Top stories - page 110

Streaming services used to be an affordable alternative to traditional cable services. However, as more and more customers cut the cable, new streaming services appeared left and right. SelectTV brings order to the chaos by organizing more than 150 channels into a comprehensive digital media guide. Right now, you can subscribe for just $99 (Reg. $677), and you’ll also get a lifetime subscription to KeepSolid VPN Unlimited.

Apple will add two new ports to the 2022 iPad Pro, according to an unconfirmed report. However, it’s not known what these will be for as they do not conform to any connectors used by current Apple devices.

But there’s no mention of a second USB-C port in the upcoming tablet.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest benchmarks make Apple’s M2 chip sound better than we thought. In fact, the new MacBook Air that the processor powers might be the perfect laptop for almost everyone.

Also on The CultCast:

• The iPhone 14 Pro’s always-on screen looks sweeeeet.
• How does Apple keep pulling off earnings miracles?!?
• What not to do when a creep steals your AirTag-equipped scooter.
• Somebody built an Apple Store time machine.
• And a truffle tangent to end all tangents.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

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Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

Few industries have grown as quickly or found such an important niche as cybersecurity. With so many people working online and volumes of important information being traded daily, there’s practically always a demand for skilled cybersecurity workers. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, you’ll need to prove to employers that you’ve mastered the NIST Framework, completed a CISSP exam or passed other cybersecurity benchmarks. The 2022 Ultimate Advanced CyberSecurity Professional Certification Bundle covers these topics and more for $69 (Reg. $1,475). 

Loot, the Apple TV+ comedy about a woman with everything who learns from people who have nothing, has a play, a zoning board meeting and a summit to prepare for this week.

Howard and Nicholas must patch up their friendship. Sofia and Molly need to work out their differences of opinion and ambition. Molly comes face to face with the bad side of charity work. And in general, the characters needs to make some hard choices about the people they want in their lives.

You might know what books you want to read, but do you have the time? Between work and life, that reading list definitely isn’t getting any smaller, and who can blame you?

You could try reading summaries, but most of those are made to entice people to read the whole book instead of distilling the message. However, with Mentorist, you get an entire library of bestselling books to read, and all of them are broken down into functional summaries with guides for applying what you learned to your life.

For a limited time, you can purchase a lifetime Mentorist Pro subscription for $49 (regularly $490).

Surface, the new Apple TV+ mystery series about a woman who can’t remember her life or lies, keeps up the erotic intrigue this week. The show avoids all of its worst tendencies for a basically good fourth episode.

Amnesiac Sophie and her lover Thomas clandestinely chase leads as they try to solve the mystery of who almost killed her. Sophie’s husband, James, desperately runs around trying to hide his crimes, and Caroline gets pulled back into his orbit once again.

The investigation and the cover-up proceed apace. It’s just a matter of who’s smarter, more thorough and more careful.

With summer still blazing, Apple offered a useful Today at Apple Creative Projects video on Friday. It teaches you how to capture “Dramatic Summer Light” with your iPhone camera.

In the video, Apple Creative Pros Jahmyra and David bring in professional photographer Eddy Chen to explore great tips about snapping better shots and editing them to make the most of light.

For All Mankind holds a few cliffhangers up its sleeve in season 3’s penultimate episode, but first it must deal with its soapy dilemmas.

Ellen and Larry are in the hot seat, Kelly Baldwin’s baby is coming along ahead of schedule, Aleida Rosales is all out of heroes, Karen and Dev might switch jobs — and Danny Stevens’ goose might be cooked!

A decent episode of the Apple TV+ alt-history sci-fi hit focuses on plot nitty-gritty and emotional turmoil, until it gives way to a typically frustrating final reveal.

Apple TV+’s second season of Physical draws to a merciful close this week. Though she’s finally gotten John Breem out of her bedroom, Sheila still has to deal with him. He’s still making Danny crazy — and he’s still the only man in town with power enough to satisfy Sheila’s needs.

Wouldn’t it be funny if she had to wind up trapped with him in a business agreement? Well, no, it wouldn’t, and it isn’t, but that’s where we’re headed.

Anybody can walk around with one fine Italian leather Apple Watch band. But what about two? Now you can, with petite double Italian leather Apple Watch bands. They stylishly cut one band into two thinner straps on the same watch.

And it’s not like you have to pay a fortune or one, either. They’re just $75 in the Cult of Mac Store.

If you’re heading back to school/college, or even constantly on the go for meetings, the backpack in this week’s giveaway is perfect for you. We teamed up with Laut to give Cult of Mac readers a chance to win a roomy City Daypack 12ltr Backpack, retailing at $69.99.

Enter below for your shot at becoming one of three lucky winners who will take home one of these convenient backpacks.

Apple Watch Series 8, at least in the standard 41mm and 45mm models, will see the same design as Apple Watch 7 rather than adding new elements like flat edges or bigger screens, a new report indicated Friday.

And the source added there may be no new sensors and fewer color choices with Apple Watch 8 than with the 7 series.

Trying, the Apple TV+ comedy about middle-class ghouls making the once-a-generation decision to start families, plans a birthday party for special little boy Tyler this week.

Tyler’s party is too overwhelming at first, but with a little help from a lot of people it becomes fun. Elsewhere, Karen is pregnant and nervous, Nikki resents her fertility, Scott has to quit a burgeoning career, and Jason is still on the hook for a dream house.

Some older iMacs are being shown the door, giving way to newer Macs paired with Studio Displays. That’s the case with today’s featured computer setup. In it, an iMac gave way recently to a plenty-powerful M1 MacBook Pro paired with a brilliant Studio Display.

And the attractively spare setup, well placed in a beautiful coastal setting, is nearly all Apple — down to the input devices and audio gear.

Apple TV+ murder mystery Black Bird draws to a pulse-pounding close as jailhouse informer Jimmy Keene’s last-ditch efforts to stay alive are being threatened at every turn.

Serial killer Larry Hall is inches from confessing, Jimmy’s about to get shanked — and nobody’s coming to help either of them. Plus, Jimmy’s dad Big Jim is dying in a hurry outside prison walls.

The limited series saves its best mechanics for last as the clock runs out on all of our heroes.  Black Bird concludes on a high note indeed.

We might still be a ways off from actual floating hoverboards, but that doesn’t mean you can’t zip around at ground level with a bit more style. Whether you’re coasting through campus or taking your dog for a rolling stroll, a self-balancing scooter like the Hover-1 Ranger is a fun way to go for a ride.

Especially when it only costs $129.99 (regularly $229).

Apple TV+’s newest film is the streamer’s big flagship collaboration with Skydance Animation under the new leadership of disgraced former Pixar chief John Lasseter.

Can the film’s relative charms tip the scales in favor of a new endeavor, instead of back toward the hasty assembly of a company around a man who never really answered for his allegations? Unfortunately, Luck, which premieres Friday on Apple TV+, would have had to have a lot more going for it to get people talking about the movie on pure merit.

A firmware update released Thursday fixes an audio problem that has afflicted the Apple Studio Display. Users of the pricey monitors have been complaining of choppy playback, audio that cuts out unexpectedly and playback speed issues.

Previously, Apple’s only solution to the problem was a variation on “turn it off and then back on again.”

Email marketing delivers some of the highest returns on investment, but it’s also hard to get right. If you’re trying to get more eyes on something you have to offer, you could spend a few years mastering email outreach. Or, if you want to save time and still get great results, you could try EmailWritr, a marketing tool designed for email outreach.

If the convenience isn’t enough, maybe this deal will sell you. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription to EmailWritr’s premium plan for just $59 (regularly $3,480).

Grid Studio disassembles well-loved gadgets and presents their rearranged innards as framed wall art. And its nostalgic collection for Apple fans just got two new entries.

The collection now includes a fourth-generation iPod Classic and a first-generation iPad mini for your aesthetic consideration.

Exclusive to Cult of Mac readers, we have a massive price drop on Microsoft Office for just $39.99 until 11:59 p.m. PDT tonight.

Cult of Mac has an exclusive on this deal. No one else is offering MS Office for this low. Office is normally priced at $349, but we have it for less than a few gallons of gas. Act fast, though, because the Cult of Mac MS Office sale ends in a few hours.

The Soundcore Motion Boom Plus is a powerful, portable outdoor speaker you might want to nab before summer’s over. The boombox-style Bluetooth speaker brings the brawn — 80 watts of power — along with a bit more heft than some competitors.

When you factor in the excellent sound quality, some sporty features and the relatively low price of $179.99, it’s a worthy choice for outdoor use. Some folks might even use it indoors, but many never would because of its black plastic design. It might look at home in a college dorm, but probably not in most living rooms.

Do you ever arrive at work and have that little panicky moment where you’re unsure if you locked the door? Do you go back? Call a neighbor? Hope your autopilot self was responsible today?

Why not just pull out your phone and check to be sure? With the Bosma Aegis, you can control your deadbolt with an app, but that’s not all you can do. For a limited time, the Bosma Aegis Smart Door Lock is only $79.99 (regularly $119) with code SMARTLOCK. If you’re interested, act fast though — this sale only lasts through August 2022.

Flowers aren’t the only way to add a pop of color to your garden. Whether you want a rainbow road or just some colorful flavor throughout your greenery, this 12-pack of decorative LED lights could be the next beautiful addition to your outdoor aesthetic.

With 16 rotating color options and a smart design, these outdoor LEDs are on sale for only $39.99 (regularly $79).