In this week’s Awesome Apps roundup, we have a book-reading app that will help you make reading a habit; a free app that turns an iPad into an external monitor for game consoles or cameras; and a great travel app that puts critical flight information on your Apple Watch.
There’s no better time than now to get into the cybersecurity industry. There are more than three-quarters of a million cybersecurity job openings across the United States, and it’s projected that the cost of cybercrime could reach $10.5 trillion by 2025. As a result, cybersecurity professionals are extremely valuable.
One great way to start on the road to becoming qualified to work in this ever-growing field is by acquainting yourself with cybersecurity fundamentals with this CompTIA bundle. Now through October 15, you can get this lifetime bundle for only $49.97 (regularly $195)!
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: An iOS 17 update supposedly will stop the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action button from triggering in your pocket, at least in certain circumstances. Is this really a problem that needs fixing?
Also on The CultCast:
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 live stream, embedded below.
Don’t let your analog memories fade into the past. Instead of piling up photo albums, you can scan your film to view the images on digital displays, computers, TVs, phones and any other device you’d like.
You can preserve precious memories by digitizing them with the Kodak Slide N Scan Film and Slide Scanner, on sale for $169.97 (regularly $224) with code KODAK through October 15.
There are a lot of awesome features in iOS 17 — Contact Posters, StandBy, Safari profiles, shared passwords and much, much more. Here’s a simple to-do list on how to make the most of Cupertino’s latest and greatest iPhone operating system.
Macs might be the best computers, but they’re not the only computers. And if you own a Windows PC and haven’t yet upgraded to Microsoft’s latest operating system, you’re missing out on the full potential of your machine.
An upgrade to Windows 11 Pro can unlock a whole new world of PC power and capabilities. Fortunately, Cult of Mac readers can score an incredible deal on this innovative OS. Usually $199, you can now pick up the Windows 11 Pro for only $29.97, a savings of more than $160. No coupon is needed to secure this discount!
Although I go for almost daily bike rides for exercise, I used to always forget to record the rides on my Apple Watch. I’d always record the rides on my bike computer. But when it came to the watch, I’d never remember until halfway through the workout, if at all.
That’s until I got the Apple Watch Ultra, which boasts a bright orange Action button that I set to start an Outdoor Cycle workout.
Now, I remember every time, and it’s because of the button. It’s the strangest thing, and I have no explanation. But the act of hitting a physical button makes me remember.
The versatile Action button — which you can set to turn on the watch’s flashlight, start the stopwatch or run a shortcut, among other things — is reason enough to get the Apple Watch Ultra, which I’ve been wearing since its launch last year. But there’s another great reason. Actually, two.
Some computer setups look “clean” and “minimal” because they’re, well, empty. Under-equipped. Not all there. But today’s featured M2 MacBook Air setup with Studio Display actually brings enough gear, it just does so in a beautifully clean way that has the rest of us slobs drooling with envy.
Hell, our setup is practically a waste dump half the time, compared to this thing.
Want to learn to play piano? Skoove is an interactive app that can be used with literally any kind of musical keyboard (even an old-school piano). And it’s now available for a price you won’t find anywhere else on the web.
Get Skoove, and you can master the piano thanks to a lifetime of lessons for one low price.
In theory, we’d all love to learn a new language. There are tons of benefits to being multilingual, some obvious (better communication skills, the chance to meet new friends) and some less so (heightened mental health, a resume upgrade).
The problem is finding the right time and the right teacher. And no matter what kind of time you have in your day, Rosetta Stone is designed to help you learn, one word at a time. Now anyone can get lifetime access to this popular language learning system for an extra $30 off with a special fall promo code.
★★★★☆
Feeling jealous that iPhone 15 users can plug a thumb drive directly into their phone? Then you need the PNY Duo Link iOS USB 3.2 Dual Flash Drive. It has both a Lightning connector and USB-A connector, which makes it compatible with iPhone, iPad and Mac. Windows, too.
With it, you can copy images or other files between devices. Or backup your iPhone when you’re on the go.
I put PNY’s drive through its paces. Here’s what I found out.
Whether you’re going on vacation or working from anywhere, you need to protect your gear before using networks you don’t know. Instead of yet another software subscription, the Deeper Connect Pico offers hard-wired protection that fits in your pocket.
Right now, you can get this travel-ready cybersecurity protection device and Wi-Fi adapter for just $148.99. That’s $99 off the $248 MSRP.
Globetrotters may think they already know all the best travel hacks, but they might not know this secret: With Travel Buyers Club, you can gain access to member-exclusive prices on airfare, hotels, rental cars, theme parks and more.
Since you’re a Cult of Mac reader, you can save 60% on your first year of membership and get it for just $39.99 (regularly $99).
Reading Time for iPhone and iPad lets you build a library of books, then tracks your progress as you read. It encourages reading by making everything easier and more fun.
You can easily scan books by their barcodes to add them to your library. When you start a reading session, a Live Activity will show up on your Lock Screen, in the Dynamic Island or in StandBy.
The Reading Time app keeps track of your progress with detailed stats — like your reading speed, and estimated time until you’re finished — in an organized dashboard of books.
Drone footage adds style to your videos and makes the geography of your shot easier to visualize. This pair of 4K drones makes capturing drone footage easy, and right now you can get both of them for less than $110. (That’s a savings of more than $280.)
More than 1 billion people have used Microsoft Office, the productivity suite that many Americans grew up utilizing in classrooms and continue to count on as professionals. Now a big discount on a lifetime license to MS Office for Mac makes the software extremely affordable.
During our Fall Deal Days event, we’re dropping the cost of a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021 to just $29.97 (regularly $219). There’s no coupon necessary, but this amazing deal on the world’s most popular software suite ends October 15.
Whether you need party supplies, household essentials or great gifts for someone on your list — like discounted iPads, Apple Watches and other electronics — a Sam’s Club membership is the key to unlocking incredible deals this holiday season.
To save on everything from Apple gear to Zatarain’s Seasoned Fish-Fri, don’t miss this low price on a Sam’s Club membership. Our limited-time offer lets you pay just $15 (regularly $50) for a one-year ticket to shopping bliss at Sam’s Club.
Did you miss buying your favorite Apple gear or accessory during Prime Day earlier in the year? Worry not, as Amazon is back with its Prime Big Deal Days, offering hefty discounts on a hoard of Apple products and accessories.
There are great deals on MacBooks, AirPods, Apple Watches, iPads and other Apple accessories that make your favorite products much more affordable.
★★★★★
Anyone who watches video on their iPhone can see the advantage of a portable stand. The Moft Snap Phone Tripod Stand does more than prop up the screen — it lifts your handset up 4.5 inches so the screen is closer to eye level.
It’s not bulky at all, and it magnetically attaches to the iPhone so it can be carried anywhere.
I tested the stand out for myself. Here’s why I love it.
Flighty became popular as a flight-tracking app for iPhone, with its snappy alerts and intuitive interface. Now, with watchOS 10, it lands on Apple Watch with critical data and intelligent updates tracking your trip from your wrist.
Is Apple’s switch to USB-C from Lightning driving you a bit bonkers searching for the exact right cable? The inCharge X Max — a six-in-one cable with swappable tips that can handle USB-C, Lightning and more — can ease the transition.
It’s 5 feet long, tough as nails and serves up just about any combination of connections that you could need. And for a limited time, it costs just $16.97, thanks to an exclusive price drop.
It’s hard to believe that 20 years ago, few people had heard of Python, even in the programming world. Now it’s hard to imagine any major software project being done without it.
That means new programmers need to make this versatile language one of the first things they learn, and now there’s a way to do it without breaking the bank: The Premium Python Programming Certification Bundle, which is now on sale for less than $24 through October 15.
![Make iPad into HDMI monitor with Lux Orion [Awesome Apps]](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Lux-Orion-1-1.jpg "Make iPad into HDMI monitor with Lux Orion [Awesome Apps]")
You can make your iPad into an external screen for your Mac, a Nintendo Switch, a camera or another device. All you need is the free Lux Orion application and a relatively cheap adapter.
Lux, the maker of the brilliant Halide camera application, made Orion just for fun. But it’s very useful, too.
If you haven’t looked at any of Apple’s accessibility features because you’re not blind or deaf, and don’t think they would make your life easier, you might be surprised.
Apple built a handful of accessibility features into iOS 17 that let people with various disabilities use the iPhone in new and unexpected ways. However, absolutely anyone can take advantage of these tools, which prove surprisingly helpful in certain situations.
You can already get live captions to watch videos silently, lock your phone into one app to keep people from snooping around, play soothing ocean or forest sounds and more.
In iOS 17, five accessibility features take things even further. Assistive Access simplifies your phone to its bare features to make it easier to use; Live Speech and Personal Voice let you type on the keyboard to speak using your own voice; Detection Mode and Point and Speak help you get around using your iPhone camera.
Our hands-on demo will show you what these features can do for you.
From international travel to business dealings or personal interactions that require a global reach, communication can become a challenge when you’re not able to rely on your primary language. Avoid having things lost in translation by picking up an innovative product designed to relay information in nearly 40 different languages.
During our Fall Deal Days event, the Mymanu Clik S translation earbuds are available for only $89.97 (regularly $157) with no coupon required. This 42% savings lasts through Oct 15 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, providing a low-priced opportunity to expand your conversation reach.