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As the weather warms up, odds are you’ll be spending more time outside. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to listen to your favorite tunes out by the pool or in your garage gym without spending a ton of money? This epic deal from Harman Kardon slashes $400 off the price of its powerful Onyx Studio 7 speaker, dropping it to just $80. This is a limited-time deal and is good through Sunday, April 21 (as long as it doesn’t sell out before then).

The Onyx Studio 7 is available in three colors: blue, gray and black. It has a sphere-like design with a built-in aluminum handle. Inside there are dual tweeters, and you can connect two of the Onyx Studio 7 speakers together for an even better audio experience.

It offers eight hours of music playback per charge so you can take your favorite playlists with you anywhere you go. You can connect two different devices to the Onyx Studio 7 at the same time. If you’re looking for a powerful, great sounding Bluetooth speaker to blast your favorite tunes through this summer, you’re not going to want to miss out on this deal. Be sure to act quick, as this massive 83% discount won’t be sticking around for long.

On Tuesday, Boston Dynamics retired its famous humanoid robot HD Atlas, after 11 years of running, flipping, dancing and parkour. On Wednesday, the company introduced its successor. The new, all-electric Atlas is stronger than HD Atlas, with a wider range of motion.

The new Atlas definitely does one thing that HD Atlas couldn’t — stand up completely from a prone position. However, the way the robot gets up from the ground has some folks creeped out.

Instead of rolling over and pushing itself up with its arms, the new Atlas bends its legs entirely backward, with knee and hip joints rotating nearly all the way around, then it pushes itself up as the rest of its body unfurls. The head turns 180 degrees toward the camera while the robot walks backwards creepily.

The new Atlas video was enough to land the robot on the subreddit Oddly Terrifying, where user Jean_velvet joked, “I don’t think anything bad can happen from creating machines with higher levels of motion than any living creature on the planet.”

In an interview with IEEE Spectrum, Boston Dynamics’ CEO Robert Palter said, “our explicit intent was for it not to be human-like,” and based on the video of Atlas standing, it seems like the company was wildly successful in that goal.

To learn more about the new electric Atlas, the robot dog Spot and all of Boston Dynamics’ robots, watch Stephen Beacham’s deep dive video.

Apple’s about to grow the iPad Air line, according to a new report, which says new iterations of the tablet will include a 12.9-inch model. Until now, that size has only been offered in the iPad Pro line.

Ross Young, a longtime supply-chain analyst, posted to subscribers on X on Thursday that he’d heard Apple was preparing a new 12.9-inch iPad Air, and that it would use “left over panels” from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Apple markets those screens as “Liquid Retina XDR,” a similar name to the $4,999 Pro Display XDR, featuring mini-LED technology that provides better contrast than the iPad’s more standard LCD display. The post was written about earlier by 9To5Mac.

Apple representatives didn’t respond to a request for comment.

While the report about mini-LED screens in iPad Air is notable, it comes amid increasing chatter in the Apple rumor-verse about upcoming iPad updates likely to arrive next month. Every iPad line is expected to receive an update this year, which isn’t an annual event, unlike the company’s iPhone updates every fall.

Read more: iPad 2024 Rumors: New iPad Pro and Air Models Arriving in Early May

One of the headline updates is likely to include improvements to the iPad Pro, which starts at $799 for an 11-inch display and $1,099 for a 12-inch display. Apple is reportedly planning to upgrade from its current screen technology to OLED-based screens, which are known for being power-efficient while also allowing for deeper blacks and brighter colors. The iPad Air would then naturally use the well-regarded mini-LED technology for its 12.9-inch lineup, though hopefully still at a lower price than the equivalent iPad Pro.

Later this year, Apple is still expected to release new iPhones as well. The new devices, likely called the iPhone 16, are rumored to reduce bezel borders and expand screen sizes for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Meanwhile, the entry-level iPhones, which typically start at $799, will reportedly gain last year’s well-received action button instead of a mute switch.

Read more: iPhone 16: All the Major Rumors on Apple’s Next iPhone

Between the expected iPad launch in May, and iPhone launch in September, Apple is also expected to introduce significant software improvements for those devices this summer. The latest software versions are likely to be called iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 when they’re announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference this June.

The upgraded software will reportedly include new AI features to compete against the growing popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. (For hands-on CNET reviews of generative AI products, including Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, along with AI news, tips and explainers, see our new AI Atlas project.)

Read more: iPhone AI Evolution: What the Rumors Say About iOS 18

Apple is making impressive advancements to make its products more sustainable and become carbon neutral by 2030. This week alone, Apple announced increased investment in clean energy and water suppliers. And the company cut its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 55% since 2015.

Apple has a number of environmental wins to boast as we approach Earth Day. But when we talk about sustainability and Apple — the largest manufacturing company by revenue — there’s a conflict at the core of this topic. Apple grows by having us buy shiny new things. Even when Apple incorporates recycled materials, resources must be drained to keep producing new products.

It’s made me want to look more into buying products that are made with eco-friendly materials. Last year, Apple came out with an Apple Watch Sport Loop, a fabric band made of recycled materials. And there’s the FineWoven iPhone case, also made with recycled materials. But both left me feeling pretty unimpressed and looking into alternatives.

In this week’s episode of One More Thing (embedded above), I poke at the sustainability struggle for consumers. A recent CNET survey found Millennial and Gen Z consumers were more willing to pay a higher price to own an environmentally friendly version of an electronic or accessory. Can Apple rethink the recycled materials it uses in accessories to give us products that we don’t want to toss back into the trash? (Or at least, make them compostable.)

That same CNET data also revealed that 75% of folks surveyed didn’t have a plan for what to do with their old tech. Are we all just letting old iPhones collect dust on shelves? In the video I go over some tips for keeping your device alive for longer — and eventually you might be able to repair it with used iPhone parts.

Apple won’t stop making a new iPhone every year. But if we get smarter about repairs and battery health, we don’t have to be as tempted by the yearly upgrade.

DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine. Unlike rivals such as Google and Bing, DuckDuckGo eschews ad trackers, making it tougher for websites to gather browsing data. In addition to its search engine, the company offers a web browser and mobile apps. When DuckDuckGo announced its Privacy Pro suite — consisting of a VPN, information removal tool and identity theft restoration — I was excited to give its virtual private network a spin.

During my testing, I was impressed by DuckDuckGo’s VPN offering. Although it lacks the sheer volume of servers and bountiful features of our top VPN recommendations, like ExpressVPN or NordVPN, its intuitive design is great for beginners.

DuckDuckGo’s Privacy Pro VPN is user-friendly

DuckDuckGo’s Privacy Pro VPN is impressively simple without sacrificing basic functionality. Everything from signing up to using the VPN itself is a breeze. Here’s how to get started with DuckDuckGo’s VPN:

1. Head over to DuckDuckGo and click on the Privacy Pro link.
2. Select the $10 a month or $100 a year plan to sign up, or choose I Have a Subscription if you’re already enrolled.
3. Now that you’re signed up, download and install the DuckDuckGo browser or fire it up on your device if it’s already on your machine.
4. To log into your DuckDuckGo VPN, you’ll need to enter a one-time passphrase, which will be emailed to you.

Once you’ve signed into your Privacy Pro account, you’ll need to enable your VPN.

To turn on a VPN on Android or iOS/iPadOS:

1. Tap Open VPN in your DuckDuckGo app.
2. Then, you can toggle on your virtual private network.

Here’s how to add DuckDuckGo on Windows and MacOS:

1. Head to Settings > Privacy Pro > VPN.
2. Confirm the pop-up asking you to install the DuckDuckGo VPN. On Windows, tap Install. With MacOS, press. Add VPN Configuration and Allow in the pop-up window.
3. Click the VPN logo in the top right-hand corner of your DuckDuckGo browser.

Privacy Pro is great for general privacy and streaming

Compared to other VPNs, like ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark, DuckDuckGo is pretty spartan. You can choose from servers in seven different countries: Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and US. Split tunneling — which lets you use a VPN for some apps but not others — is available on Android, but not MacOS, Windows or iOS/iPadOS.

I regularly use split tunneling when I want to stream one of my favorite Canadian TV shows, Murdoch Mysteries, on the CBC website using a VPN while excluding my Steam client so I can download PC games without throttling my internet connection.

I didn’t experience any DNS leaks, and was thrilled to discover built-in kill switch functionality. A kill switch disables your internet connection in the event of an unexpected VPN interruption, ensuring that your actual IP address stays masked. In addition to enhancing privacy, DuckDuckGo’s VPN is decent for streaming. I was able to use the Privacy Pro VPN to watch Final Destination on Netflix using a French server — normally, it’s unavailable on Netflix in the US.

But you won’t find the vast array of settings that well-established VPN providers offer. For instance, you can’t select different VPN protocols like OpenVPN or IKEv2 — DuckDuckGo only uses WireGuard. VPN newcomers shouldn’t mind, but power users may be disappointed by the lack of customization. Likewise, DuckDuckGo’s server roster of seven countries currently falls well short of the 100-plus worldwide locations that CNET’s top VPNs include. Its relatively small server network means DuckDuckGo isn’t ideal for travel.

You won’t find specialty servers, such as Double VPN or Onion Over VPN options, which encrypt your connection twice for beefed-up privacy. Similarly, DuckDuckGo’s virtual private network doesn’t include obfuscated servers, which make it more difficult for ISPs or websites to determine that you’re using a VPN — helpful in situations like on school Wi-Fi where VPNs might not work properly with some apps. Folks with critical privacy needs, like investigative journalists or political asylum-seekers, should look elsewhere.

However, there’s beauty in its simplicity. People simply seeking extra privacy while browsing the web or the ability to unblock international Netflix libraries in a handful of countries will appreciate the no-frills design of DuckDuckGo’s VPN. And the service should only improve. A DuckDuckGo spokesperson told me via email that the company plans to bring split tunneling to other operating systems besides just Android and that there’s a third-party audit in progress to back up its no-log claims. Plus, DuckDuckGo intends to roll out more servers as its Privacy Pro service gains traction.

Unlike other browser plugins, the DuckDuckGo VPN works machine-wide

Whereas most VPN browser plugins only tunnel your web browser traffic through a virtual server, DuckDuckGo’s Privacy Pro VPN works across your entire device. Essentially, the DuckDuckGo browser doubles as a VPN client app. So with the DuckDuckGo VPN toggled on, I was able to stream Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (normally on Peacock and Hulu in the US) on Netflix via a UK server in the Windows Netflix app. By comparison, most Chrome VPN plugins like the NordVPN app only secure traffic in your browser, not apps downloaded on your device or other web browsers.

Privacy Pro is a nice way to support DuckDuckGo and easily bolster privacy on supported devices

Because of its limitations, I don’t think DuckDuckGo’s Privacy Pro VPN will become most folks’ — myself included — daily driver. It’s only supported on a handful of platforms, has a small server network and lacks many advanced features. Still, it’s a great choice for DuckDuckGo enthusiasts who want to financially support the privacy-centric search engine and keep it free from data collection. Developing a browser and search engine isn’t free, so this is a neat means of getting a solid service while contributing to DuckDuckGo development efforts.

Additionally, I can see this as a nifty all-in-one privacy suite — a VPN and tracking-free browser — while on a borrowed computer. You could simply download the DuckDuckGo browser, log into your VPN and enjoy system-wide privacy on a friend or family member’s PC, for example. That saves you from having to download a VPN app, install it and log in. Plus you get the added benefit of browsing without saved search history that way.

VPN beginners who just want more privacy will appreciate the streamlined interface. If you don’t care about the small pool of servers or limited features, this is a good choice. VPNs can be overwhelming if you’ve never used one, and this app lets you get started without needing a veritable glossary of terms to determine the correct settings to enable.

While I mostly stuck to the VPN portion, Privacy Pro includes a Personal Information Removal feature alongside Identity Theft Restoration. Personal Information Removal lets you remove information, such as your home address and phone number, from sources like people-finder websites. Data deletion services like this are useful, if imperfect, ways to get your information away from data brokers. Identity Theft Protection assists in the event of identity theft — a service I wish I had a few years ago when my credit card was charged over $800 at a barber shop (spoiler alert: It wasn’t me). If you’re in the market for these services, paying $10 a month or $100 annually is a great value. and on top of that, you get a VPN.

For more information about this privacy-focused search engine, learn why you should use DuckDuckGo instead of Google.

A streaming device can transform just about any display with an HDMI port into a smart TV, so you can instantly access all your favorite apps, shows and movies. You can grab the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) for 33% off at Amazon and Best Buy, which drops the price down to just $20. This offer is valid for a limited time only, so we recommend getting your order in soon if you want to nab one for your place at this price.

If you don’t yet have a 4K TV or stream your content in HD anyway, this entry-level streamer is a good bargain. You don’t have to worry about line of sight and the remote has a built-in button for instant access to Google Assistant, meaning you can quickly search with your voice. Simply plug it into the HDMI port on your TV, and once you’re connected to your Wi-Fi, this baby can stream all your favorite shows, movies and more.

This Chromecast device shows everything from your streaming services in one place, so you won’t have to jump between apps to decide what to watch. Plus, you can manage your connected devices from your couch. And you can set parental controls if you have little ones at home. As long as you don’t need all the bells and whistles, this is a solid streaming option at a bargain price.

Trying to manage, and properly visualize, large amounts of data can be complicated. There are lots of apps out there that can try to help you do it, but depending what you want to do you may need a few of them to get it all done. If you want a single app that can help you create flowcharts, org charts, floor plans and more, Microsoft’s Visio Professional is the way to go. Right now, you can pick up a lifetime subscription for just $20, but the deal is only good for a few days.

Lifetime access to Visio Pro 2021 will cost you a whopping $580 if you buy it through Microsoft directly, but with this deal, you pay only a small fraction of that. The app features hundreds of templates and thousands of shapes and stencils for flow charts, timelines, floor plans and much more so you can distill complex processes into simple, easy-to-follow visual guides. Plus, it allows you to import data from other Microsoft programs like Excel.

Just note that this deal is only available to new users, and the license can only be used for a single PC running Windows 10 or 11. You’ll also need to have a Microsoft 365 subscription and access to the desktop version of Microsoft 365 apps, along with a Power BI and Power Automate subscription. And you’ll have to redeem this offer within 30 days of the purchase. Be sure to check out the full list of requirements on the StackSocial page if you’re at all unsure. And while you’re in a money-saving mood, maybe now is the perfect time to check out our list of the best laptop deals as well — go on, you deserve it.

When Apple unveiled iOS 17 at its WWDC event in June, the Journal app drew a lot of attention. While Apple didn’t release the app with iOS 17 in September or with the iPhone 15 series, the tech giant did release the app with iOS 17.2 in December.

Journaling has been linked with many mental health benefits, including helping manage anxiety, reducing stress and coping with depression. Some people might have a difficult time remembering to journal or figuring out what to write. Apple’s Journal app makes it easy to jot down a few thoughts when you’re on your phone, and it provides you with writing prompts and other reminders about what you’ve done in a day.

Here’s what you should know about the Journal app and how it works.

Read more: You Should Really Download iOS 17.4.1 Right Now

What is Journal?

Journal is an app developed by Apple to help users write journal entries and easily insert pictures, videos and other content. Your entries are stored locally on your iPhone, and you can have backups on iCloud.

Journal provides prompts, called Reflections, that you can write about. Some Reflections the app gave me included, “Think about something you love to do and why it brings you joy,” and “Describe someone in your life who you really appreciate but forget to thank.”

The app can also access certain data and give you suggestions about what to write based on that data. For example, on my first weekend with Journal, it suggested I write about a coffee shop and park that I visited. You can control what types of data and other apps Journal can access to create these suggestions.

How do you get Journal?

Apple included Journal in the iOS 17.2 update, so if you’ve downloaded the update — or later updates like iOS 17.4 — you should see the app on your home screen.

How secure is Journal?

According to Apple, the app has end-to-end encryption between your device and iCloud, and it uses on-device processes to create journaling suggestions including Reflections. That means the data it uses stays on your iPhone.

“No one but you can access your journal — not even Apple,” the company wrote online.

Beyond that, you can require the app to ask for your FaceID or passcode after it’s been inactive for 1, 5 or 15 minutes. If you don’t want to take any chances, you can set it to immediately lock when you switch apps or your iPhone goes to sleep — you know, in case of snooping siblings or roommates.

How do you write an entry in Journal?

On the Journal homepage, you’ll see your recent journal entries and a plus (+) sign across the bottom of your screen. Tap the plus sign and you’ll be taken to a new menu.

In this new menu, you’ll see suggested Reflections as well as moments from your day that you can write about, like a picture you took or a Podcast you listened to. Tap any of these for a short overview of the suggestion, and then tap Start Writing. You’ll be taken to a new page that looks similar to a new note in the Notes app, but the suggestion will show across the top of the screen. You can write your entry on this page, and you can add other content like photos, videos or voice notes.

You can also just write an entry without a suggestion. After tapping the plus sign on the Journal homepage, there is an option across the top of the new menu that reads New Entry. Tap this, and you can jot down any thoughts or feelings you’re having at the moment, or you can add your own content here.

Once you’re finished, tap Done in the top-right corner and the entry will be saved to the Journal homepage. You can also edit or update entries once they’ve been saved to the homepage. Tap the three dots (…) in the bottom-right corner of the entry you want to edit, then tap Edit.

What if I need help keeping a journaling schedule?

Have no fear: You can set the app to remind you to journal. A splash screen in Journal asks you to set a schedule the first time you open the app.

If you don’t see this splash screen, or you want to change your schedule, go to Settings > Journal > Journaling Schedule and then tap the switch next to Schedule. A menu will appear below Schedule that will allow you to set a reminder to journal every day — or certain days — at a certain time.

For more Apple news, check out what other features could be coming to your iPhone in iOS 17.5 and what was included in iOS 17.4. You can also check out our iOS 17 cheat sheet.

Seven months into using the iPhone 15 Pro Max, one of the biggest surprises — which, unfortunately, I can confirm through personal experience — is that it can survive drops. Many, many drops.

It’s fallen off the arm of my couch onto my living room hardwood floor multiple times. It dropped from my pocket onto the sidewalk twice as I fumbled to pull it out. And then there were numerous instances where the 15 Pro Max hit the floor of CNET’s San Francisco studio during video shoots. I frequently use the iPhone as a teleprompter with an accessory that clips onto a Panasonic S1H camera and lens. Sometimes my camera operator or I will accidentally knock “the rig” while adjusting the Panasonic, which causes the phone to dislodge and smack the ground. Luckily, my 15 Pro Max’s screen and back haven’t cracked.

Read more: Best iPhone for 2024

And, it’s worth noting: I don’t use a case. I know, I’m a horrible, soulless monster, but I’m just not a case guy. But, maybe I should be.

Over my seven months with an iPhone 15 Pro Max, I’ve traveled across the country with it, watched TV and movies on it, played games and even taken it to a surf rock show. It’s become my rectangular, half-pound friend that does everything I need it to.

I’ve become dependent on features like StandBy Mode at home and at the office, Check In during long bike rides, and that incredible 5x zoom on the camera. There have been lows, like the overheating software bug that arrived on iPhones running iOS 17 last fall, but luckily, my phone wasn’t affected, and Apple has since resolved the issue.

Here’s why, more than half a year later, I’m still glued to my iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Wear and tear

Let’s start with how my iPhone 15 Pro Max looks, especially after all those falls. The titanium sides are in good shape, but there is a small knick on the side of the top-left corner — no comment! The back glass looks good. My phone is the natural titanium color, or what a friend jokingly calls “not quite beige.” But that drab color, along with the matte finish, hides fingerprints and dust quite well. Upon closer inspection, I don’t see any marks or scuffs on the back.

The Ceramic Shield display hasn’t fared as well. There are some tiny scratches on it, especially in the lower-left corner, and the oleophobic coating seems to be wearing down in a couple of spots. I am definitely not complaining, especially since I don’t baby the phone. But it’s nice to see the 15 Pro Max mostly holds up to the everyday Patrick Holland experience.

Battery life and display

My 15 Pro Max’s battery health is normal, though the max capacity has dropped from 100% to 99%. The battery cycle count sits at 111 and my 10-day average for screen-on time is eight hours and 41 minutes. In terms of battery life, not much has changed. It still lasts a full day on a single charge and can get through a day and a half when I’m not using the phone heavily.

There are times, like during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and Samsung Unpacked in January, when I pushed the phone by taking hundreds of photos and videos and calling in for CNET’s live video stream over 5G. On days like that, using low-power mode has helped to offset battery drain, but I’m still impressed with how the phone holds up, even in those scenarios. Because the 15 Pro Max has a larger battery than the 15 Pro, it can last noticeably longer.

The iPhone’s display looks so good. Whether I’m watching The Bear, reading an article, laughing at New Yorker cartoons or taking a photo, images and graphics are rich and detailed and text is easy to read, even when the brightness is dim.

If you read my iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra camera test story, you might know where I’m going next. The 15 Pro Max’s screen falls short for me in one way: reflections. After using the Galaxy S24 Ultra and its low-reflection display, I can’t unsee the reflective mess that is the iPhone’s display — and the majority of smartphone screens out there. I hope Apple adds the coating, or whatever Samsung is doing, to the rumored iPhone 16’s display.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max and iOS 17

Perhaps the biggest change to the phone, besides the camera, is iOS 17. We are 19 months from when the Dynamic Island debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, and it still feels underutilized by third-party apps. Yes, it’s great for Uber, music controls and system alerts for Apple’s apps, but it feels like there’s more that can be done with it. I’m not sure this is on Apple, since the company can’t force developers to use the Dynamic Island. But it still feels like it’s early days for the Dynamic Island, even though it’s not.

We also now have Stolen Device Protection, which protects your accounts and personal information in case your iPhone gets stolen. If you haven’t, turn it on. In iOS 17.3 or later, go into Settings, tap Face ID & Passcode and you can enable it there.

In my earlier iPhone 15 Pro check-in, I noted several iOS 17 software bugs I experienced, like having Safari freeze and become unresponsive. I am happy to say I haven’t had that issue in months.

And the last thing I’ll say about iOS 17 is there are a ton of small improvements which have been lovely, like the Catch Up arrow in Messages. But the feature that I see more people embracing is StandBy mode, which turns the iPhone into a mini-hub when it’s charging. StandBy Mode shows widgets, the time or photos and isn’t limited to the iPhone 15 series. It’s fun being over at a friend’s house and seeing them have a stand for their iPhone in the kitchen or home office for StandBy. And I’m curious if and how Apple might expand StandBy Mode in iOS 18.

Cameras and video

Cameras are always a huge deal on the iPhone, and the 15 Pro Max is no different. Essentially, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max both have the same cameras, but the 15 Pro has a 3x telephoto lens and the 15 Pro Max a 5x telephoto lens. It makes me wonder what an iPhone 15 Pro Ultra would have been like with both the 3x and the 5x — think Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Photos from the 15 Pro Max are great and on par with those from the S24 Ultra and Pixel 8 Pro, especially with that 5x lens! Take a look at the gallery below featuring snaps I took with the phone.

But I want to give the iPhone’s video capabilities a moment to shine. The 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max have the ability to record ProRes video and even save files as SDR, HDR and Log. The Log files might look odd: the color is desaturated and the exposure looks dark. The files are designed to capture more image information than a non-ProRes video and be color graded and balanced for exposure later to get the look you want – or match video footage recorded with another camera.

In fact, the video that accompanies this article was filmed by CNET’s John Kim on an iPhone 15 Pro Max. The main shot of me in the video talking to the camera directly was captured using the 15 Pro Max’s 5x camera and recorded in ProRes Log. Here is a before and after composite of the same frame from the video: one unedited the way it looks in Log and the other after it was graded and balanced.

One of my other favorite parts of iPhone 15 Pro Max video capture is being able to record video straight to an external hard drive, thanks to the USB-C port which supports USB 3 speeds. With this method I can quickly transfer videos I shot from the iPhone to my computer for edits by simply unplugging the drive from my iPhone and plugging it into my laptop. I don’t have to wait for the videos to upload and download or for them to AirDrop. To make the recording process even better, I use several accessories.

My go-to iPhone 15 Pro Max accessories

I use two main accessories to record footage for CNET videos: the Blackmagic Cam app and a Samsung T9 SSD. Keep in mind for casual videos and social posts, I mostly hold my iPhone and use the default Apple Camera app.

The Blackmagic Cam app is basically the pro camera mode I’ve wanted from Apple for years. It’s just for video, but gives waveforms for balancing exposure, zebras to show where the image’s bright parts are clipping to white, controls for shutter speed, ISO and more. I can select different video codecs, audio formats and, heck, there’s even a mini-slate! Perhaps my favorite thing about the Blackmagic Cam app is it’s free.

The Samsung T9 SDD is both tiny and large. It’s about the size of a tin of Altoids, and yet comes with storage configurations up to 4TB. I’ve used Samsung T drives for years just because of their value and portability. But unlike the previous ones I had, this T9 drive is rugged. Samsung claims it can handle a drop from 9.8 feet. After reading about my propensity for dropping my iPhone, it might come as a surprise to know that I have not tested this claim. The Samsung T9 SSD is $175 for 1TB but at the time I’m writing this, Best Buy sells it for $130 ($45 off).

I also want to highlight Peak Design’s mobile tripod. It’s made of aluminum and has MagSafe-compatible magnets to attach to the back of the iPhone. The tripod’s tiny legs fold flat to make it portable. There’s even a tiny allen wrench key that magnetically stores in the body to tighten the ball-joint! I keep the mobile tripod in my backpack with me, and it comes in handy all the time not just for recording video, but also for watching them. The Peak Design mobile tripod costs $80, which is a lot, but it’s worth every penny.

Final thoughts

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has been my everyday carry for the past 7 months, and that’s the best approval I can give a phone. If you’re thinking about getting one, I definitely recommend it, and as we get closer to summer, keep an eye out for trade-in deals and sales. Also, I’m going to start shopping around for an iPhone 15 Pro Max phone case.

Apple’s AirPods Pro earbuds have earned quite a reputation as a stellar option for Apple fans, but at their usual $249 asking price they’re not the most affordable option for all users. If you’ve been holding out on upgrading to the latest and greatest model out there, now’s the time. Right now they’re available at a $60 discount if you buy at Amazon, dropping the cost down to just $189. That’s just $9 above the lowest price we’ve seen, making this a deal well worth jumping on before it’s gone.

Even with a refreshed AirPods lineup potentially on the horizon, Apple’s second-gen AirPods Pro are still among the best noise-canceling earbuds you’re likely to find. They also sport Apple’s transparency mode for when you need to be more aware of your surroundings, and they can automatically optimize their volume based on your environment. In use, the earbuds promise an impressive battery life of up to 30 hours on a single charge (including the battery life stored in the charging case). They also instantly pair and switch between Apple devices, making these wireless earbuds a joy to use for those in the Apple ecosystem.

If you plan on buying these to use with your Apple Vision Pro headset, you’ll enjoy support for 20-bit/48 kHz lossless audio with ultralow latency. The Apple Vision Pro has its own built-in speakers so AirPods aren’t an essential add-on, but they do allow for a more immersive — and private — viewing experience if you want to lose yourself in a movie.

Not into Apple’s buds or looking for headphones instead? There are tons of headphone and earbud deals available right now.