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App Recommendations from Stephen Hackett

Parallels Desktop

The best app for running Windows on a Mac

Parallels Desktop

Parallels Desktop is the best option for running Windows on macOS because it's fast, easy to use, and comes with a lot of features that make living in two operating systems easier than ever.
MarsEdit

The best WordPress client for macOS

MarsEdit

MarsEdit is a powerful and convenient WordPress client for macOS that is easy to use, full of features, and well-designed.
Reeder

The Best RSS Reader for Mac

Reeder

Reeder is the best RSS client for macOS because it syncs with lots of third-party services, looks good, and makes it easy to share content with others.
Time Machine

The easiest way to back up your Mac

Time Machine

Time Machine is Apple’s solution for the everyday Mac customer. It’s easy to set up and use, and creates an excellent safety net for those who wish to back up their data to a locally-attached external hard drive.
Carbon Copy Cloner

The best app for making bootable backups of your Mac

Carbon Copy Cloner

Carbon Copy Cloner is very powerful and provides the tools needed to make backups easy and useful.
Bartender

A great app for keeping your Mac’s Menu Bar organized

Bartender

Bartender is a Mac Menu Bar app that scoops up any and all of those icons, and places them inside a "folder" to keep your Menu Bar tidy.
Tweetbot

The Best Twitter App for iOS

Tweetbot

Just updated, Tweetbot has all the features you're likely to need and then some, plus it is delightfully well designed.


Gadget Recommendations from Stephen Hackett

Our favorite external hard drive

When it comes to backups, software is only part of the equation. There are many good tools on the market, but having a dependable hard drive on the receiving end as important, too. Purchasing the “best” hard drive is all about what you need out of it. So we have two suggestions: Our favorite external […] »



Blog Posts & Articles by Stephen Hackett

Holiday tech tips for 2017

Here are some of our favorite tips for being prepared to answer tech questions over the holiday season. »

Concerning AccuWeather

Due to news of a dishonest use of customer privacy, we can no longer recommend AccuWeather as the best general weather app for iOS. »

Apps we love: Transmit

Transmit is a powerful, reliable, and easy to use FTP client that is well worth purchasing if you work with file servers on a regular basis. »

Apps for your new iOS devices

Setting up new iPhones and iPads is part of the holiday season, and we have several great apps that get you started in the right direction. »

2016 Apps for the Holidays

The 2016 holiday season is officially here, and we've picked out some of our favorite apps for this holiday season. »

2016 Holiday Gift Guide

We've rounded up a few of our favorite tools and apps for Apple devices that are sure to please that Apple fan in your life. »

Day One 2.0 is here

Day One, our favorite way to journal with your Apple devices, just got a huge update. »

Scanbot 4 released

Scanbot 4 brings Workflows and Quick-Actions to the best iOS scanning app. »

The Sweet Setup Back to School Guide

With school starting back up, it's a great time to re-evaluate your setup and tools. Here are some of our favorite apps and devices to power through those long days of class and long nights of homework. »

App Camp for Girls launches Quiz Compendium

App Camp for Girls is an amazing program that teaches girls how to design interfaces, develop apps, and learn about the software industry, all while being mentored by some of the most inspiring women in the business. Quiz Compendium is an app built by campers. It comes with 15 personality quizzes like “Which Plant Are […] »

We’re excited for 2015

2014 was a year of progress for Apple and the App Store, and we're excited about what's coming with 2015. »

Kyle Seth Gray’s sweet setup

Kyle Seth Gray is a full-time business marketing student and a web developer at Utah Valley University, and also co-hosts the Garrulous Podcast with Brian Hamilton. »

iOS 8 is Awesome

With iOS 8 -- which is being released today -- Apple has re-invented many things about the OS that powers the iPhone and iPad. Limitations which have long shaped the very nature of the OS and what apps can do have been lifted. »

Jason Becker’s sweet Mac setup

Jason is a a data scientist at Allovue, an education startup that helps districts and schools manage their resources. »

Quick Tip: Learn more about your Mac

OS X ships with multiple tools to learn more about your hardware and the software running on it, all stashed behind the Apple menu bar item. »

We like Overcast

Overcast is a new iOS podcast app by Marco Arment that gives existing apps a run for their money. »

Jason Snell’s sweet Mac setup

Jason Snell is the editorial director at IDG Consumer, which includes Macworld, PCWorld, TechHive, and Greenbot, and also co-hosts The Incomparable podcast. »

Backing up your computer is easy

Backing up your computer is important. However, many view it as difficult, complicated, expensive, or all of the above. The truth is, creating a good backup system doesn't have to be any of these things. »

Quick tip: Manage iCloud storage

Apple’s iCloud offers users a full suite of services but the company only gives its customers 5 GB of storage space for free. Thankfully, it's easy to keep an eye on things. »

Quick Tip: How to set up an Apple TV with an iOS 7 device

The Apple TV is one of our favorite Apple products. For $99, it adds Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube and more to your TV, not to mention services like Flickr, iCloud photos and (of course) the magic of AirPlay. My biggest complaint about the Apple TV, however, is the remote. While the 4-way directional pad is […] »

Quick Tip: How to restore an iOS device to factory settings

As with all types of computers and devices, iOS devices should be restored to factory settings when changing owners. This not only ensures all personal data on the device is gone, but that the new owner is off to a fresh start with their “new” device. »

Quick Tip: Using Tabs in Finder

With OS X Mavericks, Apple added Safari-like tabs to Finder, making it easier to deal with things while working with multiple folders. Here are some quick tips to make Tabs a little more manageable. »

Quick Tip: Easily Disable OS X Notifications

Notification Center is an all-in-one place for incoming iMessages, tweets, emails, and more. Here's how to keep notifications out of sight when you don't want them. »