By Rhett Intriago
Whether you’re stuck at home or just find yourself bored with your usual pastimes, you can effortlessly find a new hobby if you’ve got your iPhone nearby. From learning a second language to picking up better health habits, there’s an app for just about anything. Below you can find a list of some of the best apps for getting started with new pursuits and cultivating your talents.
If you’re an avid golfer, having the best iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch golf apps can improve your game experience and performance. Our favorite golf apps help you find nearby ranges, track your score, and offer everything from golf tips to full-on golf lessons (say hello to that perfect putt!). Here's our roundup of the best golf apps.
By Brian Peters
One of the great things about iPads is their combination of portability and a large screen. This makes them perfect for reading e-books, digital comics, and magazines. It also makes them a potential replacement for a paper notebook, especially when paired with a good stylus like the Apple Pencil. Of course, to replace someone’s sketchbook, journal, or notepad, the iPad needs a good notetaking app. As someone who used to love brainstorming ideas and writing short stories by hand, I’ve long been curious if the iPad could help me recapture that feeling. So, I decided to look at some of the most popular notetaking apps available for the iPad, all of which offer their core functionality for free (and most of which have premium versions with more features if you decide you love them).
By Hal Goldstein
I’ve long thought about using a drone to capture footage of my Iowa woods. Knowing nothing about drones, I hesitated for years, concerned that I would crash it and it would disappear. I yielded and purchased the 5-star-rated DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo ($599). About half a pound, the Mini 2 looks like a bug-like creature (the light weight means no government registration is required). I am impressed despite a frustrating first few weeks.
By Leanne Hays
I spent most of my childhood in California and, despite 14 years of practice, have never quite adapted to the horror that is Midwestern winters. Fall is my very favorite time of year, yet as it progresses, the dread increases... Winter is coming.
By Rachel Needell
Nowadays, it feels like everyone is running a side business out of their bedroom or selling clothes online. Additionally, business closures in the early days of the pandemic forced many people to turn to the internet to keep their families afloat. We've compiled a list of five very different apps where you can set up a small side hustle, or grow that side hustle into something bigger!
By Olena Kagui
We all love to take videos of the world around us. Every time I come home from a vacation, wedding, or even a walk with my dogs, my phone is bursting with footage. Despite having video editing experience, I don’t always have the time, energy, or inspiration to turn it into a viewable memory, which is where Spivo comes in to save the day! In just one week, the Spivo Video Editing team can turn hours of video and thousands of photos into a memory that you can easily share and watch to relive the happy memories.
By August Garry
If you have an Apple device, like an iPhone or iPad, you have access to iCloud, whether you know it or not. You can back up your iPhone to iCloud and sync your data across all your devices. Knowing this, why would you need an external hard drive for your iPhone? Well, even with iCloud Backup, there are a few reasons why you might consider investing in an external hard drive. We’ll go over them in this article.
By Nicholas Naioti
Calling all audiophiles and music enthusiasts alike! We've been testing out the best speakers on the market, both portable and hefty, to bring you a list of our absolute favs. We've narrowed it down to our top five speakers and sound systems that can either come with you on your next adventure or be the next staple in your home theater setup.
By Ashleigh Page
In today's WWDC 2021 keynote presentation, Apple announced upcoming features and software updates for AirPods and Apple Music that will focus on an overall improvement to your listening experience. For AirPods, Spatial Audio and beamforming reigned supreme, while Apple Music made some serious upgrades in audio quality—at no additional cost—through the incorporation of Lossless Audio tiers and Spatial Audio. We'll discuss these fun new updates, along with some very practical upgrades to AirPods, such as the ability to locate these tiny devices with the Find My app.
By Conner Carey
Apple Watch bands have different purposes. The Sport band is particularly perfect for exercising, while you might want a Milanese Loop for special events, and a double tour leather strap for day-to-day wear. Once you’ve acquired multiple bands, the question becomes, “where do I store these things?” Especially since each band is in two pieces, it would be easy to lose one. I’ve seen plenty of travel kits for Apple Watch, but the Monochest ($79.99) by Monowear is the first Apple Watch band holder I’ve encountered.
By Donna Schill
There are so many different possible elements to bring into a smart home setup, from lights, to thermostats, to home theater speakers and more. Here are some of the best HomeKit-compatible gadgets and appliances to incorporate into your smart home.
By Cullen Thomas
With a MacBook you've got a great laptop, and to go with it, you'll need great gear too: the best cases, bags, cameras, tablets, and desks. Here we've got eleven of the best Mac accessories so that you can outfit your Apple laptop in the way that it, and you, deserve.
The iPad is Apple's most versatile device, which makes adding accessories to your iPad setup even more fun. From stands, to cases, to keyboards, and more, we've been testing out the best iPad products and gear on the market. We've narrowed it down to our top five favorite accessories to upgrade your iPad game this season.
By Ashleigh Page
When it comes to cases and other accessories for your Apple AirTags and Apple AirPods, there is a wide range of third-party options in various styles and prices. Check out some of the best AirPods and AirTag gear.
By Amy Spitzfaden Both
There are a huge variety of 3rd-party accessories available for any Apple device you might have, so finding those that are worth it can be a challenge, but we're here to help! In our Buyer's Guide we'll show you the products we feel are some of the best options in their categories. Here are our favorite Essential iPhone accessories.
By Donna Schill
The Apple Watch Series 7 isn’t the upgrade I’d been hoping for, but I bought it anyway. Let me explain. In spring of 2021, as Apple rumors began picking up, we saw renders of a completely redesigned smartwatch. It was going to have sleek flat edges reminiscent of the latest iPhones and iPads. It would house a blood glucose monitor, and, by some accounts, a sensor that measured stress levels. This was going to be a massive upgrade. But as September drew near, the forecast changed. Apple analysts broke it to us that we’d have to wait a whole year to see any of these upgrades!
By Cullen Thomas
This year, be sure to upgrade your MacBook and iPad accessory game with these awesome gadgets and tech. Docks, risers, and stands can improve your laptop experience by a long shot, and it may be worth it to you to invest in some of these products now to avoid a pain in the neck later!
By Nicholas Naioti
In October of 2021, Apple unveiled the new HomePod mini, a thoughtful update on the cult favorite HomePod (which is now discontinued). But how does the HomePod mini stack up to the competition at the same price point? I’ll break down the advantages and drawbacks of the HomePod mini compared to the Google Nest Audio and the fourth-generation Amazon Echo.
By Leanne Hays
Whether you enjoy growing flowers, herbs, fruit, vegetables, or all of the above, seed starting is an important skill to master. Growing plants from seed won’t save you money the first season. After all, you’ll need trays, lights, and even shelves if you’re starting more than a few flats. But in subsequent seasons, you’ll reap the financial rewards, germinating dozens of starts for the cost of a single seedling from a greenhouse. Growing seedlings at home also allows you to fill your garden with plant varieties not generally found on the market. You’ll have literally thousands of options readily available from seed catalogs. Here are three seed-starting apps that will help you through the intricate and rewarding process of germinating seeds and growing starts indoors or directly in the garden.
