You'll really connect with this iPhone tip

April 23, 2022

If you're not using location sharing on your iPhone, you're missing out on a very useful feature. And even if you are, you might not be getting all you can out of this powerful, time-saving tool.

Our top how-to this week shows all the ways to use iPhone location sharing -- and lays out some scenarios where the feature comes in extremely handy.

Elsewhere in this week's issue of The Weekender, we've got:

Enjoy your weekend!

-- Lewis Wallace, managing editor

How-tos

Location sharing is a highly versatile and incredibly useful feature of iOS. When you’re trying to meet up with someone, traveling in a new place or spending a day out with friends, you can quickly share where you all are. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Here's how to get the most out of this underutilized feature.

Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack now wirelessly charges iPhones up to 50% more quickly, and getting the improvement doesn’t require buying a new one — anyone who has the power bank can upgrade it. Here’s what to do.

You can use this handy feature to copy videos you can’t download, record gameplay, show someone how to use an app and more.

News and opinion

Adapters simplify the sometimes-messy process of connecting things to our computers. If you travel, these three USB adapters will get you through most of the connection problems you will encounter on the road.

In addition, the front camera will allegedly have a lower f-stop. Both changes will help make the iPhone 14 a better option for narcissists.

Plus, more Apple hardware rumors:

A year after Apple pulled the plug on the big, beautiful HomePod, the smart speakers regularly sell on eBay for more than the original asking price. And the prices are going up, up, up!

Three tech brands made the top 10 this year. Who did Apple place behind when it comes to "brand intimacy"?

Suddenly, Apple's streaming service looks like a contender. And the hits just keep coming.

Watch new Apple TV+ trailers:

As a third-generation entrepreneur and mom to three kids, Michigan Realtor Breanne Martin Gaudard instinctively knows that to thrive, businesses have to be able to scale. Here's how she found success with a Mac app.

Deals

Whether it’s for personal, professional or academic use, every computer needs software that lets you write, organize and share information. A pair of Microsoft Office suites currently on sale at a drastic discount get all that done for different types of users. For Mac fans, there’s Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021. And for Windows users, there’s Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows. Lifetime licenses to each of these Microsoft Office suites are on sale now for just $49.99 (regularly $349).

Chances are you have a mess of wires on your desk, on your nightstand, or in your bag. Hey, it’s OK: We all have a lot of devices, and they all need charging. This foldable charger can cut the clutter -- and it's ideal for travelers with Apple gear.

Lightning, USB-C, USB-A, Micro USB ... InCharge X cables pack six tip combinations into a compact, durable design. You can get a 2.8-inch cable that fits on your keychain for $21.99 or a 5-foot version for $29.99.

A lifetime license to PhoneRescue for iOS lets you recover lost data directly to your device forever. And, for a limited time, it’s on sale for just $29.99.

Reviews

Apple TV+’s latest documentary series looks at the life and legacy of one of the greatest and most flashy basketball players the game ever saw: Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr.

Plus, more Apple TV+ recaps:

If you're struggling with cable clutter, these rubbery magnetic blocks that sit on your desk or nightstand offer quick (and colorful) relief.

The SwitchEasy Odyssey 3-in-1 Lanyard Shockproof Case protects an iPhone 13 in two ways. A removable strap helps you keep hold of the device, and the case is designed to absorb the shock if you drop your handset anyway.

Plus, more Apple accessories:

Never worry about losing your pet again with one of Nine Twenty Eight’s new AirTag dog collars. The family-run Canadian retailer — new to the Cult of Mac Store — designs the collars with a double-stitched slot for an AirTag.

Setups

We love serious audio. But is it possible for the audio gear in your computer setup to be too serious? For example, can your desktop speakers be too comically oversized, as if you’re making some sort of visual joke about your life being all about the music?

Apple's new 27-inch 5K display is good, for the most part, but is it worth the $1,600 price? This setup seems to answer that question.

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. So eight smashing photos of an M1 Mac mini-driven computer setup must be roughly equivalent to 8,000 words.