Top stories - page 130

Whatever you do online, you need a reliable virtual private network to keep your private data secure. Thankfully, you can ensure your privacy forever with a lifetime subscription to FastestVPN for up to 10 devices.

Usually $1,200, it’s discounted to just $24.99. But you can take a further 20% off during Cult of Mac Deals’ VPN Security Sale when you enter the code VPN20 at checkout. That drives the sale price all the way down to $19.99.

However, the extra discount is only available until May 24, 2022. So now’s the time to grab this deal and stay secure for life.

The road can be a dangerous place for cyclists, so it’s a good thing Garmin launched a new taillight Wednesday that has a high-def camera and radar. It will record everything going on behind you while you’re on your bicycle. And its radar can alert you to approaching vehicles.

Using the new Garmin Varia RCT715 Radar Camera Tail Light, you can download all footage to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch via the Varia app. That could come in mighty handy if you’re in a crash and need to prove what happened.

Need to sharpen your writing skills? Whether you want to become a full-time copywriter, spiff up your website and marketing materials, or simply craft better emails, The 2022 Complete Digital Copywriting Master Class Bundle will give you the tools you need.

It delivers 17 hours of instruction that explain the key elements of effective communication in the modern era. And for a limited time, this copywriting master class is on sale for just $35 (regularly $1,400).

Withings, maker of health devices and smartwatches, launched its new ScanWatch Horizon wearable on Tuesday. It looks like a classic dive watch but packs modern health and activity tracking, 30-day battery life and Apple Health integration.

It’s not cheap, but there are reasons for that.

Some folks like to carry their iPhones around without cases, given that the handsets are pretty solid these days on their own. But should you really take that chance? Just imagine that extremely expensive iPhone 13 slipping out of your hand and hitting the pavement.

That’s not something you want to happen. Your whole life is on that thing.

But it’s a whole lot less likely to occur if you have an iPhone 13 case that offers a great grip, like Elago’s protective and delightfully colorful silicone cases. They’re a great deal in the Cult of Mac Store — they cost far less than Apple’s similar cases.

Not every computer setup needs to be a visually stunning technological showcase, despite appearances to the contrary on social media sites. The best setup is the one that gets the job done. And, for many people, simpler is better.

Doug, a lawyer from San Francisco, extolled the virtues of his spare but highly functional MacBook-centered setup when he reached out to Cult of Mac recently.

Remember last year when rumors flew that Apple Watch 7 would feature a flat display and squared edges? Not true, of course. But a new leak suggests those traits might define the upcoming Apple Watch 8.

Or maybe the characteristics apply to the rumored “rugged” Apple Watch that could be coming soon. Either way, there’s reason to believe those changes have been in the pipeline.

If you want to save money and plan ahead at the same time, bulk shopping is the way to go. At Sam’s Club, you can get great deals on quality groceries, home decor and more. And you can get a whole lot of it.

For a limited time, you can get a Sam’s Club membership for only $14.99. Plus, Cult of Mac Deals will throw in a $10 Sam’s Club e-gift card!

On almost any list you’ll find, mopping and vacuuming are some of the most-hated household chores. Between the wet floor, the dust in the air and the noise, it can be a total drag. Not to mention dealing with the vacuum cord is practically its own chore.

That’s why the Jashen F16 cordless wet and dry vacuum mop combines and improves upon normal mops and vacuums, placing both in one battery-powered package. And the price has dropped to $279.99 (regularly $299) through May 20!

Tuesday’s release of the Eve Outdoor Cam makes Eve Systems the first manufacturer to offer an outdoor camera designed to support HomeKit Secure Video.

Smart home accessory specialist Ecobee unveiled two new smart thermostats Tuesday. Smart Thermostat Premium and Smart Thermostat Enhanced offer larger displays than before, a redesigned interface, HomeKit integration and more.

Apple has rebranded its Apple Music Live series and kicks off a new season with a live performance by Harry Styles in New York City on Friday, May 20.

Apple Music subscribers can tune into the live show and enjoy a seven-part video interview with Styles anytime.

You can clear up a big chunk of your iPhone’s storage space by limiting how many podcasts you keep downloaded.

iOS 15.5, which Apple released Monday, introduces a feature to automatically limit the number of episodes you have downloaded in your podcast library. If you struggle with storage on your iPhone, enabling this setting will give you more space. It’ll automatically clear out downloads if you don’t listen right away, along with any backlog of old episodes.

Apple’s Reminders app has gone from strength to strength in recent years, but for a more-comprehensive task-management app on iOS, iPadOS and macOS, look no further than Todoist.

Trust me: It’s the best to-do app out there.

A new report said Sonos will soon release an affordable subwoofer called “Sub Mini” to pair wirelessly with its soundbar lineup. That will include the new, nicely priced Sonos Ray.

It’s understandable if you’re feeling slightly underwhelmed by the upcoming iPhone 14. Leaks, combined with artist renders, give us an early glimpse of the iOS handset coming this autumn. And if they’re accurate, this year’s iPhone lineup will look nearly identical to its predecessors going back years.

That’s because Apple uses a three-year cycle in iPhone designs these days. That’s not laziness – there’s a solid reason for the choice.

Google leads the way among ad tech companies sharing your online behavior and location with advertisers. It happens an average of 747 times a day in the United States and 376 times a day in Europe. That’s according to a new report from a civil liberties group.

Google and others use a process known as real-time bidding to help advertisers target you by behavior and location.

The group behind the report called such sharing “the biggest data breach” in the world.

Why carry multiple charging cables when you can get one that connects to all your gear at once? The 4-in-1 Multi-Port & Apple Watch Charging Cable lets you top off four devices simultaneously without a mess of cords.

And for a limited time, this combo Lightning/USB-C/Apple Watch cable is on sale for $17.99 (regularly $34).

Whether you crave an exciting new career in tech or just want to boost the skills on your résumé, learning to code is one of the most valuable specialties you can have.

You can master various in-demand programming languages from home with The 2022 All-in-One Learn to Code Certification Bundle. Usually $3,000, it’s on sale right now for just $44.99. With 15 premium courses included in this e-learning bundle, that works out to less than $3 a course.

As excitement builds for the iPhone 14 launch expected in about four months, many of the usual suspects are finding ways to stoke it. Case in point, the YouTuber behind Unbox Therapy posted a video Monday in which he “unboxed” what he implied is a CAD design mock-up of an iPhone 14 Pro Max created by iPhone case makers in Japan with access to Apple schematics.

The replica device looks just like an iPhone 13 Pro Max in the video. But a closer look and some measurements revealed numerous subtle differences, many of which track with analysts’ predictions for the new handset.

A new report said HP plans to release a 1440p USB-C monitor with a built-in webcam that pops up and features tracking much like Apple’s Center Stage used in iPad models.

The display should serve professionals who want decent pixel density but don’t need the top-shelf visuals a graphics professional might.

Apple offered several new features for its Podcasts app Monday. They include downloaded episode controls, annual subscription plans, partnerships with third-party hosting platforms and more.

There’s something for both podcast creators as well as listeners in the updates, with some changes available in imminent OS updates and others slated to become available in the fall, Cupertino said.

Apple released software upgrades for all its computers Monday. After finishing weeks of beta testing, macOS Monterey 12.4, iOS 15.5, iPadOS 15.5, watchOS 8.6 and tvOS 15.5 are available for anyone to download.

Many of them include an update to the Podcasts application to keep it from taking up too much storage space. And the webcam in the recently released Apple Studio Display will work better after a firmware update.

You look at enough computer setups online and you realize people are never really done with them. There’s always something to add. It could be some gear got held up by shipping delays, or the setup’s owner got a sudden urge to try another type of input device or some other gadget. And people often take ages to tame the cable clutter.

So you rarely see people claiming a setup’s done for good. Or it’s the best it can be. Or it’s the proverbial “dream setup.”

But sometimes they say that. Today’s setup got called a “dream setup” by its proud owner. Would you agree?

If you’re a fan of critically acclaimed Apple TV+ space drama For All Mankind, brace for impact. Apple launched the season 3 trailer Monday.

In it, the alt-reality vision of a decades-long space race rockets off to Mars.