Top stories - page 253

With the rise of premium streaming services like Apple TV+, HBO Max and Disney+, it’s no surprise that people spend more time watching video. And then there’s the sheer amount of work we do with our computers, tablets and phones.

All told, it’s the perfect time to invest in a second monitor that can connect to your Mac, iPad, iPhone and other devices. The Uperfect 15.6-inch Portable Monitor is the ideal pick to give you some streaming flexibility. It will let you watch content, do work or play games on a larger screen, wherever you want.

Apple has discontinued the original HomePod — easily the best-sounding smart speaker money can buy. But it’s not quite gone yet. Bag your brand-new model today for just $254.75, a generous $44.25 off the usual price.

You get a phenomenal audio experience, AirPlay 2 for easy streaming, and built-in Siri.

Fans of Crash Bandicoot can now get their fix on the go with Crash Bandicoot: On the Run, a brand-new game from Activision and King.

The free-to-play runner features stacks of original Crash content — including new characters and an awesome soundtrack — as well as material you’ll recognize from previous entries in the series.

There are 50 bosses to take on across 12 different lands, and a bunch of skins to collect. Get the game on iPhone and iPad today.

Like most Apple fans, you’re probably disappointed that the rumored March 23 date for Apple’s upcoming event might have been a ploy to uncover leakers within the company. If you were eagerly awaiting big news about new products and redesigns, it looks like you’ll be waiting until April.

But perhaps a hot deal on top-rated Bluetooth headphones will satisfy your feelings of rejection. For your convenience, we rounded up the 11 best AirPods Pro alternatives that won’t break the bank.

Who said a Mac is no good for gaming? It’s now possible to play the latest PC games on any machine running macOS 10.13 or higher, thanks to the brand-new Steam Link app that just hit the Mac App Store.

The free download, which weighs in at less than 30MB, puts all your favorite titles at your fingertips. We’ll show you how to set it up.

The notch in this autumn’s iPhone 13 will slim down noticeably, according to pictures that supposedly show the front glass panels of the upcoming handset. None of the components will be removed, just rearranged.

Jon Prosser’s eyebrows are officially toast.

Prosser, the serial Apple leaker with a big personality and a seemingly deep field of sources inside Cupertino, pledged to shave his eyebrows if we didn’t get an Apple event on March 23.

Well that day has come. And the Apple event didn’t. So he took a trimmer to his precious eyebrows in the most Prosser way possible — on YouTube, with a solid sense of humor (and a charity to boot).

It doesn’t seem like virtual meetings will be going away anytime soon. You can vastly improve your video conferencing experience with an EssentialTech Workspace HD Webcam. It offers a razor-sharp 1080p image and smooth performance. And it’s in stock and on sale now!

The Belkin Boost↑Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand with MagSafe holds your iPhone 12 up so it’s ready for FaceTime calls or just checking email. And it powers up the handset twice as fast as traditional wireless chargers. Plus, it comes with a built-in AirPods charger. If you’re looking for a Belkin iPhone mount with MagSafe for Mac notebooks, there are additional options available that provide seamless integration.

I put this stylish iPhone accessory to the test. Here’s how it performed in the real world.

Wondering whether that MagSafe Charger you bought on Amazon or eBay is as genuine as the seller claimed? There’s a quick and easy way to find out if it was really made by Apple. We’ll show you how.

When you’re on the go, a traditional power bank provides the juice you need — but can mean carrying a tangle of cables to connect all your power-hungry devices. The ChargeHubGo+ All-in-One Power bank minimizes the mess. It comes with built-in cables with Lightning and USB tips, plus a wireless charging pad. And now, you can get one of these versatile power banks at 25% off with coupon code LIMITLESS25.

A Federal judge granted class-action status to a lawsuit accusing Apple of putting defective keyboards in various MacBook models made between 2015 and 2019. These laptops all use the butterfly keyboard design which uses a key mechanism that is allegedly prone to sticking.

Canadian iOS developer and YouTuber Stewart Lynch got lucky when he broke the USB-C port connector on his brand new 27-inch LG monitor the first day he had it. Huge-upgrade lucky.

Lynch, who hails from North Vancouver, British Columbia, took the stricken display, under warranty, to a repair shop.

“About a week later LG called me and said they did not have any 27-inch monitors in stock so they offered me a 38-inch upgrade at no cost,” Lynch told Cult of Mac. “I took it and sold my dual monitor arm that was holding the 27- and 24-inch monitors and went with the setup I have now.”

Want to ensure your iPhone 12 mini isn’t harboring nasty germs? Pick up the InvisibleShield VisionGuard+ antimicrobial screen protector from Zagg at $15 off its usual price for a limited time only.

The VisionGuard+ promises to be four times stronger than traditional glass protectors, and it features revolutionary ClearPrint technology that makes fingerprints near-invisible. It also kills up to 99.9% of bacteria.

Bag yours before the price returns to normal.

If digital makes the world go round, then content is definitely king. With 2.6 billion people on Facebook, 1 billion Instagram users as of January 2020 and 800 million people staring at TikTok, there’s no end to the demand for quality content.

Whether you’re building your own brand using social media or developing professional assets for your company, it’s not enough to know the best social media strategies to grow your following. You need to create and deliver beautiful content. Learn how to give your products and services the exposure they need with this Mobile Photography Course by Phil Ebiner — and do it all using just your iPhone.

Sony’s terrific WF-1000XM3 earbuds are widely regarded as the best alternatives to AirPods Pro. Some say they’re even better, despite their silly name. Bag yours today for just $178 — down from $229.99 — for a limited time only.

The buds offer up to 24 hours of playback with their included charging case, plus active noise cancellation, built-in Amazon Alexa, and all-around terrific sound.

This new year has arguably been the best one to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. With campsite bookings increasing a whopping 500% in 2021 from previous years, it’s pretty evident that the desire to explore nature isn’t going away soon.

While one of the best parts about getting away is the opportunity to disconnect for a little bit, the reality is that it’s important to be able to reach out in case of an emergency. Or even take a work meeting if you absolutely must. This Chargeworx 10,000mAh Power Bank with AirPods Holder will help keep you connected when you need to be. And unlike other power banks, this one can charge both your iPhone and your AirPods at the same time.

Pour one out for our homie, the HomePod.

Apple recently pulled the plug on its sweet-sounding smart speaker, and the move is definitely not music to our ears. In fact, it calls into question Apple’s strategy of releasing — and then rudely abandoning — expensive, niche products. Maybe it’s time to throw in the towel on that.

Find out why we hope that never happens again in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it to enjoy on iPhone or iPad, or get the stories below in your browser.

The demand for engaging videos isn’t going away anytime soon — in fact, there are 2.3 billion YouTube users waiting for their next fix.

That means whether you’re a marketer or an entrepreneur, it’s a good idea to use videos to get your message out. While your MacBook might come with iMovie, you’ll probably find that app a little lackluster as your video editing needs grow more robust. Ramp up your video game with The Essential Movavi Mac & Windows Software Bundle. It includes enough tools to meet all your video editing needs, whether you want to educate an audience about your services or boost your sales with a product demo.

Two weeks after Apple discontinued the iMac Pro, the company pulled the powerful all-in-one desktop from its website Friday.

The computer hadn’t been updated in three years and there have been no reports of a new version in the works. This may be the last iMac Pro … just as it was the first.

Starting your own business can be incredibly difficult, especially if you’re doing something no one else has done before. Entrepreneurs who launch startups can feel incredibly lonely or lost day to day — mostly because there’s not the same support system that exists for people who are breaking into established industries.

If you’re a budding business owner who’s looking for education, support and tools to help your startup launch successfully, a lifetime subscription to Startups.com Unlimited will provide the resources you need to get your operation off the ground.

The characters in For All Mankind, Apple TV+’s space-race melodrama, all try to find their sea legs … or, uhh, space legs … in this week’s tense episode. Astronaut Ed Baldwin is under the sea. And his wife, Karen, is losing her cool. Meanwhile, Tracy Stevens is on the moon, and her ex Gordo is losing his mind!

Alex Goulielmos, based in Piraeus, Greece, works as a software engineer for a maritime shipping company. He keeps it steady as she goes with his WFH setup, figuring, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Or don’t go buying expensive new gear to replace it, anyway.

Good thing his recently acquired and “very snappy” MacBook Air works just fine with a 12-year-old Apple Cinema Display and audio equipment that dates back to the turn of this century. His new M1-powered laptop replaced a 2017 MacBook. But the monitor and audio gear may go on forever.

Verizon is now offering the iPhone 11 Pro with 64GB of storage for free when you activate a new line on its Unlimited Plan. You can also receive a $250 credit if you’re switching from another carrier.

The deal could save you as much as $1,249 in total. It’s only available for a limited time, so take advantage of it before it’s too late.

If you haven’t dusted off your resume or CV and taken a crack at updating it in a while, it can be intimidating to know where to start. Maybe you struggle with formatting as you try to whittle down your word count. Or maybe you spend inordinate hours looking up the necessary keywords to include for hiring managers. And then there’s the question of whether to include a summary.

Throughout the process, you’ll face loads of necessary choices that don’t necessarily feel intuitive. The 2021 Complete Resume Builder Master Class Bundle fixes that. It packs essential tools and resources to make writing a killer resume a total breeze. And that helps you stand out to hiring managers so you can land the interviews you want.