Skip to main content

Reader poll: Ready to try your hand at cryptocurrency mining?

Bitcoin
As the price for Bitcoin rises and falls dramatically, more users are wondering how they can get in on the action — and for good reason. Earning a few Bitcoin, or Ethereum, or any of the other cryptocurrency, could mean thousands of dollars in profit, and your home gaming machine may be able to churn them out using some simple software. Have you tried to mine bitcoin? Are you thinking about setting up a mining rig? Are you already swimming in a Scrooge McDuck-style room full of them? Let us know in this week’s reader poll.

How interested are you in #cryptocurrency? We'll be discussing results on the Close to the Metal podcast tomorrow. https://t.co/tmZvPewZcx

Related Videos

— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) July 10, 2017

Mining cryptocurrency is surprisingly easy, assuming you have the proper hardware. Our handy guide to mining will walk you through all the steps necessary to start making money, if you’re so inclined. Just make sure to take into account the increase in your power bill that comes along with it.

You should know, however, that cryptocurrency is a volatile market, and not just in the sense that the value can change overnight. Without much regulation, sites that act as wallets may be shut down by hackers or those interested in taking the coins for themselves, or the site’s proprietors may shut it down and disappear in the night with your hard-earned cash. There are ways around this, and they involve keeping codes locally stored, or even using a physical coin wallet that keeps your money safely stored away from the prying eyes of the Internet.

It isn’t just Bitcoin that’s causing quite a stir over the last few weeks. Another cryptocurrency, Ethereum, has begun to take hold thanks to some innovative new practices and support from the tech community. It’s just one of many cryptocurrency options out there, and like any of them, hype and user interest will drive its success.

Join us at 10:00 AM PST on Tuesday, July 11th as we discuss the implications of the newfound vigor for cryptocurrency, as the Bitcoin price skyrockets into thousands of dollars each. We’ll also talk hardware pricing, and try to explain the sharp rise in price on mid-range cards like the RX 480 and RX 580 on the secondary market.

Editors' Recommendations

Best Buy Black Friday deals: TVs, laptops and air fryers
Best Buy Black Friday

Black Friday has flown by, but if you missed out on yesterday's Black Friday deals, don't worry. The below Best Buy Black Friday deals are all still out there, but they won't hang around for long. With deep discounts on all kinds of tech, including tech for the home theater like TVs and soundbars, as well as laptops and Chromebooks, Best Buy has gone all out this year. Whatever your budget, there's something awesome for you here. To help you navigate the huge sale, read on while we take you through the highlights, saving you time and money with the best deals around.
Top 5 Best Buy Black Friday deals

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K -- $25, was $50
Lenovo Chromebook 3 11-inch -- $90, was $219
Bose QuietComfort 45 -- $249, was $329
Insignia 58-inch F30 4K TV -- $300, was $580
Hisense 70-inch 4K TV -- $550, was $450

Read more
Major tax services are sending your data to Meta and Google
fake irs emails are delivering dangerous new malware this tax season 1040 form being filled out

A new report claims that Meta's tracking Pixel has been used to collect your financial information when using popular tax filing services to send in your return. This is disturbing news for taxpayers that likely assumed these online tax services were keeping such information locked up securely.

The types of data collected vary but are said to possibly include your filing status, adjusted gross income (rounded to the nearest thousand), and the amount of your refund (rounded to the nearest hundred). This information would be quite useful in targeting advertising to those with disposable income and help determine which people to target when tax refunds arrive. As if this wasn't bad enough, your name, phone number, and the names of dependents such as your children are being obfusticated then sent to Meta by some tax filing services. According to the report by The Markup the obfustication is reversible.

Read more
Hackers target your holiday shopping with new phishing scam
Woman using a laptop next to a latte.

It's easy to get fooled by this new and devious, holiday-themed phishing attack that offers free prizes. But the old caution that “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” continues to be proven correct in this case.

What makes this trick so effective is the elaborate methods used to conceal its nefarious purpose and to reassure you, the potential victim, that it’s perfectly OK to proceed. This phishing attack has actually been active since September and is ongoing, targeting holiday shoppers seeking special offers.

Read more