ACCC has multiple investigations into digital platforms going on right now
Euro job site operators lodge complaint with EU over job ads in Google search results
Snap updates Spectacles & DJI updates Osmo Mobile gimbal
There’s hundreds of satellites orbiting Earth taking photos of everything
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ACCC boss Rod Sims gave a speech at the Melbourne Press Club summing up the Digital Platforms Inquiry that recently concluded. In that speech he let loose that the ACCC has five investigations into various digital platforms (Facebook, Google, etc.) that are "well advanced". Didn't go into detail on what those investigations are looking into. Sims also said that Facebook and Google have a "mentality and desire to set up a platform, control the platform and control everything that's done on it, and have no responsibility for anything that goes wrong – that's Uber's business model, but writ large that's Facebook and Google's model". Spot on mate.
Over in the European Union, 23 job search websites have sent a letter to the EU's competition commissioner accusing Google of "using its dominance to attract users to its specialized search offering without the traditional marketing investments they have to make". Jobs ads in Google aren't a thing in Australia, but in Europe if you search for common job roles like "call center jobs", Google displays a bunch of ads for call centre jobs directly within the search page that you then click on to the job site and apply for. Here's an example of what's got the job sites pissed off. Seems kinda innocent to me, but I’m sure Google is fucking them over somehow.
Snap is still persisting with its Spectacles - those glasses with cameras in them that upload direct to Snapchat. These new ones have a "a sleek new design and an added HD camera to create depth perception". They still work the same way (tap the side, photo/video is sent to your phone) but the quality is better. They look kinda weird, but trendy, I guess. To complete your influencer starter kit, DJI have released a new version of their popular Osmo Mobile gimbal - one of those things you put a smartphone into to record smooth video. It looks the same as previous models, but can be folded down way smaller and has upgraded tracking features, powered by the same AI stuff in its drone.
Check out this cool animation of Planet's 150 satellite constellation orbiting Earth and taking photos of the surface. It's a brilliant convergence of so many technologies. You've got the obvious rocketry and mini-satellite stuff that's come so far since the 60s that a private company can afford to launch hundreds into space, plus the huge data processing (soooo many images) capabilities and digital imaging tech that would have been sci-fi when my parents were my age. Planet was featured in a Planet Money podcast series a while ago and this companion article explains the capabilities of Planet's satellites if you'd like to learn more about their business.
Astivita (never heard of em) 31.5” 2560x1440 thin bezel monitor - $261.75 from Amazon AU.
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