If you want to use Windows on your Mac, but don’t necessarily want to partition your hard drive, you can run Windows using a virtual machine like Parallels Desktop.

You can use Apple’s built-in Boot Camp software to install Windows on your Mac, which will require you to partition your hard drive in order to make a space for the new operating system. You don’t, however, have to partition your hard drive in order to use Windows on a Mac.

You can use a virtual machine instead. A virtual machine is what it sounds like. It’s a virtual simulation of a real machine. You can install a virtual machine program onto your Mac and use it to open and run a full operating system like Windows, right on your desktop without having to partition your hard drive at all. You can have both operating systems running at the same time!

One of the most popular virtual machine programs for Mac is Parallels Desktop. It’s been around for a long time and is kept up to date with support for the latest computers…

Buy smart accessories smartly.

The TP-Link HS110 Smart Plug two-pack is now on sale at Amazon for just $39.99. Other than when it was $35 at B&H Photo on Black Friday, this looks to be the lowest price ever for these smart plugs. At just $5 above the Black Friday pricing, it’s nothing to scoff at. A single one of these plugs is currently selling for $35 on its own, so this is a really smart way to save some cash.

These smart plugs come with energy monitoring, allowing you to track real-time and historical energy use.

Features include:

Amazon Echo voice control – Amazon Echo (sold separately) lets you control devices connected to the smart plugs just using your voice
Easy to use and install – Just plug a device into the Smart Plug and connect to your Wi-Fi network. No hub required
Scheduling – Schedule the Smart Plug to automatically power electronics on and off as needed, like setting lights to come on at dusk or turn off at sunrise
Remote access – control devices connected t…

Forget fruitcake — to truly show your appreciation for friends and family, make sure they won’t lose everything if their hard drive takes a dive.

Anyone remotely tech-savvy knows the importance of backing up your data regularly. Hard drives can fail catastrophically, without warning, taking your precious photos, emails, and documents with them. Unfortunately, plenty of people who use computers aren’t remotely tech-savvy. And some of those genuinely wonderful, lovely people are likely related to you. If your family’s proving tough to shop for this year, consider giving them the reassurance that if their hard drive goes south, their data won’t. Here’s how to set up and remotely administer backups for the people you love.

(Bonus: Needing to set this up on the family computer can give you an excellent excuse to leave the room when the conversation turns to [uncomfortable personal question], [mortifying childhood anecdote], or [perilous foray into politics].)

1. Know how to …

2017 had some amazing gaming titles hit the App Store, but the iMore staff picked their favorite iPhone and iPad titles and here are the winners!

This year was pretty huge for iPhone and iPad gaming, as we saw Nintendo put its mobile game strategy to work, amazing sequels to hit games, fantastic ports of older console games, and even the beginning of the AR craze hit our small screens!

It’s always hard to pick the cream of the crop when there are so many titles to choose from, but with the help of my fellow iMore writers we narrowed down a giant list and pick one game for each the iPhone and iPad to take the crown.

Best iPhone Game

Stranger Things: The Game

Free – Download Now

One of the best surprises of 2017 was when Stranger Things: The Game appeared on the App Store, pretty much out of nowhere, and gave us a nostalgic-laden adventure that took place in everyone’s favorite fictional small town, Hawkins, Indiana. This game has everything you could want in an iPhone game i…

If you want to watch Netflix in 4K on your Mac, that Mac better be a 2017 model. Oh, and you’re going to need Windows 10.

Netflix has made its content available in 4K for some time now, but Mac users have been left out of that particular party. However, it’s now possible to enjoy Ultra HD Netflix content on your Mac, even if you can’t do so on macOS. Confused? I’ll explain.

Right now, the only way to watch Netflix in 4K on a desktop or laptop is through Windows. The good news is you can run Windows on your Mac through Bootcamp or virtual machine software like Parallels or VMWare Fusion. Bootcamp is available for free as a part of macOS and makes installing Windows on your Mac easy enough. But before you start the journey towards loading Windows on your Mac for the express purpose of watching Netflix in 4K, you’re going to need a few things.

Netflix in 4K: What you’ll need

First, if you haven’t already, you’ll need to head over to Netflix and upgrade your account to be able to vie…

Have an older iPhone affected by #iPhoneSlow? Apple’s offering cheap battery replacements through December 2018. Here’s what you need to know.

Why would I need to replace my battery at all?

Lithium-ion batteries aren’t infinitely powerful: Like everything on this planet, they age, and as they do so they become less effective. From Apple’s battery and performance document:

As lithium-ion batteries chemically age, their ability to hold a charge diminishes. This may result in shorter amounts of time before a device needs to be recharged. In addition, a battery’s ability to provide power quickly may decrease. In order for a phone to function properly, the electronics must be able to draw upon instantaneous power from the battery. One attribute that affects this instantaneous power delivery is the battery’s impedance. A battery with a high impedance is unable to provide power quickly enough to the system that needs it. A battery’s impedance can increase if a battery has a high…

You might find yourself needing to move around iTunes content if you’re going through a divorce. Here are some steps you can take.

Unfortunately, divorce is a part of life for many. Sometimes marriages don’t work out, or something drives you apart. At some point in the process comes dividing assets. But in this world of digital content, how do you split that stuff up? How do you, for instance, split up an iTunes library?

Luckily, there are steps you can take to split up at least some of your library. Here’s what you can do when it comes time to divvy up your iTunes content.

The first steps

If your ex is going to continue using the iTunes account that the two of you shared, you’ll want to follow these steps to get set up with a new account.

First things first, you’ll need to get a new Apple ID, which you’ll use to login to iTunes and make purchases through the iTunes Store.

How to get a new Apple ID
You might also need to remove the old Apple ID you and your ex shared from your …

Photo: Business Insider Italia

European courts have granted two Italian entrepreneurs the right to use Steve Jobs’ name and a suspiciously Apple-inspired logo for their Italian clothing and accessory company.

First reported by la Repubblica Napoli, bothers and business partners Vincenzo and Giacomo Barbato have officially won a years-long legal battle against Apple that will allow them to continue to call their clothing company ”Steve Jobs” after Apple’s beloved founder.

According to Chaim Gartenberg over at the Verge, the fight between Apple and the Barbatos began all the way back in 2012 after they noticed that Apple did not have any sort of trademark on Jobs’ name:

The pair were already in the process of starting their own clothing and accessory company, after spending years creating products for other brands, and decided that ”Steve Jobs” would be the perfect name for their new brand.

Since then, Steve Jobs the company has been duking it out in court with Apple over use …