Marc Drucker serves as an associate director and technical lead for a pharmaceutical company in Menlo Park, California. Having shifted fully to working from home, he found his computer setup — his WFH rig — running so well and looking so clean, he decided to send it in to Cult of Mac.
Among the words he used to describe his WFH rig were ideal and perfect. We talked to him about what works so well for him in his workstation and included his answers, below.
In the ongoing discussion about whether a gargantuan ultra-wide monitor beats dual monitors or vice versa, some people still chime in favoring one modest display to either of the above choices. Of course, these days, “modest” can mean in excess of 30 inches, plus a lot of bells and whistles.
You know that kid in school who never took his jacket off? I think his name was Belkin. The accessories maker launched a pair of Always-On Laptop Cases that pretty much ensure your MacBook always keeps it coat on.
Redditor DeviantSubrbanKid, based in the Philippines, knows how to impress a few computer setup mavens on social media. Make the workstation clean, tasteful and functional. And then add some weird or interesting touches.
The Belkin Soundform Connect could be just what you need to connect your speakers to Apple Music’s upcoming high-quality lossless audio. The wireless adapter allows iPhone and Mac users communicate with any speaker over AirPlay 2 using Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth.
I ran some tests, and I’m impressed with the usefulness of this tiny accessory.
The audio limitations of Bluetooth have been much in the news lately, so Belkin picked the perfect time to launch Soundform Connect. The wireless adapter allows iPhone users to communicate to any speaker over AirPlay 2… that’s Wi-Fi and high-quality audio.
You can activate up to six preprogrammed HomeKit scenes or accessories with the push of a button on Belkin’s Wemo Stage Scene Controller. The palm-size remote sits on a table or hangs on a wall, and lets you easily control HomeKit accessories all over your home. No wiring involved.
I’m fully committed to Apple’s home-automation system, and Belkin’s latest HomeKit gadget fit neatly into my setup. Here’s why.
A wall switch can turn on a light or two, but the Wemo Stage Scene Controller from Belkin can activate an entire scene, controlling lights, thermostats, music and other devices all around the house.
It ties into Apple’s HomeKit home automation system allowing someone to press a single button to launch their movie night scene, or wake their house up in the morning, for example.
The Find My application built into iOS and macOS finally opened up to device trackers made by other companies, not just Apple. Wednesday’s move allows iPhones, Macs and iPads to locate lost items produced by third-party accessory makers without needing to install additional software.
The first supported non-Apple products come from Belkin, Chipolo and VanMoof.
A Mission Control-looking setup featuring an ultrawide monitor with a spacious screen above it and a portrait-oriented screen on either side of it was bound to get some attention — especially with ring lights sticking up from it like antennae. And it did.
“That just seems so excessive that it isn’t even funny,” one Redditor commented on KipKang’s post promoting his MacBook Pro setup and its relative orgy of displays. “I love it and I am jealous of it. Long winded way of saying NICE!”
“Thanks! ‘Nothing exceeds like excess,’” KipKang replied.
The Belkin iPhone mount with Face Tracking Magnetic Phone Mount and MagSafe uses facial recognition to keep an iPhone’s camera constantly pointed at the user, taking the place of a cameraman.
It uses MagSafe to hold the handset in place, and Belkin also unveiled a range of other MagSafe accessories on Tuesday, including clip-on batteries in two sizes.
The Belkin Boost↑Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand with MagSafe holds your iPhone 12 up so it’s ready for FaceTime calls or just checking email. And it powers up the handset twice as fast as traditional wireless chargers. Plus, it comes with a built-in AirPods charger. If you’re looking for a Belkin iPhone mount with MagSafe for Mac notebooks, there are additional options available that provide seamless integration.
I put this stylish iPhone accessory to the test. Here’s how it performed in the real world.
The short list of truly MagSafe-compatible accessories grew a bit on Tuesday, as the Belkin Boost↑Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand can now be preordered. This holds up an iPhone 12 for easy viewing, and includes a pad for AirPods cases that support wireless charging.
Apple’s newest iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 betas add a new “Items” tab to the built-in Find My app that allows users to tracks Beats headphones, luggage and other third-party gadgets.
The tab is also expected to be home to Apple’s long-rumored “AirTags” trackers … when they finally appear.
iPhone 12’s display glass is the toughest you’ll find in any smartphone today, but that doesn’t mean it can’t get scratched. You’ll need a good screen protector if you want to keep yours looking brand-new.
Pick up one of Belkin’s newest protectors on Amazon at up to 30% off its usual price today only.
The Belkin Boost↑Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand with MagSafe uses magnets to hold an iPhone 12 up where it can be more easily seen. And it includes a pad for AirPods cases that support wireless charging.
In addition, Belkin also unveiled the SoundForm Freedom True Wireless Earbuds on Monday, the first day of CES 2021. These truly wireless headphones offer environmental noise cancellation and 8 hours of playback.
Home automation is convenient and even kind of fun. And a smart plug is the easiest way to get started. The redesigned Wemo WiFi Smart Plug from Belkin lets you find out if you really want to be able to control your lights or other appliances from your iPhone, without making a big investment.
A couple of weeks of testing this pint-size HomeKit accessory went into this review. Here’s what I found out.
Your beloved Apple Watch deserves more than to be slapped on top of its included charging cable every night. Treat yours to an actual charging stand without breaking the bank and give it a better place to rest.
Here are seven stellar options, handpicked by Cult of Mac, for $30 or less.
Belkin on Monday began offering a much smaller version of its Wemo WiFi Smart Plug. Like the original, it supports Apple’s HomeKit home automation system. But the updated version of this smart outlet doesn’t crowd the wall socket nearly so much.
Belkin began taking pre-orders on Monday for a much smaller version of the Wemo WiFi Smart Plug. Like the original, it supports Apple’s HomeKit home automation system. But in a design that doesn’t crowd the wall socket.
Belkin’s newly-unveiled multiport adapter uses Thunderbolt 3, not just USB-C, and can drive two 4K monitors at 60 Hz. But that’s just the start, as the Dock Core can also transfer data over a USB-C connection at up to 40 Gbps. Plus it includes Gigabit Ethernet, a pair of USB-A ports, audio in/out, and more.
It’s designed to be part of high-performance mobile office, as it does not need a second power source.
Wireless charging can really help keep your iPhone topped off and ready to go. Every model since the iPhone 8 supports it, and Cult of Mac brings you our list of the best wireless chargers available today.
This includes multi-device models too, for everyone who needs power up an Apple Watch or AirPods too.
The post-holiday tech fest that is CES shutters its doors today for another year. This week’s event has been as weird and as wonderful as any other, giving us a glimpse of all kinds of innovative gadgets on the way in 2020.
Better AirPods alternatives. Wireless chargers that achieve what Apple couldn’t. iPhone cases you can throw on the compost heap when they’re no longer needed. Here are the biggest trends from CES 2020.
Belkin’s latest version of its Wemo smart plug with HomeKit support is significantly smaller than its predecessor, making it less obtrusive on wall sockets.
The company also unveiled at CES 2020 the Wemo Stage, a remote than can be used to launch HomeKit scenes with the punch of a button.
Controlling the lights and other gadgets in your home from your iPhone is convenient and fun, too. There are plenty of HomeKit and Alexa accessories that make home automation a snap.
I’ll go over some of the best options I’ve found that will get you started with as little trouble as possible.