Top stories - page 104

Dreary Apple TV+ series Surface — about a woman who can’t remember her life, and the trouble her condition causes everyone around her — wraps up with a new set of twists and turns and an unrelated mystery.

Despite trying to make it seem like Sophie has finally done something for herself, the particulars and the ambition don’t bear this out. Surface ends by starting from the beginning, having apparently decided its central mystery isn’t interesting enough.

I could have told them that after episode one.

Withings introduced its newest and most-advanced smart scale along with the company’s first health subscription service Thursday, both integrated with Apple Health.

The company said the Body Comp scale measures multiple biomarkers for a complete body assessment and the annual Health+ subscription service provides health analysis and tools to help users build healthful routines.

The scale and service launch October 4 at a price of $209.95.

At long last, the third season of Apple TV+ family comedy Trying comes to a conclusion this week. Nikki and Jason must fight for their adopted kids in court — but first they’ve got a wedding to plan. Indeed, the whole gang comes together to help them plan their last-minute nuptials.

The fate of their happiness hangs in the balance. And, against all odds, the Trying cast and writers overcome their worst tendencies to put together the only good episode of this show that has yet aired. Mind you, I still don’t want any more of this. Trying will come back for its fourth season, which puts a knot in my stomach but at least season three went out with a bang.

When you look at a lot of computer setups showcased on social media, it’s not difficult to see that many of them are staged. They’re so well put together and photographed, you just can’t see normal slobs owning them.

But sometimes the internet tricks you with a surprisingly slick photograph of a real person’s setup. That seems to be the case in today’s featured dual-display MacBook Pro setup, photographs in a cool-gray wash.

“This looks like a render advertising the mouse or something,” one commenter said. “Tron vibes,” added another, referring to the 1982 sci-fi film known for its then-cutting-edge computer animation.

Got a big camping trip coming up? Or maybe you worry about power outages at home? EcoFlow launched its new Delta Portable Power Station Friday.

The company said it fully charges in 1.3 hours, has a 10-year lifetime and powers 90% of devices and appliances.

The new station serves as an upgrade of the Delta Portable Power Station. EcoFlow noted the new one charges seven times faster than the industry average, has expandable capacity and features a battery that should keep it going for a decade.

Want a new hobby? If you’re ready to pick up some new skills, check out these hobbyist apps, which have been discounted during our Your Bundle, Your Way Sale, which ends on Labor Day.

Plus, you can save even more during this sale. Just purchase two items, either from the below or from our Labor Day Collection page. If your cart total is at least $49, you’ll save 20% off your purchase with code YOURWAY20. Then, if you like, add a third item or more and save 30% with code YOURWAY30. But hurry — this offer ends at 11:59 p.m. on September 5, 2022.

Learning a new language is a lot like learning anything else: It’s not a one-and-done situation. You might be able to build up your vocabulary and work toward fluency using one language-learning app, but what if another one can help you in a different way?

During our Labor Day Sale, you don’t have to choose between language apps. Instead, you can bundle a couple together and get a discount on the lot of them. As long as your total is $49 or more, you can save 20% with code YOURWAY20 if you buy two items or 30% with code YOURWAY30 for three or more. We might have the perfect three apps to get you started, but there are plenty more Cult of Mac Deals in our Labor Day Collection.

Apple’s new iPhone 14 series may be on the way, but many people won’t switch if they have a recent iPhone already, though they may feel like they’re missing out on all the fun. If you have an iPhone 11, 12 or 13, why not change it up with a new case?

That’s much cheaper than getting a new iPhone. And this week, it’s cheaper still. You can grab any of 41 different cases for iPhone 13, 12 and 11 for 20% off in the Cult of Mac Store. But don’t wait around: This sale ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on September 2, 2022.

When you install an app, do you have to bid another one farewell? Running out of room on your phone or computer is a pain, but you aren’t necessarily limited to the space on your hard drive. Good cloud storage that helps you organize your files and keeps them safe is an easy way of keeping apps and large files off the chopping block

Koofr Cloud Storage offers three lifetime subscriptions at 100GB, 250GB and 1TB that could be an excellent match for your file-storage needs.

Plus, during Cult of Mac Deals’ Labor Day Sale, you get a little more control over how much you pay. Pair one of these deals with any other from our Labor Day Collection, and you could get 20% off for two items or 30% off for three or more. No coupon is needed, but the price needs to be $49 or higher before applying the discount. The sale ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on September 5.

When Apple Watch got a larger screen last year with the Series 7 update, most commentators just yawned. Apparently screen size isn’t everything. It’s what you do with your watch that counts.

So I was surprised to read recent rumors of an Apple Watch Pro with an even bigger screen. Supposedly, this larger model, with its tougher titanium case, will be ideal for extreme sports. But does a bigger screen really help when you’re bungee jumping? And could titanium ever be rugged enough to withstand whitewater rafting?

Something about all this doesn’t add up. Instead, I suspect Cupertino will position the Apple Watch Pro model as a wearable for endurance sports. A bigger watch means a bigger battery. And in endurance sports, you really need that extra juice.

If you’re currently looking for a job, there’s a lot you need to get in place, from your video interview space to the tools you need to do the job. But perhaps the most useful document you need to prepare to attract recruiters and hiring managers is a resumé. Take a task off your list with a lifetime subscription to the Complete Resoume AI Assistant Resumé Writer.

OtterBox released its Premium Pro Power lineup of chargers Wednesday, including wall chargers, car chargers and MagSafe charging stands.

With the release, OtterBox steps further into the market for smaller charging accessories, including potent-but-compact gallium nitride (GaN) chargers.

Leaks about the “pill and hole” design of the iPhone 14 Pro models started months ago, but Apple still might have a surprise up its sleeve. A new report indicates that software will merge the two display cutouts into one.

Note that this is not a hardware change – the screen between the two cutouts will be darkened in software so they appear to be combined.

Buying an iPad doesn’t usually mean just buying an iPad. Many people want useful accessories, like a stylus that lets them write and draw more precisely than they can with their fingers. But Apple Pencil 2 usually goes for a fairly steep $129.

If you’d like to get an advanced stylus with most of Apple Pencil 2’s features for much less, you have options. A good one is the SwitchEasy EasyPencil Pro.

You can get the fourth-gen version of it in the Cult of Mac Store for just over half the cost of Apple Pencil 2, plus a supply of extra tips for different uses. Or you can nab the third-gen EasyPencil for a little less. See more information below.

Apple has said many times it won’t produce a touch-screen Mac because that’s what iPads are for. But Sidecar functionality can make an iPad a touch-screen extension of a Mac, where you can drag and drop elements and work with them using Apple Pencil or your fingertips.

Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup mounts a big 5K display and an iPad Pro right next to each other. In the photograph, you can see the desktop wallpaper running right onto the tablet’s display through Sidecar (more on that below).

And who doesn’t love an all-Apple audio arsenal? This setup rocks paired OG HomePods, AirPods Max on a cool charging stand and AirPods, too.

Noise-cancelling wireless earbuds that cost under $100 jostle in a competitive field. One company that consistently stands out from the crowd with high-quality goods that are a great value for what they cost is Edifier.

And the company, based in China, has done it again with the Edifier W240TN true wireless earbuds. They launch Thursday for a price of $79.99. Edifier sent me a pair to try out.

There really aren’t many reasons not to buy these if you want good earbuds for well under $100. But there are a couple of potential reasons, depending on your priorities.

The TruGolf Mini golf simulator could revolutionize the way you approach practice. The affordable golf gadget gives you ample opportunities to polish up your swing any time at home.

Earning an Amazon rating of 4.1 stars out of five, and equipped with advanced technology that analyzes the details of your golf swing, this package is available for only $229.99 (regularly $249) for a limited time.

One of the more surprising features in iOS 16 is the ability to cut out people from a picture (or a dog, a car, whatever’s in focus) and copy it into another app. You can send it in iMessage, paste it in a photo editing app, or use Universal Clipboard to paste it on a nearby iPad or Mac.

What’s it for? Well, it’s great for making stickers for WhatsApp and Snapchat, plus it’s a hell of a lot of fun. If you’re putting together a YouTube thumbnail or making memes, it can significantly cut down the time you spend precisely cutting out edges, but it’s by no means precise enough to use professionally.

The most fun part of cooking doesn’t have to be eating what you made. You’ll enjoy your time in the kitchen more if you have tools that make prep work fun. So level up your kitchen arsenal with this Seido Japanese Master Chef Knife Set.

Get these superb kitchen blades for just $139.99 (regularly $429) through August 31.

Belkin trotted out two new Boost Charge Pro GaN wall chargers Tuesday in 65W and 45W versions. Both adapters feature dual USB-C ports and programmable power supply (PPS).

The compact chargers are designed for fast charging. You can use them to power up an iPhone 13 to half-full in 28 minutes, the company said.

The Wemo Smart Dimmer with Thread is a new version of Belkin’s HomeKit-compatible wall switch. It can be controlled with the press of a finger or from anywhere – across the room or across the country.

Putting “with Thread” in the name isn’t some odd reference to sewing. The switch uses a new form of mesh networking to provide fast, reliable connections to your home-automation system.

I was able to install the latest Wemo Smart Dimmer in my home because it doesn’t require a neutral wire. Here’s what it’s like to use everyday.

HP rolled out a new 4K monitor at its Amplify Executive Forum Thursday, calling it “the world’s first IPS Black display with Thunderbolt 4 technology.”

The HP Z32k G3 4K USB-C Display, “coming soon” at an unspecified price, should appeal to creators and product developers, the company said.

That’s because it will offer strong color accuracy and high contrast in addition to the speed and versatility of Thunderbolt 4 connectivity.

Practical benefits — and fun rewards — could flow from these four deals on lifetime web hosting platforms, Microsoft Office 365 master courses and a subscription that could give you incredible discounts on flights worldwide.

If you aim to establish and expand upon a brand or business, solid concepts or ideas can only carry you so far. Marketing tools can help create a clear and professional vision that maximizes your message. And a text-to-speech tool like Speechnow could serve as a valuable resource to empower those efforts.

This service allows you to create voice recordings or audio versions of content for YouTube, Facebook and other popular platforms in a few simple steps. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription to the Speechnow Professional Plan for only $29.99 (regularly $3,299).

Apple TV+ listed its fall slate of kids and family fare Monday. It includes new animated series Sago Mini Friends, Slumberkins and Interrupting Chicken, plus live-action series Circuit Breakers.

And in addition to those, kids and their families can enjoy returning favorites plus a new lineup of classic Peanuts specials.