Top stories - page 92

Sometimes, you need your iPhone and your Mac to be very different tools throughout the day — Focus modes are all about customizing them for everything you do.

Apple’s Focus modes are a powerful way to change how your iPhone, iPad and Mac look and feel whether you’re driving, sleeping, relaxing or working. It’s all about fully immersing yourself in whatever you’re doing. You can change all kinds of things: from who can reach you and which apps send notifications to custom lock screens, home screens and more.

The PlayStation has long established itself as a highly popular gaming and streaming device, and Sony continuously evolves and expands its services. Those looking to keep up with the latest titles and in-game events can tap into a one-year PlayStation Plus Essential membership for only $49.99 (Reg. $59). No coupon is necessary, but this blowout price is only available during our Overstock Deals event, which ends on October 31 at 11:59 PM.

If you were a kid, wouldn’t you like to use a remote control to just “turn off” your parents for a while? But what if you couldn’t figure out how to turn them back on?

That’s one of many scenarios that flash past in the trailer for Circuit Breakers Apple TV+ released Monday. It’s a science-fiction series about middle-schoolers set in the near future. It premieres November 11.

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In the world of computer setups, sometimes it seems like some sort of display arms race is going on. Even five or six screens isn’t uncommon anymore, with a few external displays added to the devices with built-in screens, and all in play in the workstation.

But how about no external displays? Does that work for you? It does for today’s featured MacBook Pro and iPad Air setup. See why below. And don’t overlook that unassuming but very special desk lamp, either.

If you’re looking for quality audio at an affordable price, you can certainly do much worse than Edifier products. The Chinese company consistently comes across with great value, and that’s the case with the Edifier MS50A powered wireless smart speaker.

The company sent me one of the handsome, wood-paneled speakers to test out. Though it’s not the smartest smart speaker on the block, it looks and sounds great for the price. I’ll get into more detail below.

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Many understand how to use at least some of Microsoft Office’s apps, but mastering tools like Excel, PowerPoint and Word can set you apart in the workplace. Whether you’re focused on becoming more efficient or boosting your resume, this one-day deal could be a game-changer. Through October 31, you can pick up six expert-led Microsoft Office courses for only $39.99 (Reg. $1,549), and it even comes with a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 for Mac.

Some problems with your Apple gear are just annoying, but others, such as security issues, can be serious. If you want to learn how your equipment is protected from malicious actors and join the fight yourself, the Complete 2023 CompTIA Cyber Security & Pentest Super Bundle can get you started on the road to a cybersecurity career for $49 (Reg. $1,196), the best price currently online.

You don’t need to be tied to your desk anymore, especially if you can remotely access your Mac. Screens 4 allows you to access your Mac from another device from anywhere in the world, and it’s on sale today for just $19.99 (Reg. $29).

Whether you work in an office or on the road, you may not need a laptop to get the job done. Instead, you may be able to streamline and start relying on an iPad for work. With so much variety in screen size, processing speed and accessories, there’s a lot you could do to turn your iPad into a reliable work tablet. To get you started, we’ve got five deals that could make it easier to turn your iPad into its own home or mobile workstation. 

If you already have an Apple TV, you know it’s great for streaming movies, shows and music. What you may not have known is that you can use it to build a whole home theater in your living room. If you want to make things feel a bit more cozy this season, we’ve got five devices that could help you create your very own Apple TV theater experience. You might be surprised at how simple it is, too.

If you’re trying to add some smart functionality to your home without major renovations or investments, there’s a lot you can do. Whether it’s for convenience or accessibility, automating and streamlining things at home can have a drastic effect on your quality of life. With a few simple additions, you can do things like program when the lights will come on, gain control over home security and more. The setup process for some of these smart home additions is quick and painless, too, especially when many modern smart home features are controlled by a few key devices. If you want to create the best smart home system for you, then take a look at these eight deals. 

On this week’s installment of the Apple TV+ limited series Shantaram, Lin must take stock of where he is, what good fortune means and whether it’s his to truly celebrate.

The people of Bombay are getting used to the impostor doctor, but at every turn, Lin faces potential threats to his freedom and his place among his newfound community of outsiders. It’s a typically engaging outing of the Charlie Hunnam drama.

When you look at the gear in today’s setup you might say, what is this, an ad for Elgato? The workstation is rife with Elgato devices widely used by streamers for video-production workflows, like its popular Facecam, Wave:3 microphone and Stream Deck.

But the MacBook Pro setup isn’t used for streaming at all.

The software engineer who occupies the well-appointed workstation finds perfectly productive things to do with all that Elgato gear, other than streaming.

Ugreen expanded its product range Thursday with the launch of its new 13-in-1 USB-C Docking Station, designed for M1 MacBooks and other laptop computers.

Taking advantage of the dock’s whopping baker’s dozen of ports, you can use it to connect a wide range of external devices to your laptop.

If you’ve ever searched for something online and then started seeing ads for it shortly afterward, it’s not a coincidence. Websites gather data through cookies and tracking your IP address. Then they often use that information to advertise to you.

If you want to block ads and limit the information websites can gather from your browsing, try a virtual private network like Windscribe. It blocks ads, hides your web activity and a lot more. We’re getting rid of extra stock right now, so it costs only $69 for a three-year Windscribe subscription. No coupon code is needed, but be quick! This blowout event on ends on October 31 at 11:59 p.m.

Sometimes it’s safer to save your files online than to hope nothing happens to the device or hard drive they’re living on. Whether you’re trying to preserve work documents or family photos, cloud storage is a simple way to ensure your files are safe while allowing you to free up some space on your phone if you want. Polarbackup Cloud Storage Personal Plan has 500GB, 2TB and 5TB lifetime subscriptions on sale. If you’re looking for an affordable, reliable cloud backup service, see what Polarbackup has to offer. 

New Apple TV+ documentary Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues takes a lively and appropriately soulful look at the man who invented popular music in America as we know it today.

The film, which premieres today on Apple’s streaming service, brims with expert testimony from witnesses, fans, friends, and family of the incredibly influential jazz musician. It’s bolstered by a cornucopia of rare archival footage and photographs that root Armstrong firmly in history.

Louis Armstrong is too big a subject to think you could ever fully capture him, so director Sacha Jenkins treats this project as just one man’s look at another man. It’s remarkably successful.

Apple pulled in record revenue during the July-through-September quarter: $90.1 billion, an increase of 8% over the same period of last year. That’s $1.29 in earnings per share, a 4% annual bump. Most of Apple’s signature products experienced revenue growth.

“Our record September quarter results continue to demonstrate our ability to execute effectively in spite of a challenging and volatile macroeconomic backdrop,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO.

Before you say it, I know – this isn’t the first time we’ve talked about gallium nitride (GaN) chargers. But the super-small, super-fast chargers are, frankly, worth getting excited about. I recently had the pleasure of taking Ugreen’s Nexode 200W desktop GaN charger for a spin, and let me tell you: This really is the puck-size charger you want on your desk.

Mobile charging specialist Excitrus introduced its 105W Power Bank Ultimate Thursday, a small but potent charger with an 18,000mAh battery for on-the-go device charging.

The company called the iPhone-sized device “one of the smallest [on] the market with around 100W power output.”

After Apple began running new advertisements in the App Store on Tuesday, some developers checked their product pages to find banner ads for adult video chat apps, video poker apps and gambling apps of all varieties.

The fact that some of these advertisements appear on apps for children and apps for addiction recovery adds insult to injury. I asked a few independent developers to get their reaction to the news — and they were not happy.

Update (October 27): Apple has revised the types of ads that may appear, but the new ad placements remain.

If you’re looking to start an IT career, you may find CompTIA’s exam path useful. The 2022 CompTIA and AWS Practice Exam E-Book Bundle can help launch your career into high gear, and it’s on sale at a blowout price as part of our Overstock Deals event, which runs until October 31 at 11:59 PM.

As we develop better tools to understand our health, we’re learning just how important sleep actually is. The Snore Circle is designed to help you sleep better and get hard facts on how you sleep. For a limited time, this innovative wearable is on sale for $79.99 (regularly $119), the best price on the web.

The Cupertino tech giant expanded its free Apple Learning Coach program Wednesday to invite more tech instructors of various stripes across the U.S. to join. Once certified, they can show school teachers how to get the most out of Apple products to help their students.

Folks like tech coaches and digital learning specialists who want into the program can apply by November 16, Apple said.

Some people need more than one or two displays. Like software developers. Today’s featured MacBook Pro-and-custom-PC setup manages to rely on five different screens like some sort of mini Mission Control. But launches controlled from here are new software products and updates, not rockets.