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Top stories - page 42

This $50 course bundle can make you a total Excel pro

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This $50 course bundle can make you a total Excel pro.
Learn how to automate complex or repetitive tasks in Excel with these online courses.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Are you using Microsoft Excel to its fullest potential? Most people know some basic functions and how to make a chart, but they miss out on advanced uses and automation to make their lives easier.

If you want to become a pro, you might want The Complete Excel, VBA, and Data Science Certification Training course bundle. It features 13 jam-packed courses with tips and tricks from the pros. And you can get lifetime access now for just $49.99 (normally $429).

City on Fire finale goes up in a puff of smoke [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★

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Wyatt Oleff in ★★★
Charlie (played by Wyatt Oleff) saves the day in the City on Fire finale.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+’s kaleidoscopic urban blight drama City on Fire comes to a close this week with events both explosive and not so much.

Amory’s on the move, William’s holding on for dear life, Regan and Keith are missing a few kids, Nicky and Sol come to blows, Charlie and Lorraine tell the truth, Parsa gets a second chance, and Samantha’s in the dark — just like New York City itself.

The limited series finale, entitled “In the Dark,” brings a suitably emotional ending to a show that narrowly avoided greatness.

With this card, you can always find your wallet

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AirCard is a Find My tracker, an RFID blocker and a digital business card (NFC).
AirCard is a Find My tracker, an RFID blocker and a digital business card (NFC).
Photo: Rolling Square

Using Apple’s Find My network, the new AirCard from Swiss company Rolling Square can slip into your wallet like a credit card and help keep track of it. But it’s not just a tracker.

“AirCard is the first card-sized tracker in the world with a digital business card,” the company said. Its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign has far-surpassed its goal with six days to go, so it’s likely the cards will ship.

Fun ‘overly complicated diagram’ lays out complex MacBook Pro rig [Setups]

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At a glance it doesn't look overly complex, but wait'll you see the diagram.
At a glance it doesn't look overly complex, but wait'll you see the diagram.
Photo: [email protected]

Getting a complex computer setup just-so can be a daunting experience for even seasoned users. Maybe somebody should create a diagram or something? Well, someone did, making a highly capable MacBook Pro-and-PC setup with external display, storage, audio and more look even more complicated than it really is.

The sleekly executed diagram delighted viewers on social media. Check it out below.

Silo’s creepy conspiracy just keeps getting weirder [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Common in ★★★★☆
Sims (played by Common) is up to no good.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ dystopian sci-fi series Silo, about the last remnants of civilization trapped in a huge underground structure, ratchets up the stakes as Juliette realizes she has only a few hours to set things right or she and Billings will face the music.

A flashback to a tumultuous time serves as her guiding light in the darkness — and even a reconciliation won’t save her. Entitled “Hanna,” it’s a very good episode of this surprise hit sci-fi series as we head into the first season’s home stretch.

Get 10TB of cloud storage for life, just $69.97 for a limited time

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Don't sleep on your chance at 10TB of cloud storage for just $69.97.
Imagine how many files you can stash in the cloud with this lifetime deal on Prism Drive.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The more data you have, the more cloud storage becomes essential. And if you’ve been holding off on picking a service, the choice just got easier — if a little more urgent. During our limited-time flash sale, new subscribers can pick from a variety of Prism Drive cloud storage plans for the best price on the web, including one that gives 10TB of lifetime cloud storage for just $69.97.

The Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage subscription is rated an average of 4.5/5 stars from more than 60 verified purchaser reviews.

Back up your photos and videos with a 1TB external drive for just $50

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Backup your photos and videos with this 1TB external hard drive, now $50.
Wave goodbye to cloud storage fees with this affordable 1TB drive.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When you treated yourself to your current Mac or MacBook, did you spring for a model with extra storage space? If you didn’t and you’re running out of space, you could pay a monthly fee for iCloud.

Or, pay just one time and get this 1TB external drive for just $49.97, normally $63.

New Soundcore earbuds jack up noise cancellation, drop price

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The new Soundcore Liberty 4 NC wireless earbuds claim to reduce noise by 98.5%.
The new Soundcore Liberty 4 NC wireless earbuds claim to reduce noise by 98.5%.
Photo: Soundcore

Anker’s Soundcore brand offers competitive noise-cancelling wireless earbuds, including Liberty 4, released in fall 2022. Now it plans to roll out its “all-new best noise-cancelling earbuds,” Liberty 4 NC, for a surprisingly low $100 (with an early-bird offer to pay just $80).

And the new buds claim an impressive 60 hours of battery life, too. Top features and low pricing like that might make Apple nervous over its AirPods line of earbuds.

Tim Cook congratulates grateful Fitness+ fan

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Nate Gorby wrote to Tim Cook and tweeted his tale of life-changing fitness and weight loss.
Nate Gorby wrote to Tim Cook and tweeted his tale of life-changing fitness and weight loss.
Photo: Nate Gorby

Apple CEO Tim Cook took a moment to congratulate a man who wrote to him and tweeted an inspiring story of using Apple Watch and Fitness+ to lose more than 100 pounds over several months.

Nate Gorby told his story in his tweet, below, saying Apple’s tools changed his life. Cook’s direct reply was just one of many responses.

Learn how ChatGPT really works with 75% off this introductory course

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Learn how ChatGPT really works with 75% off this introductory course.
Get started with ChatGPT, the hottest AI tool around.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With constant advances in AI and the recent announcement of the world’s first spatial computer in Apple’s Vision Pro, there’s a lot of hype around ChatGPT and curiosity about how it will influence this new age. This Introduction to ChatGPT course lays out why it matters, without hyperbole, and right now it’s available for the best price online.

Get a year of Costco shopping and a $30 Digital Shop Card for just $60

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You can save on Apple gear, groceries and gas with a discounted Costco membership.
You can save on Apple gear, groceries, gas and more with a discounted Costco membership.
Photo: Marcus Reubenstein/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

When you shop at Costco, incredible value awaits you. You’ll save on everything from Apple products to Costco’s renowned rotisserie chickens. Especially in these times of inflation, if you aim to reduce your food expenses, Costco is the perfect solution for enjoying high-quality meals while staying within your budget.

For a limited time, take advantage of a one-year Costco Gold Star Membership for just $60, bundled with a $30 Digital Shop Card for all your favorite Costco items.

Say what? New ‘dialogue speaker’ clarifies voices.

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BenQ's new dialogue speaker can play music, but it's meant to make human voices especially clear.
BenQ's new dialogue speaker can play music, but it's meant to make human voices especially clear.
Photo: BenQ

BenQ, known for desktop monitors and accessories, unveiled its new treVolo U Desktop Dialogue Speaker Tuesday. Say what? A “dialogue speaker?”

Yes, and it uses special technology “designed to reinvent your digital life, offering exceptional audio for online learning, remote working, podcast and audiobook listening,” the company said.

Age is more than just a number on this week’s Platonic [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Emily Kimball and Seth Rogen in ★★★★☆
Will (played by Seth Rogen, right) runs into trouble with his new girlfriend, Peyton (Emily Kimball) this week on Platonic.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ comedy Platonic hits a milestone this week as Sylvia and Will find boundaries to test they didn’t even know existed. Will learns some hard lessons about aging and relationships, while Sylvia tries to embark on a new chapter of her life without much support.

Entitled “The Big Two Six,” it’s a solid episode of the show about two people in their 40s who reconnect and re-become besties, heedless of optics and obstacles.

This DVD ripper for Mac lets you archive and upscale your favorite movies

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DVD Ripper
This Mac app makes digging through your old DVDs well worth the effort.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

A shelf full of DVDs might look good, but a physical copy of a movie is only as good as the disc holding it. To conserve space and make your movies accessible, you can burn your DVDs directly to your computer.

MacX DVD Ripper Pro lets you take your old DVDs and transfer them directly to your Mac — and even upscale them if the quality’s not as good as it could be. This great Mac app is on sale for just $29.99 for a limited time. (You also can get a Family License for just $35.99, which allows up to five devices).

Safeguard iPhone with this ultra-thin new screen protector

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BodyGuardz Apex screen protector
The company said the durable screen protector is 15% thinner than many others.
Photo: BodyGuardz

BodyGuardz unveiled a new smartphone screen protector called Apex recently, calling it “the industry’s only screen protector solution engineered with CrystalCore technology.” It described a process that makes the protector exceptionally thin and strong.

“Apex glass undergoes a rigorous mixing and baking process that reinforces the density of its crystalline structure, offering unrivaled protection for the latest smartphone models,” the company said.

High Desert descends into drugs and desperation [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Patricia Arquette in ★★★★☆
Peggy (played by Patricia Arquette) lets loose this week on High Desert.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review Apple TV+ comedy High Desert reaches its penultimate episode this week, as Peggy comes close to solving the many mysteries she’s been juggling as a first-time private investigator.

Arman and Heather squeeze Peggy for money she doesn’t have, just as her ne’er-do-well hubby Denny creates more problems for them by resuming his life of crime. Plus, the Gatchis demand answers about their missing sister. Entitled “This Doesn’t Have to Be a Tragedy,” it’s a surprisingly emotional episode of the zany noir.

Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro: Which is right for you?

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Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro: Which is right for you?
There are fewer differences between Mac Pro and Mac Studio than you might think.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The 2023 Mac Pro starts at $7,000, while a similarly configured 2023 Mac Studio is $4,000. The potential savings has people questioning whether they really need the Pro to get the job done.

Let’s compare these professional-grade desktops to see how they stack up. You might be surprised at how similar they are, given how very different the two designs are. If you’re considering the latest Mac Pro, check out this detailed comparison of Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro.

Formidable workstation scores 2 Apple ‘hat tricks’ [Setups]

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It's pretty much all Apple here, with special appearance by other companies for recording and lighting purposes.
It's pretty much all Apple here, with special appearance by other companies for recording and lighting purposes.
Photo: [email protected]

The only reason today’s featured setup isn’t 100% Apple is that Cupertino doesn’t make its own condenser USB microphones, lighting or desks.

Literally everything else in the setup is from Apple, including a computing “hat trick” of desktop Mac, laptop Mac and Apple tablet, plus a second hat trick for peripherals, with an Apple display, Apple input devices and Apple audio.

Price drop: Keep your memories safe with 10TB of lifetime cloud storage for $79.97

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Keep your memories safe with this 10TB AI-based lifetime cloud storage for $89.97.
This 10TB cloud storage from Degoo costs just $79.97 for life, with no recurring costs.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Between HD photos and a pile of apps, you can burn through storage space on your iPhone, MacBook or iPad pretty quickly. That low-storage warning might be annoying when it pops up, but that’s no reason to erase important files.

Instead, connect your Apple device to 10TB of cloud storage and keep all your files safe without taking up space. With this price drop, you can get lifetime access to 10TB of storage from Degoo for only $79.97 (regularly $1,080). But act fast — this sale ends June 18 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

Why the Mac Pro lacks upgradable RAM and support for eGPUs

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2023 Mac Pro with Apple M2 Ultra
The 2023 Mac Pro has an inescapable limitation.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The just-launched 2023 Mac Pro lacks features considered critical for workstations: upgradable RAM and support for eGPUs. But this isn’t Apple blindly making an error — it’s an inescapable fact of the M-series’ unified memory architecture.

The limitation isn’t new: it’s been known since the M1 processor was announced. But Tuesday’s release of a top-tier macOS workstation shines a spotlight on the problem.

For those who weren’t paying attention back in 2020, here’s an explanation of why RAM upgrades and plug-in GPU aren’t an option for the 2023 Mac Pro.

Audio-Technica improves on a classic USB mic for content creators

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Audio-Technica added some new digital technology and onboard control features for your content-creation needs.
Audio-Technica added some new digital technology and onboard control features for your content-creation needs.
Photo: Audio-Technica

For years podcasters, streamers, musicians and other content creators have turned to certain USB microphones that bring quality without costing a fortune. Audio-Technica’s AT2020  has been one of those. Now the company offers a major upgrade on the model with its new AT2020USB-XP microphone.

Upgrades bring new digital technology and some studio-quality features to help you sound like a pro.

Epic Foundation season 2 trailer goes supernova

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The fate of humanity hangs in the balance when
The fate of humanity hangs in the balance when "Foundation" returns to Apple TV+ July 14.
Photo: Apple TV+

Season 2 of sci-fi series Foundation explodes like a supernova on Apple TV+ July 14. That may sound a bit dramatic, but the main word that comes to mind upon watching the new trailer for the season the streaming service dropped Tuesday is … epic. And lots of stuff explodes in it.

Or let’s go with “epic saga,” the phrase Apple TV+ used to describe the hit show based on Isaac Asimov’s award-winning stories about a band of exiles defying a crumbling galactic empire. For those interested in exploring more great sci-fi, checking out the Murderbot Diaries series in order can provide a great starting point before the TV adaptation arrives.

Band and case combo makes Apple Watch pop with color

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The three color combos really catch the eye.
The three color combos really catch the eye.
Photo: Goldenerre

As June speeds toward July, are you ready for summer? You can look like you are. Just refresh your Apple Watch’s look with a Goldenerre Color Pop band and a white case.

For a fresh look, you can choose from the band’s three color combos and pair the band with the company’s white case. The bands and the case are new in the Cult of Mac Store. Apple has also introduced new iPhone colors, giving you even more ways to freshen up your tech accessories for the season.

Master Adobe Creative Cloud with this $39.99 deal on apps and training

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Master Adobe Creative Cloud with this $39.99 deal on apps + training.
Bundle Adobe Creative Cloud with 37 hours of training for $39.99.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If all Adobe gave the world was the PDF file, the software maker would be justly remembered as a tech innovator. But today, the company gives visual creatives of all types the tools they need to realize their vision (and make a living) through the powerful tools in Adobe Creative Cloud.

If you haven’t tried out these industry-standard apps, here’s a deal tailor-made for you. This bundle pairs 26 Adobe Creative Cloud apps with more than 37 hours of training (and other perks) for less than $40.