Steve Sande

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I will start this review with an admission. I <em>like</em> the new MacBook Pro keyboard. It took me a few minutes to get accustomed to it but I was quickly reached my normal 110wpm speed. I use a membrane on top of the keyboard to protect it but I will say that I’ve been burned by the space bar and the Y key not working correctly.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Summer’s just around the corner, which means time at the pool and beach, or hiking in the rain. Share your tunes with the <a href="https://deals.appleworld.today/sales/oontz-angle-3-splashproof-portable-bluetooth-speaker?scsonar=1&utm_campaign=oontz-angle-3-splashproof-portable-bluetooth-speaker_051619&utm_content=a0x1P000004HE8y&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=appleworld.today&utm_term=scsf-324750"><strong>OontZ Angle 3 Splashproof Bluetooth Speaker from Cambridge SoundWorks</strong></a>, on sale today for $28.99.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">This month, <a href="https://www.imyfone.com/deals/4th-anniversary-party/#appleworld.today&link&cp_4thAnniversary"><strong>our friends at iMyFone are celebrating their 4th anniversary</strong></a><strong> </strong>by giving Apple World Today readers some amazing deals and freebies on their mobile solutions for iOS. Between now and May 23rd, you can take advantage of these deals and discounts and save some big money in the process.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Everybody loves to share photos, but today we’re going to tell you about a photo community that gives you the opportunity to grow as a photographer, increasing your skill set and even helping to make the jump from enthusiast to professional. <a href="https://www.viewbug.com/about/apps" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>ViewBug</strong></a>  has over two million registered members, and whether you are new to photography or a seasoned professional, you’ll find something to love.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">If downloading content from blogs, media, BitTorret, streaming or storage sites is part of your daily routine, then you need to take a look at Offcloud Download Manager. Over 750,000 registered users find the service to be perfect for downloading content and backing it up to a secure, private space. We have <a href="https://deals.appleworld.today/sales/offcloud-lifetime-subscription?utm_source=appleworld.today&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=offcloud-lifetime-subscription_051519&utm_term=scsf-324746&utm_content=a0x1P000004HE8u&scsonar=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>a great deal on Offcloud Download Manager today — a lifetime license for $49.99</strong></a>. You’d normally spend $700 for that same lifetime of service, but for a limited time you can take 92% off that price and get all of the power and functionality of Offcloud. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I’ve become a huge fan of wireless charging of both my iPhone XS Max and Apple Watch, and now I have a wireless charger that I’m an equally big fan of. The<strong> </strong><a href="https://satechi.net/collections/power-charging/products/qi-certified-aluminum-type-c-pd-qc-wireless-charger?variant=12389165793368" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Satechi Aluminum Type-C PD & QC Wireless Charger</strong></a><strong> </strong>(US$44.99) takes advantage of USB-C to provide quicker charging speeds than you’ll find with many other chargers on the market.</p>

<p>We all have a lot of devices that are hungry for power. Sadly, that usually means that we plug in an ugly power strip or two, then have “wall wart” power adapters and other cables dangling all over the place. BESTEK has the best idea we’ve seen lately: an attractive power cube that can be mounted on a wall, on top of or below a desk, and it powers it all with no mess or fuss. The <a href="https://deals.appleworld.today/sales/bestek-mountable-power-strip?scsonar=1&utm_campaign=bestek-mountable-power-strip_051419&utm_content=a0x1P000004HE8q&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=appleworld.today&utm_term=scsf-324742"><strong>BESTEK Mountable Power Strip is available today in the Apple World Today Deals Shop for $23.99</strong></a>, and it could be the answer to your power woes.</p>

<p><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">It used to be simple — you’d plug a Lightning cable into your iPhone or iPad, put the other end into your Mac or a power adapter, and everything would charge up. Now your devices can be quick-charged if they are able, but sometimes when you want them to get a fast charge, they’re not getting it. The </span><a href="https://deals.appleworld.today/sales/mcdodo-lightning-bolt-3-0-lightning-cable-black?scsonar=1&utm_campaign=mcdodo-lightning-bolt-3-0-lightning-cable-black_051319&utm_content=a0x1P000004HE8m&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=appleworld.today&utm_term=scsf-324738"><strong>Mcdodo Lightning Bolt 3.0 Cable</strong></a><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"> ($19) is the smart answer, providing LEDs that indicate when your device is getting a fast or trickle charge, as well as smart IC technology to halt the flow of power once your battery is fully charged.</span></p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Ever wonder how you can not only create your own custom ringtone, but also get it moved easily to your iPhone? The ace developers at Softorino have launched <strong>iRingg</strong>, the easiest way to create unique ringtones that reflect your personality and then drag and drop them onto your iPhone. We have <a href="https://deals.appleworld.today/sales/iringg-for-mac?utm_source=appleworld.today&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=iringg-for-mac_051019&utm_term=scsf-324753&utm_content=a0x1P000004HE91&scsonar=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>iRingg Ringtone Creator for Mac on sale this week for $9.95</strong></a> — that’s half off the regular price. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">One of the most frustrating things a Mac user can experience is when she places a DVD into a SuperDrive or attached DVD drive to enjoy a film, but sees an error message instead of a movie. Maybe it’s the dreaded “DVD-video disc region does not match the driver region code” error, or perhaps it’s DVD copy protection that’s keeping a legally purchased DVD from playing. Regardless of the issue, MacX DVD Ripper Pro can clear up most problems and give you the ability to play your DVDs on all of your Apple devices. Right now, you can download <a href="https://www.macxdvd.com/mac-dvd-video-converter-how-to/rip-a-dvd-with-free-dvd-decrypter.htm"><strong>MacX DVD Ripper Pro</strong></a> or <a href="https://www.winxdvd.com/resource/free-dvd-decoder-download.htm"><strong>WinX DVD Ripper Platinum for FREE</strong></a><strong>.</strong>  WinX DVD Ripper Platinum is designed for Windows PCs and performs a similar function to its Mac counterpart. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Since the first Mophie iPhone case came out years ago, I’ve been a fan. The company was the first to figure out how to put a battery pack into an iPhone case to provide extra power while protecting the phone. The latest from Mophie, the $99.95 <a href="http://www.mophie.com/shop/iphone-xs-max/juice-pack-access-iphone-xs-max" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Mophie Juice Pack Access for iPhone XS Max</strong></a>, continues the legacy of power and protection. However, many users are finding that they can’t charge the case and are giving it poor ratings — in this review, we tell you how to get the Juice Pack Access to work properly, something Mophie needs to communicate to its customers. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">While most of our gadgetry runs on low voltage and we can just plug into a car USB port or DC socket, there are a lot of devices that just won’t run off of the car’s power system. For instance, let’s say you wanted to plug in an amp for an outside concert, or you’d like to keep some beers cool in a small refrigerator. Those require alternating current (AC) and your car doesn’t provide that. <a href="https://deals.appleworld.today/sales/200w-car-power-inverter?utm_source=appleworld.today&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=200w-car-power-inverter_050919&utm_term=scsf-324749&utm_content=a0x1P000004HE8x&scsonar=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>BESTEK is coming to your rescue with a low-cost and powerful 200W AC Car Power Inverter for just $24.99.</strong></a> </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">If there’s one type of light fixture that I think has been underrepresented in the smart appliance world, it’s portable, battery-powered lamps. Sure, it’s possible to control a lot of individual light bulbs plugged into fixtures, and there are light strips that work great via voice control when plugged into the wall outlet. But what about battery-powered lamps that can be used anywhere? Eve’s new <a href="https://www.evehome.com/en/eve-flare" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Flare Portable Smart LED Lamp</strong></a> (US$99.95) is a well-designed smart lamp featuring HomeKit compatibility and almost infinite color possibilities.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Remember how the Photos app for Mac used to have a bunch of built-in projects such as calendars, books, photo prints and more? Apple got out of the printing business, leaving Photos users to select from a variety of project extensions that use third-party companies to manufacture the projects that the users design. One of those extensions is <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motif/id1404636482?mt=12" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Motif</strong></a>, which rolled out in the US in July 2018 and then spread to Europe beginning in November 2018. The company announced today that Motif is available in Canada.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Eve (formerly Elgato) has been releasing a solid line of HomeKit-compatible home automation devices lately, and the latest to show up at AWT Labs for testing is the <a href="https://www.evehome.com/en/eve-energy-strip"><strong>Eve Energy Strip</strong></a> (US$99.95). It’s a three-outlet power strip, and before you say “$100 is a LOT for a power strip”, you must realize that this is a smart power strip featuring the ease and security of HomeKit setup that also includes surge protection. Let’s take a look.</p>