LITS bits:Â
This week, Matt and Griff break down a wild stretch in the tech world. Starting with Amazon Web Services’ major outage, which reminded everyone just how fragile the internet really is. From there, they dive into OpenAI’s bold move into the browser wars with ChatGPT Atlas, Meta’s latest shake-ups from Facebook’s job board revival to the shutdown of its Messenger desktop app, and Instagram’s quiet but telling interface overhaul. They also cover a critical Redis vulnerability discovered after 13 years, and Anthropic’s new Claude Skills that could redefine how AI interacts with external tools. From cloud crashes to AI innovation, the past couple of weeks have shown just how fast (and delicate) our digital world is.Â
Have a listen and find details about each topic below:
When Amazon’s Cloud Has a Bad Day, So Does Half the Internet
When Amazon Web Services (AWS) stumbled on Monday, the internet tripped with it. A major outage in AWS’s US-East-1 region took down some of the biggest names online from Disney+ and Reddit to McDonald’s app, United Airlines, and even Amazon’s own systems.
The issue began at 3:11 AM ET, traced back to DNS problems with DynamoDB, AWS’s database service that apparently holds much of the modern web together with digital duct tape.
For nearly 15 hours, warehouse workers couldn’t clock in, streamers couldn’t watch Disney+, and Reddit users couldn’t complain about it. Service gradually returned by 6 PM ET, though some systems took longer to clear message backlogs.
The incident is another reminder of our overreliance on just three tech giants Amazon, Microsoft, and Google to keep the digital world spinning. As one expert put it:
“When a major cloud provider sneezes, the internet catches a cold.”
Companies would be wise to diversify their cloud infrastructure and develop contingency plans that don’t depend on one provider no matter how reliable they claim to be.
đź“– Read more on CNBC
Sleeping on a Cloud… Until That Cloud Falls
It wasn’t just websites that crashed during the AWS outage people’s beds did too.
Users of Eight Sleep’s smartbeds reported malfunctions as the outage hit, leaving some stuck in a sitting position while others baked under unrelenting heat.
If you ever wanted to experience “the cloud” literally crashing on you this, was it.
OpenAI Declares War on Google with ChatGPT Atlas Browser
OpenAI has officially entered the browser wars with the release of ChatGPT Atlas, a new AI-powered web browser that integrates ChatGPT directly into your browsing experience.
Think of it as Chrome with a built-in sidekick capable of summarizing pages, booking flights, or even editing documents in “agent mode” (exclusive to Plus and Pro users).
Atlas includes persistent memory for personalization and a split-screen view that displays ChatGPT’s live commentary beside webpages. The browser launches globally on macOS first, with Windows, iOS, and Android versions “coming soon.”
With competitors like Google’s Gemini Chrome and Perplexity’s Comet, it’s safe to say: the AI browser wars are officially on.
Facebook’s Job Board Returns: Fighting AI with AI
Meta is bringing job listings back to Facebook Marketplace after more than two years targeting younger users seeking trade, entry-level, and service jobs.
The irony? It comes as AI threatens to eliminate many of those very roles. A Stanford study reports AI adoption is already shrinking entry-level opportunities, and Anthropic’s CEO predicts up to 50% of these jobs could vanish within five years.
The revamped platform will integrate Messenger for direct chats, personalize recommendations, and appear across Facebook Groups and Pages.
For now, it’s a welcome boost for job seekers though Meta might want to reflect on whether it’s helping to solve or create the problem.
đź“– Read more on PCMag
Meta Says “It’s Not You, It’s Me” to Messenger Desktop App
After a five-year run, Meta is shutting down its Messenger desktop app for Mac and Windows on December 15.
Users will be redirected to Messenger.com, and Mac users get a 60-day grace period before the app becomes a digital paperweight. The move comes as Meta reallocates resources to AI initiatives like Meta Superintelligence Labs and its Llama 4.1/4.2 models.
With Meta reporting 22% revenue growth and $27.1 billion in expenses, the decision makes business sense — even if it’s inconvenient for loyal desktop users.
đź”’ Tip: Before the shutdown, enable secure storage and set up a PIN to preserve your chat history.
đź“– Read more on Yahoo Finance
Instagram Rearranges the Deck Chairs (But It’s Actually Smart This Time)
Instagram’s new UI pushes Reels to the second tab and DMs to the third, with swipe navigation between them. The change might sound minor, but it reflects a massive shift Reels now account for 50% of all time spent on the app.
In some regions, Instagram is even testing opening directly to Reels, signaling that the photo feed we once knew may soon be history.
For marketers and creators, the takeaway is simple: keep prioritizing video content. Reels and Stories dominate engagement, while traditional posts still matter for discovery.
đź“– Read more on Social Media Today
Critical Redis RCE Vulnerability Discovered… After 13 Years
A critical vulnerability (CVE-2025-49844) has been discovered in Redis, earning the maximum 10.0 CVE score the cybersecurity equivalent of “drop everything now.”
Attackers can exploit the flaw via a malicious Lua script to escape the sandbox and run code on the Redis host. Worse, Redis ships with authentication disabled by default, meaning 57% of installations may be fully exposed.
Redis powers roughly 75% of cloud environments, so expect to see frantic patching across the web.
đź“– Read more on Cybersecurity News
Anthropic Introduces Claude Skills — Possibly Cooler Than MCP
Anthropic’s new Claude Skills could redefine how AI systems interact with external tools.
Think of a Skill as a Markdown file that teaches the AI how to perform a task, often referencing scripts or contextual docs. Unlike large plugins or heavy integrations, Skills are lightweight and token-efficient — loading full details only when invoked.
Compared to the Model Context Protocol (MCP) introduced earlier, Claude Skills might be even more flexible — enabling faster, more scalable custom automation.
đź“– Read more from Simon Willison