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Google Assistant for iOS was released at Google’s latest I/O event. Having never tried it (being an Apple fanboy and all) I thought it was only fair to put the two virtual assistants head to head.

There’s still a lot Google needs to fix such as being able to open apps other than it’s own. But check out the head to head battle in my video below.

The great thing about Mac setups is that they can all be completely different. While one person may dream of a super minimalist science lab-type room, another may want an inspiring, comfortable haven. That’s what makes this week’s iSetups submissions so great.

iSetups is our new show that highlights the best Apple-centric setups submitted by our viewers. (You’ll also get plenty of tips and tricks for how you can improve your own setup.) Check them out for yourself in the video below, as well as full breakdowns and links to featured products.

Apple’s own battery case, cleverly titled the Smart Battery Case, has been on the market for over two years now. I had never really taken an interest in it;  it was just another battery case, only this one looked like it was pregnant with an iPod.

That was until last week, when I was desperately in need of some form of charger for my iPhone and decided to pick one up. Since then, my thoughts on what was just an ugly, overpriced battery case have totally changed.

Check out the video below to find out why it’s earned a place in my heart — and is now my favorite iPhone case.

Over the past few weeks a new Mac malware called OSX/Dok has been all over the news. The Trojan horse accessed user’s Macs through email phishing. Once opened, it prevented users from doing anything on their Mac until they installed a bogus software update.

Malware attacks have been skyrocketing as of late, which means it’s more important than ever to be aware.

In today’s video, I’m going to show you 4 ways to help keep your Mac safe from malware.

For a Mac setup to stand out, it doesn’t need a ton of color. Take the picture above from Cult of Mac reader Powi Hart, for example. Everything in there is either white, black or silver — and it looks fantastic.

In fact, these white-and-black-themed Apple setups have got to be some of my favorites so far. Check out this week’s three iSetups submissions in the video below. iSetups is our new show that highlights the best Apple-centric setups submitted by our viewers. (You’ll also get plenty of tips and tricks for how you can improve your own setup.)

Good cable management is harder than it looks. I should know: Both my home office and my work office are a mess of wires, despite trying to sort things out numerous times.

Unlike my failed attempts, this week’s three iSetups submissions get it down to a fine art. iSetups is our new show that highlights the best Apple-centric setups submitted by our viewers. (You’ll also get plenty of tips and tricks for how you can improve your own setup.)

iSetups Episode 3

Some sports fans show their allegiance by decorating their cars or wearing team jerseys. For Cult of Mac reader David Meier, his favorite sports team, the Texas Aggies, is a major influence on his choice of a red color scheme for his desk setup.

His Aggies-themed Mac arrangement is one of several showcased in this week’s episode of iSetups, our new show that highlights the best Apple gear submitted by our viewers. (You’ll also get plenty of tips and tricks for how you can improve your own setup.)

iSetups Episode 2

YouTube is testing a Dark Mode design, which can be toggled on and off once you activate it.

If you’re watching videos late at night, Dark Mode is super-useful to help avoid straining your eyes — plus, it just looks cool. Find out how to enable YouTube Dark Mode it in the video below.

While iPhones have pretty much replaced standalone video cameras, they don’t offer the same level of polish that a dedicated video camera or DSLR produces. It’s true that “the best camera is the camera you have with you,” but you can almost always spot a video shot on a phone.

The quality gap isn’t purely due to the lenses and tech within our phones, though. Bad habits make plenty of iPhone videos look lackluster. To show just how good an iPhone video can be, I put all my filmmaking knowledge to use for the montage below.

Instead of using my $3,000 video camera, I picked up my iPhone. With a minimum of accessories, I managed to produce what I think is a pretty cinematic video. You can see the results below — and then I’ll give you some useful tips and tricks for shooting iPhone videos like a pro.

Now that the LG UltraFine 5K Display’s weird Wi-Fi problem has been fixed, one question remains: Is the monitor a worthy Cinema Display replacement?

Check out our video and full review below to find out.

Philadelphia-based company Mobile Outfitters is well-known for its ultra-strong iPhone screen protectors. Now it’s put all of its phone-protection know-how together to create the Fusion Bumper — the world’s thinnest iPhone case.

At 1.9 mm thin, the Clear-Coat Fusion Bumper case for the iPhone 6, 6s and 7 has been drop-tested up to 20 feet. But, can it really survive a drop from that sort of height?

Check out the video review below to see us really put it through the test.

A recent move into a new studio put my OCD on high alert. Determined to maintain a truly “clean workspace,” I wanted to avoid a jumble of cables slowly creeping across my new desk at all costs. A MacBook Pro dock definitely seemed in order.

For a sleek solution to any pending cable chaos, I added Henge Docks’ Vertical Docking Station for MacBook Pro to my desktop. So far, it’s the best solution I’ve found.

Check out my full video review below.

I’ve racked up dozens of hours wearing Beats X wireless earphones over the past month, and I still think they blow away the competition — even Apple’s AirPods.

For Cult of Mac’s latest video review, I’ve put together a definitive list of my thoughts on the innovative earpods.

We couldn’t wait to get our hands on a new (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 and rip it out of its slick package. Check out our red iPhone unboxing video below to see what’s inside and get our first impressions of Apple’s latest device.

You might think you know everything there possibly is to know about your iPhone, but there’s always something new to learn. These hidden iPhone features will save you time every single day.

If you’re a computer scientist, you can never have too many Macs. Just ask Richard Crossley, a Ph.D. candidate currently studying “optimization in high-performance computing to achieve maximum resource efficiency.”

It probably shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise that Crossley’s got a pretty vast Mac collection. Check out his system, as well as other impressive Mac setups, in this week’s episode of iSetups. It’s Cult of Mac’s new monthly show highlighting the best Mac setups submitted by viewers — plus tips and tricks for how to improve them.

When you’re recording audio in QuickTime, there’s nothing more frustrating than a crash before you’ve had time to click Save. But all is not lost: This handy trick can help you recover lost recordings in the QuickTime app.

It might just save you a whole lot of effort. Here’s how to use it.

I’ve never been a fan of Beats headphones. Whenever I’ve given them a go, I’ve found the sound quality to be less than stellar, with far too much bass. So when Apple unveiled Beats X wireless headphones alongside the AirPods last fall, the weird-looking white ones grabbed my attention.

Now that I’ve had a chance to try them both, it’s clear I got that backward. I give you all the details on Beats X versus AirPods in my Beats X review below.

Cult of Mac is stoked to reveal that we’re launching a new monthly video series called iSetups, where we indulge our love for cool Apple setups. For our preview episode, we’re giving you a look at our own video production setup.

Each month, we’ll take a look at the best Mac setups to find inspiration, give tips and suggestions, and, hopefully, be amazed by some gorgeous Apple gear. If you’d like to submit your setup, check out the video below to find out how to get featured.

The internet brims with knockoff Apple Watch bands that are nearly as good as the real deal at a fraction of the price. Determining whether a knockoff is actually any good, however, is another story.

I’ve taken a look at one such band by Cambond, which mimics in appearance the popular Milanese loop by Apple. Retailing at $149, the Milanese is indeed pricey as are most of Apple’s bands whereas Cambond’s version is about 10 bucks.

Apple’s latest beta software for Apple Watch brings two new handy features in addition to the general bug fixes we expect to see with each release. Check out the video below to see watchOS 3.2 beta 1 in action.

Apple’s EarPods have always been a go-to favorite for me. They’re included with every iPhone, always sound good enough for what I need, and I’ve always found them comfortable. Even going back to the good old iPod days, I’ve always kept a pair close to hand.

But now Apple’s moving on into the “wireless future” with its new AirPods. These completely wireless earphones let you listen to music and podcasts, make phone calls and talk to Siri. But just how do they measure up?

Apple’s AirPods were due for release in late October, but the wireless headphones didn’t become available until last week from stores and via online orders (expect a six-week wait for the latter!)

Fortunately, we were able to get hold of a pair first thing today. Check out the video below to see what’s inside the box and get our first impressions.

You can never have too much storage or battery life with your smartphone. The iXtra case adds more of both to your iPhone, with up to 128GB of built-in memory and up to 2,000mAh of additional juice.

It could be the perfect iPhone case, and you can claim yours now on Kickstarter.

Apple just released macOS 10.12.2 to the public, so in today’s video I’m going to give you a guided tour of everything that’s new or missing.

Check it out below.