing online but have sellers that don’t understand their true value.

This is where you come in to buy it for a low price, make a listing for it online, and turn a massive profit in just a few days.

The Risks of Buying Inventory

Once you start buying items to flip for a profit, there’s no way around it, you’ve started a business now. It’s no longer just selling stuff you have around the house, you’re collecting inventory, and trying to maximize its value.

This is where risk starts to rear its ugly head. When you sell something you’ve already had around the house for ages and has already lost all of its personal value, all money you earn is pure profit, in a sense. If you’re buying items to sell, there’s the chance for a net loss, where your profits stop exceeding your expenses.

Be careful, and budget an amount to spend on buying new inventory. When you’re first starting out, you can’t afford to build up a surplus of items, and then have to sell them at a loss to desperately try and break even. Take your time, and only make purchases when you know you’ll make a profit.

How Do I Start Selling?

Before you can get anywhere, you need your app of choice on your Android, or both if you plan on using both storefronts.

Amazon Seller

eBay – Buy, Sell, Bid & Save

Both apps do a fantastic job of guiding new users through their storefront, Amazon especially. Since eBay is a little more of  Wild Wild West situation, you’re better off looking towards established sellers to see how they set up their auction pages.

While the people claiming they make millions on auction sites seems like an outrageous claim, if you play the game well enough, you can come away with more than enough cash to make a living.

Conclusion

Money making opportunities on Android don’t end here. If you know your way around Android better than the average user, you can even make your app to make the cash start rolling in. Android is one of the best mobile platforms to make money on. It’s accessible, moldable, and filled with opportunities

Get lost somewhere along the way, or still need advice with one of the strategies above? Leave a comment, and we’ll help you as best as we can.

Original Post: https://joyofandroid.com/how-to-make-money-from-android-apps/