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Arthur L. 邀請您參加排程的 Zoom 會議。
主題：Arthur L.的Zoom會議 時間：2022年11月5日 04:00 下午 香港特別行政區
加入 Zoom 會議 https://zoom.us/j/95758338727?pwd=Tm12cXVadDdIWERGYUNKekgwRzJ6dz09
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How to do the marketing using phantom buster?
info@uniserve.com.hk 邀請您參加排程的 Zoom 會議。
主題：info@uniserve.com.hk的Zoom會議 時間：2022年10月6日 06:00 下午 香港特別行政區
加入 Zoom 會議 https://zoom.us/j/96339360953?pwd=cUVVZ0NORHNFMTUwVFVMS1NnU0JnQT09
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rankfurt/hamburg Does coffee taste rancid today? Kind of musty? This does not have to be due to the beans, but can be due to lime and old coffee residues in the coffee machine. There are two other good reasons to clean the coffee machine a little more often: mold formation and the electricity costs.
"Many calcified machines produce too hot water," says Holger Preibisch, Managing Director of the German Coffee Association. "Because of the deposits, they can no longer maintain the water temperature.“Lime is deposited wherever water is processed. Therefore, experts, as well as manufacturers of coffee machines, advise to empty the water tank at the end of each day and wipe it dry. The water exchange has one more advantage: fresh water does not negatively affect the taste of coffee.
Even if the taste of the coffee seems subjectively the most important at first, there are other reasons to put your hand to the machine every day: otherwise mold can form, and germs can multiply. For example, moist coffee residues mold in the pomace for pressing residues, the coffee grounds container and in the drip tray. In addition, oils and fats from coffee settle here.
For capsule and pad machines, you should therefore empty the shell after each use, recommends Theresa Seitz, consultant for small household appliances at the Association of the Electrical and Digital Industry (ZVEI). According to Holger Preibisch of the coffee Association, this also applies to filters that should not be left in the holder after the brewing process. Even the cans of filter machines are best emptied daily when coffee is no longer drunk. Otherwise, the coffee will dry up in it and the jug will be harder to clean.
Especially the milk nozzle, the milk tank and their hoses are tricky: "Germs are created wherever milk is used and not removed," says Holger Preibisch. The side milk nozzle of portafilter machines and fully automatic coffee machines, for example, can be unscrewed, placed in detergent and then rinsed with clean water. Many of the devices remind of this cleaning very regularly. However, from the expert's point of view, the milk tank of the machine should be rinsed out daily. The same applies to the hoses that are rinsed with hot water using the machine.
About once a month, you should additionally descale the machine. That's easy. Usually, a lime detergent is added to the filled water tank and a cleaning program or the usual preparation program is started. Theresa Seitz advises against vinegar and citric acid, which are often used in the household against lime. "Citric acid reduces the lifetime of the machines. The strong acid can attack seals and hoses.“Even vinegar should not get into the coffee machine. "It is too sharp and can damage the plastics in the device.“
Fully automatic machines and many other coffee machines periodically remind you to start a self-cleaning. "They provide enough pressure and temperature to clean the machines from the inside," says Seitz. Nevertheless, cleaning agents are also needed to sufficiently dissolve fats and oils. "Depending on the manufacturer, these are tablets or powders that are dissolved in water beforehand," says Ansgar Pleye from the Specialty Coffee Association Germany, a network of coffee specialists. Fully automatic coffee machines have an opening for the tablet. In a portafilter machine, the powder or tablet is placed in the filter holder.
Attention: Even if the machine takes over many cleaning steps: Some components have to be cleaned by hand. For example, this may apply to the brewing group, the heart of the device. It can be removed in many devices and can then be simply rinsed with water, according to Pleye. "If you do this regularly, you will prevent permanent residues.“With portafilter machines, the brewing group can be cleaned with a blind sieve. "Such a sieve has no holes, so the hot water flowing through it is backwashed with pressure," explains the expert.
A tip for portafilter machines and filter devices: "If the greases are very tight to the strainer and filter holder, you can briefly immerse both in a hot water bath with coffee cleaner," says Ansgar Pleye. The deposits on the sieve can be avoided by washing it out regularly, preferably even after each use, with water, adds Preibisch.
Also in containers for beans or ground coffee, fats settle. "The empty bean container can be removed from the machine in order to wash it out from the inside with a slightly damp cloth," says Ansgar Pleye. Most containers are not suitable for cleaning in the dishwasher, the plastic becomes cloudy in them. Important: After wiping, the container must be completely dry before it is refilled
http://startupsmagazine.co.uk/article-top-50-london-startups-work
The companies on the list are selected based on their company mission, employee reviews, careers pages, upfront information for potential new hires and general buzz. To be considered for the list, companies must have launched in 2014 or after, have less than 300 employees and be founded in London.
Tempo specialises in recruitment for young people and is passionate about getting this generation into work, especially amidst the current unemployment crisis the country is facing. They wanted to create this list to show some of the great startups that the city has to offer.
Ben Chatfield, CEO of Tempo said: "Now more than ever, jobseekers are looking at the bigger picture when it comes to the companies they want to work for. It's not just about topline growth and elaborate perks, it's about the mission, opportunities for learning and, crucially, how employees have been treated during the pandemic. With the Super Startups, we are delighted to recognise game-changing businesses that are also fantastic places to work."
Small business with big dreams, Allplants wants to inspire everyone to eat more plants for a better future of our planet. The team can indulge in daily lunches, breakfast and snacks, and they are first in line for new product tastings.
Not strictly for vegans, Allplants fosters a diverse environment with flexible working, and a mission that both feels good and tastes good.
Superpower: Treating your stomach and the planet
Founded: 2016
Operating behind the scenes, Yapily empowers financial services so everyone can enjoy better finance products. Saving the world in more ways than one, they are also saving their employees from bad working environments. The Yapily team benefits from making an impact and gaining experience in a seriously high-growth space. Smart FinTech is here to stay.
Superpower: Making financial services faster and better for everyone
Founded: 2017
Time is money in business and Countingup knows that. Their platform combines banking and accounting into one simple, easy-to-use product. The team at Countingup is diverse and all striving for the same ultimate goal. Word on the street is they want to provide a financial platform for no less than one million small businesses - but who’s counting?
Superpower: Automating accounting to give back time to the people
Founded: 2017
Echo brings a new aspect of healthcare into the 21st century by enabling people to easily order medicine online and get it delivered for free. Now there’s a service adding true value to people’s lives. Employees are part of a diverse and busy team where no day is the same, and the health and wellbeing benefits are more than anyone could ever hope for.
Superpower: Taking the faff out of prescription medicine
Founded: 2015
There’s nothing worse than your phone dying when you’re out and about. Enter ChargedUp! Their network of portable power banks gives you power on demand. To keep their employees charged up and ready to go, the company offers mentoring and growth as well as keeping things social with Monday morning team breakfasts. They’ve got the power.
Superpower: Supplying phone power to anyone from anywhere
Founded: 2017
Nutritions with no nasties, time-saving and money-saving, Huel is created to make people feel good. Employees are encouraged to be curious, to take initiative and collaborate with each other to make sure customers get the best possible experience. The benefits are focused on keeping people well, and includes healthcare and, of course, free Huel.
Superpower: Keeping people fit from within
Founded: 2014
Because every day at work should be a good day, simple as that. Providing delicious lunches to offices and remote workers, City Pantry is all about employee wellbeing for others - and for themselves. Employees are encouraged to be hungry, not just for lunch but in their approach to work too. Fun, freedom and wellbeing are at the core of the culture, rated highly by the team.
Superpower: Eliminating soggy sandwiches from your work life
Founded: 2014
Habito exists to make mortgages easier. You might even say that Habito has a bit of a habit of pleasing people. The team works hard to be better, be responsible and be part of the revolution that gets rid of bad mortgages for good. Employees love the benefits which include health insurance, motivational guest speakers, stock options and pension, and flexible holidays to name a few.
Superpower: Mortgages that please people, not banks
Founded: 2015
Forget about Atkins and Keto, and embrace a new life that’s literally second nature with Second Nature. Working to keep customers rested, happy and healthy, employees get the same thoughtful treatment. The Second Nature team can have their cake and eat it too with a great culture, career progression and the opportunity to make an important impact on people’s lives.
Superpower: Ditching diet fads to make you healthy once and for all
Founded: 2015
Capdesk wants to make companies captains of their equity. By simplifying employee equity schemes, companies can now manage all their gold in a single platform. The team is small and they all have their thinking caps on to deliver nothing but the best to customers. The company practises what they preach and offers super transparent equity ownership to employees so everyone benefits from their growth.
Superpower: Streamlining equity plans with flexibility and confidence
Founded: 2015
EduMe is a workforce success platform that uses the power of technology for good. By enabling companies to train people to excel at their job, everyone becomes a hero in their own right. EduMe not only provides hero-like workforces for others, they also take care of their own. Flexible working, budget for health and socials; employees have all they need to focus on helping others.
Superpower: Empowering workforces to perform at their best
Founded: 2016
Visionable believes in doing good by being good, which is why they’re on a mission to make healthcare accessible to everyone on the planet using technology. If that isn’t enough of a reason to be a part of the journey, employees benefit from working in an environment that encourages curiosity and positive challenges. Oh, and a generous holiday allowance and career development.
Superpower: Using video technology to build a healthier world
Founded: 2019
Florence cares, and this is a team working hard to change the care industry for the better. Care homes no longer need to be stuck in the old age. Having gone through impressive growth in the last couple of years, employees enjoy a fun, friendly and collaborative startup environment with generous benefits. Florence is the perfect precedent that it feels good to do good.
Superpower: Giving carers and nurses the tools to be in control
Founded: 2016
Serving over two million farmers across Africa, Wefarm isn’t the kind of place where employees get stuck in an office booth. In fact, their idea of an offsite has previously included trips to Kenya and Uganda. It kind of makes that traditional Christmas party in the pub seem kind of stingy, right? Most importantly though, the company is building a fantastic ecosystem for global agriculture.
Superpower: Connecting farmers for a better future
Founded: 2015
Farewill offers the opportunity to have a real impact on people’s lives by providing a simpler way to deal with deaths. Through a mix of excellent customer service and smart technology, the company makes things a bit easier, faster and fairer. The team is a diverse bunch of people who all genuinely care about the product, each other and the future of the company.
Superpower: Doing good by offering a simpler way to deal with death
Founded: 2015
Healthcare workers are the superheroes of today. And Doctify wants to connect people with the very best clinics and hospitals. The platform, together with its dedicated team, exists to empower people to make informed decisions and recognise the clinics and hospitals that go above and beyond. Employees at Doctify are helping the good healthcare workers save the masses. Now there’s a superhero for you.
Superpower: Promoting trust and transparency in healthcare
Founded: 2014
Thriva wants people to thrive, and this includes their employees. While customers get personalised health advice with the prick of a finger, employees pinch themselves to make sure they’re not dreaming up all those great benefits. The Thriva team wants to show that they care and works hard to make sure that employees never experience the dreaded 'Sunday fear'.
Superpower: Putting health control into the hands of people
Founded: 2015
We’re not talking about how to become the next Kim Kardashian here, but rather a team of creative experts that help brands succeed in the world of social media. The team benefits from an exciting, fast-paced environment where no day is the same, and Influencer keeps their employees happy and healthy with a mental and physical wellbeing focus, a generous holiday allowance and flexible working hours.
Superpower: Influencing positive change for brands
Founded: 2014
Permutive is on a mission to show the world what’s possible with data. Pretty straightforward, right? The company is doing something groundbreaking, and the team consists of dreamers, inventors and discoverers who make sure that the journey is a memorable one. This is a place where employees can rip up the rulebook and work the way that make each one of them happy.
Superpower: Giving publishers the data they deserve
Founded: 2015
At Motorway, employees are part of a company that’s working in the fast lane. With a simple mission to make selling your car quick and easy, here is a company that’s bound to stay successful until we are all flying to work. The working environment is fun and fast-paced, and employees rate the flexibility, the family-like atmosphere and the perks that come with growing together as a company.
Superpower: An easy way to sell your car and drive straight to the bank
Founded: 2016
Hot water and heating problems can really make our blood boil like nothing else. And getting it fixed is as painful as having a root canal. Hometree believes the world deserves better, and they only hire the very best people to make sure that happens. Employees are offered a safe place to be themselves, work how they like, and take ownership and grow in their role.
Superpower: Making homecare plans work for you
Founded: 2016
Form3 empowers businesses so they can make instant payments easy for their customers. The team embraces a remote-first approach to work while remaining a close knit bunch. After all, if we can do everything online, why shouldn’t we? Employees can be based wherever they are the most happy and productive, and the great benefits reflect just that. This is a FinTech racing for first place.
Superpower: Redefining instant payments for easy spending
Founded: 2016
As a company building technology to shape the world of data, Quantexa is full of smart and dedicated people. Employees rate the 'work hard play hard' mentality and can reap the benefits of their hard work with mentor programmes and opportunity for professional development - alongside the fun bits like generous holiday allowance, flexible working and a great culture.
Superpower: Connecting data to empower decisions
Founded: 2016
House deposits and the process around them used to give us chills down the spine. Flatfair has made it easy for landlords and renters alike. The team is a bunch of passionate people, eager to improve people’s quality of life. Employees rate the culture highly and are excited about the learning, development and progression opportunities they are given.
Superpower: Flexible protection so renting becomes as easy as pie
Founded: 2016
Cazoo gives customers complete car buying confidence. Reconditioned, delivered and with a money back guarantee - buying a car just became fun again. Just as their service is fastpaced, so is life at Cazoo headquarters. Working at speed as a team to reach their end goals, the team strives to have just as much fun as their customers do buying their cars.
Superpower: Transforming the way people buy used cars
Founded: 2018
Digitising and simplifying payments, Shieldpay protects people and businesses alike with those big, important transactions. Supporting, encouraging, dynamic and exciting. That’s how you could describe the company’s mission, but actually those are just some of the kind words employees use to describe their life at Shieldpay.
Superpower: Shielding customers and businesses from bad transactions
Founded: 2016
24 CREDIT KUDOS
Robin Hood was a man of the people, and so is Credit Kudos. Their platform aims to provide fairer credit for all by helping people access finances they can afford. This idea of fairness can be seen in their employee benefits too. From equity and pensions, health and wellbeing schemes, and any equipment they need, Credit Kudos really do believe in power to the people.
Superpower: Fixing credit scoring so it’s fair for everyone
Founded: 2015
Need a friend to help you save? Send Cleo to the rescue. The platform uses smart technology to keep your spending in check in a unique and friendly way. Fear not, this doesn’t stop Cleo spending money on their employees’ happiness. With excellent compensation, mentorship, team bonding trips and snacks galore, the team at Cleo certainly does not go without.
Superpower: Making managing your money a walk in the park
Founded: 2016
Not to be confused with squishy sweets, Marshmallow is rebuilding car insurance so it works for everyone. The inclusive approach to business feeds into the entire team, which consists of a passionate bunch of marshmallowers. The list of benefits seems never ending, and employees love the clear direction and great atmosphere. Only thing missing really is a free marshmallow supply for life.
Superpower: Smart, instant car insurance that works for everyone
Founded: 2017
By Miles is disrupting traditional car insurance by charging only a fixed annual cost and the miles you drive - the less you drive, the less you pay. Making travel easy isn’t just important for their customers but also for their employees. Alongside the usual social events and benefits, the team is given a cycle to work scheme and great commuting options. By Miles that’s good!
Superpower: Making car insurance affordable for all
Founded: 2016
On a mission to synchronise supply and demand for businesses, Zencargo’s team seem to be in perfect sync themselves. Employees rate the flat hierarchy, the fast-moving environment and the overall business outlook, making Zencargo the perfect workplace for budding entrepreneurs. With £20m funding in the bank and a growing team, this one is here to stay.
Superpower: A trust-based environment for businesses and employees
Founded: 2017
On a mission to boost people’s careers, Jolt is offering support and flexible learning for their students to thrive in any industry. The internal culture at Jolt is not about beer fridges and ping pong, but about adding true value to employees’ lives by providing them with the tools, courses and skills to be their very best selves. Employees rate them highly and value that the team genuinely cares.
Superpower: Giving students a competitive advantage
Founded: 2015
The healthcare system often involves too many cooks. So to help not spoil the broth, the AccuRx platform allows anyone involved in a patient’s care to easily communicate with each other, including the patient. The AccuRx team itself all has one thing in common, an obsession with their mission, and each other. Here is a company that strives for team happiness both in and outside of work.
Superpower: All healthcare communication, all in one place
Founded: 2016
From ship-to-shore and door-to-door, Convelio has a superhero A-team to make sure fine art is delivered across the globe quickly, smoothly and at competitive prices. The team follows a working compass to make sure not only the artwork gets delivered, but that they deliver too. Convelio offers a work environment that is caring, agile and demanding, making them a seaworthy crew.
Superpower: Building the logistics backbone of the art world
Founded: 2017
ComplyAdvantage is the Batman of the tech world. The company is building software to take on the risk of financial crimes such as money laundering and terrorist financing. Much like Batman had Robin, ComplyAdvantage has a focused team that is collaborative, proactive and tenacious to deliver the best results and fight financial evil. And make sure the process is pain free along the way.
Superpower: Using technology to fight financial crime
Founded: 2014
Working with companies to give employees instant access to earnings, Wagestream is all about opportunity. They believe in trust, autonomy and growing together to make a big impact - all of which employees rate them highly for. The team has access to a range of seriously cool benefits, and their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed with more than £60m raised from top VCs.
Superpower: Enabling people to be in control of their earnings
Founded: 2018
Enabling businesses to run with confidence, Fluidly makes sure that small companies always have cash in the bank. Sounds pretty remarkable, right? And remarkable is just what working there feels like - employees love the culture, the leadership, the challenges and the great potential they see in the product. Fluidly offers a place to really develop and learn.
Superpower: Predicting future cashflows so businesses can run with ease
Founded: 2016
Juro is on a mission to streamline work for all of us and make collaboration easy-peasy. And this simplicity can be found within the team as well. They foster an environment where everyone can feel at home, and the team enjoys a bunch of fun activities which confirm that their culture is something to shout about. Potential new starters can even find all information about the hiring process online. Easy, simple, Juro.
Superpower: Making work as simple as it should be
Founded: 2016
We all know about the mysterious credit score, but figuring out the ins and outs of it has never been easy. Then Portify came around to save the day with a community-powered membership that helps people reach their financial goals. Some goals may be more than financial, and that’s why the team at Portify are given everything they need to reach their own ones, personally and professionally, and be happy at work.
Superpower: Helping everyone achieve their financial dreams
Founded: 2017
Zego is all about making driver insurance flexible, simple, and better. And guess what, working at the company is pretty much that: flexible, simple, and better than other places. Employees value the culture and perks, and new hires benefit from competitive salary and holidays, the latest tech and awesome Zego merch to go show the world where they belong.
Superpower: Taking the wheel of modern work insurance 11
Founded: 2016
Dogs are a human’s best friend. And at Butternut Box that means delivering health and happiness to dogs in a meal worth drooling over. This company puts the fun back in pun with a light-hearted sense of humour in their brand voice and approach to each other. From a focus on health and wellbeing to a personal learning budget, employees really have something to bark about.
Superpower: Giving dogs happiness through the pawfect meal
Founded: 2016
Most employers will roll over laughing if you tell them they can run payroll in a single click. With Pento that’s a reality. Not only is the company making things a whole lot easier for employers, they also make work as easy as pie. If unlimited holidays, flexible working, and an incredible growth journey sound up your street, then look no further to make work truly exciting.
Superpower: Bringing payroll into the 21st century (finally)
Founded: 2016
Growing fast, Fiit almost seems to have been built for a global pandemic with their excellent app that brings the gym home. The company truly cares about their employees and the work is focused around feeling good - employees are treated with personal fitness and wellbeing budgets, team workouts, healthy snacks and, of course, fun socials that don’t always evolve around the gym.
Superpower: Fitness at home at the touch of a button
Founded: 2017
As if Hopin predicted a global pandemic, they decided to take events online. The virtual event venue goes way beyond simple presentations with immersive networking, expo booths, workshops and much more. Employees at Hopin are part of a journey where they move seriously fast, with an opportunity to make a big impact and gain unmatched experiences for the future.
Superpower: Saving the world from restrictive online events
Founded: 2019
WeGift is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only are they incentivising consumers to buy more from businesses, they are also incentivising their employees to stay around. With a generous holiday allowance, flexible working, diverse team socials and a bunch of discounts up for grabs, the team understands that working hard really pays off - proven in their 500% growth last year.
Superpower: Rewarding consumers with instant incentives when they buy
Founded: 2015
Attest believes consumers and data should be put at the heart of every business, and accessible to anyone that needs it. And whilst data is their mission, people is their focus. With clearly laid out values, benefits dedicated to their growth and development as well as their remote-working setup, Attest could put any competing business to the test.
Superpower: Providing the data to turn guesswork into fact
Founded: 2015
With almost £60m funding in the bank, Truelayer is definitely one to watch. They preach about inclusion and diversity in that order, as diversity isn’t successful without inclusion first. Truelayer employees are part of a huge growth spurt, tapping into the FinTech industry with universal APIs that improve financial data for everyone. Add to that a super flexible working environment and fun team socials.
Superpower: Aiming big to power the next era of financial innovation
Founded: 2016
Start talking about savings and investments, and many young people are ready to hit the snooze button. But fear not, Moneybox makes it easy. Easy to sign up, easy to get started, easy to save money. Employees benefit not only from the company’s impressive growth, but also from a range of awesome perks, a dynamic environment, and a welcoming and friendly bunch of colleagues.
Superpower: Making savings as easy as putting money in a box
Founded: 2015
Impala works behind the scenes to make sure that travel booking is as easy as browse, book, pay and stay. Started as a remote-first business and experiencing huge growth, there is no stopping Impala on their way to revolutionising travel for good. With a list of employee benefits that looks never-ending and more than £15m funding in the bank, this is the place to be.
Superpower: Creating a better world of travel through data
Founded: 2016
More than just a cute brand, Yulife truly puts wellbeing at the heart of everything they do. Yulife’s employee insurance product protects lives and rewards living, much like the way they look after their own people. Employees feel at home and refer to colleagues as their Yulife family and they benefit from, yes you guessed it, a more than decent insurance coverage.
Superpower: Protecting, inspiring and rewarding ‘yur’ life.
Founded: 2016
01/10/2022
去年至今，全球興起Web3與元宇宙搶才熱。現
在，風潮吹到台灣來了。
首先，是全球最大加密貨幣交易所幣安，5月起，在台大開出近50個職缺。日本方面，則有業者來台悄悄
網羅工程師。
雖然，也是從5月開始，幣圈邁入熊市，還傳出有不少公司破產。高喊元宇宙的Meta，現在也陷入業務發
展不利的窘況。
難道，人才市場沒受影響？
加密貨幣交易所XREX創辦人黃耀文指出，這個產
業太新，人才缺口一直沒補上。牛市時，企業常擋不住精英跳槽，難以做長期研發；反而是現在熊市了，才是找人與留才的好時機。台灣區塊鏈大學聯盟理事長彭少甫透露，這一波市場淘汰賽後，國際上加密貨幣主流業者和小公司差異很大，大公司目前仍持續找人。另外，還有一些台灣業者，剛從零開始，加入這個新風潮，經常連職稱都不知道，就問他要人。這些業者從事的行業，則來自
許多意想不到的傳統領域，如3C經銷代理、硬體製造等都有。
就怕跟不上全球生態主流，台灣業者燃起大廠焦慮
這些台灣老闆們到底圖什麼？彭少甫說，上半年的
NFT話題熱潮，雖是一部分原因，但台灣企業慣有的
「大廠焦慮」更是關鍵。原來，台灣企業過往常勝在快速跟進美國大廠腳步。一名近期常參與區塊鏈社群活動的某國內資訊服
務老牌業者透露，Web3與元宇宙在台灣目前的發展
還很小，但國際大廠一旦動起來，就會很快跟進，因為那代表全球市場生態走入主流：「餅會很大。」
例如，微軟近期接連進駐元宇宙標準論壇，還有據
蘋果近期申請專利狀況揭露，AR眼鏡的布局腳步未
停過，這些都在台灣企業界引起高度關注。
到底元宇宙與Web3領域最缺少什麼人才？彭少甫
說，外界常誤以為這類新科技領域只愛收工程師，其實是迷思，這個領域是跨界創新，文法商人才也吃香。最近他常到各地學校演講，就常鼓勵非工科的學生們，探頭到這個新領域做點嘗試，說不定能找到不
通過分享 PressReader
通過新聞連接世界
01/10/2022
它在日本擁有一批從小玩到大的鐵粉，全球有800萬玩家擁戴。能成功跨進元宇宙，其實是仰賴關劭驊在最難打進的日本市場，學到的社群基本功。
善用社群：曾和三麗鷗合作，變現價值
首先，元素騎士在線上遊戲時代就著重社交，過關設計會引導玩家發現「一起玩最好玩」，因而積極組隊。許多人在此和其他玩家建立的友誼超過十年，為了天天上來和老友抬槓，願意持續花錢維持戰力。換句話說，玩家買的，是一起成長的記憶。
關劭驊說，像Bic Camera及三麗鷗的Hello Kitty，在元素騎士還只是傳統線上遊戲年代，就曾合作導入聯名角色，希望能成為陪伴玩家長大的虛擬朋友，更為品牌方創下佳績，證明這裡的社群，價值可變現。因此，去年底，將元素騎士導入區塊鏈創新後，關劭驊和團隊的第一個布局，就是把原有遊戲的社群黏
度，導引到NFT遊戲新版本來。
增加黏著：開放玩家自行設計NFT
首先，他們舉辦NFT徵件比賽，號召玩家設計自己覺得有趣的寶物，優勝者作品可鑄造成NFT，還能賣
給別的玩家。最後，他們和社群選出一款「怪獸求饒
背包」NFT。原來，這個怪獸是所有玩家最想打下的
目標，當有人把求饒的怪獸揹在身上，周遭玩家看到都會心一笑。雖然沒有太厲害的附屬功能，仍有玩家買，因為他們買的是「一起打怪的時光」。
另外，遊戲官方的NFT設計上，元素騎士團隊也不
忘時時切入玩家心態來賦能。例如，他們發售金、銀
等級的會員證NFT，除了可獲取封測資格，還可成為VIP包廂的通行證。因為他們發現，許多玩家想要只
有好朋友才能去的私密空間。關劭驊說，許多元宇宙遊戲或空間，只有漂亮外皮，吸引社群停駐的設計不多，又過分強調搶占地盤，
或是買寶物NFT的投資價值。他認為很難讓玩家有天
天想上來的歸屬感，可能炒作一波就人去樓空了。
看來，台灣要加入元宇宙，不該偏離從社群出發的思惟，而遊戲社群與企業結盟，可能是最適合的戰略。至於元素騎士目前的最大挑戰是什麼？關劭驊坦承，是導入區塊鏈的技術提升。
他指出，對於元素騎士來說，目前導入區塊鏈，最大
好處是讓遊戲寶物可以用NFT上鏈，打造專屬的資產紀錄。只是現階段技術，很難呈現元宇宙追求的3D體
驗，因此區塊鏈的部分只能單純用在交易寶物的功能上。核心的遊戲運作，則仍必須用傳統的中心化伺服器管理。也因此，元素騎士遊戲在這方面，頂多只算得上
Web2.5，還沒完美實現。但是他很看好Web3的發展潛
力，相信一切只待更多科技創新來解決。
議」，開啟村莊的復興運動。負責這項復興專案，以及作為山古志村住民會議代表的竹內春華女士表示，身為村裡相對年輕的一份子，她很憂心村子會消失被
人遺忘。沒想到，卻因為NFT帶來一線曙光。
回想從頭，竹內指出，去年她諮詢Next Commons Lab創辦人林篤志後，原本只是想找找善用地方創生重建村落的靈感，沒想到，發現了正在流行的NFT。
林篤志創立的Next Commons Lab，長期協助日本地
方政府發展地方創生，並曾把觸角延伸至台灣。他對
NFT也有不少研究。他表示，一開始建議竹內嘗試這項專案時，村民幾乎不懂區塊鏈、數位藝術和NFT。
所幸與竹內討論後，覺得大膽嘗試也無妨，於是就聯絡他熟識的技術伙伴高瀨俊明進行，並結合日本當地
藝術家Okazz及raf，設計兩款NFT基礎圖像。
至於選擇錦鯉為主題，是因為錦鯉是常見的日本文化象徵之一，山古志村也正是錦鯉的發源地。
除此之外，山谷志村NFT的賦能，更是全球首創：只要買NFT，就能取得該村數位居民證，形同虛擬世界
的村民。竹內表示，這是參考愛沙尼亞先前發行電子國民證作法，雖不是行政上可以用的居民證，卻是作
為山古志村「同伴」的象徵，除了能透過此NFT參與日
本山古志村的社群交流，也能實際參與村內建設。在宣傳方面，他們也決定要瞄準全球，不要自限
於日本。因此，NFT技術負責人高瀨，協助打造英文Twitter帳號，另外，也直接向NFT藝術收藏家社群宣傳，結果還意外出現英語圈和中文圈的NFT社群收藏家自願當起專案宣傳，串聯各地的NFT社群。
引全球1500數位村民，與原村民變忘年之交
最後，成果意外亮眼，吸引來購買的，除了日本人，還有人來自美國、中國、歐洲、中東及東南亞等地區。
現在，數位村民已有1500人，比原有的800位村民還多！從元宇宙的視野來看，儼然已成國際村。村裡的實際村民又是如何看待？竹內女士笑說，他們多是高齡長者，和新住民相比，年齡差距已達爺孫了，溝通上難免有世代差距。幸好，年輕的數位村民尊重及支持，有些會特意造訪交流，並學習長輩們生活方式；另外偶爾會看到長輩學習如何用手機，將
日常活動或錦鯉照片，上傳到Discord，與數位村民分享，數位村民也會在Twitter上，註解他們是「山古志的
數位村民」。
同時，雖然林篤志與村上都沒有刻意炒高NFT價格，截至2022年8月7日為止，NFT的地板價格，已比初始價0.03以太高了五倍左右。在幣圈熊市中不跌反
漲，說明數位村民的吸引力。
花錢購買NFT，更重要的是實際參與建設，山古志村在這方面是玩真的。第一波宣傳銷售NFT後，他們就於2月線上公開募集想法，並舉辦「山古志村數位村
民總選舉」，針對「如何讓山古志村繼續存續的計畫」
進行投票，最後決定以第一次NFT販售取得虛擬資產中的30％，作為該投票結果活動的執行經費。後來，
不少數位村民也把協助宣傳該村，當作復興村落的策略之一，現已有許多人實際到訪，並寫網文宣傳。
第二故鄉，打造地方創生典範
這個NFT專案，與其他項目最大的不同，是提供「第二故鄉」，有個實際的地方可以回訪，因此在今年日本黃金週，就有許多住在東京的數位村民，專程搭新幹線到新潟縣，多數的數位村民是第一次造訪山古志村，卻向竹內和實際村民表示他們「回家」了！
林篤志表示，山古志村達成的成果，只能用奇蹟來形容，經驗不一定能完全複製到其他日本村落，但重要的是，能帶給其他村落新的思考。他笑著表示，在山古志村NFT發行後，甚至還有日本年輕人為此跑來
今年日本黃金週有許多住在東京的數位村民，專程搭車來山古志村。雖是首次造訪，這些熱情的新村民，卻會向當地村民表示自己「回家」了！
山古志村參與活動，並協助工作。
日本學者增田寬指出，預計2040年，日本將會有896
個市町村因無法維持基本經濟生活機能而消失。山古志村也正面臨類似危機，但如今出現轉機。目前
看來，山古志村透過應用科技的方式，結合NFT社群的
實驗專案，正為該村落創造一套屬於村民和數位村民的新社群，甚而還已吸引東京的年輕人到訪鄉鎮，成果耀眼。其實，台灣南投竹山數年前，就推出區塊鏈打造的數位鎮民計畫，已有多國參與，計劃明年要走向去中心化
的自治組織（DAO）。和山古志村善用NFT，搶先實驗去
中心化的村民自治，有異曲同工之處，虛實看似分立，若能有效運用，相輔相成，再現人們的「歸屬感」。
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觀念2〉
NFT不該只是熱鬧過場，抓住回流客更甚一次性行銷
定期在網上分享元宇宙與NFT新趨勢的葛如鈞指出，許多企業的NFT行銷作法，似乎是熱鬧過就算，只有一次性價值很可惜。其實，臉書與Instagram，近期內建的新功能，可秀出網友的NFT收藏。正式推出後，等於他們蒐藏的品牌NFT，也會在此曝光。
因此，NFT的功能設計上，最好有長期思惟，如虛擬車庫，還可以停放「未來新車款」NFT，或是結合
新車體驗的試駕活動，進行虛實整合，喚醒用戶回來互動。「上一次臉書時代，捧出會分析流量的小編，現
在，幣圈的人很愛討論Moderator（版主），最簡單的類比法，可說是Web3的小編，」葛如鈞強調，當然， Web3的數據思惟，實際沒那麼簡單，更可進一步做會
員管理。不過，對一般企業來說，可先從培養公司裡
第一個Web3的小編做起，未來逐步升級。
觀念3〉創新過渡期，工具必須兼顧社群友善與安全
由於許多幣圈工具使用門檻高，且存在安全風險，
社群文化上可以跟從Web3潮流，工具倒不必盲從。
創立國內NFT市集平台「Jcard」的鄧萬偉指出，即便自己是區塊鏈老鳥，平台上的NFT社群經營是用LINE，並非幣圈的主流工具Discord；同時購買NFT，
還用新台幣支付；這背後都是讓用戶好上手，也減少他們涉入加密貨幣漲跌風險。
以往，如麥當勞之類的企業，為了建置品牌力，還得倚賴找到正確地段；元宇宙時代，企業插旗方式已改為NFT行銷，但趁鐵打熱之際，還必須做好長遠規劃，才不至於讓這股台灣企業NFT熱潮，最終只帶來
一場跟風。
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《元宇宙》作者柏爾：Global Views 01/10/2022
元宇宙到底是什麼？它將在何時抵達？我們怎麼知道這不會是另一波科技圈的炒作，並在不久後的未來，迎向如加密貨幣般的崩跌命運？
自2018年以來發表元宇宙解析文章的馬修．柏爾（Matthew Ball），不僅是業界公認的元宇宙領導者，
很可能也是當前最適合引介讀者認識這些問題，以及尋求可能答案的人。
柏爾在這四年間對元宇宙的著述，獲得Meta執行長祖克柏、Epic Games執行長斯維尼等關鍵推動者的肯
定，也影響這段時間以來元宇宙的發展。如今，他終
於推出首部完整著作《元宇宙》（The Metaverse），審
慎樂觀地指出元宇宙的龐大市場潛力，也分析這一路上潛藏的風險。或許最受用的，是對這形貌、進程都尚未有定論的元宇宙願景，給出具體的定義。
元宇宙與Web3不同，但都備受期待
簡單來說，柏爾認為，元宇宙是一個可讓無限額使用者即時互動的3D虛擬世界，使用者在其中的身分與
資料也具有連續性。在《遠見》專訪中，柏爾進一步
解釋元宇宙，與「Web3」「區塊鏈」「去中心化」等
幾個熱門詞彙之間的關係。
即使這幾個概念時常相伴出現，柏爾認為，整體來說，應該將它們視為不同事物。元宇宙主要關乎虛擬
世界化身，一種具即時性的3D版網際網路；Web3是
一種去中心化的系統結構，關乎資料庫設計及資訊分
享途徑。元宇宙不需要倚賴Web3的結構才能實現， Web3也不講求3D即時算繪功能。
這些概念有時被混為一談，可能是因為各自的擁護者都認為，它們是承繼個人電腦時代、雲端行動時代
後的「下一代網際網路」。這也是元宇宙及Web3可能
的精神性連結之處，柏爾說，「它們都是我們期望的未來樣貌。」
柏爾描述，過去15年來，網際網路變得日益封閉，利潤及決策權掌握在少數科技巨頭手中。Web3社群
期望可將利潤及權力，分配給更多獨立開發者與使用者，取代現在分配不均的生態系。
這樣的原則對元宇宙也至關重要。柏爾指出，我們
不希望元宇宙落入單一企業手中，控制人們在其中的
活動，「因此，無論Web3的技術對元宇宙是否重要，
至少這樣的原則對元宇宙的發展是重要的。」
關於區塊鏈技術，柏爾直言，「我並不認為區塊鏈是元宇宙不可或缺的一部分。」但他肯定區塊鏈技術有其意義，尤其是在數位時代提供了一種可程式化
（programmable）貨幣的概念。這也是為什麼許多人
認為，區塊鏈是史上第一個數位原生支付管道，而不
像PayPal，只是把傳統交易數位化而已。但區塊鏈是
不是最適合程式化貨幣的技術？還未必是定論。《元宇宙》是在加密貨幣崩盤前完稿，但柏爾認為，這並非完全不可預測，也沒有衝擊他對元宇宙發
展的信心。他觀察，雖然金額不比去年，2022年區塊鏈新創的投資金額，應該仍有200∼250億美元。而
且，在區塊鏈遊戲界方面，投資額是持續成長的。同樣的，企業對整體元宇宙的投資也沒有停下腳步。柏爾指出，元宇宙投資者遍及各領域。除了
Google、蘋果、亞馬遜等全球前幾大企業，還有無數獨立公司，也在發展VR、AR相關服務與產品。他認
為，元宇宙成長速度可能暫時性放緩，但這些規模或大或小的資本、人才與時間投入，會繼續產出成果，也使柏爾對元宇宙的發展仍樂觀以對。
硬體擁門戶優勢，支付閘道應多元
元宇宙或許存在虛擬世界中，但使用者仍需穿戴式裝置等硬體，來獲取元宇宙體驗。這對具有硬體研發與製造優勢的台灣公司來說，具有什麼樣的意義？
柏爾指出，硬體與作業系統供應商常以門戶優勢，控制使用者存取虛擬資訊的途徑，有時也包括我們如何購買虛擬體驗，像是在蘋果App Store上的「App內購買」。這成為一個有利可圖的商模，也是科技巨頭把持高額利潤與影響力的一大管道。
柏爾觀察，過往在運算時代汰舊換新時，產製新一代裝置的科技新秀也會隨之崛起，「在元宇宙可能也是如此。」但由於生產VR、AR裝置的門檻很高，目前
行動裝置時代的巨擘擁有大筆研發預算、大量生產以壓低成本的優勢，很難想像新興公司如何搏倒他們。他認為，元宇宙的初期主流硬體仍是智慧手機。
了解元宇宙當前消費行為，想像新未來
柏爾在書中指出，到了2030年代末，社會應有共
識，認為元宇宙已經到來。但投入發展的人才不足，是抵達元宇宙的一大障礙。柏爾對《遠見》表示，目
前開發工程師與3D專業人員數量都非常不足，是企業
進軍元宇宙的一大挑戰。因此，想成為元宇宙時代炙手可熱的人才，柏爾建
議，可從了解3D世界中的商模與文化開始。尤其是Unity這樣的遊戲引擎，將會是未來溝通的重要語言
與工具。同樣的，了解當前年輕遊戲社群的習慣與經驗，也相當重要，「如果不了解今日的元宇宙消費者與使用者，就無法打造（元宇宙的）未來。」
身為風險投資人，柏爾不藏私地分享自己的投資大原則，「比起不變，我更相信事物會持續改變。」他不認為元宇宙只是既有舊事物的3D版本。當相關技術陸續到位時，「我認為我們會用3D打造出非常不同的東西⋯⋯帶來完全不同的體驗。」元宇宙究竟會是如何不同，書中沒有給出明確描繪。但正如柏爾所述，限制元宇宙發展的因素，除了技術，也包括我們的想像力。目前無法預測人類將會想像出什麼樣的「下一代網際網路」，這也正是元宇宙美麗且令人興奮之處。
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元宇宙，這個既閃亮，卻又讓人丈二金剛摸不著頭腦的世界，到底是什麼樣的運作生態？我們以日常生活中的超商來比喻，試圖讓輪廓變得清晰。
假設，元宇宙裡開了一家超商，要能順利運作，除需元宇宙平台本身，區塊鏈、NFT與Web3，亦是關鍵要角。
元宇宙：不斷網，完美再現實體體驗
首先，元宇宙超商要開張，其中虛擬的店內空間、貨架或商品，都得栩栩如生地展現，還得隨時隨地都能逛，否則難以與實體商店競爭。於是，網速和不卡頓便成為元宇宙讓虛擬世界再現甚至超越實體世界的基本要求。
區塊鏈：自動化程式，擔綱基層工作
此外，實體世界中，超級多元的無敵店員，到了元宇宙，該由誰來擔崗演出？
其中，由於區塊鏈誕生的以太幣、比特幣⋯⋯等加密貨幣，都以自動化程式執行，來取代中間人管理所有事務（包括資料驗證、交易流通代幣，或是NFT等數位資產等）。因此，許多人看好區塊鏈可以導入元宇宙，以幫助維運虛擬金流、數位資產「物流」等諸多日常事務的技術。
NFT：記錄消費足跡及履歷證明
而NFT，這個數位資產證明，在元宇宙超商裡，可
以扮演宛如「商品履歷證明」的重要角色。例如，每個貨架上的商品，目前由誰擁有？定價多少？後來又賣出給誰？另外，店裡的各類陳設，也可使用NFT，
註明是由誰擁有的資產。畢竟，實體世界裡的一花一草，有時出自造物神，而不屬於任何人。但元宇宙裡出現的事物，都是人類創造的，勢必需要資產標註，才不會引起糾紛。
Web3：邀請消費者一起打造商品
至於全名「第三代網際網路」的Web3，是指未來網
際網路的治理模式強調去中心化，注重跟社群共創、價值共享，不會將所有的運行規範，交由店家或開設
網站的企業說了算。於是，將Web3套用在元宇宙超
商，與實體超商最大不同的是，你可以和店家一起決定該上架的商品；也可和店家一起開發全新商品，甚至分享利潤。而這和現行臉書或蘋果等網路平台霸
權，打造的第二代網際網路（Web2）治理模式不同。
總之，元宇宙顛覆了許多實體世界的運作邏輯，但這些願景，能否實現？又得靠哪些技術與治理方式來維穩？仍待時間考驗。（林士蕙）
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01/10/2022
當Opensea上的NFT交易量，因幣圈進入熊市，持續下探新低，國內許多企業卻紛紛加入NFT的 行列。舉凡通路家樂福、筆電品牌華碩、飲料商黑松等，接力開發相關專案。根據協助企業發行區塊鏈的技術團隊私下表示，接下來，還有國內平價咖啡連鎖業者、年底選舉候選人團隊等，都在商議把NFT納入規劃中。NFT，絕對是今年台灣企業在品牌行銷上的新歡。不過，發行過NFT的業者私下坦承，就是試水溫，
目前難談成效。
NFT成本低，有利企業數位創新
NFT，真的可能為台灣鏈結出新機會嗎？去年起，
內部啟動「全員進入元宇宙」轉型計畫的電通行銷
傳播集團，8月剛協助TOYOTA在台發行GR86車款NFT，在目前的熊市吸引滿滿人氣，證明自身的轉型
經驗，已從客戶案例看到初步果實。
本身經歷過Web1、Web2的電通行銷傳播集團數位長邵懿文指出，「現在看，正是Web2要過渡到Web3的初期階段。」
她進一步強調，不只電通，許多消費性品牌商，都
對NFT、元宇宙有高度興趣。早期切入的好處，一方
面展現品牌上領導地位；另一方面，也能搶先一步，掌握這波趨勢背後的新社群文化與經濟價值。至於幣圈進入熊市，對企業來說反而加分，不論找技術，還是付給區塊鏈礦工的手續費，都變便宜。
NFT成為企業數位升級的小成本創新。
不過，趨勢太新，企業切入時仍有不少誤解。綜合在地第一波實戰經驗的電通團隊、國內元宇宙權威，
以及目前擔任電通集團Web3成長顧問的葛如鈞意
見，整理出以下三大釐清觀念。
觀念1〉
主動創造價值取代妥協，才能贏得新時代鐵粉的心
擔任電通MB副企劃總監的李令德，正是規劃這次TOYOTA GR86車款NFT幕後團隊推手。他分析，由於Web3社群規模仍小於傳統社群，一些企業會期待，在執行NFT專案時，要以廣泛大眾為優先溝通對
象。但他強調，目前國外案例，大多是先滿足Web3社
群，才取得廣大迴響。
由於Web3想要強調的，是社群主動創造價值，因
此，妥協於過去討好所有人的思惟，反而無法贏得新時代鐵粉。
因此，這次TOYOTA NFT不僅邀請Web3知名設計團隊，活動設計更針對Web3社群特性，強調遊戲
化、互動體驗，第一波主題的車庫空間，在第二波活動時，需要網友們完成分享任務，才能停入新車。雖然看似參與門檻不低，但相較於單方向提供贈品，車庫的空間概念，卻讓網友對參與打造虛擬空間，多了想像。
果然原先設定限量發行400個，最後共吸引了超過
5000名網友爭搶。而對於客戶進一步比對資料後，發現高達75％參與者並非集團會員，證實帶來新客群。
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What is happening with interest rates and mortgage deals?
Whether you’re applying for your first mortgage, or you’re already a homeowner, you’ll know there’s a lot of news coverage about interest rates, inflation and mortgage loans right now.
So what’s happening, and why? How it might affect you will depend on what type of mortgage deal you’re looking for, or the type of deal you’re on – and how much longer is left on the term of your loan.
Plus, forecasts on rising interest rates are changing quickly, along with wider economic conditions. No one knows for sure what’s ahead, but we’re still seeing tens of thousands of people requesting to view properties each day, which is the same level that we’ve seen all month.
So if you are thinking of moving, or if your mortgage term is coming to an end soon, here we’ve tried to help answer some of the questions you might have.
Why are mortgage rates rising now? Before this week, mortgage rates had already been increasing throughout the year. The Bank of England sets the ‘base rate’, which lenders use to set their own mortgage rates. In January of this year, the base rate was 0.25%. Since then, it has gone up incrementally and is currently 2.25%.
The Government sets the Bank of England an inflation target of 2%, but the current rate is 9.9%. It’s the Bank of England’s responsibility to make sure inflation is low and stable, so they need to bring inflation back down. The way they do that is by increasing interest rates.
The Bank of England forecasts inflation to rise to about 11% in October, and that it will stay above 10% for a few months before starting to fall.
Rising interest rates have led to an increase in the average mortgage rates that are available. As an example, if you have a 10% deposit and choose to take out a two-year fixed rate mortgage, the typical rate that was available in January was 2%. That increased to an average of 3.9% at the end of August. These rises had been predicted and lenders were able to factor them in gradually.
Mortgage rates have been rising further this week because when unexpected things happen in financial markets, they’re likely to have a direct impact. Last Friday (23rd September), the Chancellor’s mini-budget unveiled the biggest tax cuts for 50 years, including a stamp duty cut for home-movers in England and Northern Ireland.
This has resulted in a lot of speculation about how these cuts might impact the UK’s finances. The value of the pound has seen record falls, which is likely to drive inflation up further. As a result, it’s widely believed that the Bank of England may need to raise interest rates faster and higher than previously forecasted.
At the minute, there’s a suggestion from the financial markets that the bank base rate could rise to 5.8% by next spring. This has impacted the underlying costs of fixed-rate mortgages. This is why some lenders have repriced deals and others have temporarily removed some or all of their products. Some of the lenders who have withdrawn products are expected to return with new deals in the coming days and weeks.
How might increasing interest rates affect my mortgage? If you’re a first-time buyer, moving home, or remortgaging, it’s likely you’ll be impacted by the changes. If you have a fixed-rate deal, the good news is that it will be business as usual, and your monthly repayments won’t change, at least until your current deal ends.
If you don’t do anything, at the end of your deal you’ll automatically move on to the lender’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR). These rates tend to be higher than other mortgage rates and are generally changed to reflect movements in the Bank of England’s base rate.
Take a look at how your repayments would change if you have a 25-year mortgage term and are looking at a fixed-rate for £200,000, based on rates increasing from between 2% to 6%.
Fixed mortgage rate (£200,000 over 25 years) Monthly payments Increase in monthly payments
1% £754
2% £848 +£94
3% £948 +£194
4% £1,056 +£302
5% £1,169 +£415
6% £1,289 +£535
If you’re among the estimated 15% of borrowers with a variable or a tracker mortgage, your monthly outgoings will almost certainly go up. The interest rate paid on tracker mortgages is usually anchored against the bank base rate plus a set percentage. For example, the current base rate of 2.25%, plus 1%, would mean you’d be paying 3.25% interest right now.
Can I still get a fixed-rate mortgage deal now? Some lenders have withdrawn their fixed-rate products, while others have increased their prices in response to the rapidly changing costs of their funding. But it’s definitely worth finding out what your options are.
If you’re on a tracker or a variable mortgage, you could shop around to see if you can find a cheaper option with a fixed-rate mortgage. However, you might have to pay an early repayment charge first. You could speak to a qualified mortgage broker or adviser if you’re unsure which options would be best for your individual circumstances.
I’m on a fixed rate, what are my options when my deal ends? If your fixed-rate deal is due to end within the next six months, you could see what your options are for locking in a deal now.
Many lenders will allow existing customers to apply for new deals up to six months before their current rate ends without having to pay an early repayment charge. This is often called ‘product transfer’ or ‘switching’. This is a relatively easy process as you’re staying with your existing lender, so you won’t need a solicitor or a property valuation, and there’s no need to prove your income.
If you’re looking to move lenders – whether you’re remortgaging or moving home – you may want to start well before your fixed-rate deal ends, as the application process can take several months or more.
There is so much fluctuation in the mortgage market right now, you might want to look at what your lender has to offer or speak to a mortgage broker to find out which deals are available to you.
READ MORE: What is a mortgage broker or mortgage adviser, and what do they do?
Please note: Rightmove is not authorised to give financial advice; the information and opinions provided in these articles are not intended to be financial advice and should not be relied upon when making financial decisions. Please seek advice from a specialist mortgage provider.
Large pre-trained language models have been shown to store factual knowledge in their parameters, and achieve state-of-the-art results when fine-tuned on downstream NLP tasks. However, their ability to access and precisely manipulate knowledge is still limited, and hence on knowledge-intensive tasks, their performance lags behind task-specific architectures. Additionally, providing provenance for their decisions and updating their world knowledge remain open research problems. Pre-trained models with a differentiable access mechanism to explicit non-parametric memory can overcome this issue, but have so far been only investigated for extractive downstream tasks. We explore a general-purpose fine-tuning recipe for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) -- models which combine pre-trained parametric and non-parametric memory for language generation. We introduce RAG models where the parametric memory is a pre-trained seq2seq model and the non-parametric memory is a dense vector index of Wikipedia, accessed with a pre-trained neural retriever. We compare two RAG formulations, one which conditions on the same retrieved passages across the whole generated sequence, the other can use different passages per token. We fine-tune and evaluate our models on a wide range of knowledge-intensive NLP tasks and set the state-of-the-art on three open domain QA tasks, outperforming parametric seq2seq models and task-specific retrieve-and-extract architectures. For language generation tasks, we find that RAG models generate more specific, diverse and factual language than a state-of-the-art parametric-only seq2seq baseline.