### Issue 1317 - Thursday 4th March, 2021

## In Today's Issue

- Google promises to not find an alternative way to track you once they turn off 3rd party cookies
- DJI's latest is the hot rod version of a drone, designed to be used in first person view
- Americans aren't really into the whole COVID contact tracing app thing
- Use Playlistor to swap playlists between Apple Music & Spotify
- Cheap Crumpler bags, LIFX bulbs, high endurance SanDisk microSDs, Aussie VPSes, Nintendo LEGO set

## The News

### Google promises to not find an alternative way to track you once they turn off 3rd party cookies

Last year Google said they're going to phase out third party tracking cookies in Chrome - something Safari and Firefox have done for a while now - and today is promising not to replace them with something else. Third party cookies are usually used to track you across multiple websites for the purposes of ad re-targeting. People really hate them as it's kinda invasive because you generally don't consciously consent to that sort of tracking. According to their blog post, Google realised that optics of third party cookies is so poor, it wasn't worth the hassle. Besides, they've probably got superior ways to track us now, despite their promise that they're not doing it.

### DJI's latest is the hot rod version of a drone, designed to be used in first person view

DJI has a new drone specifically designed to be used in "first person view". The DJI FPV is a fully integrated drone designed to be flown using a headset that covers your eyes, so you only see what the drone sees, as opposed to watching the drone. Just check out this video, it'll make more sense than trying to explain it with words. Looks fun as hell, particularly considering the damn thing can fly at up to 140km/h! It's like a real life video game that makes you feel like you're flying. There's an optional motion controlled joystick thingy that lets you fly the damn thing one handed. Oh to be a spoilt teenager, this is absolutely the kind thing I'd beg my rich parents for.

### Americans aren't really into the whole COVID contact tracing app thing

The USA is really struggling to get people to use COVID-19 contact tracing apps. Only 23 of their 50 states have one and the state with the highest usage per capita (Connecticut) still only managed to convince a third of their population to install it. Unlike Australia's COVIDSafe app (remember COVIDSafe? hahaha) the US apps all use the Google & Apple exposure framework, but that still isn't enough to convince most Americans that the apps aren't secretly logging their every step. That said, the USA is so infected that contact tracing is kinda useless (start telling contacts of infected to stay inside and half the country will be couped up), but as the vaccine rolls out it'll be interesting to see if these apps get anymore traction or if we're over it.

## Something I Saw On The Internet

### Use Playlistor to swap playlists between Apple Music & Spotify

Playlistor is a simple and free way to convert a playlists between Apple Music and Spotify. I reckon this is something the ACCC or other government competition regulators should be on top of. Maybe they've got bigger fish to fry than some dorks wanting to transfer their lovingly curated playlists and play counts, but goddamn it, this isn't rocket science. The only reason Spotify and Apple (and everyone else!) don't build it in to their platforms is because they don't want to make it easy for you to move between them. Classic corporate bastard behaviour that'll only change when a government tells them to knock it off.

## Bargains

- 25% off Crumpler work bags from the Crumpler online store
- SanDisk High Endurance U3 128GB microSD card - $27.22 from Amazon
- LEGO 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System - $279.99 from Myer
- 50% Ryzen-based KVM VPSes in Melbourne, Sydney & Perth from Servers Galore
- Lots of LIFX multi-pack wi-fi light bulbs getting cleared out on the LIFX online store

## The End

📻 Where's My Brain??? - The Lazy Eyes

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The Sizzle is created on Wathaurong land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.​