A ruggedized version of Apple Watch could take the device’s lifesaving smarts to new extremes.

The so-called Apple Watch Explorer Edition, rumored to be in the works with a possible release as early as this year, could be Cupertino’s answer to Casio’s ultra-popular G-Shock watches. The benefits of implanting Apple Watch’s advanced sensors into such a beefy body seem like a no-brainer.

Apple Watch’s blood oxygen sensors, heart rate monitors and fall detection can make a difference in the daily life of average folks. But they could prove far more valuable to wearers snowboarding down frigid slopes, climbing up sand dunes or mountains, scrabbling over mud and rocks or diving the ocean’s depths.

Such extreme environments, in which adventurous humans test their limits, are just dying for an injection of Apple Watch smarts.

The Year Earth Changed is a fresh documentary showing how animals around the world recovered during the year COVID-19 kept humans in lockdown. The show, which will be narrated by David Attenborough, will premiere on Apple TV+ in time for Earth Day.

The streaming service is also about to air the second seasons of its documentary series Tiny World and Earth At Night In Color.

Redditor and commercial editor nicknotes posted their work-and-game-from-home setup with a lot of praise for a slick new display. It’s the monitor used mainly for work, which appears to be well-paired with the one already in place for gaming.

Apple tablets almost came with dual docking ports from the very beginning. New images of an early prototype iPad show it sports a charging/data port on its bottom edge and a second one on its left edge.

The final version released in 2010 only packed a single port, but this prototype shows how the initial Apple tablets could have gone in a different direction. Which is an interesting tidbit with the anniversary of the first model coming up.

Why spend $99 on a HomePod mini when you can get Amazon’s newest Echo Dot for a mere $34.99? It looks and sounds better than the previous model, and it’s smarter than ever.

Bag yours before this 30% discount disappears!

Over a platter of sushi, Steve Jobs once bragged to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos that Apple had created the greatest Windows application ever built. The Apple co-founder then suggested, in a roundabout way, that the software could kill a major stream of revenue for Amazon.

Jobs was referring to iTunes for Windows, which Apple introduced in October 2003 (and which Jobs later referred to as the equivalent of “giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell.”) Bezos got a look at iTunes for Windows before the rest of the world did. And he also endured a typically Jobsian dig about CDs and Amazon’s future.

While “spring cleaning” is often taken literally, it can also be a time to declutter your computer and streamline your software.

If you’d like to translate different languages, create video and digital art projects, and consume your favorite novels, here are eight unique apps that will enrich your life with ease. And during our Semi-Annual Sale, all of these apps are now available for a limited time at 30% off their usual price with the code DOWNLOADIT.

There’s a trio of Apple TV shows that critics absolutely love, according to review-aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. The current seasons of each of them racked up 100% approval ratings.

Love them or hate them, Windows computers run many applications that are, unfortunately, unavailable on your Mac unless you want to deal with an emulator. If you want to use some Windows applications from the comfort of your Mac without struggling with an emulator, then CrossOver Windows App Liberator for Mac is what your computer needs.

And for just $19.99, you can get a one-year subscription that will allow you to run Microsoft programs on your Mac as easily as native software.

Cult of Mac is giving away a stunning Apple Watch band from our friends at Goldenerre. The crystal pavé link band is the newest piece in Goldenerre’s collection, and it comes in shiny gold, rose gold or silver.

With more than 820 brilliant crystals, the sparkle factor is off the charts with this band! And to sweeten the deal, Goldenerre is including one stacking bracelet of your choice for every winner.

Lads, if you want to win points with the lady in your life, you need to enter this giveaway!

It seems early, but we’re already deep into rumor season when it comes to this year’s iPhone. This week alone, we heard tantalizing tidbits about a massive storage upgrade, a cool black finish and more.

And that’s just for the iPhone. We’re also knee-deep in rumors about upcoming upgrades for AirPods, iMacs and Apple Watch, as well as as-yet-unconfirmed products like AirTags and Apple’s AR headset.

Get up to speed on the latest Apple rumors in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. It’s packed with Apple news, reviews and how-tos. Download it to read on iPhone or iPad, or get the stories below in your browser.

Whether you’re looking to pursue a career in information technology or are an IT professional looking to deepen your skills, you should consider CompTIA certifications. CompTIA is the perfect way to start your career in IT, with a series of certifications that reassure hiring managers during those all-important job interviews that you have the necessary skills.

The 2021 Complete CompTIA Certification Prep Super Bundle offers 16 expert-led courses in IT basics, cloud computing, networking and more.

The just-released Farm It! manages to set itself apart from the plethora of other farming games with one big advantage. Because it’s on Apple Arcade it won‘t nag players to pay real money to buy in-game items.

This software keys post is presented by CdkeySales.com.

If you run a PC, isn’t it about time you brought your operating system and productivity software up to date? Thanks to the folks at CdkeySales.com, you can do it on the cheap with discounts on a variety of Microsoft Windows and Office software activation keys.

The premiere season of Home Before Dark pleased critics and audiences alike, and Apple TV+ revealed on Friday that season two will play on the streaming service in summer 2021.

The show follows Hilde Lisko, who doesn’t let being a child stand in the way of being an investigative journalist.

A growing number of M1 Mac mini owners are reporting strange issues with external displays. Affected users are unable to bring their third-party screens back to life after their Mac mini has gone to sleep.

Apple is said to be aware of the issue but is yet to roll out a proper fix. However, there are some workarounds that you can use to get your display working again in the meantime. Here’s what you need to do.

Apple has a fix for a serious bug in the mobile version of its Safari web browser. Hackers have reportedly already used it, which makes a high-priority of installing iOS 14.4.2, iPadOS 14.4.2 and watchOS 7.3.3. All three hit Apple servers Friday morning.

Hitchhiker asks players to travel the highways exploring the unknown while also confronting new dangers. It’s sort of a mystery novel in the form of a game. But unlike a book, choices you make when speaking to people you meet affect how it all comes out.

The game launched Friday on Apple Arcade.

The new 10.2-inch iPad is finally back in stock on Amazon — and available at up to $34 off the usual price for a limited time only. Enjoy a larger screen and faster A12 chip at its best price yet.

With the recent arrival of a dual-monitor stand, Oxford, England-based Russ Hicks completed an overhaul of the setup that powers the one-man business he has run for 25 years: Genesis Marketing Services.

He specializes in printing equipment suppliers and packaging services. And his business now runs on a Mac mini M1 and dual curved screens.

Multiple sclerosis has made Hicks’ work more challenging recently, but Apple products have helped him deal with it.

Apple’s location-tracking AirTags could retail for $39, and measure a diminutive 32mm x 32mm x 6mm, making them smaller than the rival Tile Pro item trackers.

Apple leaker Max Weinbach shared the information in a new video from EverythingApplePro. The video notes that the information comes from a “retail source,” and that, while the price is “an estimate,” it is likely that AirTags will retail for approximately this figure.

Interestingly, there’s no mention in the video of a rumored two sizes of AirTags. This is something that Apple leaker l0vetodream suggested last year. That earlier report also suggested that the AirTags keychain will be sold separately.

Apple’s newest MacBook Air is its fastest, most impressive to date. And now is a great time to buy one, with some retailers offering the biggest discounts we’ve seen so far. What’s more, we can help make your upgrade even more affordable.

Sell your old Mac to Cult of Mac today and you’ll get a nice stack of cash to put toward a new model. We typically pay more than anyone else, and we’re fast!

A new report claims that Apple’s next-gen AirPods won’t arrive until the third quarter of 2021. This backs up a recent report from renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who recently said that the AirPods 3 are unlikely to launch until Q3 2021.

Prior to this, AirPods 3 had been heavily rumored as being part of Apple’s next product event — originally rumored for March, but then pushed back to April.

With all the people using the internet for work and entertainment, you think you’d be a near-invisible dot amongst the masses. But the truth is, your identity freely floats along with the web as you do, completing any number of transactions tacked onto an IP address specific to you.

Luckily, there is a way to make internet browsing safe and secure on any connection you choose, whether it’s public or private, forever. All you need is a lifetime subscription to KeepSolid VPN Unlimited.

The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming! Don’t bother they’re here … Apple TV+’s For All Mankind gears up for its historic moon handshake in typically laidback fashion in this week’s episode.

The commies are here to collaborate on a space mission meant to bring civilizations together. They’re of course mirthless, shifty cads because that’s just how Russians are written in fiction like this.

Until, of course, they get to eat red meat and drink American whiskey. Then they’re all smiles! Glad to know these jokes haven’t changed at all since the Iron Curtain went up.