Tag: permanently
Microsoft permanently drops the price of Xbox Series X/S storage
Earlier this week, a handful of retailers discounted Seagate’s Xbox Series X/S Expansion Cards to new all-time low prices. Now, Microsoft is making those price cuts permanent (via Polygon). As of Friday, pricing for the Expansion Cards starts at $90 for the 512GB model, while the 1TB and 2TB variants will set you back $150 and $280, respectively. That’s 32 percent and 30 percent off the $220 and $280 the 1TB and 2TB models started at previously.
Think of all the new games you’ll be able to download and play now 👀
The @Seagate Storage Expansion Card is now available starting at a lower price: https://t.co/qjgbTRuMeBpic.twitter.com/RovCaXADmd
— Xbox (@Xbox) May 5, 2023
While you could (accurately) argue Microsoft’s proprietary storage solution for the Xbox Series X and Series S is still too expensive, a permanent price cut is a step in the right direction for the company’s ninth-generation consoles. It means those Expansion Cards will cost less with subsequent sales, making them more competitive with the regular NVMe drives you can buy for Sony’s PlayStation 5. Moreover, further price relief could be on the way. In April, Best Buy briefly listed a 1TB expansion card from Western Digital. At the time, the listing suggested the NVMe would cost $180 (now more expensive than Seagate’s 1TB model), but more competition could push prices lower.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-permanently-drops-the-price-of-xbox-series-xs-storage-192456920.html?src=rss
Both Attack On Titan games are permanently cheaper now
Turning Attack On Titan’s giant enemies and grapple-hooking sword combat into a video game seemed like a tall order (pun intended), and one that a budget Koei Tecmo treatment seemed doomed to fail. And yet. As I explained in my Attack On Titan: Wings Of Freedom review back in 2016, the game absolutely nailed the series’ action.
As of this week, both it and its sequel are permanently cheaper.
Apple Responds to Report About Thieves Permanently Locking Out iPhone Users
As the journalists first revealed in February, there have been increasing instances of thieves spying on an iPhone user’s passcode in public and then stealing the device in order to gain widespread access to the device and its contents, including financial apps. All of the victims interviewed in the initial report said their iPhones were stolen while they were out socializing at bars and other public places at night.
With knowledge of the iPhone’s passcode, a thief can easily reset the victim’s Apple ID password in the Settings app, even if Face ID or Touch ID is enabled. Subsequently, the thief can turn off Find My iPhone on the device, preventing the owner of the device from tracking its location or remotely erasing the device via iCloud.
Today’s report places more focus on an additional step that thieves can take: using the stolen device to set or reset a recovery key, a randomly generated 28-character code that is required to regain access to an Apple ID once enabled.
“Apple’s policy gives users virtually no way back into their accounts without that recovery key,” the report states. With unmitigated access to a stolen iPhone, the device’s passcode, and the Apple ID password, thieves can steal money via Apple Pay and potentially other banking apps, view sensitive information like photos and emails, and more.
Apple’s website does warn that losing access to both your trusted devices and recovery key means that “you could be locked out of your account permanently.” In this scenario, however, thieves spying on iPhone passcodes before stealing the devices means that victims only need to lose their device in order to potentially be permanently locked out. The report serves as a valuable reminder to protect your iPhone’s passcode in public.
For more details, read our previous coverage.
Apple Responds
In a statement shared in response to the report, Apple said it is “always investigating additional protections against emerging threats like this one.”
“We sympathize with people who have had this experience and we take all attacks on our users very seriously, no matter how rare,” an Apple spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal. “We work tirelessly every day to protect our users’ accounts and data, and are always investigating additional protections against emerging threats like this one.”
How to Stay Protected
iPhone users should use Face ID or Touch ID as much as possible when in public to prevent thieves from spying on their passcode. In situations where entering the passcode is necessary, users can hold their hands over their screen to hide passcode entry.
The report also recommends that users switch from a four-digit passcode to an alphanumeric passcode, which would be more difficult for thieves to spy on. This can be done in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode → Change Passcode.
To protect a bank account, consider storing the password in a password manager that does not involve the device’s passcode, such as 1Password.
Users can enable Screen Time parental controls to further lock down their device, the report adds.
This article, “Apple Responds to Report About Thieves Permanently Locking Out iPhone Users” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Should Managers Permanently Stop Requiring Degrees for IT Positions?
Figures from the 2022 study The Emerging Degree Reset from The Burning Glass Institute quantify the trend, reporting that 46% of middle-skill and 31% of high-skill occupations experienced material degree resets between 2017 and 2019. Moreover, researchers calculated that 63% of those changes appear to be “‘structural resets’ representing a measured and potentially permanent shift in hiring practices” that could make an additional 1.4 million jobs open to workers without college degrees over the next five years.
Despite such statistics and testimony from Taylor and other IT leaders, the debate around whether a college education is needed in IT isn’t settled. Some say there’s no need for degrees; others say degrees are still preferred or required…. IBM is among the companies whose leaders have moved away from degree requirements; Big Blue is also one of the earliest, largest, and most prominent proponents of the move, introducing the term “new collar jobs” for the growing number of positions that require specific skills but not a bachelor’s degree….
Not all are convinced that dropping degree requirements is the way to go, however. Jane Zhu, CIO and senior vice president at Veritas Technologies, says she sees value in degrees, value that isn’t always replicated through other channels. “Though we don’t necessarily require degrees for all IT roles here at Veritas, I believe that they do help candidates demonstrate a level of formal education and commitment to the field and provide a foundation in fundamental concepts and theories of IT-related fields that may not be easily gained through self-study or on-the-job training,” she says. “Through college education, candidates have usually acquired basic technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, the ability to collaborate with others, and ownership and accountability. They also often gain an understanding of the business and social impacts of their actions.”
The article notes an evolving trend of “more openness to skills-based hiring for many technical roles but a desire for a bachelor’s degree for certain positions, including leadership.” (Kelli Jordan, vice president of IBMer Growth and Development tells CIO that more than half of the job openings posted by IBM no longer require degrees.)
Thanks to Slashdot reader snydeq for sharing the article.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
How To Increase Girth Size Permanently? Learn Secrets Now!
Where to buy a Meta Quest 2 now that the price has permanently dropped
SAVE $69: The Meta Quest 2 just got a permanent price drop, so now is the time to snag one if you’ve been toying with the idea. Save $69 at Meta, as well as various other retailers (listed below).
The most accessible VR headset just hit a new all-time low price.
Yes, the Meta Quest 2 256GB just got a permanent price drop: $69 off the original $499 price tag. With the VR landscape expanding at a fast pace, there’s never been a better time to dip your toes into this immersive style of gaming. (The Meta Quest Pro also has a new regular price of $999, $500 off the original price.)
The Meta Quest 2 is one of the best ways to hop into the world of VR gaming for newcomers, mainly because of how accessible it is. While not cheap, it’s one of the most inexpensive VR headsets out there. But besides the lower price point, it’s also a fantastic option for newbies thanks to its all-in-one design. Where most VR headsets require you to place sensors around your playing space or directly wire into a PC, the Meta Quest 2 asks nothing extra of you. No sensors, no wires, just the headset with everything you need to play already built in.
And now that it’s cheaper than ever, it’s a no-brainer to snag one if you’ve been toying with the idea of getting into VR gaming. Check out our list of retailers below that have adopted the new Meta Quest 2 price. (For some reason, GameStop hasn’t corrected their price just yet.)
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More places to buy the Meta Quest 2:
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Amazon — $429.99
$499(save $69.01) -
Walmart — $429
$499(save $70) -
Best Buy — $429.99
$499(save $69.01) -
Target — $429.99
$499(save $69.01) -
B&H Photo Video — $429.99
$499(save $69.01)
Amazon Is Permanently Closing Eight Cashierless Stores
[T]he closings, first reported by Geekwire, are another sign of cost-cutting efforts at the online shopping giant. […] The stores being closed include two in downturn Seattle that had already been shut on a temporary basis, leaving five in the city. In addition it is closing two in New York City and four in San Francisco. The six closings of stores still operating are due to take place April 1. In addition to the 21 Amazon Go stores that will remain, there are two locations in New York that the brand shares with Starbucks.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple Permanently Closes Charlotte, North Carolina Store After Multiple Shooting Incidents
Apple’s website for Northlake Mall store now says that the store will be permanently closing on Wednesday, March 1 at 4:00 p.m, with a new location in the Charlotte area planned for next year. In the meantime, Charlotte customers can visit the Apple SouthPark location.
Bloomberg says that three recent shootings in the mall “contributed” to Apple’s decision to close immediately, and the move is unusual. As of Tuesday, employees were not aware the store would be closing, nor did the website mention the upcoming closure.
The relocation of the Charlotte store was already in the works and had been planned before the shutdown. Employees are being transferred to the SouthPark store or will work for the online store.
This article, “Apple Permanently Closes Charlotte, North Carolina Store After Multiple Shooting Incidents” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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