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Randy talks about a Google Pixel repair nightmare and also about the negatives of Amazon's continuing world domination.

This News Edition Episode was recorded on Sunday, December 5th, 2021

Meta, The train wreck formerly known as Facebook isn't happy about having to undo a deal and sell off the $400 million dollar Giphy that they paid for, 19 months later. Meta’s failed Giphy deal could end Big Tech’s spending spree | Ars Technica
$400 Million is a massive amount of money, but compare that to the $19 Billion they paid for WhatsApp, $2Billion for Oculus VR, and $ 715Million for Instagram.
When people send GIFS, it's likely they're either using Giphy, or Tenor (a platform owned by another monopoly, Google - Is Google a Monopoly? (marketrealist.com). )

How was the purchase stopped?
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) rules the they must sell all the GIFS, according to ARS Technica. Usually these big purchases don't get fully-stopped like this, and they're asked to just pay some fine and asked to be good, etc.

My opinion? I think it's great to bring any attention to big tech trying to grow even larger than the cancer it has already become.

• Amazon is avoiding the supply chain mess by using their own ships and long-haul planes. Amazon has been investing into these private ships and planes, behind the scenes, for a few years nowEven with their shipping powers, Amazon has encountered a 14% rise in items that are out of stock, with 25% average price increase.
  In 2020, amazon spent $61 Billion on shipping, compared to $38 Billion in 2019. Source: How Amazon beats supply chain chaos with ships and long-haul planes (cnbc.com)
  
• Google Pixel repairs have allegedly started a privacy nightmare.
  A video game designer sent in her Pixel 5a to be repaired by Google at a facility in Texas, only to find out that someone allegedly hacked her device.
  Google told her they never received the phone, where she was then charged for a replacement device. The woman mentioned having FedEx tracking information showing it arrived, and she received the refund.Here's where things got weird, though. Somehow, it seems someone began to clear her two-factor authentication checks (which could only be done from the old phone), and logged into her Dropbox, Gmail, and more. Photos were stored in those accounts of her in bathing suits, dresses, and having stitches after surgery.
  If you've used Google accounts, you'll know that when you log into a device on a different machine, you'll get a security alert to your Gmail. Well, the person using her email deleted those. If this is all true, it's alarming and disgusting. Google Pixel repairs resulted in leaked pics and a privacy nightmare - The Verge
  

Closing Remarks

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