Technologies

Shop Great Deals on Surface, Xbox and More at Microsoft Now

Save on your next laptop, tablet or console upgrade.

You’re probably familiar with Microsoft’s line of first-party Surface and Xbox products, but you might be less in-the-know when it comes to deals on its hardware. Microsoft runs regular sales at its online store offering you direct savings on some of the most recent devices from the company. Right now, for example, Microsoft is taking as much as $400 off select Surface Laptop 4 configurations or as much as $60 off its all-digital Xbox Series S.

See at Microsoft

If you’re in the market for an upgraded laptop, tablet or hybrid, now’s a great time to bag a new Surface device. The Surface Laptop 4 from 2021 is on sale with as much as $646 off regular prices there with both 13.5-inch and 15-inch configurations seeing steep discounts. Though it’s not on the cutting edge tech-wise, it’s a solid entry-level laptop from $600 and includes a touchscreen display. Microsoft’s hybrid device, the Surface Laptop Studio, is also on sale with $400 off select configurations. Targeted at creators and gamers, the Laptop Studio’s distinguishing feature is its three-position 120Hz display that can be angled or laid flat over the keyboard for added versatility.

For a more pure tablet experience, you could go for the Surface Pro 8, also from 2021, with discounts of up to $500. With a 13-inch touchscreen, signature kickstand and Windows 11 support, you can use this device to get work done on the go. If you want, you can pair it with Microsoft’s Surface Pro Signature Keyboard and Surface Slim Pen 2 to turn it into a complete workstation.

If gaming is more your focus, you can currently save $60 on the Xbox Series S. It’s already the cheapest current-generation game console on the market and offers many features of the more expensive Xbox Series X like fast SSD storage, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, plus 4K media streaming. While the Series S plays at 1440p instead of true 4K resolution, it probably won’t matter to most casual gamers.

Other promotions at Microsoft include refurb Xbox Series X discounts, a free keyboard with Surface Pro 9 purchases and various computer accessory deals.

Technologies

Facebook Brings Back Local Job Listings: How to Apply

One of Facebook’s most practical features from 2022 is being revived by Meta.

On the hunt for work? A Local Jobs search is being rolled out by Meta to make it easier for people in the US to discover and apply for nearby work directly on Facebook. The feature is inside Facebook Marketplace, Groups and Pages, Meta said last week, letting employers post openings and job seekers filter roles by distance, category or employment type.

You can apply or message employers directly through Facebook Messenger, while employers can publish job listings with just a few taps — similar to how you would post items for sale on Marketplace.

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Facebook offered a Jobs feature before discontinuing it in 2022, pushing business hiring toward its other platforms. Its return suggests Meta is attempting to expand Facebook’s usefulness beyond social networking and to position it once again as a hub for community-driven opportunities.

«We’ve always been about connecting with people, whether through shared interests or key life events,» the press release states. «Now, if you’re looking for entry-level, trade and service industry employment in your community, Facebook can help you connect with local people and small businesses who are hiring.»

How to get started with Local Jobs on Facebook

According to Meta, Local Jobs will appear as a dedicated section in Facebook Marketplace starting this week. If you’re 18 or older, you can:

Tap the Marketplace tab on the Facebook app or website.
Select Jobs to browse available positions nearby.
Use filters for job type, category and distance.
Tap Apply or message the employer directly via Messenger.

Businesses and page admins can post jobs by creating a new listing in Marketplace or from their Facebook Page. Listings can include job details, pay range, and scheduling information and will appear in local searches automatically.

The Local Jobs feature is rolling out across the US now, with Meta saying it plans to expand it in the months ahead.

Technologies

Tesla Has a New Range of Affordable Electric Cars: How Much They Cost

The new, stripped-back versions of the Model Y and Model 3 have a more affordable starting price.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 22 #598

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 22, No. 598.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a fun one — I definitely have at least two of these in my house. Some of the answers are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Catch all.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: A mess of items.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

BATE, LICE, SLUM, CAPE, HOLE, CARE, BARE, THEN, SLAM, SAMBA, BACK

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

TAPE, COIN, PENCIL, BATTERY, SHOELACE, THUMBTACK

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is JUNKDRAWER. To find it, look for the J that’s five letters down on the far-left row, and wind down, over and then up.

Quick tips for Strands

#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.

#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.

#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.