Tech Hangover: Of course Amazon is getting into the game streaming business

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We get it, you have a life. There’s no way you can read all of the day’s news in one single shot, let alone visit every web page, which is why we’re here to help. Well, sort of.

There’s a ton of tech news we weren’t able to cover throughout the day (hey, give us a break, we’re a small independent outfit), so to help you stay up to speed with everything we didn’t get to, we rounded up some of the biggest stories, which should help you keep up to date. Hence the tech hangover. 

Here’s some tech news you probably missed out on today (and when we say you, we mean us, but also…you).

Google Adds Free Storytelling Features to Google Earth

Ok, this is pretty useful. I can see a lot of people using this. It’s not for me, but I’m sure some people will get a kick out of this.

Google Earth’s new creation features let you build stories and presentations that center around various places. You can arrange a series of locations in order and attach elements such as notes, pictures, and annotations to them. When you hit the play button, Google Earth will present it by automatically taking the map through the marked landmarks one by one. – Digital Trends

Apple’s new iPhone battery cases have a physical camera shortcut button 

Ok, who’s buying me this?

Apple has just launched its lineup of battery cases for the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max. They look very similar to last year’s cases (though, obviously, with a bigger camera cutout), and they come in the same black, white, and pink colors. They also maintain wireless charging support. – The Verge

Senators Press Amazon for Answers on Ring’s Sloppy Security Practices

This past year has been chock full of uncomfortable revelations about Ring, the surveillance social network and home security hardware company acquired by Amazon for a reported $800 million, including reports of potentially disastrous internal security practices, an apparent disregard for user privacy, and wave after wave of detail on secret partnerships with local police. Today, in a letter addressed to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, five Democratic senators are asking for an explanation, citing potential threats to U.S. national security. – The Intercept

Amazon’s cloud gaming service could arrive next year and offer Twitch integration

Make it stop. There are so. many. gaming. streaming. services. But hey, as Josh mentioned in a previous Slack chat, “if it actually works, cool.”

Google’s Stadia cloud gaming service launched on November 19th (and you probably shouldn’t buy into it just yet), but we’re already hearing more about Amazon’s rumored entry into the space. CNET reports that Amazon is planning to announce its own cloud gaming service next year. CNET’s story corroborates a January report from The Information, which first revealed the existence of the service and said that it likely wouldn’t launch until 2020 at the earliest.

Password data for ~2.2 million users of currency and gaming sites dumped online

Another day, another breach.

Password data and other personal information belonging to as many as 2.2 million users of two websites—one a cryptocurrency wallet service and the other a gaming bot provider—have been posted online, according to Troy Hunt, the security researcher behind the Have I Been Pwned breach notification service. – ArsTechnica

Cops put GPS tracker on man’s car, charge him with theft for removing it

Lol, what the literal fuck?

Back in 2012, the US Supreme Court ruled that it’s illegal for the police to attach a GPS tracking device to someone’s car without a warrant. But what if you find a GPS tracking device on your car? Can you remove it? – ArsTechnica

And in just case you missed some of our stuff earlier, here’s what you may have missed:

• Amazon is reportedly launching cashierless supermarkets and pop-up stores in 2020
• In an attempt to lure back the youth, Facebook created a meme generator app
• Twitter is finally rolling out the ability to schedule tweets
• Spotify Free users can now stream on Alexa, Bose, and Sonos smart speakers – Here’s how to set it up
• Uber has been found at fault for a fatal self-driving car crash – but there’s more to it
• How to track sleep with the Apple Watch
• If you own a Ring doorbell, police can keep your footage forever and share it with whoever they want
• A Twitter leaker says the PlayStation 5 will release November 2020
• Dark Stock Photos is your next must-follow Twitter account
• Porn cam site CamSoda will be streaming Thanksgiving dinner for all the horny, lonely people
• Amazon has a TON of charging gear up for grabs in a massive one day sale
• This Google Assistant update will make sure you’re up to date on the news you care about

Notable Mentions

Google Hires Firm Known for Anti-Union Efforts 

How a Gig Worker Revolt Begins 

Austin Texas campus – Apple breaks ground today 

Apple Music Gets Into the Muzak Business

Previous Hangovers:

• Tech Hangover: We’re all getting hacked
• Tech Hangover: Amazon is paying literally zero dollars in taxes
• Tech Hangover: Apparently Consumer Reports likes Tesla again, because why not

Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.