"Mr Branding" is a blog based on RSS for everything related to website branding and website design, it collects its posts from many sites in order to facilitate the updating to the latest technology.
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Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Smaller Browsers Poised for Growth as DOJ Demands Google Sell Chrome
According to Appfigures estimates, Chrome has the highest number of market shares in terms of downloads on mobile. Google Chrome had 35% of the total downloads of the top five browsers in 2024. Other browsers like Edge, Opera, Brave and Firefox do not come anywhere close to Chrome in terms of market shares and downloads. Till now in 2024, Chrome had approximately 70 million downloads and by the end of 2024, it can reach 80 million. This is almost twice of the downloads of Edge.
On the other hand, Edge and Opera had 40 million downloads in 2024 and it is clear that these two can earn the biggest advantage if Chrome gets out of the picture. As of October 2024, Chrome’s downloads were down by 14%, probably because of DOJ scrutiny on the tech giant. Chrome has no value if it is not owned by Google, so it has no reason for growth if Google decides to sell it. But other web browsers can probably benefit from this.
Read next:
• Which Economies Are Leading the Charge in Global Innovation?
• New Survey Shows Many Businesses are not Ready for AI Implementation
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World
Which Economies Are Leading the Charge in Global Innovation?
According to the rankings, Switzerland scored the highest and got the title of the most innovative country in 2024. Keep in mind that Switzerland has been getting named the most innovative country in the world for 14 consecutive years. Sweden was named the second most innovative country in 2024.
U.S was the third most innovative country according to GII, just like last year. The rankings of the US dropped down a bit because of its low infrastructure score, even though it was number one in market sophistication and number two in business sophistication. Other notable innovative countries in the top ten were Singapore, UK, South Korea, Finland, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.
This year GII’s theme was to focus on the countries which are giving good performances even if their level of development isn't that good. Vietnam, India and Moldova were named as Innovative Outperformers as the economies of these countries have overperformed in the last 14 years.
The GII 2024 rankings also show insights about the effects these global innovations are causing. It talks about technological progress and how green technologies are lagging behind the average growth for more than a decade. It also talked about technological adoption and how it has affected and will affect masses socioeconomically.
Here is the full list:
Country | Innovation Score |
---|---|
Switzerland | 67.5 |
Sweden | 64.5 |
U.S. | 62.4 |
Singapore | 61.2 |
UK | 61 |
South Korea | 60.9 |
Finland | 59.4 |
Netherlands | 58.8 |
Germany | 58.1 |
Denmark | 57.1 |
China | 56.3 |
France | 55.4 |
Japan | 54.1 |
Canada | 52.9 |
Israel | 52.7 |
Estonia | 52.3 |
Austria | 50.3 |
Hong Kong | 50.1 |
Ireland | 50 |
Luxembourg | 49.1 |
Norway | 49.1 |
Iceland | 48.5 |
Australia | 48.1 |
Belgium | 47.7 |
New Zealand | 45.9 |
Italy | 45.3 |
Cyprus | 45.1 |
Spain | 44.9 |
Malta | 44.8 |
Czech Republic | 44 |
Portugal | 43.7 |
UAE | 42.8 |
Malaysia | 40.5 |
Slovenia | 40.2 |
Lithuania | 40.1 |
Hungary | 39.6 |
Türkiye | 39 |
Bulgaria | 38.5 |
India | 38.3 |
Poland | 37 |
Thailand | 36.9 |
Latvia | 36.4 |
Croatia | 36.3 |
Viet Nam | 36.2 |
Greece | 36.2 |
Slovakia | 34.3 |
Saudi Arabia | 33.9 |
Romania | 33.4 |
Qatar | 32.9 |
Brazil | 32.7 |
Chile | 32.6 |
Serbia | 32.3 |
Philippines | 31.1 |
Indonesia | 30.6 |
Mauritius | 30.6 |
Mexico | 30.4 |
Georgia | 30.4 |
North Macedonia | 29.9 |
Russia | 29.7 |
Ukraine | 29.5 |
Colombia | 29.2 |
Uruguay | 29.1 |
Armenia | 29 |
Iran | 28.9 |
Montenegro | 28.9 |
Morocco | 28.8 |
Mongolia | 28.7 |
Moldova | 28.7 |
South Africa | 28.3 |
Costa Rica | 28.3 |
Kuwait | 28.1 |
Bahrain | 27.6 |
Jordan | 27.5 |
Oman | 27.1 |
Peru | 26.7 |
Argentina | 26.4 |
Barbados | 26.1 |
Kazakhstan | 25.7 |
Jamaica | 25.7 |
Bosnia & Herzegovina | 25.5 |
Tunisia | 25.4 |
Panama | 24.7 |
Uzbekistan | 24.7 |
Albania | 24.5 |
Belarus | 24.2 |
Egypt | 23.7 |
Botswana | 23.1 |
Brunei Darussalam | 22.8 |
Sri Lanka | 22.6 |
Cabo Verde | 22.3 |
Pakistan | 22 |
Senegal | 22 |
Paraguay | 21.9 |
Lebanon | 21.5 |
Azerbaijan | 21.3 |
Kenya | 21 |
Dominican Republic | 20.8 |
El Salvador | 20.6 |
Kyrgyzstan | 20.4 |
Bolivia | 20.2 |
Ghana | 20 |
Namibia | 20 |
Cambodia | 19.9 |
Rwanda | 19.7 |
Ecuador | 19.3 |
Bangladesh | 19.1 |
Tajikistan | 18.6 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 18.4 |
Nepal | 18.1 |
Madagascar | 17.9 |
Laos | 17.8 |
Côte d'Ivoire | 17.5 |
Nigeria | 17.1 |
Honduras | 16.7 |
Algeria | 16.2 |
Zambia | 15.7 |
Togo | 15.6 |
Zimbabwe | 15.6 |
Benin | 15.4 |
Tanzania | 15.3 |
Uganda | 14.9 |
Guatemala | 14.6 |
Cameroon | 14.4 |
Nicaragua | 14 |
Myanmar | 13.8 |
Mauritania | 13.2 |
Burundi | 13.2 |
Mozambique | 13.1 |
Burkina Faso | 12.8 |
Ethiopia | 12.3 |
Mali | 11.8 |
Niger | 11.2 |
Angola | 10.2 |
Read next: Which Countries Have The Best and Worst Work-Life Balance?
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World
OpenAI Heats Up Browser Battle After Hiring Veteran Chrome Engineer
As many anticipate the downfall of the company in this regard, OpenAI seems to be focused on the prize. This includes empowering its browsing potential by hiring one of Chrome’s veteran engineers, Darin Fisher.
Image: LinkedIn Screen shot taken on 26th Nov. 2024. Credit: DIW
This is clear evidence of the AI giant’s plans to create a web browser that could potentially rid Google of its market dominance. For those who might not be aware, Darin Fisher will bring plenty to the table after working as Chrome’s top engineer in the past. This is just what the AI giant needs to better its browser that could take on chrome. And what better timing than now when the search engine giant faces increased pressure to sell Chrome.
It’s certainly a massive development in terms of the company’s expansion. It’s also a decision that firms OpenAI’s intentions of dominating the market with browsing, giving users more alternatives.
We did hear in the past how OpenAI was keen on putting together a team of ex-Google developers so they could work on another browser project. The company shared how it was discussing more on the matter to help offer unique search features related to food, travel, retail, and real estate.
As per another update seen on LinkedIn, Fisher did share how he joined hands with OpenAI and looked forward to providing his expertise in browser development to the firm. He’s also got plenty to offer as his resume speaks of contributions made to Neeva, Mozilla, and of course Chrome.
He’s been a part of Chrome from the start and therefore was hailed as a pioneer expert who shaped the browser to transform into one of the best and most widely used browsers today. Under his leadership, Chrome managed to launch several other services such as minimalistic design and multi-process architecture.
This is also what gave Chrome its signature characteristics including the best speed, stability, simplicity, and privacy amongst others. And instead of coming up with a cross-platform network, he suggested creating each operating system independently, beginning with Windows and then moving on to Mac and Linux.
The decision is one that really gave rise to optimal performance on every platform at the start. So he clearly brings a lot to the table for OpenAI.
Read next:
• Threads Tests New Option That Allows Users To Select What Feed They Want As Default When Opening App
• Does the Crypto Industry Use KYC?
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
Does the Crypto Industry Use KYC?
The world of cryptocurrency is a constant tug-of-war between privacy and regulation. On one side, you’ve got crypto enthusiasts who love the freedom and anonymity that comes with it. On the other hand, governments are working hard to enforce regulations like Know Your Customer (KYC) processes. These rules basically mean you need to prove who you are before you can use certain services. But not everyone is on board with this. Take no-KYC crypto casinos, for example. These platforms let people play and win without ever having to show ID—a rare thing these days.
Kane Pepi, a crypto expert from Techopedia breaks down how exactly these casinos work. They keep things simple: sign up with an email, deposit some crypto like Bitcoin or Ethereum, and you’re good to go. No forms, no ID, no hassle. For people who value privacy, it’s a dream come true. But there’s a downside. Without ID checks, how do these platforms stop fraud or prevent shady activities? That’s the big question.
Due to the decentralized nature of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, no-KYC processes are not only possible but inherent in their design. This is due to its core features like decentralized consensus mechanisms, pseudonymity, and trustless transactions. Since there's no central authority to verify who you are, users can interact without sharing personal info. Blockchain’s design allows for secure, peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries, eliminating the traditional need for KYC in basic operations. That said, not every crypto platform skips KYC—some still require it to play it safe.
A quick internet search will show why this is such a hot topic. Scams and hacks are everywhere in the crypto space. Last year alone, people lost over $5.6 billion to crypto scams. It’s hard to ignore numbers like that. And it’s not just about money—hackers and bad actors love the anonymity of unregulated platforms.
Supporters of these platforms argue they’re staying true to what crypto is all about: freedom from middlemen and control over your own data. They say these platforms put users back in charge of their money and personal info. However, critics warn that skipping KYC checks can lead to illegal activities. While no-KYC platforms may not require identity verification, they can still be subject to AML regulations, which involve transaction monitoring and reporting suspicious activity. It’s a tricky issue that keeps no-KYC platforms under the spotlight.
Some big names, like PayPal, are trying to find a middle ground. According to reports, PayPal now lets merchants buy, sell, and hold crypto—but only if they follow KYC rules. This kind of compromise shows how regulation and mainstream adoption often go hand in hand. For privacy-first platforms, though, it’s a tough act to follow.
Still, no-KYC platforms remain wildly popular. For many, being able to trade or gamble without handing over personal details is a huge win. These platforms are especially big in countries where financial rules are strict. People use them to bypass restrictions and get access to global services. Of course, the anonymity factor also makes these platforms a target for scammers and hackers.
If you’re using these platforms, staying safe is key. Simple steps like using a secure crypto wallet with multi-factor authentication can make a big difference. Also, checking out reviews of platforms can help you steer clear of sketchy ones. While no-KYC platforms provide privacy, they put a lot of responsibility on you to protect yourself. It’s a trade-off that not everyone is ready for.
Governments, meanwhile, are doubling down on their push for tighter rules. Organizations like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) are urging countries to beef up their KYC regulations for crypto platforms. The problem? A lot of this is easier said than done. Decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, which have no central authority, make enforcing rules incredibly tough. These systems operate purely on code, leaving regulators with their hands tied. This creates a massive challenge for anyone trying to balance safety with innovation.
This back-and-forth between privacy and regulation doesn’t seem like it’s going to end anytime soon. Stricter rules might help make crypto safer and easier for regular folks to use, but too many restrictions could choke the very freedom and creativity that made crypto popular in the first place. Platforms like no-KYC casinos show just how divided the crypto world is on this issue.
At the end of the day, the crypto industry is all about choices, which is great in many regards. Whether you’re someone who values privacy above all else or someone who prefers a bit of security and structure, there’s a platform for you. But with every choice comes risk. If you’re diving into the no-KYC side of things, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting into. Crypto isn’t going anywhere, and neither is this debate—it’s just getting started.
by Asim BN via Digital Information World
Threads Tests New Option That Allows Users To Select What Feed They Want As Default When Opening App
The platform is currently testing a new option that enables users to select how their feed will appear as default when they open it up. The news was first confirmed by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg who mentioned there will be the option to select Following, For Your, or any other customized variant for feeds that users come up with.
Zuckerberg's post explained that Threads is currently in the experimental phase with this feature. He also shared how it will help make feeds more visible on the Threads platform.
It’s an offering that’s been a long time coming as many users have been requesting it since the start. So while it might have taken the company a year to finalize its plans, we can certainly expect it to benefit many soon.
For now, the test is just limited to a limited audience but an expansion on this front is expected soon. If you’d like to select your feed to default, simply log into the app and hold any of the feed options located at the top of the page. After that, select ‘Edit Feeds’ and this is where you can reorder them again.
The feed placed at the top or first position will be selected as default and pop up whenever you open the platform again. The news comes at a time when a growing amount of competition from rival app Bluesky is on the rise. This has led to executives buckling up and making changes to stop audience members from flocking away and instead signing up for Threads.
We’ve already heard about some more improvements in the works like an improved For You Algorithm so that users actually see more accounts that they follow and content they’re interested in. Other than that, the search feature is also said to be another exciting and useful endeavor, and let’s not forget about the new landscape video offering.
So far so good and if Threads manages to keep up the good work and make its users happy, we can expect more success in the next couple of months.
Read next: TikTok Dominates Short-Form Video Trends, Influencing Purchases Among Gen-Z, Report Shows
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
Monday, November 25, 2024
TikTok Dominates Short-Form Video Trends, Influencing Purchases Among Gen-Z, Report Shows
The most engagements on TikTok are from Gen-Z (58%). The second most used short-form video platform by Gen-Z is Instagram (24%). Gen-Z use TikTok for an average 86 minutes daily, which makes about 10 hours per week. 65% of the surveyed people in America engage with multiple short-form video content throughout the day, with Gen-Z (83%) consuming short-form video content the most among them.
There are different types of short-form content users enjoy watching, with comedy (50%) being the top content. 44% enjoy watching entertainment content like movie clips or trailers. 42% also enjoy watching content based on animals and pets, while 36% love watching lifestyle and vlogging content. People enjoy watching content on TikTok because it's always diverse with a blend of humor, education and entertainment.
Short-form video content also influences the users’ purchasing decisions. 3 out of 8 respondents said that they have made a purchase based on the content they watched, with women (41%) more likely to do it than men (30%). TikTok is again the top platform to influence the shopping decisions of users. Gen-Z (90%) are the most likely to get impulsed to buy something after watching the content. The top products people bought after watching the content were clothing (38%), skin care (30%) and makeup (27%).
There is also a big diversification of platforms across different generations. Where most Gen-Z prefer platforms like TikTok and Instagram, millennials are more likely to use Instagram and Facebook. On the other hand, Baby Boomers are likely to watch short-form video content on YouTube.
Take a look at the chart below for more insights:
Read next: The Growing Popularity of AI Image Generation: How Different Generations Are Learning to Prompt Creatively
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World
SMBs Prioritize SEO, Customer Experience, and Budget Management in 2025 Website Strategies
The survey was based on 300 small and midsize business owners from the US and Europe. 31% of the respondents said that they want to increase their search visibility on search engines next year. 30.4% of the SMBs want to improve their lead generation in the next year. The third improvement SMBs want to make in 2025 is increasing their brand awareness.
The survey also asked SMB owners what are their top three priorities when it comes to enhancing customer experience on their business websites. Respondents said that their top three priorities to improve customer experience are social sharing (22.1%), advanced support (20.7%) and personalized recommendations (20.1%). Other responses included better search (19.4%), security enhancement (18.7%) and customer reviews (18.4%).
SMB owners also said that lead generation (37.8%) is the top way their business website contributes to their business. Other top two ways by which their business website contributes to their business are providing information about their products and services (37.1%) and selling services online (36.1%). SMBs owners also maximize the performance of their business website by the top three ways: Training and Implementation (42.8%), Content Creation and Management (42.5%) and Limited Budget (38.5%).
Read next: US Dominates AI Ecosystem: Investments, Models, and Research Lead Global Rankings
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World