by Patrix |
In the rapidly evolving world of cryptocurrency, non-custodial wallets have become a cornerstone for enthusiasts seeking security and autonomy over their digital assets. For iPhone users, the significance of these wallets is twofold: they provide a secure environment for managing cryptocurrencies while leveraging the sophisticated user experience of iOS devices. Non-custodial wallets ensure users retain exclusive access to their private keys, a critical feature that differentiates them from custodial counterparts. This autonomy empowers users to control their assets without interference from third parties, enhancing security and privacy. As the cryptocurrency landscape expands, iPhone users are increasingly in search of non-custodial wallets that combine robust security, comprehensive asset support, and an intuitive interface. This analysis aims to navigate through the myriad of options, presenting a curated selection of wallets that stand out in the iOS ecosystem for their excellence in these areas.
Detailed Comparison of Non-Custodial Wallets for iPhone
Trust Wallet:
- Features: Trust Wallet is a versatile mobile wallet app designed to store a vast array of cryptocurrencies. Its integration with decentralized exchanges allows for seamless token swaps within the app. Additionally, users can buy cryptocurrencies directly with a credit card, making it a comprehensive entry point for newcomers.
- Security: Emphasizes security with encrypted private key storage on the device, biometric access, and a recovery phrase. While it lacks advanced security features like multi-signature protocols, its foundational security measures are solid.
- User Experience: Boasts a clean and accessible interface, catering to both beginners and experienced users. Its support for numerous blockchains and tokens, along with in-app dApp browsing, positions it as a highly functional wallet for a broad user base.
- Supported Cryptocurrencies: With support for over 160,000 assets across 40 blockchains, Trust Wallet is among the most versatile options available for iOS users.
MetaMask:
- Features: Primarily focusing on Ethereum and ERC20 tokens, MetaMask facilitates access to the wide array of DeFi platforms. Its recent expansion to support other blockchains broadens its appeal. The wallet also allows users to interact with smart contracts directly, adding a layer of functionality for advanced users.
- Security: MetaMask provides robust security measures, including encrypted storage of private keys on the device. Users must remain cautious of phishing and social engineering attacks, a common risk for popular wallets.
- User Experience: The interface caters to users familiar with Ethereum, offering detailed control over transactions, including gas fee adjustments. While its focus on Ethereum might limit appeal to some, it remains a preferred choice for DeFi participants.
- Supported Cryptocurrencies: Originally focused on Ethereum and ERC20 tokens, MetaMask’s growing support for additional blockchains enhances its utility.
Rainbow Wallet:
- Features: Rainbow Wallet distinguishes itself with a focus on user-friendly design and Ethereum assets. Its features, such as easy NFT viewing and management, cater to the growing interest in digital collectibles. The wallet also supports Layer 2 solutions like Optimism, reducing transaction costs for users.
- Security: Adheres to standard security protocols with local encryption of private keys and biometric access, ensuring a secure yet accessible environment for managing assets.
- User Experience: With its visually appealing interface and streamlined functionality, Rainbow is particularly appealing to users who value design and simplicity in their applications.
- Supported Cryptocurrencies: Focuses on Ethereum, ERC20 tokens, and NFTs, making it a niche but highly specialized wallet for enthusiasts in these areas.
Argent:
- Features: Argent stands out for its unique approach to wallet security and usability. It introduces features like Guardians, allowing users to recover their wallet without a traditional seed phrase, and integrates directly with DeFi protocols for lending, earning, and exchanging.
- Security: Argent’s security model is innovative, blending the convenience of recovery without a seed phrase with the safety of locking and unlocking mechanisms for transactions. This approach aims to reduce the risk of asset loss due to forgotten phrases or keys.
- User Experience: Designed with a focus on simplicity and integration with Ethereum’s DeFi ecosystem, Argent offers a seamless experience for users looking to explore decentralized finance without the complexity often associated with blockchain interactions.
- Supported Cryptocurrencies: While primarily focused on Ethereum and its tokens, Argent’s deep integration with DeFi projects makes it a compelling choice for users invested in Ethereum’s ecosystem.
Exodus:
- Features: Exodus is renowned for its beautiful design and straightforward user interface. It supports a wide range of cryptocurrencies and features built-in exchange capabilities. Its desktop companion app enhances functionality, allowing for a seamless cross-platform experience.
- Security: Provides solid security features, including local encryption and a recovery phrase. However, it lacks the advanced security features found in some other wallets, such as hardware wallet integration for its mobile version.
- User Experience: The wallet’s focus on design and ease of use makes it ideal for beginners. Its portfolio management tools and live charts offer a comprehensive overview of users’ assets in a visually engaging manner.
- Supported Cryptocurrencies: Supports a broad selection of cryptocurrencies, making it a versatile choice for users looking to manage a diverse portfolio.
Final Thoughts
The landscape of non-custodial wallets for iPhone users is rich and varied, catering to a wide range of needs and preferences. Trust Wallet and MetaMask offer extensive support for cryptocurrencies and DeFi integration, making them suitable for users seeking versatility and deep blockchain engagement. Rainbow Wallet, with its focus on Ethereum and NFTs, appeals to the aesthetically inclined, while Argent introduces innovative security features and seamless DeFi access, ideal for those immersed in Ethereum’s ecosystem. Exodus rounds out the selection with its emphasis on design and user-friendliness, perfect for newcomers to the cryptocurrency space. Each wallet presents a unique blend of features, security, and user experience, underscoring the importance of choosing a wallet that aligns with individual needs and investment strategies. Whether prioritizing broad asset support, advanced DeFi functionality, or ease of use, there is a non-custodial wallet on iOS that meets the criteria, ensuring iPhone users can navigate the crypto space with confidence and control.
by Patrix |
In Part 1 of this series, I detailed the process of creating an eBook (in the ePub format) using Apple’s Pages application.
In this Part 2, I will quickly go over some considerations when inserting audio and video files into your eBook.
The large majority of eBook platforms read the EPub format, which is an open standard announced by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) in 2007. (It should be noted that Amazon’s Kindle reader does not read the EPub format.) Apple’s Pages application can create eBooks in the EPub format quite easily (see Part 1 of this series.)
While the EPub format does not currently have a mandatory support for audio or video file formats in EPub, it does appear that the IDPF is headed in that direction. In the meantime, Apple supports both audio and video file insertion into the EPub format for their devices. And this can be done in Pages.
Inserting Audio Files
The most important thing to know about inserting audio files into an eBook in Pages is that the audio file formats must be in either the .mp3 or .m4a formats. Then, it’s just a matter of inserting the file into the text using Pages’ Insert menu.
When the file is inserted, it looks like this.
This is how the file appears in Pages.
Once the document is exported into the EPub format and opened in an eBook reader, the audio file is embedded into the text and looks like this:
Audio in eBook.
To hear the audio, the eBook user simply clicks on the arrow in the black bar and the audio begins playing.
Inserting Video Files
The most important thing to know about embedding a video file is this: Video files MUST be in the .m4v format.
Otherwise, the embedding process is the same as it is for embedding audio files. I’ve also found that it helps to put a return before and after the position where the video file is embedded. This helps to create proper spacing, and it allows you to left, center, or right justify the position of the video window by applying this justification to the paragraphs before and after the video.
The video is embedded into the eBook and looks like this to the eBook reader:
The video in an eBook
EBook Production
The tools to create and self publish eBooks are now available on our desktops. This relatively recent trend makes it much easier for us to become both author and publisher. When you’re ready to distribute your eBook, check out Apple’s iBookstore.
by Patrix |
Note: Part 2 of this series covers adding sound and video files to your ebook.
Ebooks are now a common part of our digital landscape. This year promises to bring a significant increase in the number of choices of tablet-like mobile devices. This is likely to only add to the astonishing growth in ebook consumption. But ebook consumption isn’t the only area that is likely to experience tremendous growth this year. It appears that ebook production has arrived for the common man/woman.
There are many advantages of this type of self-publishing for both business and educational folk alike:
- relatively low barrier to entry
- establish expertise in subject area
- increasing number of distribution channels
- multimedia potential of the ebook (epub) format
- low overhead
- great marketing/promotional medium
- great educational medium
When you see just how easy it is to create an ebook with Apple’s Pages software, you may decide to become an author yourself.
Pages has had the ability to export to the ePub format since the release of iWork 9.0.4 in August of 2010. At that time, Pages had some rough edges when it came producing a well formatted ebook. When Apple released Pages 4.0.5 in January, 2011, it greatly improved the semantics of their ePub export. Today, with some careful attention to a few details and methods, you can create an ePub-formatted ebook.
It’s important to point out that while the ePub format works on most ebook readers (including Apple’s iBook reader) and is opensource, it is not the format used by Amazon’s Kindle reader (which uses the MOBI format). There are software tools, like Calibre, available to convert from ePub to MOBI. (I may do a post in the future going over these conversion tools and options.)
Getting Started
The best way to get started with creating an ebook in Pages is to download a template that Apple has created for making ebooks. Download it here: eBook Template
When you open this file in Pages, you’ll notice styles in the Styles Drawer that are specific to tagging an ebook. These styles are applied to the elements of your book to properly format the document for the ePub export. The pages in this document have examples of these styles applied to text and a brief description of how they should be used.
(Click on illustrations to enlarge.)
- Examples of styles
Dealing With Images
There are a few things to keep in mind as you create your book. If you will be inserting images into your book, you must make sure that you set them to be “inline” images. That is, the images flow with the text rather than independent of the text. To do that, click on the image, and in the Inspector click on the Wrap Inspector tab, then click on the Inline (moves with text) radio button. This assures that the images in your ebook stay with the appropriate text even when the ebook reader adjusts the font sizes.
Inspector
Images can wrap in 6 different ways. You’ll need to check the Object causes wrap checkbox on the Inspector pane. Then click on one of the six illustrations below this checkbox to indicate how the image will behave in the text. The illustrations provide an efficient way of explaining how each work.
image wrap
Dealing With Font Sizes
I found the font sizes in this template to be too large (especially if your Titles or Heads are lengthy). This caused many of my titles in the ebook to overwhelm the page. You can test this with your own ebook, but generally I found that bumping the Title, Head, and SubHead font sizes down 10-15 pts worked well.
Testing Your eBook Along The Way
The best way to perfect the look and feel of your ebook is to export your Pages document to the ePub format and test on an ebook reader. This process is simple. I find myself going through this process several times in the creation of an ebook.
First, save your Pages document. Then, under the Share menu choose Export… This brings up a window indicating the export options.
Export options
Click on the ePub tab at the top and then click on the Next… button. Save the epub to your computer’s desktop.
Getting The Ebook to Your Reader
There are several ways to get the ePub file to your ebook reader, but I will go over the two easiest ways.
The first is simply to email the ePub file to yourself as an attachment. Then open the email on your ebook reader device and send it to your eReader. On an iPad or iPhone, clicking on the ePub file attachment brings up a dialogue box asking if you’d like to send it to iBooks. It then sends it to iBook and opens your book for you to begin reading.
The second way is open iTunes on your computer and then drag the ePub file into iTunes. This places the file into the Books area in iTunes. Then you simply sync your iPad/iPhone to your computer and the book appears in your iBooks library.
In part 2 of this series, I will go over the specific methods for adding sound files and video files to your ebook. Stay tuned!