Mihăiță Bamburic

Investing in cryptocurrency is not for the faint of heart. The market is simply too volatile. In a short period of time, it can reach all-time highs and crash, repeatedly, seemingly out of nowhere. The trick is to not let those moments define your actions.

Just like you enjoy seeing it break new records, you have to get used to the fact that there will be some terrible days as well. Today is one of those days. All the major cryptocurrencies are in the red, with the vast majority posting double-digit losses over the last 24 hours.

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Windows Phone 8.1 may seem like a distant memory in the mobile space, being released three years ago, but it remains very much relevant for many Windows smartphone users. Nearly three in four Windows smartphones run this version of the tiled operating system, despite the fact that Microsoft replaced it with Windows 10 Mobile over a year ago.

Why is this a problem? Well, Microsoft is getting ready to end mainstream support, which will leave Windows Phone 8.1 users without updates starting July 11. Making things worse is the fact that Windows 10 Mobile is not available to every smartphone that can run Windows Phone 8.1.

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Google introduced Allo on Android and iOS last September and, for those who prefer to chat with their friends from the comfort of their favorite browser, the search giant will soon release a web version of the messaging service as well.

This will allow Allo to better compete against established messaging services like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, which have long been available on all the major mobile platforms and the web.

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The fact that cybercriminals like to be paid in Bitcoin to unlock encrypted files or sell private information gives the impression that criminals must be major users of cryptocurrency. However, a new report from the European Commission suggests that the reality is very different.

Criminal organizations rarely use cryptocurrency (or, as the European Commission calls it, virtual currency) for illegal activities, like financing terrorism and money laundering, because it requires a certain level of technical expertise that hampers adoption.

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Before unveiling its latest flagship, OnePlus announced that it had partnered with DxO to improve the camera performance of the OnePlus 5. That was interesting mainly for one reason: DxO, on top of making software that enhances photos, frequently puts popular smartphones to the test to assess their photo and video quality.

So, at some point, we would find just what sort of effect that partnership had on the OnePlus 5, using DxO's own metrics. As it turns out, the new flagship still has some way to go before it can challenge the elite.

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We've known for a few months that Qualcomm is interested in banning iPhone imports in US, and now the company is making its intention official by filing a patent infringement complaint with the International Trade Commission (ITC).

Qualcomm claims that Apple infringes at least one of six patents that it has on "key technologies that enable important features and functions in iPhones," which is why it has requested the ITC to investigate the matter and "ultimately [...] bar importation" of those devices.

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It is tough to get excited about a new smartphone these days, but RED's new Hydrogen One might just pique your interest. What makes it so special? It features a novel display that uses nanotechnology to deliver a holographic experience.

In RED's own words, the Hydrogen One's "retina-riveting display features nanotechnology that seamlessly switches between traditional 2D content, holographic multi-view content, 3D content, and interactive games." That headline feature is so important that RED hasn't actually bothered to say much about what other specs the Hydrogen One has. Oh, and, no glasses are needed.

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The OnePlus 5 launched only two weeks ago, and it has already received four software updates -- one of which was released before it was even widely available. The new flagship killer is not without fault, as user reports indicate, but OnePlus has been working to address them as quickly as possible.

The fourth and latest software update for the OnePlus 5, OxygenOS 4.5.5, was just released, and it brings a number of improvements and bug fixes that should enhance the user experience. Here's what's new.

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Xiaomi has made some steps towards an international expansion in recent years, like hiring former Google VP Hugo Barra to help it enter new markets but, so far, it has not really gotten out of its comfort zone in Asia. And it is not because the company lacks the financial resources to do it, or because its devices lack the appeal. No, what's stopping Xiaomi is the barrage of costly lawsuits that would most likely ensue.

However, Xiaomi has been slowly stocking up on patents from the big players in the tech industry to beef up its portfolio. For instance, it bought about 1,500 patents from Microsoft a year ago, and now it's made a deal with Nokia that involves "a multi-year patent agreement, including a cross license to each company's cellular standard essential patents. Xiaomi also acquired patent assets from Nokia as part of the transaction."

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Thanks to its rapidly growing value, relative anonymity, and easy trading opportunities, the cryptocurrency market is a highly attractive target for hackers. Making things even more interesting, the major exchanges deal with significant volumes throughout the day, making them a prime target for cryptocurrency thefts.

Bithumb is among the biggest targets, being the fourth-largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume and the largest in South Korea. And last week it got hacked, with users estimated to have lost billions of won as a result. I say estimated because Bithumb hasn't gone public yet with an accurate figure -- or any figure for that matter.

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If there is one thing that you can expect from a smartphone in the ZenFone Max series it is a seriously large battery. The latest model, the ZenFone 4 Max, is no different, packing a 5,000mAh battery. But it does also have a feature that you might not expect: a dual camera setup.

The ZenFone 4 Max is a pretty interesting proposition in its segment, thanks to its up-to-date internals and massive battery, but the dual camera setup makes it stand out from the crowd. After all, only a handful of devices have one, and they're typically flagships.

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There is no such thing as a problem-free smartphone, and the OnePlus 5 is no exception. A few issues have cropped up since customers started getting their hands on the new flagship killer, and now we can add one more to that list.

The OnePlus 5 exhibits a rather strange audio recording behavior, wherein holding the smartphone in a certain way causes the audio channels to be inverted. Could this be another case of "you're holding it wrong?"

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Microsoft unveiled a new keyboard last month, designed specifically for Windows 10 users. It's called Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID, and, just like its name suggests, it features a built-in fingerprint sensor that works with Windows Hello.

Microsoft did not reveal exactly when the Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID would be available, only saying that it is "coming soon." Well, that time has come, as the keyboard is now available in the US.

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The OnePlus 5 may have received positive reviews, but the launch has not gone as smoothly as OnePlus might have hoped. The new flagship killer was found to boost performance in benchmarks to get higher scores, and, most recently, users have reported a strange scrolling issue as well.

This does not appear to affect all OnePlus 5 units, but some users say that they have noticed what is commonly referred to as "jelly" scrolling. OnePlus calls this a "subtle visual effect," but it says that this kind of behavior is perfectly normal for the AMOLED display that it uses.

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Apple will not officially release macOS High Sierra until later this year, but, in the meantime, Mac users who want to check out the new features early can enroll in the public beta program to install preview builds of the new operating system.

The first public beta build lands today, coinciding with the release of a revised second beta for developers. Apple typically gives developers the option to sample a new Mac operating system early, so that casual testers can enjoy a more stable experience.

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