Hasta La Gadget!

In 2011, Facebook partnered with several organizations and agencies to create the Social Jobs Partnership, which faded the line between jobs and social media. Now, taking the partnership further, the social network has announced the launch of its Social Jobs Partnership app. Users can access more than 1.7 million jobs.

The Partnership includes the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Association of Colleges and Employers, DirectEmployers Association, and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. Jobs provided via the Social Jobs app come from the likes of BranchOut, Work4Labs, Jobvite, DirectEmployers Association, and Monster.com. A ticker on the app shows the current number of jobs available, which presently sits at 1,733,231.

Facebook users can find jobs based on a listing’s location, skills required, and industry. The stated purpose of the SJP app is to “tap into the growing trend of talent acquisition through social media.” The potential value of this app can be seen in recent statistics published in a NACE survey that looked at, in part, the relationship between Facebook and job seeking/recruitment.

According to the survey, 50-percent of employers use Facebook in some fashion during the hiring process, with over half of those employers believing that Facebook is becoming an integral part of the process. In addition, a whopping 90-percent of businesses stated that Facebook reduced their need for recruitment-based print advertisements. Finally, 87-percent of recruiters stated that individuals using Facebook for the purposes of getting a job should like the potential employer’s Facebook page, and should engage in social networking.

[via Facebook]

Facebook launches Social Jobs application is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Western Digital has announced a new version of its My Book Studio line of external hard drives. The new line has been updated to USB 3.0, which is three times faster than previous offerings. In addition, a 4TB model has been added to the device line, giving you ample room to store your music, TV shows, and movies.

The My Book Studio line is composed of four models: 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, and now 4TB. The drives are enclosed in a “premium aluminum enclosure,” and are a single-drive configuration. All four drives feature WD Security, allowing users to apply a password and 256-bit encryption to keep private data away from peeking eyes. The My Studio Line “works seamlessly” with Apple Time Machine.

WD’s Executive Vice President and General Manager Jim Welsh offered this statement. “WD’s My Book Studio with USB 3.0 delivers extreme transfer speeds while maintaining the standard USB and FireWire connections computer users prefer. Its large capacity, combined with a premium aluminum enclosure, hardware-based encryption, and compatibility with Apple Time Machine, provide Mac users with a fast, secure and complete system for preserving their valuable content.”

Each My Book Studio model includes a 3 year limited warranty. The first 1TB model is priced at $159.99, the 2TB model is priced at $189.99, the 3TB model is priced at $239.99, and the 4TB model is priced at $299.99. For those who need it, the line will also be available with USB 2.0 instead of the updated 3.0, as well as FireWire 800.

Western Digital announces updated My Book Studio line is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Dropbox, the cloud-storage provider, announced earlier today that it has exceeded the 100 million users mark. This milestone comes after the massive influx of users the company experienced this year, with Dropbox quadrupling its number of users during 2012. It’s still nowhere near the number the company would like to have, however.

Drew Houston, one of Dropbox’s founders, offered this statement. “Even 100 million is still at a single dot percentage of the people we could reach.” The cloud-storage company is up against steep odds, however, with their competition including such powerhouses as Amazon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft, all of which offer their own varieties of storage.

Still, despite Houston’s large ambitions, hitting the 100 million user mark is quite an accomplishment. Apple, for example, has 190 million users on its iCloud storage service. And Dropbox aims to offer something none of the other aforementioned providers can – a way to store data without concern for the “logo on the back of the computer or device.”

In fact, says the company co-founder, Dropbox, though providing a similar service, is in a better position overall to meet its goals and that it has a different focus. “Those companies are busy trying to build something we had four years ago,” said Houston. “We’re out front. We’re already out there and building smaller features and things. All those other companies have turf to protect, and they’re fighting a battle on a totally different front.”

[via Tapscape]

Dropbox reaches the 100 million users mark is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Microsoft has a change of leadership in the works, with the company just announcing that Windows head Steven Sinofsky is on the way out. Also in the works is the promotion of Julie Larson-Green, who will take the helm of hardware engineering and all Windows software. Finally, there’s Tami Reller, who will take over the business aspect of Windows, in addition to her positions of chief financial office and chief marketing officer.

The change will take effect immediately, according to a memo that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sent out shortly before the changes were publicly announced. Sinofsky joined Microsoft back in 1989 as a software development engineer, worked as a technical adviser to Bill Gates, and, among other things, has worked as the lead for Windows and Windows Live. He also directed and lead extensively for the newly-released Surface.

Sinofsky said, “It is impossible to count the blessings I have received over my years at Microsoft. I am humbled by the professionalism and generosity of everyone I have had the good fortune to work with at this awesome company.” Ballmer also had a few things to say about the Windows head. “I am grateful for the many years of work that Steven has contributed to the company.”

As for Larson-Green, she has worked on a variety of Microsoft products, including Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office. She was responsible for UI design, program management, and research for Windows 7 and Windows 8, among other things. Tami Reller began working with Windows in 2007 from the Microsoft Dynamics Division, where she held positions in leadership.

[via Microsoft]

Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky on the way out is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

LaCie has unveiled its newest key-shaped flash drive, the PetiteKey. This USB drive is 30-percent smaller than its predecessor, the iamaKey, making it easier to carry on a key ring. In addition to being stealthy, the drive also offers Private-Public encryption to keep files safe and one year of Wuala Secure Cloud Storage.

The PetiteKey offers several features, including being waterproof up to 100-meters, something that’s perhaps most convenient for those times your keys find their way into the washing machine. The connector is scratch-resistant, a necessary feature due to both the drive’s cap-free end and its perilous life on a key ring. The PetiteKey offers USB 2.0 connectivity.

Bundled with the PetiteKey are two extra services: Private-Public, and Wuala Secure Cloud Storage. Private-Public is encryption software allowing users to protect their files with AES 256-bit security and a password. Wuala Secure Cloud Storage is included for one-year, and provides an online account for users to store their data.

The drive is available in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities, and is priced at $14.99, $22.99, and $39.99. You can pick up the USB drive from LaCie’s online store, or via one of the company’s partners. LaCie is a manufacturer of storage devices, and operates in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

[via LaCie]

LaCie unveils stealthy PetiteKey USB flash drive is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.