This data protocol has developed easy-to-use hardware to put an end to ‘rental web’

Software alone is not enough to compete with the Big Tech. This is why, a DePIN platform has built its own devices to create a true decentralized network.

Gone are the days of using brick-sized storage units, known as hard disk drives (HDDs), to make a questionable archive of favorite songs, TV shows and movies. Today’s digital storage technologies and high-speed internet allow for everything to be stored online.

However, this creates the concept of a “rental web” in which users are not the true owners of any data. They only rent storage (via services like Google Drive or iCloud) or subscribe to a pre-populated content platform (like Netflix), and they have almost zero control over how their data is stored and shared.

While the convenience of cloud storage and streaming services has revolutionized the way people access and store data, it has also introduced significant concerns about data privacy and ownership. A recent report shows that over 77% of consumers are worried about data privacy and security in their everyday lives.

Users seek better privacy and data security

When using centralized storage services like Google Drive or iCloud, users are essentially entrusting their personal data to third-party companies, meaning that, in reality, they do not own their data. They merely rent space on a server owned by a large corporation that is part of a $100 billion industry.

As a result, users have little control over how their data is stored, accessed or shared. These companies often have terms of service that allow them to analyze, share or even sell user data to third parties, sometimes without explicit user consent. Moreover, centralized storage services are vulnerable to data breaches, exposing sensitive information to potential misuse.

Source: Markets and Markets

This lack of true ownership and control over personal data highlights a fundamental flaw in the current digital ecosystem, where privacy is increasingly compromised in favor of convenience. This is where decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePINs) offer a promising solution.

By decentralizing storage and distributing data across a network of nodes, DePIN ensures that users maintain full ownership and control over their data. Instead of relying on a single, centralized entity to store and manage their information, users can leverage a decentralized network where data is encrypted and stored across multiple locations. This enhances security and privacy while reducing the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access. With DePIN, users can finally reclaim ownership of their digital assets, ensuring that their personal data remains private and secure.

Decentralized data storage

Functionland is a decentralized data storage platform known for a suite of data storage-focused decentralized applications (DApps) powered by the company’s plug-and-play data hardware.

By leveraging unused computer resources, Functionland’s Fula Network seeks to create decentralized, cost-effective and globally available data storage that focuses on user control and privacy. This enables users to opt for a blockchain-powered platform to backup, download and migrate images and files from popular Web2 services.

As a peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture specifically designed for data management, Fula Network provides a secure and encrypted decentralized storage network powered by blockchain nodes. While the cloud storage offerings from Big Tech are heavily centralized and take control over how user data is processed and shared, Fula Network uses blockchain technology to handle data management while giving full data ownership to individuals.

Fula Network lets users share resources fairly and securely. Users can offer storage, content and applications to others. The network is made up of smaller groups of users, usually based on how close they are to each other, to keep the network running smoothly, with less delay and fewer server jumps.

The platform supports mobile-native applications and all data types, including real-time access and streaming. This paves the way for building a completely decentralized and blockchain-based alternative to popular video streaming platforms such as YouTube. Backed by 900 global nodes, Fula Network has enjoyed strong numbers since its testnet launch, with over 108,000 registrations and thousands of DApp downloads.

DePIN powered by software and hardware

At the core of Fula Network stands FxBlox, a plug-and-play smart server designed by world-renowned industrial designer Yves Behar. Available on the official website, the device comes with different memory and storage options.

Source: Functionland

Users can simply plug the device into a monitor and start using it as a basic desktop computer, a streaming device and a blockchain node. The fully custom-designed hardware can also be used to serve other blockchain projects, establishing a DePIN infrastructure that addresses the need for a decentralized, user-powered ecosystem.

Aside from its dedicated hardware, Fula Network provides real-world use cases for how DePIN can replace the centralized data storage services through its suite of DApps, which offer photo, video and file storage.

Source: Functionland

Two key products powered by Fula Network are FxFotos and FxFiles. FxFotos allows users to store photos and videos on a blockchain-powered cloud, while FxFiles is a Web3-powered alternative for general file storage services like Dropbox and Google Drive. Since their introduction, these two DApps have surpassed 2,000 downloads, showing strong user validation.

Building a future without ‘rental web’

Founded in 2021 by a team of seasoned developers with over 20 years of experience, Functionland received grants from major blockchain organizations like Filecoin and Dfinity after winning first place in the Filecoin Hackathon. Supported by big names in the Web3 space, including Protocol Labs, Delta Blockchain Fund, Outlier Ventures and Tenzor Capital, Functionland is also growing its list of investors with additions like Astra X, Cogitent Ventures and Connectico Capital.

Functionland seeks to expand its reach through collaborations with industry leaders like Koii, RocketPool and Amaze File Manager. The company is gearing up to launch the FULA token, the upcoming utility token of Fula Network, in September 2024.

The team envisions a future where people around the world can directly participate in the advancement of technology. Its main goal is to end the “rental web” by providing individuals with the infrastructure to own it.

With a network designed to bring data ownership back to users and monetize open-source application development, Functionland aims to bridge Web2 and Web3 ecosystems by becoming the first data logistics platform compatible with both.