It's another week of random news from all corners as we try and piece together what's happening in the tech world. The short answer is . . . not a whole lot.

Uber may just get a break from Google after all, but their former engineer might be going to prison. Microsoft has hatched a genius way to get businesses to give it more money, while Apple has come up with a really dumb way to bribe students. And that "hacker" that your aunt sent the warning about (over Facebook no less) isn't real. Like that was a surprise, right?

Headlines:* Waymo drops some patent claims against Uber * ... but not against its former employee * The web may get a lot less "stock-photoey" * New ransomware threatens to send your private info to everyone you know * Jayden K Smith hacker a hoax * Valve dropped the ban hammer * Facebook planning new Oculus headset * Tech companies battling government gag order * Apple giving students free Beats headphones * Verizon customer's data exposed * Windows 365 may be the best idea Microsoft ever had * Amazon competing with Geek Squad * Amazon coming out with premium version of the Echo

Zuke’s Favorite: Battle of the Presidents

Zohner’s Favorite: Behind the scenes of Star Wars Episode VII

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