Years ago I was a regular Mac user who switched to PC for a long time. When I fully re-immersed myself in the Apple ecosystem, an old annoyance came right back — all those unwanted apps launching for no apparent reason on startup, slowing things down.

Like many folks, I don’t restart my Mac very often these days because Sleep mode has its benefits. So having to close a bunch of apps is not a massive annoyance. But for anyone who wants a fix, there are easy ways to disable startup items.

And if those don’t work, you can try a couple of tricks to get rid of hidden launch agents.

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Echo 3, writer Mark Boal’s fundamentalist patriotism slash fic about two men who will stop at nothing to rescue the woman they share, gears up for a very illegal raid on the prison holding her this week.

The two mercenaries tie up loose ends before their mission to save their wife/sister/CIA agent Amber Chesborough Haas. Plus, Amber and Prince’s parents kibbutz about the next best step to take for their kids. And an old foe is finally taken out of commission.

If you want a healthy computer setup, don’t just check off the “ergonomics” box and leave it at that. In addition to good posture, straight wrists and so on, you’re going to need good lighting to reduce eye strain. And to look good on video, too, of course.

Today’s featured M1 Mac mini setup throws the switch on a couple of lighting products we rarely see.

With a new year comes fantastic new deals on Microsoft software. Just visit the special New Year Sale at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com to save on Windows, Office and more.

Who says nostalgia can’t be practical? The Sharkgeek Retro 67 is shaped like the original Macintosh, but the palm-size wall charger pumps up to 67 watts through a trio of USB-C ports.

The accessory for MacBook, iPad or iPhone can be preordered now.

Whether you’re planning a big trip in 2023 or simply want to see more of the world, the secret to broadening your horizons is knowing where to find the best cheap flight deals. Dollar Flight Club’s Premium Plus membership does exactly that, finding you the best flight deals and saving serious money.

Right now, you can grab a lifetime subscription on sale for just $49.99. That’s a discount of more than a thousand dollars off the regular lifetime price of $1,690.

Slow Horses‘ magnificent second season comes to its excellent, exciting conclusion this week on Apple TV+.

Louisa’s revenge is at hand. Jackson discovers why the Russians have it in for him. River, Roddy, Shirley and Kelly are headed for a showdown with Chernitsky. And Standish is close to the truth. A season of intrigue explodes into armed combat and tough talk as the spy thriller wraps up season two and prepares for its next outing — which can’t come soon enough.

Ahead of the Chinese New Year on January 22, 2023, Apple has released a limited-edition AirPods Pro in the country. The charging case of the earbuds features a Year of the Rabbit engraving.

Besides the engraving, the special edition AirPods Pro retail box features the Year of the Rabbit graphics.

A super-size iPad Pro supposedly on Apple’s docket for 2024 has been cancelled or delayed, according to an analyst who previously indicated a 14.1-inch model was on the way.

So while Apple is expected to slightly increase the screen sizes of the iPad Pro line, an even larger model isn’t in development.

As we approach a new year, it’s time to start reaching our fitness goals. Yes, there are tons of fitness features to help you track your fitness and monitor your health on Apple Watches, but they’re not much good unless you actually do some exercise. If you need a little extra incentive to move in 2023, the Jillian Michaels Fitness App might be just the thing — especially now that you can get it for 66% off.

Apple plans a modest increase the screen sizes in the next generation of iPad Pro models, according to a reliable source. Numerous earlier leaks indicted these will also be the first Apple tablets with OLED displays.

That will make the upcoming iPad Pro significant a improvement over the 2022 version.

Year-end sales can be a bonanza for anyone seeking Apple accessories — and the Laut sale in the Cult of Mac Store is no exception. You can slash 20% off the price of 96 different accessories for Apple products.

So whether you need a stand, charger or case for any number of devices — not to mention a plethora of stylish Apple Watch bands — the Laut sale on all accessories has you covered. Check out some highlights below. The sale ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on December 30.

If you’re a big fan of playing video games, chances are you might need to record your gameplay sooner or later. Luckily, recording gameplay on a Mac is easy. And posting your results online is a great way to flex your gaming skills or learn from mistakes.

In this post, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to recording games using a free game recorder for Mac.

A trusty voice recorder is the productivity accessory you never knew you needed, whether for meetings, taking notes, interviewing or a number of other daily uses. Right now, you can get the world’s thinnest voice-activated recorder on sale for $39.99 (regularly $52).

Every year, Apple launches a handful of products that stand out from the competition. 2023 is going to be no different, but next year will be special for Apple in many ways.

The company could enter a new product category with its AR/VR headset, and the iPhone could get some major hardware upgrades. Below is a roundup of five Apple product launches to look forward to in 2023.

Threats to your online security can come from any direction these days. For that reason alone, there’s no such thing as “too broad” when it comes to the knowledge base of a cybersecurity expert. The more systems you’re proficient with, the more problems you can solve — and the more valuable you are to employers.

With that in mind, the Complete 2023 Cyber Security Developer & IT Skills Bundle might be the most valuable job resource you can invest in this year.

Some rugged, outdoorsy types might hesitate over the Apple Watch Ultra’s $800 price tag. But what if they could get a lookalike watch for less than $50?

The Indian company Pebble — no relation to the Pebble smartwatch outfit acquired by Fitbit — said it will ship just such an option soon. And the Pebble Cosmos Engage looks just like the real thing. But it probably doesn’t function like a real Apple Watch Ultra.

Now is the “sweet spot” to get an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max. Apple has almost caught up with demand, but a growing crisis in China might impact production of the top-tier iOS handsets.

So if you’ve been waiting for the right time to order one, this is probably it.

Back in our day — when we walked 5 miles uphill to school both ways — students were lucky to have plywood on cinderblocks for a desk and a laptop weighing, oh, let’s say 25 pounds (we’re too old to remember things).

Nowadays, these kids have pretty swanky computer setups with desktop machines you could toss in a knapsack. Today’s featured item boasts a Mac mini, a MacBook Pro, a 4K display, Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad 2 and a Lego building set to die for.

The Satechi USB-C Mobile Pro Hub SD is designed to look and act like it’s part of an iPad. It attaches directly to the side of the tablet and adds an HDMI video port, a USB-A port plus a headphone plug, SD card reader and more.

I tested the six-port hub with my iPad Pro, and am quite pleased with it.

Cloud storage is a given for many people these days. You’d think that kind of market saturation would mean things are getting easier and cheaper for consumers, but all too often, that’s just not the case. Luckily, there’s at least one provider who gets it: Prism Drive.

If you’ve been holding off on cloud storage because the process seems too cumbersome, don’t wait until it’s an emergency. Downloading Prism Drive is easy no matter what device you’re working with, and lifetime subscriptions are currently available at a price you won’t find anywhere else on the web. With Prism, you can get up to 10TB of storage with unlimited shared traffic, protected behind zero-knowledge encryption, for $89.

Gaming mouse-maker Finalmouse dipped its toe in the mechanical keyboard pool last week, and it made a ripple like you might see on the keyboard itself. That’s because the keeb, aimed at gamers, features clear keycaps and switches so you can see the full screen underneath while you type, showing crazy colors and lights.

Whether the new Centerpiece keyboard is easy to type on or just crazy distracting, it’s certainly going to be interesting. It comes out in early 2023.

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Personal hygiene can get a bit gross, but a little effort can go a long way when it comes to your long-term health. Not to mention, it can be satisfying. Spend some of that self-care time on your ears with this discounted smart visual ear cleaner for just $29.95.

This smart ear cleaner, which lets you stream live video from deep within your ear canal directly to your iPhone, is currently available for 14% off with no coupon necessary. You also can opt to package it with a storage box for safekeeping at $34.95 (regularly $39).

Since ancient times, the legendary unicorn has been described as a horse-like creature with a single horn projecting from its forehead. Considered magical and unique, the mythical beast has come to signify a one-of-a-kind treasure.

The only iPad case we’ve found that comes close to fitting that description is Zugu Case. It’s just right in so many ways, no matter which iPad you have. That’s what makes Zugu the unicorn of iPad cases.

There’s bad news for those ready for a folding iPad. Apple is not working on a small folding tablet to replace the iPad mini, according to a reliable source of inside info.

Still, a new version of the iPad mini with a faster processor is on the way.