Awesome Apps is a new series highlighting the best apps around. We’ll be featuring our favorite apps as well as new and notable apps. Apps are transformative, and these are the best.

Years ago, I decided to ditch my paper Filofax diary for my iPhone, before quickly realizing that Apple’s built-in Calendar app didn’t fully meet my needs. Fortunately, it didn’t take long to find the perfect third-party calendar app for iOS, iPadOS and macOS.

It’s called Fantastical – let me tell you about it.

Apple’s own Calendar app might be relatively well-formed and functional – most of the time – but for anyone looking to take their personal organization to the next level, long-time favorite Fantastical from developer Flexibits is a great option. The app’s wide-ranging feature set makes it easy to add tasks, manage calendars and streamline your productivity. Let’s start with the basics, before looking at some of Fantastical’s power features.

Recently we wrote about a PC gamer converting to the Apple ecosystem, happily, with an M1 MacBook Pro-based setup. Now we have a lucky recipient of not one but two recently shipped Studio Displays, freshly arrived to replace a pair of gaming monitors.

Tesla drivers can add CarPlay to their vehicles, thanks to a workaround by a Polish developer. This is something Tesla itself has shown no interest in.

The hack was first shown off in January, 2022, and the developer has now made the code publicly available.

Apple reportedly intends to launch new color options for its premium AirPods Max headphones this fall.

While that sounds like a strictly cosmetic addition to the lineup, next-gen AirPods Pro might bring a full-fledged redesign around the same time.

You can’t control when you lose or break your phone, but you can control how much of a pain it is when it happens. With the right data backup service, you can protect your photos, messages, videos and other difficult-to-replace files.

The Degoo Premium: Lifetime 10TB Backup Plan offers a massive amount of automatic data backup. And it works on all your devices to keep your files safe, even if the hardware breaks down or disappears.

For a limited time, you can get Degoo Premium for only $79.99 (regularly $3,600) with code SAVE20NOW.

If you act fast, you can get one of Apple’s best products ever for less than $100. That’s how low AirPods 2 have dropped — that’s $59 below the usual price for these wildly popular in-ear headphones. Or you can save a nice chunk of change on AirPods Pro.

You might even be able to get the wireless earbuds delivered in time for Mother’s Day.

We usually prefer to feature sunny or exotic or just-plain-fun computer setups on Fridays, but today a dark and brooding one caught our eye. A 13-inch M1-powered MacBook Pro and a 34-inch LG curved ultra-wide display are at its center.

But the “cozy productivity corner” also features excellent input devices, formidable audio and a rather nice standing desk.

This discount software activation keys post is presented by CDKeylord.com.

With Mother’s Day here again, the software savings continue at CDKeylord.com. The software activation key provider offers fantastic discounts on genuine Microsoft products whether you’re buying them for your mom, for someone else or just for yourself.

Better yet, Cult of Mac readers can get 30% off the regular price of a Windows 10 Pro key and much more. And when you buy a Windows 10 key, you can get a free upgrade to Windows 11! Just enter the special discount code CULT when you check out to secure the great savings below.

Now is an especially great time to get AirTag item trackers. For one thing, a pack of four is on sale at the biggest discount we’ve seen. Plus, Mother’s Day is coming up fast, and AirTag makes a nice last-minute present.

This Sunday, you can give mom the gift of never misplacing stuff.

If you need a Mac Studio this autumn, it might be smart to order it now. You could find yourself waiting for up to three months for delivery of some some top-tier configurations.

The macOS desktop appears to be caught by the same assembly delays that are affecting MacBook Pro.