Hello! The rebrands just keep coming: Payments giant Square is officially changing its name to Block. Plus, Spotify released its personalized "Spotify Wrapped" data.
Let's get started.
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1. Square has changed its name to Block. Square, Jack Dorsey's payment-processing giant, is rebranding itself as Block as it pivots to focus on technology like blockchain.
- The move, which will legally take effect on Dec. 10, comes just days after Dorsey stepped down from his role as Twitter's CEO. Dorsey has long been pushing the company toward ventures in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
- According to CNBC, a separate part of the company "dedicated to advancing Bitcoin," called Square Crypto, will be changing its name to Spiral.
What we know about the rebrand so far.
In other news:
Spotify
2. It's that time again: Spotify Wrapped is back. Nostalgics, unite! Spotify has released its personalized roundup of listeners' favorite artists, songs, genres, and podcasts. Here's how to find your Spotify Wrapped.
- Things got … weird. This year's Wrapped highlighted some bizarre trends, like playlists for plants and at least 187,000 sea shanty-related playlists. Check out some of this year's weirdest trends.
- TikTok-driven streams revitalized old songs and inspired playlist themes, Spotify said. From "Bones Day" playlists to "Good Soup" references, see what TikTok trends dominated Wrapped this year.
3. The Elizabeth Holmes trial: Her testimony may have turned the tide. Holmes and one of her lawyers spent four days in court attempting to portray her as the biggest victim of the company she founded, claiming she was under the spell of an abusive man (her ex-boyfriend and former COO) and thus not fully responsible for her own actions. More details from inside the courtroom.
4. Debt collectors can now DM you on social media. New rules governing how US debt collectors can make contact with debtors came into force this week, and will allow them to reach people on their personal accounts. Here's what you need to know.
5. Inside Kamala Harris' record on Silicon Valley. As California's top cop, Harris let Big Tech run rampant, profiting from hate speech, privacy violations, and election interference. If she succeeds Joe Biden, will she allow the industry to dominate our digital future? Read our exclusive report on her lax approach to Silicon Valley.
6. Tesla's move to Texas is officially complete. In a continuation of CEO Elon Musk's breakup with the Bay Area, the electric automaker announced its finalized move to Texas in an SEC filing. More on that here.
7. Leaked internal data shows Amazon's Black Friday revenue jumped from a year earlier. Revenue at the company rose more than 10% on Black Friday versus last year — helping the e-commerce giant easily outpace the rest of the industry. These other leaked stats highlight Amazon's revenue growth.
8. Amazon is telling corporate employees to minimize their use of certain words to dampen the impression of it being a dominant force in e-commerce. During mandatory annual training on legal and antitrust issues, staffers have been told to be "cautious" using words like "platform" and "ecosystem", according to a recording of the session. Here are more inside details on the company's training.
9. Nissan unveiled four futuristic electric concept cars. The company announced a $17.7 billion push into EVs, and revealed concept cars that preview what it might have in store over the next decade — including an adorable pickup truck. Check out the electric Nissans.
10. Tesla just revealed its newest product: a $50 whistle inspired by the Cybertruck. The limited-edition Cyberwhistle is a "premium collectible" made from medical-grade stainless steel, but good luck getting your hands on one: it sold out within hours of Elon Musk tweeting about it. See the Cyberwhistle here.
What we're watching today:
- Netflix has started releasing new shows and movies for December. Everything coming to — and leaving — Netflix this month.
- Earnings expected from TD Bank, DocuSign, Asana, and more. Keep up with earnings here.
- SpaceX to launch a rocket carrying the next batch of 60 Starlink satellites.
- Facebook Ireland is in a court hearing over claims of infringements of privacy law.
Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Michael Cogley in London.
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