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Apple reports its fiscal second-quarter earnings results Thursday afternoon, and chances are good that Cupertino will be glad to see the first three months of 2020 fade into history.

Having said that, things might not be as bad as many expect due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Oh, there won’t be any record-breaking figures, but there are some pretty good indicators that the news won’t be all doom and gloom.

As is always the case, though, the devil will be in the details. Apple’s conference call after issuing its Q2 2020 earnings report will be even more interesting than the numbers themselves.

Graphic design skills are useful for professionals and hobbyists alike. So whether you’re looking to boost your earning potential, or just make better use of your digital creative tools, this trio of courses in three top Adobe creative apps will give you the skills you seek.

The 2020 Adobe Graphic Design Certification School covers Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. And the whole thing is available at a small fraction of the usual cost.

Apple Watch supports a huge selection of workout types, but most of the popular ones, like running and swimming, you probably can’t do right now thanks to the coronavirus lockdown. Fortunately, if you delve a little deeper, you’ll find plenty of Apple Watch home workouts you can choose from that require little or no special equipment.

So why not take the opportunity to master a whole new kind of exercise? Here are 20 Apple Watch indoor workout options you can do at home right now.

COVID-19 lockdown certainly brought a swift change from the norm for many people. We’re dealing with the added stress of different working situations, the struggle to get groceries, and in many cases, even acting as teachers or child care providers.

All of that can make it really challenging to feel accomplished and productive. Luckily, I finally found my groove in the last week or so, thanks to a couple of really useful apps (and some self-imposed rules).

iPad Pros used in the field require hard-core protection, and there’s no better option than the OtterBox Defender. The case wraps the tablet in layer upon layer of plastic to cushion it from serious accidents. There’s even a built-in screen protector.

I encased my 2020 iPad Pro in the latest version of the OtterBox Defender to do some real-world testing. Here’s what I found out.

A handful of Apple and Google employees turned a novel approach to fighting COVID-19 from a spark of an idea to a pandemic-fighting tool in less than a month. The tech giants combined forces in March, intent on creating a contact-tracing app capable of monitoring the movements of people who might have come in contact with someone infected with the coronavirus.

CNBC reported inside details Tuesday on how Apple’s initial contact-tracing project — code-named “Bubble” — went from two employees to dozens, and enlisted the help of others at Google.

Apple has added COVID-19 testing locations throughout the United States to its Apple Maps, effective Tuesday. Users can search for COVID-19 testing locations or browse for them on visual maps.

Multiple companies that created software to hack into mobile phones now offer versions of their products to trace the spread of COVID-19, according to a published report Tuesday.

Very different from contact-tracing technologies that focus on finding the virus but at the same time protect privacy, these new systems would not need a patient’s consent to gain entry into the device.

It would be easier to make a foldable iPhone or iPad if it could include a flexible battery. Apple is investigating these as a power source, and was granted a patent on the technology on Tuesday.

In recent years, the company received many patents related to computers built around folding displays. They’re proof that Apple is actively exploring using these in future products.

What better way to upgrade your home office than with a brand-new Mac? Amazon is currently offering big discounts on the latest models, like $49 off the 2020 MacBook Air and $200 off the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

You can also pick up the 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and more at reduced rates. Order yours today before the prices return to normal.

Full-screen mode on a Mac is pretty great. Unlike Windows, where full-screen apps have been the default since forever, the Mac’s full-screen abilities are a fairly recent addition. And the default is still for apps to launch in smaller windows, which is the Mac Way. But what if you want those apps to launch in full-screen every time you open them? Well, by changing one setting — and abandoning an ingrained habit — you can have exactly that.

Bonus: Full-screen app launching will only apply to the apps you choose, leaving the rest of them to behave normally.

Simon Property Group, the biggest mall owner in the United States, will reopen 49 of its shopping centers in early May — potentially bringing 13 now-shuttered Apple Stores back online.

The locations span across seven states, in major cities including Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Indianapolis and Austin, Texas.

Everybody loves a good sale, so we rounded up the biggest price drops currently offered by Cult of Mac Deals. We’ve got a powerful iOS alternative, noise-canceling headphones, language courses and five years of at-home exercise, all discounted by 75% or more.

A strange bug uncovered in macOS can fill up your storage drives with a whole bunch of empty data. The issue is found inside the Image Capture app and surfaces when transferring HEIF photos from an iPhone or iPad to a Mac.

Retailers are slashing prices on the 2018 iPad Pro following the launch of its successor. You can save up to $200 on remaining stock at B&H Photo, with prices starting at just $799 for a 12.9-inch model with 64GB of storage.

A limited supply is available, B&H warns, so bag yours before they’re all gone!

Since receiving their new 2020 iPhone SE mobile phones on Friday, customers have been reporting the inability to press on notifications in the Notification Center and to select various shortcuts and commands, better known as Haptic Touch. From all indications, it appears the specific inability is deliberate on the new device.

Does your brand new MacBook Pro go into meltdown when it’s plugged into power? Do the fans spin up into a blast of white noise, while the heat makes your hands sweat as you type? Is your kernel\_task pegged using 100% of the CPU when you check things out in the Activity Monitor app?

If so, don’t worry — it’s not your Mac’s fault. It’s you. You’re charging it wrong.

Yes, if you plug your USB-C power cable into the left-hand side of your MacBook Pro, you might make it overheat.

Apple’s brilliant new Magic Keyboard might be the best accessory ever made for iPad Pro. Get your 11-inch model today on Amazon and enjoy an early discount. You can also save on the 11-inch Smart Keyboard Folio.

Zoom is the world’s favorite app during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its flagrant privacy abuses, and a history of startlingly bad security holes, people are using the videoconferencing service for remote teaching, conference calls and virtual get-togethers.

If you — or your boss or a stubborn family member — insist on using this software rather than one of the safer Zoom alternatives, this Mac tip will save you a lot of trouble. Using the Push to Talk feature will make your Zoom life a lot easier.

A side-by-side battery comparison by a popular YouTube channel concludes that for consumers wanting a long-lasting smartphone, the second-generation iPhone SE might not be the best answer.

Google Translate is great, but good luck if you want to read anything more than an email or a short article. Recordings, websites and images often show up in languages we can’t read. A tool that deciphers them all is handy indeed.

Apple is delaying mass-production of the iPhone 12 lineup by around one month, according to a Monday report from The Wall Street Journal.

Sources blame the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic for the delay, which is likely to mean Apple’s next-generation handsets won’t be available until October. A trusted source for Cult of Mac recently made the same prediction.

A Monday report out of Asia reignites claims that at least one iPhone 12 model will feature a display-embedded Touch ID sensor.

Sources believe a number of Apple partners, including OLED display-maker BOE and Qualcomm, are working on the technology.

This week we collaborate on songs in the “Google Docs for music,” edit video in Darkroom, block the Touch Bar from accidental taps, and gain other essential tools. These are the best apps and updates of the week.

Microsoft Excel is one of the most common and critical tools for the modern workplace. This bundle of lessons will teach you how to use the spreadsheet app — and certify you to maximize the benefits for your career.