Featured
Top 10 Threats Faced by Online Gamers
Online gaming — whether it be World of Warcraft, Fortnite or a simple game of chess — has boomed in popularity over the past decade and the ever-growing industry is now worth billions of dollars. People of all ages, from all over the world, invest their time and money in the latest consoles and games and enjoy the opportunity to play online with family and friends.
With more of us than ever spending time online, it’s important to be aware of the types of risks posed by online gaming platforms. While there are tools you can use to protect yourself, including gaming antivirus software, nothing beats a keen eye and insider knowledge of the strategies that cybercriminals are prone to using.
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Phishing
Phishing scams — in which a criminal impersonates a trusted organisation, such as your bank, in an attempt to extort money and personal information — are a common strategy used by cybercriminals, particularly in the world of online gaming.
Online criminals have been known to send emails that appear to be from a gaming company or server, advising you that you need to follow a link and update your login information in order to retain access to your account. Clicking on this link will take you to a fraudulent page and the login credentials that you enter will go straight into the hands of these hackers, who can then steal your personal and financial details.
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Cyberbullying
Gaming is a great way to meet new people — just be aware that not everyone that you come into contact with wants to be your friend. While some people simply get caught up in the world of online battles, others set out to intentionally and maliciously upset their teammates and opponents. It is particularly important that parents are aware of the social platform that gaming provides, and ensure their children are playing in a safe and respectful manner.
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Data theft
In signing up to an online gaming platform, you generally need to provide your full name, email address and credit card information. Depending on the game, you might also be asked for your date of birth and location.
This might seem like innocuous information — the type that you provide to any number of companies on a daily basis. However, gaming websites are increasingly being targeted by cybercriminals who are looking to steal personal details to be sold on the dark web for personal profit.
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Virtual theft
There’s another type of online theft you should be on the lookout for — virtual.
The more time you invest in playing a game, the more likely you are to rack up valuable weapons, armour and character traits, which can be used to further elevate your gaming experience. These commodities are valuable targets for cybercriminals, who (having obtained your login information through illegal means), can either use them themselves or sell them onto other players for profit.
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Webcam hacking
Online gamers love to watch the best-of-the-best battle it out via online streaming platforms such as Twitch. Beyond being entertaining, doing so provides a valuable opportunity to pick up new tricks and improve their gameplay knowledge.
Unfortunately, cybercriminals are also aware of this and are increasingly targeting the webcams of online gamers. Some do this purely for fun and shock value, whilst others have more corrupt intentions; webcam hacking can lead to targeted real world robberies (think — if the cybercriminal can see you sitting at your desk, they know your home is an empty target) and blackmail.
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Malware
Malware is a type of software that is designed to damage your device. Cybercriminals choose to spread malware for a variety of reasons — some are looking to track your keystrokes, whilst others are hoping you will pay a ransom to have the program removed.
Malware that targets the online gaming community is usually hidden through free downloads, malicious websites (that appear to be run by legitimate gaming companies) and emails containing links that promise free upgrades, weapons and armour.
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Fake apps
A relatively new form of attack, cybercriminals are now spreading fake apps throughout the internet, Google Play and App stores. These apps usually mimic legitimate and popular games, with cybercriminals hoping that unsuspecting users will not look too closely before downloading.
Once on your device, these applications can install malware and steal your personal information.
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DDoS attack
A distributed denial of service attack — or DDoS — is a powerful tool used by online criminals to render websites inoperable. They do this by flooding a server with mass traffic, usually through botnets (robotically controlled computers). This diverts the attention of security and IT professionals, allowing the criminal to upload malware and steal data.
The competitive nature of online gaming means that DDoS attacks are often used by players themselves, in order to get an upper hand on their opponent. Last year, video game company Ubisoft sued a company that provided ‘DDoS-for-Hire’ services.
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Doxxing
Doxxing is a type of cyber attack that involves discovering and publishing the real identity of an internet user. Many people who play games online do so under a pseudonym or username — in fact, this is recommended by security professionals as a method of protecting your online privacy.
The act of revealing personal details is malicious in nature and can result in real-world harm.
To prevent this from occurring, all online gamers should make use of a VPN. What is a VPN? A security tool that encrypts your data and hides your location, preventing potential doxxers from intercepting your connection and discovering your true identity.
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Addiction
A different type of cyberthreat entirely, addiction to online gaming is becoming more widespread, particularly as many of us turned to games as a way to pass time during Covid-19 lockdowns.
An individual who finds their online gaming habits interfering with their daily life — whether it be work, school or spending time with friends and family — should look at how they might achieve a better balance between their real and online worlds.
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Author Bio: Bridget
Bridget is a writer and editor, currently living in Melbourne. She is a copywriter for Newpath Web and loves working with words of all shapes and sizes. When not playing around with punctuation and grammar, she enjoys travelling and curating her Spotify playlists.
Casual
Creative Ideas for Best Technology Instagram Post 2024
Are you facing difficulty in engaging your audience with tech posts on Instagram? As social media platforms have transformed into virtual marketplaces, brands recognize the need to showcase expertise through engaging content.
Platforms like Instagram empower connecting with worldwide audiences through captivating visual stories. But, it is quite a daunting task to work and many move ahead to buy Instagram followers as well.
Contemporary consumers scarcely have time for promotion lacking substance. Hence, creatives demand integrating education with entertainment for intrinsically motivating connections. This is why in this post, we discuss top ideas for your tech-posts on Instagram. Read on.
Top Instagram Post Ideas for Technology in 2024
There are many creative and unique ways to catch attention for your technology posts on Instagram. Below we discuss some of the most popular ones that can certainly get all eyes on you.
I. Using Tech Products as Props
Showcasing the ergonomic elegance of newest smartphones through lifestyle photos depicting them harmonizing with modern interiors signifies how technologies enhance lives unobtrusively.
Flat lays carefully arranging phones alongside complementary gadgets like smartwatches and earbuds exhibits compatible accessories apt for varied tasks. Close-up shots exploring interesting details on laptops or cameras from unique angles pique curiosity towards innovative engineering.
Illustrations envisioning people multitasking efficiently through integration of different devices tells stories audiences relate to. Including props within realistic settings displays practical applications beyond technical specifications.
II. Behind the Scenes Photos of Tech
Sneak peeks hinting at cutting-edge features of anticipated device launches grant exclusivity while cultivating hype. Well-lit workplace photographs portray engineers concentrating on prototyping components and inspire admiration.
Snapshots capturing programming teams collaborating wirelessly on interactive whiteboards through mobile apps demonstrate streamlined productivity. Infographics adorning clean designs simplify explaining complex algorithms behind facial recognition or data analytics in accessible language.
Short videos taking viewers inside futuristic factories reveal meticulous manufacturing processes with a sense of intimacy.
III. Infusing Tech with Humor
Lighthearted memes humorously portraying predictable reactions to everyday tech troubles provide comic relief to stressful scenarios. Relatable situations humorously presented divert from serious sales pitches.
Personified tech objects in comical misadventures amuse audiences through humanizing technology. Satires skewering society’s obsession with smartphones in a tongue-in-cheek manner encourages shares to spread smiles. When infused judiciously, humor aids connection by sparking emotions beyond sales.
IV. Showcasing the Human Side of Tech
Introducing changemakers through portraits celebrating their groundbreaking work nurtures admiration. Profiles highlighting individuals transforming lives through accessible education technologies promote empowerment.
Environmental initiatives leveraging automation to offset carbon footprints brings a humanistic face to sustainability efforts. Impactful community projects excelling through connectivity showcase technology uplifting society versus solely profit motives.
Sensitively showcasing stories of overcoming challenges strengthens bonds between brands and audiences.
V. Visual Presentations of Tech Topics
Creative arrangements of flat lays showcasing virtual or mixed reality controllers provides an experiential feel of the immersive tech itself. Sequential photos arranged like puzzle pieces or in grids present complex technical concepts through visual storytelling.
Infographics leveraging minimalist aesthetics simplify explaining blockchain or cloud computing. Illustrations personifying IoT appliances in a “day in life” routine brings relatability to innovations perceived as complex. Data visualizations comparing tech trends succinctly impart industry insights.
VI. Leveraging Trending Tech Themes
Imaginative demonstrations of artificial intelligence streamlining lives pique intrigue towards groundbreaking research. Showcasing developments in robotics, VR or internet of things solving pressing issues cultivates social purpose beyond sales.
Highlighting startups leveraging cutting-edge innovations attracts investors and talent. Curated reels condensing key takeaways from tech summits grant exclusive access. Tactical hashtags around concepts ranging from 5G to cybersecurity optimize discovery of relevant audiences worldwide.
Unique Ways To Boost Engagement
With competition so fierce, it becomes difficult to keep your audience engaged with your post. Below we discuss some essential tips that can make things easy for you. Take a look:
● Researching Optimized Hashtags
Analyzing hashtag clusters witnessing frequent usages around niche conversations aids discovering appropriate tags aligning with targeted audiences. Careful hashtagging aids discoverability and spreads messages to receptive crowds naturally.
● Optimizing Images For Social Formats
Adjusting photos to square dimensions suitable for Instagram feeds and story formats preserves visual quality and context. Proper sizing and cropping focuses viewer attention on essential elements.
● Scheduling Around Peak Engagement Timings
Identifying timing patterns of highest follower activities through analytics aids posting when most eyeballs will likely notice new updates. Repurposing top performing content as story highlights retains visibility.
● Reviewing Engagement And Follower Insights
Regularly evaluating metrics like likes, comments, saves and follower growth rates aids comprehending reception and refining strategies. Tracking identified hashtag or location based communities’ interests guides customized content.
● Partnering With Key Influencers
Reaching wider audiences through cross-promotional shoutouts with popular domain figures expands networks. Collaborations establishing brand authority through third party endorsements bolster credibility.
Final Thoughts
In summary, effectively leveraging visual creativity fueled by data-driven decisions establishes technology companies, alongside support from a dedicated social media growth agency like Thunderclap.it, as thought leaders amid competition on platforms like Instagram.
Consistency, authenticity, and nurturing communities through meaningful interactions are crucial for driving organic visibility and achieving superior returns on social media. While maintaining technical excellence is essential, emotionally connecting with audiences through social missions and humor helps build a loyal following and fosters trust in this experience-driven world.
Business
Exploring the Steps in the Proposal Automation Process
In a fast-paced business environment, efficiency is key to staying ahead of the competition. Proposal automation offers a strategic advantage by streamlining the creation of documents that are vital to winning new business. By automating routine tasks, companies can focus more on the substance and strategy of their proposals. Understanding how it works and the significant improvements it can bring to your business operations is essential. Below, we delve into this process and discuss everything you need to know about optimizing your proposal automation process.
Understanding the Foundation of Proposal Automation
At its core, proposal automation is about enhancing productivity and consistency within the process of creating proposals. By leveraging technology, it replaces the traditional, manual method of drafting documents with a more streamlined, error-proof approach. This transition includes the use of templates, content libraries, and customized data inputs to ensure each proposal is tailored, yet produced with greater speed and accuracy.
For newcomers, understanding the foundation is crucial before implementation. This involves grasping the basics of how automated systems manage data, apply business logic, and produce finalized documents. It’s essential to ensure that your team is well-versed with the system and that all relevant content is digitized and made accessible to the automation software.
Key Benefits of Implementing Proposal Automation
Proposal automation systems offer a multitude of benefits, the most prominent being the drastic reduction in time spent drafting proposals. Employees are freed from repetitive formatting tasks, allowing them to devote more time to strategic functions such as market analysis and personalized client engagement which can significantly influence the success of a proposal.
Error reduction is another major advantage of automating the proposal process. With standardized templates and centralized content management, inconsistencies are minimized, and the risk of outdated information being included is significantly reduced. This elevates the professionalism and credibility of each proposal generated.
Essential Features to Look for in Proposal Automation Tools
Choosing the right proposal automation tools is essential for achieving the desired efficiency and effectiveness. The most valuable feature to look for in such a tool is a robust content library. This allows for quick access to the most current and relevant pieces of content and data necessary for crafting a compelling proposal.
Integration capability is another crucial feature. The tool should be able to integrate seamlessly into the existing technology ecosystem of your organization, including CRM platforms, to facilitate smooth workflows and information exchange. This ensures that sales and proposal teams work with the latest client information and reduce duplication of efforts.
Step-by-Step Guide to the Proposal Automation Workflow
The journey of automating your proposal process starts with the initial setup of the proposal automation tool. This involves configuring the system with your company’s templates, content, and workflows. A key aspect here is to ensure that the templates accommodate various proposal scenarios and that the content library is organized and tagged for easy retrieval.
Next, the tool is integrated with other enterprise systems such as CRM software, ensuring that data flows continuously and accurately between platforms. This step is crucial for maintaining up-to-date content in the proposals and for personalizing them with client-specific data.
Measuring Success and ROI in Proposal Automation Initiatives
To truly understand the impact of proposal automation, it’s important to measure its success and return on investment (ROI). One of the most straightforward metrics to monitor is the reduction in the time required to generate proposals. Noticing a considerable decrease here is often the first sign that the automation is effective.
Another valuable indicator is the quality and consistency of proposals. With fewer errors and greater adherence to company branding, the professionalism conveyed in each proposal can lead to better client perceptions and a higher win rate. Monitoring feedback and win rates can give concrete evidence of the system’s effectiveness.
Featured
Accumulator Bet – Guide to Australian Online Sports Betting
Accumulator bet is very much popular with bettors. It allows you to combine the odds of multiple selections to achieve a greater payout if your predictions are successful.
While accumulator bets may seem complicated at first glance, they are actually fairly simple. After reading this guide, you’ll be able to use it for your Australian online sports betting: https://nomini.com/au/sport.
You’ll soon find out what an accumulator bet is, how it works, and what different types of this bet exist.
What Is an Accumulator Bet?
An accumulator bet is also known as parlay. It is a type of wager that is made up by combining multiple bets into one selection.
Let’s say that you wanted to make an accumulator on multiplier football games. In this case, you could pick five teams to win their respective games in one accumulator.
As you are combining different odds, and effectively multiplying them with each other, an accumulator bet will pay out a much higher return than if you were to bet on your choices as separate selections.
This is because all of your choices must be successful for your bet to win.
As all the betting options are combined to achieve a greater value in total stake, if just one of your picks loses, the whole accumulator bet will lose too, so there is an increased risk when placing this sort of bet.
However, it can also enhance your Australian online sports betting experience and make wagering extra fun.
Some of the most popular sports you can make accumulator bets on are football, basketball, hockey, and horse racing.
However, you should keep in mind that some sportsbooks might prevent you from combining multiple other bets into one accumulator.
Also, please note that a second bet on multiple selections from, for example, the same game of soccer, is not an accumulator bet – this would be a same game multi or multiplier, which is a totally different type of bet.
Accumulator Bet Explained in Detail
As you can see, an accumulator bet isn’t too complicated. Now we’ll use horse racing as an example to demonstrate how to use it best for your Australian online sports betting.
Let’s say you are presented with a race card for a meeting that contains six races. You can choose to pick a selection from all six races, or from just four, (you can also pick one selection of just two horses, known as a ‘Double’, or three horses, known as a ‘Treble’).
Depending on the race, you can choose the horse that you believe will win.
You will then combine all of these selections into one bet to build a total profit for your accumulator.
Because you are combining the odds for each of these horses to win, you are increasing the amount of money you could win, but also increasing the risk of at least one bet losing which will mean your accumulator loses too.
What Are the Different Types of Accumulator Bets?
As a rule, this type of bet consists of 4 or more selections, with many bookmakers allowing up to 20 selections.
Combining two bets into one bet is known as a ‘Double’, whilst combining three bets is called a ‘Treble’.
When you have four selections in one parlay bet, this is known as a ‘Four-fold”. Five bets in one parlay are called a ‘Five-fold’, and so on.
Each-Way Accumulator Bet
While an accumulator bet is very attractive for bettors, there is a high risk that the first bet won’t win, as there can be so many elements that need to be successful for the bet to win big.
However, some of that risk can be eased by placing bets on an each-way accumulator.
This Australian online sports betting option is particularly popular when betting on horse racing, as there are usually more options to choose from when trying to pick a winner.
Here, the idea is to give the bettor a better chance of winning if one of the horses fails to win, but still manages to place 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
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