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mercredi 11 novembre 2020

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and more will start counting towards your Google Account storage next year

Google today announced important policy changes that will affect consumer accounts. Beginning June 1, 2021, files that are created in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and more will count toward your 15GB of complementary account storage.

The good news is any existing files within those services won’t count toward your storage. However, if they’re modified on or after June 1, 2021, they will count toward your free 15GB of storage. The changes come on the heels of new policies for Google Photos.

Currently, not all files use your storage. Google’s support page explains what counts toward your storage, including most files in your “My Drive” on Google Drive, photos that are stored in original quality on Google Photos, and attachments in Gmail. However, after the change next summer, pretty much all files and media will take up space.

The company said more than 4.3GB of content is uploaded across Gmail, Drive, and Photos every day, adding that it’s implementing these changes so it can continue to provide users with a “great storage experience” and to keep pace with growing demand.

In addition to policy changes related to storage, Google announced a new policy for inactive accounts and accounts that are over their storage limit:

  • If you’re inactive in one or more of these services (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, Jamboard, and Photos) for two years (24 months), Google may delete the content in the product(s) in which you’re inactive.
  • Similarly, if you’re over your storage limit for two years, Google may delete your content across Gmail, Drive, and Photos.

The company will notify users multiple times to remove any content, so they’ll get numerous chances to take action. To keep your account active, Google recommends periodically visiting Gmail, Drive, Photos, and the other services where you have files while signed in to your account. Google also highlights its Inactive Account Manager to help users manage specific content when their account becomes inactive.

With more people working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Google’s services are becoming that much more important. While these policy changes don’t go into effect until next summer, you might want to consider a Google One plan, which starts at $1.99 per month for 100GB of storage.

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Save 10% on Xbox Gift Cards and Game Pass Ultimate at Dell right now and start filling out your Xbox Series X|S library!

So, you just received your new Xbox Series S or Series S, and it’s thankfully not smoking. Fantastic! Now it’s time for the next step… getting some games for it. There are a few great launch releases for Microsoft’s new system, but wouldn’t it be great to save money on some games released just yesterday?

Good thing you can, as right now at Dell, you can save 10% on Xbox Gift Cards! Deals on Xbox gift cards are pretty rare, and 10% is usually the most you can ask for savings-wise on any gift card. If you’ve been thinking about picking up titles like Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla or Yakuza: Like a Dragon digitally, then why not save a little extra money while you’re at it?

Even if you didn’t upgrade to the Series X|S, you can of course use the gift card with your Xbox One! Better yet, you can use it in the Xbox Store in general, which includes the PC store. So no matter where you’re gaming, you can take advantage of these discounted gift cards to get the games you want.

The deal on Dell is active on the $100 Gift Card and the $50 Gift Card. Make sure to apply the code GAME10 at checkout to get the discount!

    Xbox Gift Card ($100)
    Save 10% on Xbox Gift Cards at Dell! Use code GAME10at checkout and get your digital games for PC, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X|S!
    Xbox Gift Card ($50)
    Save 10% on Xbox Gift Cards at Dell! Use code GAME10at checkout and get your digital games for PC, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X|S!

That’s not all, though–you can also save on an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription with the same code! The Xbox Game Pass is a great subscription service that lets you play a huge amount of Xbox titles on the Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. It also includes most day one releases! The Game Pass Ultimate also comes with extra perks too, like the recently announced one-month subscription to Disney+. You can’t argue with that value!

    Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (1-month)
    Save 10% on a 1 month subscription to Game Pass Ultimate at Dell with the code GAME10! Play all sorts of titles on your console and PC, and save with extra perks.

These deals don’t last long, so grab your gift card and Game Pass before it’s gone!

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PSA: Google Photos will no longer offer free unlimited storage next year

Google Photos will no longer offer unlimited free storage for your “high quality” photos starting next year. The company on Wednesday announced the changes in a blog post, saying in order to “welcome even more of your memories,” it needs to institute a cap.

Starting June 1, 2021, Google Photos will limit free storage to the complementary 15GB that comes with every Google Account. If you want more storage, you’ll have to pay monthly for a Google One subscription, which starts at $1.99 per month ($19.99 per year) for 100GB.

“We know this is a big shift and may come as a surprise, so we wanted to let you know well in advance and give you resources to make this easier,” said Shimrit Ben-Yair, Vice President of Google Photos.

The policy change only applies to new photos and videos that are uploaded after June 1, 2021, so anything uploaded before then won’t count against your storage quota. Google claims that roughly 80 percent of Photos users won’t hit their 15GB cap for about three years after the new policy goes into effect. After June 1, 2021, however, you’ll have to consider how to best backup your photos and videos. If you have already been uploading photos in original quality (which have always counted against your storage quota unless you have a Pixel phone with an unexpired original quality backup offer), these new changes won’t affect you.

If you own a Pixel 2 or later, you’ll continue to get unlimited free high quality photo backups. If you still somehow own a first-gen Pixel, you’ll be grandfathered in to get unlimited free storage at original quality. So, that’s another reason to buy Google’s devices.

Google also said it will offer a new free tool next summer that will help Photos app users easily manage their already backed up media. “This tool will help you review the memories you want to keep while also surfacing shots you might prefer to delete, like dark or blurry photos or large videos.” Once users start to approach the cap, Google Photos will send alerts and warnings. Google will also tell people how many years of storage they have left in addition to the amount, giving users a better idea of how long they can continue to upload high quality photos before they hit their cap.

Google Photos storage estimate

Google has over the last few months indicated it wanted to monetize Google Photos. In addition to offering normal printing services, the company recently unveiled a monthly printing service that would send users ten printed photos per month. The company also started to put some new editing features behind a paywall.

Google Photos was introduced over five years ago, and since then it’s become one of the company’s most beloved services. Google said more than 4 trillion photos are stored on Google Photos, with 28 billion new photos and videos uploaded every week. Sadly, what made the service so great is now much more complicated.

Google Photos (Free, Google Play) →

You can purchase a Google One subscription here, but before you do so, you can click here to estimate how long your storage will last based on how often you back up content to your Google Account.

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Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G receive Android Enterprise Recommended and ioXt certifications

Device security is one of the most important considerations when buying a smartphone. When it comes to the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G, you can rest easy knowing they’re among the most secure devices on the market.

Google’s Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G have received Android Enterprise Recommended and ioXt certifications — essentially badges of honor in security circles. In particular, ioXt certification upholds a set of security standards to ensure devices, not just smartphones, are as secure as possible.

The ioXt Security Pledge is the results of industry working together to set security standards that bring security, upgradeability and transparency to the market and directly into the hands of consumers.

IoXt considers things like the safety of preloaded apps, biometric authentication strength, security update frequency, and more. Google’s Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 were the first devices to receive ioXt’s security certification back in August. At the time Google pledged that all future phones would be submitted to ioXt certification, and would be required for any device that runs Android 11 and is part of the company’s Android Enterprise Recommended program.

Pixel 4a 5G

Pixel 5

Speaking of which, the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G are, not surprisingly, part of Google’s Android Recommended program. The program is designed to make it easy for enterprise businesses to deploy and integrate mobile solutions into their operations.

Google recently updated the Android Enterprise Recommended website to show how long devices are supported for. The Enterprise Solutions Directory also includes information like the last date of security updates from OEMs, the Android release running on the device when it was first validated, and more.

If you’re planning to get the Pixel 5 or Pixel 4a 5G, confirmation of Android Enterprise Recommended and ioXt certification is great for security-minded consumers. It’ll go especially well with the dual SIM support offered by both devices, which we recently reported will support DSDS on 5G networks.

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Ring recalls some batches of its smart doorbells due to overheating risk

Ring, the Amazon-owned smart security company is recalling selected batches of its iconic smart doorbells, after a potential overheating hazard was discovered. The recall affects the Ring 2nd Generation Video Doorbell, first released in 2018. Although, when connected and installed correctly, the units pose no threat, if incorrect screws are used, it can cause the components to heat up and cause risk of injury or property damage.

The advisory from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests that 350,000 devices are covered by the recall notice, along with a further 8,700 in Canada. Despite being termed as a ‘recall’, users are not required to return the product, but rather call and request or download an updated set of instructions which includes a warning against using alternative screws to mount it to the wall. It makes a change from warnings over data collection, we guess.

Users who have set up their device using all the official parts that came in the box shouldn’t have to do anything. However, if you’ve just bought one, or know that you used your own mounting screws, you should visit the recall page on the Ring website, having made a note of the serial number of your unit. Unless you have specific concerns, or your doorbell has already gone a bit fourth-of-July, then you don’t need to contact Ring, simply download the new instructions and stick to them. If your unit is affected and it’s already wall-mounted with the wrong screws, contact the number on the Ring website for advice about the next steps.

Since its post-$1bn buyout by Amazon in 2018, Ring has expanded its product line to include indoor cameras and a full security system with alarm, but its doorbell remains the iconic product line, so this is slightly embarrassing, though, in fairness, all it had failed to do is warn people against ignoring the original instructions, a ‘how not to’ guide not generally being the first thought when designing a product.

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This week’s OnePlus Day has buy one, get one 50% off the OnePlus 8T and other Black Friday deals

It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means. It’s more than just hump day… it’s OnePlus Day! OnePlus’s weekly sales event has you saving big on a variety of OnePlus products. Many of them are also at their Black Friday prices, so if there’s a deal you find enticing, there’s no reason to wait!

As with OnePlus Day, there are flash sales to take advantage of–OnePlus’s answer to Amazon’s Lightning Deals, but with a longer time frame to take advantage of them. That’s always great! This week, there’s only one flash sale, though. From 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern, you can save $100 on the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition, bringing the price down to just $599! Just claim the coupon, sign in to your OnePlus account, and you’ll be on your way to a new phone.

OnePlus Day also has two daily deals to take advantage of. First, the OnePlus 7T is available at its Black Friday price of just $349. There is a little catch, though–the only OnePlus 7T in stock is the T-Mobile model. So, if T-Mobile is your carrier and you’re looking for a budget phone, you’re in luck!

The most impressive sale this week, though, involves the OnePlus 8T. Buy one OnePlus 8T, and you’ll get 50% off the purchase of a second! This deal is only available today, so if you need two phones, don’t wait on this deal! In our review of the OnePlus 8T, Mario Tomás Serrafero states that this is a fantastic phone with great battery life and excellent performance, getting the XDA Recommended award. If you’re rocking an older phone, the 8T is a great choice for an upgrade.

    OnePlus Day
    Save big on buying two OnePlus 8Ts and get Black Friday prices on a variety of products this OnePlus Day!

If today’s OnePlus Day deals don’t entice you, OnePlus has other items on sale at Black Friday prices! You can pick up the OnePlus 8 Pro for $799, and you’ll get a free pair of OnePlus Buds to go with them! That’s a little better than Amazon’s deal on the phone.

    OnePlus 8 Pro
    Grab OnePlus's flagship phone for $200 off! Available in Onyx Black, Ultramarine Blue, and Glacial Green, you can pay this phone off over 24 months with 0% APR. You'll also get a free pair of OnePlus Buds!

Check back next Wednesday to see the new OnePlus Day deals!

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Become an expert network engineer with 95% off this Cisco certification training

Thousands of businesses have moved daily operations online this year. As a result, networking skills are more valuable than ever. The Certified Cisco Power User Bundle helps you master the most popular systems in use today and get certified, with 80 hours of video tutorials. You can pick up the training today for just $39.99 at the XDA Developers Depot.

Whether you want to specialize or keep your options open, learning about networking is a smart move for any IT engineer. Cisco-certified experts can earn up to $134,000, and putting these certificates on your résumé will impress any technical recruiter.

This bundle helps you master Cisco systems, with five highly-rated courses and 80 hours of content. Through concise video tutorials, you learn about IPv4 addressing, virtual local area networks, border gateway protocol, and much more.

The courses also prepare you for key Cisco certification exams, with lab-based exercises and detailed answers. This helps you work toward CCNA and CCENT certifications, while picking up some real-world experience.

Your instructor is Lazaro Diaz, a network engineer by profession. He has written several books on networking, and helped over 119,000 students, earning a rating of 4.4 stars on Udemy.

These courses are worth $995 altogether, but you can grab the bundle today for just $39.99 with lifetime access included.

 
The Certified Cisco Power User Bundle – $39.99

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Prices subject to change 

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