Who doesn’t want to make their life easier this month? After all the holiday shopping, we could all use a virtual butler to turn on the lights and play music on command. If that sounds like Alexa — many techies’ favorite voice assistant — you’re right. And you’re right on time.

Thanks to our December Deal of the Day, you can get a refurbished Amazon Echo Dot for just $18.99. Act fast, though. When we say Deal of the Day, we mean today only — the discount ends after 24 hours.

Apple’s plan for a completely autonomous vehicle has gone back onto the drawing board, according to a reliable source. The company supposedly is still prepping an electric car but the self-driving capabilities much more limited.

The Apple car could reach customers in about four years.

Apple said Tuesday the App Store is undergoing “the most comprehensive upgrade to pricing capabilities” since its launch, allowing prices to be set as low as 29 cents and as high as $10,000.

It will start offering developers 700 new price points to apply to the apps they sell, plus new tools to make international selling easier to manage.

Just ahead the holidays, Sabrent offered a new set of solid state drives (SSD) that could be a perfect little gift for any techie on your list — the updated Sabrent Rocket Nano V2.

The redesigned version, no larger than a “fun-sized” candy bar, supports fast data transfer speeds and can store up to 4TB. And they can fit in someone’s pocket.

Apple Music Sing gives you the real-time lyrics you need to sing along to your favorite tracks. The upcoming feature will show the words to songs so you can easily join in. It will even adjust the volume of the original singer so you take the lead.

It’s coming in December to Apple Music subscribers worldwide. The feature will work with millions of songs in the streaming service’s catalog, Apple said Tuesday.

Victrola probably isn’t the first name that leaps to mind when you’re shopping for speakers – it’s a company that built its reputation on the phonograph. But great-grandpa would be amazed because the company is keeping up with the times and recently launched the Victrola Music Edition 2, a great-looking Bluetooth speaker suited for small parties or outdoor gatherings. Plus it has some nice extras, like a wireless charger.

I tested the speaker with my iPhone 13 Plus – here’s why I’m quite pleased with it.

It’s not easy to find the perfect iPad case, whether you’re walking around with a little iPad mini 6, a standard 10.2-inch iPad or the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro. But it gets a lot easier if you know about Zugu Case. The company’s practical and attractive cases are among the highest-rated and best-reviewed iPad cases in the world for a reason.

So cease your searching. You just found the Zugu iPad case you didn’t know you were looking for.

The National Labor Relations Board determined that Apple’s tactics in pressuring employees at an Atlanta Apple store to not unionize broke the law.

The NLRB regional director reportedly gave Apple the option to settle or she will start the process of compelling the company to do so.

Shopping on a budget is tough, and it doesn’t get easier when you’re planning to feed a fleet of holiday guests traveling to see you. Friends and family are on their way, and it’s time to find out how you will fill your table with tasty treats without breaking the bank.

With a Costco Gold Star Membership, you can find shelves of enticing ingredients and premade delectables to serve your guests. And for a limited time, you can get a one-year Costco Gold Star Membership for $60 — and it comes with a $30 Digital Costco Shop Card*.

Apple has expanded its Self Service Repair program outside the US. Customers in selected European countries can order replacement components for their iPhones and MacBooks directly from the company.

The program is launching in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

Apple just revealed the 20 titles that made the Apple Arcade Top Games of 2022. At the top is NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition, as well as the revamped version of The Oregon Trail.

The best-of list includes a range of options for many types of players.

The holidays mean gift exchanges, family time and priceless memories, but you’ll need ample storage to film, photograph and store those special moments. One of the best cloud storage solutions around is Koofr, and its 1TB lifetime subscription is on sale for $111.99 when you use code KOOFR at checkout by December 7.

This discount is part of our Last Chance event, where you can find markdowns on last-minute gift ideas. Cloud storage plans prove especially handy for last-minute shopping, as this type of gift involves no shipping time.

If you’re looking for a new podcast to addict yourself to, you’re in luck. Apple Podcasts unveiled the podcasts, episodes and channels its listeners paid the most attention to in 2022 (and in the case of subscriber shows and channels, paid the most money to, apparently).

Check out how Apple Podcasts sliced and diced its most popular content in the lists below. You might find a great new way to spend off-time during the holidays.

The stress of modern living can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule and thus your overall quality of life. Luckily, modern technology can help.

If you’d like to address your rest levels, and your resulting mental health, take a look at the Apollo wearable. It uses touch therapy and silent vibrations to help users calm down before bedtime, sleep better all night, and maintain focus during the daylight hours. And it’s on sale right now!

The Los Angeles-based company Azio successfully crowd-funded its Cascade 75 mechanical keyboard on Kickstarter last year. Now it’s back with the Cascade 98, a 98% layout keyboard with a full-sized number pad that comes in slim or regular profiles. It has surpassed its funding goal.

Keychron and others have led the way with low-profile mechanical keyboards that don’t stand as tall as the classics. Azio said their new version is the first one with a full-sized number pad.

Apple’s AirTag tracking device can be a lifesaver, whether you’ve lost something valuable or suffered theft. And what makes AirTag even better? A simple, secure device that protects it and attaches it to your valuable, whether that’s a suitcase or your pet dog.

That would be the Elkson AirTag Holder with Keychain, brand new to the Cult of Mac Store. And for a limited time, you can get the holder and keychain for 47% off the regular price. That’s a savings of $7.

Occasionally a computer setup crops up that just makes you say, “WTF?” That’s what a colleague said about a DIY extravaganza he came across in which three 30-inch Cinema Displays were mounted under glass inside a desk.

The Cinema Display imagery shows up on a mammoth 85-inch screen above — all in a huge, homemade desk assembly. WTF, indeed.

The HyperPack Pro has room for a 16-inch MacBook plus all your other gear, and the backpack includes a built in tracker using Apple’s Find My technology so it can easily be found if misplaced.

Hyper’s new backpack just debuted, but has already been named a CES 2023 Innovation Awards Honoree.

If you ever work on the road, you know relying on your laptop for sound can be as disappointing as relying on it instead of an external display for visuals. Not every laptop has great — or even good — speakers.

Enter Edifier and its MF200 Portable Bluetooth Speaker. The company sent me one for review. The elegant little wedge-shaped soundbar can add plenty of power and clarity to “meh” laptop speakers.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean the MF200 blows away all laptop speakers, as I’ll explain below.

If it seems like almost everyone you see wearing wireless earbuds is using AirPods, you’re not far off. Apple owns a whopping 31% of the world market – three times the market share of its closest competitor.

And the company’s lead is growing, with shipments growing strongly year-over-year, according to a market research firm.

When it comes to ways to bring the family together over the holidays, good puzzles are always a go-to activity. One example is The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle, rated 4.5 out of 5 in our store.

This fiendish 500-piece monster will test even seasoned puzzlers, but that’s hardly the main appeal. This puzzle could earn you up to a million dollars, and you can get it for $14.99 with free shipping if you order by December 8.

Apple’s AR/VR headset might launch later than anticipated in 2023. Instead of a Q2 2023 debut, Apple might release the headset in the year’s second half.

The delay, reportedly due to “software-related issues,” will impact the AR/VR headset’s shipment numbers for the year.

Looking for a cool gift your loved ones will actually use? Look no further than the MagStack, a wireless portable charging dock. Usually $69, you can purchase it for $39.99 or 42% off — no coupon necessary. But you’ll have to be quick, as this deal is only available through December 6.

The brief price drop is part of our December Deal of the Day promotion. During this event, we’re releasing new, limited-time price drops lasting just one or two days.

Apple has expedited plans to move a part of its supply chain outside of China. The company is asking suppliers to increase their assembly base in India and Vietnam.

Over the last year, China’s strict COVID-19 restrictions have disrupted Apple’s production lines in the country multiple times.

Hiring in 2023 is no joke — but it’s not impossible. While every company faces challenges when it comes to staffing, there are ways to tackle those issues head-on such as using ZipRecruiter. Rated the No. 1 job site in the United States*, ZipRecruiter provides employers with weekly access to more than 10 million job seekers*.