The UGR Tech Portable SSD External Hard Drive 2TB offers a lot of storage for an exceedingly low price — it’s available from Cult of Mac Deals for just $34.99. I could even call that a suspiciously low price, because rival USB-C drives sell for about four times as much. So I ordered one and tested it out.

I discovered why the external SSD is so very cheap, but also that it’s not a scam or a ripoff … as long as you understand the significant speed limitation of this 2TB drive.

(Update: This incredibly popular 2TB external SSD sold out multiple times in 2023. Now it’s back in stock at Cult of Mac Deals, although the price has gone up to $44.97.)

Apple TV+ psychodrama The Crowded Room takes a look back at Danny’s childhood this week to examine the start of his troubles and trauma.

Danny’s issues began when he was young, in the presence of a mysterious twin brother, an absent father, a new stepdad and a mom tired of being defeated by life. Add to that a sexual abuse case and Danny’s mental illness, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster — and a show that keeps running right up to the line of greatness before retreating.

Adding a second or third external display in portrait mode can really enhance a computer setup and its workflow. The owner of today’s featured MacBook Pro setup lucked into a second monitor and set it up vertically. Many people find the orientation suits certain tasks, like coding or reading email.

And who doesn’t love a classic Apple poster? Don’t miss the nice framed PowerBook G4 poster on the wall above the desk in the photograph above.

The sports games Retro Bowl+ and Retro Goal+ hit the Apple Arcade on Friday. And Bold Moves+ was added earlier in June. These are the latest classic games to make their way to the subscription service, and join many others already available.

This is in addition to all the original games that are Apple Arcade exclusives.

Updating Microsoft software probably didn’t make your bucket list, but it’s important nevertheless. To keep productivity software working its best and also secure, update it. Luckily, you can find the latest Windows, Microsoft Office and other great software at incredibly low prices.

At the site, you’ll spot low prices on Windows, Office and more. And to secure the most-possible savings, enter promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com. That cuts an additional 30% off the site’s super-low prices on software keys. Plus, you can get a free upgrade to Windows 11 when you buy Windows 10!

Even the greatest authors can encounter a serious case of writer’s block. But now there’s a modern way to overcome such situations — a highly rated writing app that comes at a low cost.

For a limited time, you can access Scrivener 3 for only $29.99 (regularly $59), the best price online. Pay only half-price for a writing app with an App Store rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on more than 500 verified reviews.

Apple is reportedly in talks with HDFC Bank to bring Apple Card to India. The latter is among the country’s largest credit card issuers and private banks.

The Cupertino giant also held discussions with NPCI to launch Apple Pay in the country.

Piano is one of the easiest instruments to learn to play, and technology has made mastering the keyboard even easier over the years. Like most things, it’s about finding a system that works for you. Sometimes you need to get over the hurdle of learning how to use a particular app before you can even start learning to make music.

That’s not the case with Skoove, an innovative piano-learning platform that you can use to start playing right away on any kind of keyboard. Even better, you can now get a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium for only $149.99 (regularly $300), the best price online.

If you own a Mac, it’s almost certainly a MacBook rather than a desktop. New data from a market research firm shows that Apple’s notebooks made up the lion’s share of macOS sales over the last year.

Of desktop models, the all-in-one iMac is the most popular. On the other hand, the cheapest Mac is among the lowest-selling, according to the analysts.

The first trailer for upcoming Apple TV+ movie The Beanie Bubble has a lot of fun with the Beanie Babies fad of the 1990s.

“Witness the crazy … behind the craze,” shout title screens in all caps between scenes. And Zach Galifianakis and Elizabeth Banks, as the partners behind the bean-filled-stuffed-animal business, do a good job of showing it.

While Apple is encouraging developers to write software for the Vision Pro AR headset, there are some types of applications it doesn’t want. Camera-related apps and movement-based ones can’t be made.

Some of the restrictions don’t seem to be about privacy but instead result from limitations in the hardware. Others are a mystery.

The HyperPack Pro has room for a 16-inch MacBook plus plenty of other gear in three big pockets, three more smaller ones plus more inner pockets. But what sets the backpack apart is a built-in tracker using Apple’s Find My technology so it can easily be found if misplaced or accidentally left behind.

I field tested the bag from Hyper by taking it on holiday. Here’s everything I love about it … and a few small issues.

 Ugreen introduced its latest on-the-go charger for MacBooks and other gear Thursday. The new Ugreen 145W Power Bank offers fast charging and a rather large 25,000mAh battery capacity.

The company said, “the intelligent power bank can charge three devices simultaneously and even charge a 13-inch MacBook Air in just 90 minutes.” If you’re looking for the best GaN charger, check out this great option that provides high-speed charging in a compact design.

Apple’s entry-level 10.2-inch iPad is down to its all-time low price of $249.99. That’s a massive $79 off the tablet’s retail price, making it much more affordable.

Amazon is providing a $59.01 discount on the listing page, with an additional $20 off applied at checkout.

A long-requested feature is finally coming to iOS 17: interactive widgets. With these, you can control apps on the device directly from the convenience of the home screen.

iOS 17 is still in beta so not everyone has access to the new feature yet. I do, so here is what it’s like to use it on an iPhone (and iPad, too.)

If the weather is warm and the sky is clear, why not enjoy the outdoors in style with a quadcopter you can take flying through the park or zipping around your campsite? The Epic Flight S89 4K HD Drone is a low-cost quadcopter with easy-to-master controls and spare parts in case of a rocky landing.

Typically, you’d pay $249 for this compact folding quadcopter. But for a limited time, you can snag one for only $89.99.

Venerable audio brand Denon, founded in 1910 and now owned by health-and-audio-device maker Masimo, introduced its first sets of wireless noise-cancelling earbuds with audio personalization Tuesday — Denon PerL and PerL Pro featuring Masimo AAT.

AAT stands for “adaptive acoustic technology,” something Masimo enhanced when it absorbed Australian sound-personalization innovator Nura months ago. Hear that, AirPods Pro 2?

Summer is finally here, and with temperatures increasing, it can be hard to keep the cooling bill manageable. Chilling in a cool house is nice, but you might not need to cool down everything — especially if you’re just at your desk or in bed.

The evaChill EV-500 is a compact personal air conditioner that can cool down a small area. For $78.99 (regularly $99), this portable mini air conditioner can be a much cheaper option than cooling your whole home all summer.

Turning the Apple Vision Pro headset from an announcement into a shipping product took a big step forward Wednesday with the release of the visionOS SDK. This includes the software tools developers will use to write applications for the AR headset that Apple unveiled earlier this month.

Apple also said it will open developer labs around the world soon, giving coders a chance for some hands-on time with Vision Pro, which won’t launch until 2024.

Apple TV+ comedy Platonic, about two once-former-now-current best friends navigating their relationship, finds Sylvia back at work and Will out of step this week.

A lot has changed since Sylvia was last in the workplace, and the new workload is too much for her, without factoring in everything else that can go wrong in an office. Will tries to help but makes things worse as he himself learns a few lessons about the modern workplace. Entitled “Let the River Run,” it’s a very funny episode of the very funny series.

Apple just introduced a slew of operating system updates. That includes iOS 16.5.1, macOS 13.4.1, watchOS 9.5.2 and iPadOS 16.5.1, which fix bugs in the most recent versions.

But it also released bug-fix updates for older versions of the operating systems going back as far as 2020.

What hasn’t yet arrived on Wednesday are the much-anticipated second round of betas for iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma.

I always had a thing for mechanical watches’ intricate machinery. But I gave up my Swiss timepiece for Apple Watch’s amazingly smart functionality.

And now someone has gone to the trouble of marrying the two on video. He replaced a nearly defunct Apple Watch’s circuitry with watch-movement technology first established more than 200 years ago.

And the end result is a gorgeous watch, if you dare try this sort of recycling project yourself.

Apple TV+’s noir comedy High Desert comes to a close this week with a nicely judged final half-hour where streams and plots cross.

Arman and Heather, the Gatchis, Carol and Denny are all looking for Peggy in the High Desert season finale, entitled “I Need a Hero.” Can Peggy make up for a lifetime of misbehaving and lying and self-interest in one gesture? It’s a perfectly ridiculous ending to this laconic, if fast-talking, crime saga.

There’s nothing like working with windows — floor-to-ceiling ones with epic views of a world-class city, that is, not Microsoft’s OS software.

In today’s featured computer setup, a MacBook Pro and a Surface 8 laptop vie over a nice Dell 4K display overlooking Sydney, Australia.

If you feel lost in a sea of podcasts without a paddle, Apple offered some new rowing implements Tuesday. After all, navigating podcasts can feel as hopeless as floundering among streaming TV shows and movies.

The company said Apple Podcasts will elevate nine “new and noteworthy” subcategories for browsing, plus related popularity charts and the new Podcasts by Language browsing tool.