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Microsoft Band arrives in more US stores and the UK
You no longer have to head to a Microsoft Store in the US to put the Band on your wrist. Microsoft's smart wearable is now available through Amazon, Best Buy and Target in the country at the usual $200 asking price, and it'll go on sale in the UK on April 15th for £170. Fitness-minded Brits can pre-order today, with Amazon, Curry's PC World, Dixons Travel, Harrods and O2 all promising to carry stock. And you won't have to rush quite so quickly to get a Band this time around -- the crew in Redmond is planning both more frequent shipments and larger supplies in each batch, so shortages won't be as common.
Target's internet video service you didn't use is shutting down
Following in the tracks of other retailers like Walmart (Vudu) and Best Buy (CinemaNow), Target launched its own video on-demand service in late 2013, but now it's the first of those three to shut things down. Like Redbox Instant and Samsung's Video Hub, Target Ticket didn't quite catch on, as compatibility with Ultraviolet digital copies (that can be viewed using different services, no matter where they were originally purchased) and links to its customer loyalty program weren't enough to hook users. As for movies or TV shows not covered by Ultraviolet, Target says that it's linked up with CinemaNow. When the lights go out on March 7th, customers can either transfer their purchases there, or if the content isn't available, get a credit from the service as detailed here. Of course, that's all theoretical since you probably never bought movies there anyway. [Thanks, Dave Zatz]
Rosalina amiibo exclusive to the Target Galaxy
Lucario, Shulk and Meta Knight aren't the only amiibo figures to sign exclusivity deals with various retailers across the country; now Princess Rosalina and her Luma buddy (which are packaged together as one figure) will also take some extra effort to track down. According to an online listing, the figure - which is due for release in February - will be sold exclusively at Target. Who knows how popular this particular amiibo will end up being or how many units Nintendo will ship, but if it's got your eye, it might behoove you to grab it while you can; Nintendo recently announced that, while the company may return select amiibo to shelves after their first run has sold out, "other [less popular] figures likely will not return to the market once they have sold through their initial shipment." [Image: Nintendo]
Take-Two 'unaffected' by GTA5's removal from Australian stores
Target and Kmart stores in Australia pulled Grand Theft Auto 5 from their shelves last week, following a review of the game's content and feedback from customers, the companies said. A change.org petition with nearly 50,000 signatures decried the game's depiction of violence against women and called upon Australian Target stores to remove the game. Take-Two President Karl Slatoff called the situation "disappointing" at a conference this week, but said it's not that big of a deal. "Australia is relatively small for us and two retailers are relatively small in the context of Australia," Slatoff said. "There are other places for folks to buy Grand Theft Auto in Australia." Despite the low impact of the stores' decisions – both are subsidiaries of retail group Westfarmers – Slatoff had more to say about the situation. A lot more: "It's one thing for someone to not want to buy a piece of content, which is completely understandable," Slatoff said. "And that's really the solution. If you don't like it and it's offensive to you, then you don't buy it. But for a person or a group of people to try to make that decision for millions of people .... We have 34 million people who bought Grand Theft Auto, and if these folks had their way, none of those people would be able to buy Grand Theft Auto. And that really just flies in the face of everything that free society is based on. It's the freedom of expression, and to try to squelch that is a dangerous and slippery slope to go down. So it's really more disappointing for us in that regard than it is in the context of our business. Our business is going to be completely unaffected by this; it doesn't make a difference to us. At the end of the day though, it's not something you want because it's a poor leadership decision." Slatoff said that Take-Two hadn't seen a change in consumer habits in the area. [Image: Take-Two]
Judge rules that banks can sue Target over credit card breach; Value proposition of Apple Pay rises
A judge last week ruled that banks will be allowed to sue Target for negligence stemming from the retailer's gargantuan credit card breach from December of 2013. Nearly a year ago, Target disclosed that hackers, over a two and a half week period, made off with credit and debit card information from upwards of 110 million customers. In some cases, hackers also made off with personal customer information, such as names, phone numbers, and addresses, from Target customers. Target of course isn't alone. A slew of big time retailers, from Home Depot to Neiman Marcus, also suffered embarrassing credit card breaches over the past year. With banks, at least in this instance, now having the green light to sue retailers for credit card breaches, the value proposition for Apple Pay amongst retailers should be glaringly clear. As we've detailed before, the security mechanisms that govern Apple Pay are extremely robust and are at the forefront of an emerging global credit card payments standard. Simply put, it's not a stretch to say that Apple Pay is the safest way to make any type of credit card payment. A massive credit card breach is an expensive problem to fix and has adverse repercussions for all parties involved. In addition to the requisite security reviews and updates retailers must make internally, not to mention the loss of consumer confidence, replacing affected credit cards in and of itself can cost banks hundreds of millions of dollars. With respect to Target, the New York Times recently noted that "the cost of replacing stolen cards from Target's breach alone is roughly $400 million." Ars Technica writes on the matter: The decision could lead to significant changes in the way the cost of fraud is distributed among parties in the credit card ecosystem. Where once banks and merchant acquirers would have to shoulder the burden of fraud (which is how they have long justified increasing Interchange Fees), now, potentially, the order from [Judge] Magnuson could pave the way for more card-issuing banks to sue merchants for not protecting their POS systems properly. To be clear, retailers who accept Apple Pay are still prone to credit card breaches given that traditional credit card swiping isn't going anywhere. Still, a retailer's refusal to support Apple Pay might work against them in a case where banks are arguing negligence. At the same time, a retailer that supports Apple Pay could argue more convincingly that it is doing all it reasonably can to safeguard consumer credit card data. The particulars of the Target breach are interesting, though, because the hack could have been completely avoided. The court ruling noted that Target's negligence stems from the fact that they curiously ignored security alerts from their own security software and inexplicably ignored specific warnings that suspicious activity had been detected. Again, a key Apple Pay selling point is that the service, in addition to being convenient, provides an unparalleled level of security for consumers, banks, and merchants. It's why banks are heavily advertising Apple Pay in both print and national TV spots; they want to throw their weight behind a service that will minimize the likelihood of credit card breaches in the future. As a quick example, Wells Fargo recently began running this ad for Apple Pay nationally. When's the last time you saw a bank advertise a payment service from another brand?
Engadget Daily: Target's network breach, a tour of JetBlue's 'Mint' cabin and more!
Flying first class is a wonderful experience, but for most it's simply too expensive. JetBlue's new premium "Mint" cabin, however, is fresh, accessible and affordable. That's not all we have on deck, though -- read on for the rest of our news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Target can't dodge lawsuits from banks after huge data breach
When Target was, well, targeted by hackers in search of customer payment information late last year, legal backlash from banks was probably one of the last things the company's brass was worried about. They've got to be singing a different tune now, as the New York Times reports that a United States District Judge has shot down Target's attempt to dismiss lawsuits brought on by banks displeased with the retailer's security chops.
Kmart joins Target in taking GTA 5 off Australian store shelves
Kmart became the second major Australian retailer to remove Grand Theft Auto 5 from sale following a 45,000 strong online petition. In a statement provided to Kotaku, a spokesperson for the department store chain said it plans to take the game off store shelves "immediately." "Following a significant review of all content in Grand Theft Auto games Kmart has taken the decision to remove this product immediately," reads the statement. "Kmart apologizes for not being closer to the content of this game."
Target Black Friday deals include cheap Xbox One bundles and more
Target has posted a preview of its Black Friday deal lineup, giving an early look at many of the cheap games and bundles available to shoppers later this month. Starting on November 27, customers can pick up an Xbox One Assassin's Creed Unity bundle for $329.99, which includes a bonus $50 gift card. Other featured Black Friday deals include a Yoshi's New Island-bundled Nintendo 2DS for $99.99, The Evil Within and Shadow of Mordor for $25 each, and Skylanders Trap Team and Disney Infinity 2.0 Starter Packs for $39.99 apiece. Target is additionally offering a buy-2-get-1-free deal on over 100 featured games in advance of the Black Friday sales rush. Cheap Ass Gamer breaks down all listed Target Black Friday deals here. [Image: Target]
The science of language, community, and MMORPGs
Back in August, Massively wrote a little post about Swedish research on MMOs and language learning. That article provoked me, a gamer and teacher of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), to hunt down the original research and talk directly to the researchers, Dr. Liss Kerstin Sylvén from the University of Gothenburg and Dr. Pia Sundqvist from Karlstad University, to better understand their research and findings. Note that we'll be talking here about games and language learning specifically, not other forms of game-related education. Also, Sylvén and Sundqvist don't consider themselves "gamers." Sundqvist remembers Pac-Man as her first game, both admit to playing Angry Birds on their cell phones, and Sundqvist is "allowed" to sometimes watch her 17-year-old son play League of Legends. I find this interesting because they are non-gamers who seriously consider games capable of being educational without specifically being developed to do so. This isn't a simple merger of a hobby with work; this is work in a field of interest that's still being explored.
Over 1,000 US businesses hit with the same cyberattack as Target
Target's massive data breach grabbed headlines right in the middle of holiday shopping that year, and the fallout continues. According to a Department of Homeland Security advisory this afternoon, the attacks that hit the red-hued retailer, along with Supervalu and UPS, are much more widespread than first reported. The so-called "Backoff" malware in various versions has actually hit more than 1,000 businesses in the States, allowing hackers to snag info from millions of credit card payments. Remote network access for contractors provides the avenue for entry, and the announcement suggests that companies have vendors take a close look at their systems for possible criminal activity. It's also calling for businesses to put cash registers on a separate network and employ two-factor authentication to help combat would-be intruders. [Photo credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images]
Wizard101 introduces Fishing
Fishing is the eternal side activity of MMOs, the reason for players to sit about and cast their line over and over in the hopes of receiving something worthwhile. Wizard101 joins the lineup of fantasy games offering a fishing option today with a new patch, although you will be fishing in an appropriately magical fashion. Rather than a mundane line and sinker, players summon magical orbs to help snare fish; the ones they catch can be sold, used for crafts, or displayed as trophies around your house. If this is the one thing you've been waiting for before you get into the game, you can also take advantage of the new promotional bundle on sale at Target. The Spiral Cup Gauntlet Bundle includes a new housing item, a new pet, new clothes, and a new mount for players, along with either a month's subscription or 5000 crowns. You can pick it up for $39 and then jump right back into casting orbs and looking for fish. Or doing other things, presumably. [Source: Kingsisle Entertainment press release]
United States credit card system begins complete overhaul in the next 18 months
The United States is lagging behind most of the world when it comes to credit card technology, but luckily it's about to catch up. In the next 18 months, the US is gearing up to transition debit and credit cards away from the magnetic stripe to embedded chip technology, which is already widely used in Europe, Asia and beyond. Who can you thank for the long-overdue upgrade? Target, whose data security breach earlier this year highlighted the security flaws in the magnetic stripe system. It's a 50-year-old technology, after all, and it's much easier to counterfeit than the computer chip in your next Visa card.
Target CEO steps down in aftermath of customer data breach
The fallout from Target's massive customer data breach continues: following the departure of the retailer's chief information officer in March, CEO Gregg Steinhafel has stepped down. The executive feels he's "personally accountable" for the lax security that let the breach happen, and is bowing out after "extensive discussions" with the board of directors. He'll hang on as an advisor while Target looks for a replacement, and CFO John Mulligan will run the company in the interim.
Target improves online subscriptions, hopes you'll drop Amazon for monthly shipments
Despite some major (and very public) security setbacks these past few months, Target's been hard at work positioning itself as a viable Amazon competitor. In September, the retailer introduced an online subscriptions pilot as an answer to Amazon's "Subscribe and Save" service, offering 200 or so items available for shipping in installments of four to 12 weeks. Now, Target's improving two of the major weaknesses of that program, increasing the number of products eligible for subscriptions to 1,500 and adding in the incentive of discounts.
Nintendo 2DS and Pokemon X bundle currently $100 at Target
Target is offering a Nintendo 2DS and Pokemon X hardware bundle at a steep discount this week, pricing the set at just $99.99 while supplies last. The package includes a black-and-red Nintendo 2DS and a digital copy of 2013's Pokemon X. The bundle is regularly priced at $149.99, and the 2DS hardware itself normally retails for $129.99. If you'd prefer to manage your Pokemon collection on a larger pair of screens, Target is also offering a $40 gift card with Nintendo 3DS XL purchases through April 19. [Image: Nintendo]
Other retailers follow suit with $450 Titanfall Xbox One bundle
Other outlets including the Microsoft Store are following Walmart's lead by reducing the Titanfall Xbox One bundle to $450. Target, Microsoft and Amazon (with the promo code XIAMAZON) are all offering the Titanfall bundle with the $50 discount, and both Target and Microsoft have the same price on the Standard bundle that includes a Forza 5 code. The Microsoft Store denotes the bundles as "limited time discounts," so don't expect the reduced price to hang around for long, even if the console got a permanent price drop in the UK. On a side note, our pals at Engadget spotted Amazon getting a bit overexcited this morning after the retailer briefly marked down the Forza Xbox One bundle to $400 with the XIAMAZON code applied. It looks like it was an accident, though, since the bundle is back up to $499 and the code no longer works with it. [Image: Microsoft]
Target reportedly knew about data breaches for 12 days before taking action
Foreign data thieves may be responsible for stealing Target's customer data late last year, but it now appears that the retailer played a large part in its own misfortune. Sources speaking to Bloomberg Businessweek claim that Target not only shut off an automatic malware removal tool, but sat on breach alerts for 12 days -- long enough for attackers to both grab card info and cover their tracks. While the store chain isn't confirming what happened at this stage, it notes that it's already revamping its security system and speeding up plans to accept chip-based payment cards, which are slightly more trustworthy. If true, though, the scoop suggests that Target could have easily prevented the theft and spared millions from the financial headaches that followed.
Justice Department searches for culprits behind Target data breach
Target is bringing in some big guns to find those who swiped its customer data -- the Department of Justice has confirmed that it's investigating the breach. It's not clear how close officials might be to identifying suspects, but Target tells the Wall Street Journal that the thieves got in by using credentials stolen from one of its vendors. We're not expecting the DOJ to catch the perpetrators any time soon. However, it's good to know that the feds are directly involved in fighting a rapidly growing data theft problem.
Hackers get encrypted PINs in Target data breach
Holiday shoppers have already been reeling from a breach of Target's database, and their situation isn't improving now that Christmas is over. The store chain has confirmed that the perpetrators took encrypted PIN codes, theoretically scoring access to legions of accounts. There is some consolation for affected customers, though. Target notes that the encryption key rests with an outside payment processor; unless the hackers attacked both companies, they won't have an easy time cracking into the financial data. The reassurances won't help those who've had to replace bank cards in light of the breach, but they do suggest that Target avoided the worst possible outcome.
