Top stories - page 664

Adobe’s software products have become an key part of photography for pros and amateurs alike. Photoshop and Lightroom are industry standard platforms, but this bundle of 14 Adobe certified courses extend beyond software and into photography itself. It’s over 65 hours of top quality instruction in shooting and editing photos, and using Adobe’s essential software to bring your photos to their highest realization. Right now, you can get the whole thing for $69.

It doesn’t take long for the information superhighway to start feeling more like a hazardous dirt road from Mad Max. All sorts of bad guys and obstacles await us in the Internet — identity thieves, unscrupulous advertisers, location restrictions. Virtual private networks (VPNs) are a great way to secure passage to your favorite sites online, and PureVPN, one of the fastest options for securing and anonymizing any online connection, is available for the last time at just $59.

Apparently some kind of sportsball contest is going on this weekend, but that’s no reason to put your phone down — we still have plenty of cool stuff for you to try out in our apps of the week roundup.

Whether you’re looking to organize your daily thoughts, start your day off with a cartoonish weather forecast, or really feel like paying for parking with your Apple Watch, we have you covered. And maybe we have something about football, too. Who knows?

Only one way to find out.

Adobe is all over the digital workplace, creative workflows, and heck, the internet itself. The list of Adobe’s software platforms is long and familiar — from Photoshop to, InDesign to Flash and Dreamweaver and beyond — and getting fluent in one or several of them can improve your effectiveness and hireability dramatically. This bundle of training videos makes that possible, and right now you can get a lifetime subscription for just $74.

This week: New hardware, incoming! We’ll tell you our hardware expectations for Apple’s rumored March 2016 event, and there’s a lot to discuss. Plus: Why the next iPad Air could be the best one yet; iPhone 7 may have far fewer features than expected; and, is Apple making a move into virtual reality?

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to build a website that looks beautiful on any device that visits at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off.

If you take the time to properly set up your iPhone’s Health app, you can turn it into a powerful dashboard for keeping track of all the metrics that matter most to you.

Find out how to turn the unloved iOS app into an essential fitness dashboard in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine. We’re also spilling the beans on Apple’s March event, rating the best email apps, exposing the latest iPhone 7 camera rumors, and rolling up a bunch of must-have Apple travel accessories.

Here are the top stories this week.

A new search engine wants to keep App Store reviews honest and accurate by completely ignoring the ones that may come from paid shills or through developers’ relentless badgering of users.

As of this writing, the system claims it has audited over 17 million reviews and ignored 1.1 million of them. And if you’re wondering if the hot new game or feature-filled calendar app you’re about to download is really worth your time, you might want to check this site out.

Anyone who knows me in real life would tell you I’m a bit of a wallpaper nut when it comes to my iPhone and iPad. While I can normally get my fix via Google image search, that sometimes doesn’t cut it. Sometimes I come across a photo that isn’t sized correctly. Luckily, as long as you know iPhone wallpaper size, or iPad for that matter, Pixelmator can help you create a perfectly sized wallpaper in no time.

The new Apple TV has been on sale for just over three months now, and the growing catalog of tvOS apps and games looks incredibly promising. It’s what Apple TV fans have been calling out for for years, and it doesn’t disappoint.

But does tvOS and a strong backing from iOS developers make Apple TV a good game console? Is it an ideal buy for casual gamers, and can it mount a real threat against the latest and greatest consoles from Sony and Microsoft? Do we even need another console?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over those questions and more for your entertainment!

HTC’s flagship for 2016 has leaked out early, and it looks like yet another iPhone clone.

The One M10 is almost identical to the One A9 that was introduced last October, but it finally does away with the front-facing HTC logo that was universally hated.

Best List: CoverBuddy iPad Pro case by SwitchEasy

Keeping track of my Apple Pencil is a royal pain. Either I’ve got to slip it into a bag like an actual writing implement, carry it around in my pocket, or get one of those cases for my iPad Pro that adds a ton of bulk just to include a fabric loop to strap the Pencil in.

Not so the CoverBuddy case, an ultra-thin plastic sheath for the rear of the iPad Pro that includes something I wouldn’t expect from such a thin, light case: a secure spot for the Apple Pencil.

It’s simply the best minimalist pencil-holding cover I’ve seen yet.

There are a handful of skills that are especially hot in the job market right now, few are as in demand though as project management. Being able to usher a project from concept to completion, to keep all the plates in the air and deliver a solid product that meets or exceeds expectations, is something guaranteed to improve the quality of your working life and the salary you pull in. Getting qualified as a project manager with Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification Training is one of the best ways to open the door to this skillset, and this comprehensive instructional bundle of will ensure you can get ready to ace the PMP test for $49.99.

Getting a broken home button on your iPhone 6 replaced may cause the entire device to become a worthless brick of metal and glass.

Thanks to a new feature in a software update recently pushed out by Apple, thousands of iPhone users who had their devices fixed by non-official repair shops have been greeted by a disastrous “error 53” message that locks the device — and even the Apple Store can’t bring it back from the dead.

Apple is rolling out several new programs in its retail store locations that will give credit for iPhones with pretty severe damage, according to a report. The program will allow customers with a cracked screen, damaged buttons or damaged cameras to trade in their faulty device without issue. Apple previously wouldn’t accept this kind of damage in its Reuse and Recycle trade-in program.

Ringtones are passé; why not wake up to the sound of a music video in the morning?

You’ll be the envy of everyone who hears your alarm go off with this neat iOS 9 feature. Here’s how to enable it.

For many of us, the iPhones in our pockets have long since replaced the need to carry around a regular DSLR or point and shoot camera. While the iPhone itself is typically all you need to start capturing great photos, there are a few iPhone camera accessories that can help take your iPhone photography to the next level.

These are some of my current favorites, all of which are compatible with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus:

For nearly 20 years, watchmaker Eugene Ho has been making luxury timepieces for the likes of Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Timberland, Ecko and Reebok. Now he’s branched out on his own. His startup, Juuk (pronounced “juke”), makes beautiful, high-end bracelets for Apple Watches.

Juuk’s wristbands rival Cupertino’s aesthetics and quality — but cost half the price.

Amazon’s Echo smart speaker just upped its music game, adding Spotify streaming to its ever-growing list of skills. Now playing your favorite artists and playlists is just a voice command away — at least if you’re a Spotify Premium subscriber.

Nowadays we’re awash in audio and video, but working with either format can be a hassle. This bundle of five apps from Leawo Software makes it easy to capture, transfer, and edit almost any form of audio and video you’re likely to encounter, whether it’s from the web or a DVD. The best part though is that you can get the whole thing for whatever you’re willing to pay, and a portion of each dollar you spend will go to support the important work of Save the Children.

Take a look at some of what’s included:

If you’re a cord cutter like a lot of us, you might be wondering how to get Super Bowl 50 up on your big screen at home without a cable subscription.

Luckily, if you live in the U.S., you’ve got it pretty easy. Even U.K. folks can stream it live (as long as they have a BBC account) on their iPads. If you live outside these two areas, though, you might need a little help.

Here’s how to get Super Bowl 50 on your Apple TV no matter where you live.

Best List: CFH-V15 Video Monitor by Kodak

This new 350-degree pan and tilt home security camera from Kodak is the most amazing video monitor I’ve used, ever.

I’ve helped friends set up a few security cameras over the years, usually to keep an eye on their kids or pets, and the CFH-V15 blows all of them away with its ease of use, simple setup, and high-end video quality.

I sure wish I had one of these when my kids were young.

When I travel with my Mac, there are a few accessories I refuse to leave home without. Depending on how and where I’m traveling to, what I decide to pack may change, except for a few items. From making sure I’m never without the right kind of outlet adapters, to drowning out plane noise, these are the travel accessories for Mac I could never live without.

We’ve seen old busted Macs get transformed into everything from aquariums to planters, but have you ever seen a Mac go from the dumpster to a trash can you can toss all your rubbish in?

One Redditor has created a trash can fit for Steve Jobs by taking a Macintosh that had been sitting in his attic for 15 years and giving it a second life as a receptacle for all his garbage, complete with a swinging door that looks just like a Mac display.

Python lives up to its name as one of the most flexible and far-reaching languages in web development. Like all coding languages, it can seem like an intimidating prospect to learn and master, but with this comprehensive boot camp you’ll find it’s more accessible than you thought. It clocks in at more than 50 hours of hands-on instruction, and you can get it now for just $39.

Microsoft is acquiring SwiftKey, London-based makers of the popular virtual keyboard for Android and iOS, in a deal rumored to be worth $250 million.

SwiftKey insists it will continue to develop its keyboard for both platforms going forward — and it will remain free.