TL;DR: Get lifetime access to AnyTrans Content Manager for iOS for $20.99 with promo code FESTIVE30 and finally manage your iPhone like a pro. Even if you’re a PC user, there’s still a good chance you have an Apple device, and let’s face it — wrangling your iPhone’s data can feel like herding cats. That’s where AnyTrans for iOS comes in. This all-in-one tool on sale for $20.99 with code FESTIVE30 makes transferring, managing, and backing up your content across your iPhone, iPad, and iCloud ridiculously easy. Got a new phone? Skip the headaches and transfer your photos, videos, and music in minutes. Tired of wrestling with iTunes? AnyTrans lets you organize your files without the usual drama. It even makes creating backups a breeze, so you can say goodbye to storage stress and hello to peace of mind. It works seamlessly across all your Apple devices and keeps everything under control with a clean, intuitive interface. With lightning-fast transfers and total flexibility, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Whether you’re upgrading your phone or trying to tame your digital chaos, this is the tool you didn’t know you needed. For just $20.99 with code FESTIVE30, you’ll score lifetime access to AnyTrans Content Manager for iOS — no subscriptions, no extra fees, just smooth sailing.    AnyTrans® One-Stop Content Manager for iOS: Lifetime Subscription – $29.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

The revered sailing trio of Peter Burling, Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney won’t be together on their return to elite competition in Dubai. Read...

One of the key benefits of a laptop is its everyday practicality. For road warriors, a laptop lets you take on the world wherever you are; for others, tethering your laptop to your desktop can be a great way to enhance your productivity or even your gaming experience. But what if you mainly use your laptop at home, it’s pretty much always connected to an external monitor, and you don’t really need the laptop screen? In that case, running your laptop in clamshell mode (i.e., with the screen closed) is a fantastic option. You’ll get to enjoy the larger display of a monitor and have better ergonomics to boot. A large external monitor can make a significant difference over a laptop display.Thiago Trevisan / IDG In this article, I’ll explain how to properly run your laptop while closed, the bevy of extra benefits that make it worth doing, plus a few caveats and best practices to keep in mind for best results. What you’ll need to run a closed laptop As it turns out, you’re going to need a few extra accessories in order to properly run your laptop with its screen closed. After all, when it’s closed, you lose access to its built-in keyboard, trackpad, and display, so you’ll have to forego all of them for external replacements. You’ll need a separate keyboard and mouse with your external monitor because you won’t be able to use your laptop’s keyboard while it’s closed.Thiago Trevisan / IDG Yes, you’re going to need a separate keyboard (wired or wireless) and a mouse (wired or wireless). They’ll connect to your laptop either via USB cables, Wi-Fi dongles, or Bluetooth pairing. If you don’t have any extras sitting around, check out our recommendations for the best wireless keyboards, best mechanical keyboards, best gaming keyboards, best wireless mice, and best gaming mice. You’re also going to need an external monitor, which will connect via HDMI cable, DisplayPort cable, or USB-C/Thunderbolt cable depending on your laptop model and specs. You’ll need a monitor that’s compatible with whatever connection you end up using. HDMI is the most widely available — and often preferred — option for laptops with monitors. Don’t have a monitor for your laptop? Check out our recommendations for the best home office monitors, best USB-C monitors, best 4K monitors, and best gaming monitors. If you plan to work on the go a lot, you might also want to consider our picks for the best portable monitors. Thunderbolt docks can provide display and USB ports if your laptop supports them.Thiago Trevisan / IDG If you have a Thunderbolt-enabled laptop, a Thunderbolt dock can be a great way to set up and run a desktop-like environment. Since laptops typically have less input/output connectivity options, a Thunderbolt dock can add back in a host of USB ports and other niceties. (Check out the best Thunderbolt docks according to our experts.) Not all laptops have Thunderbolt, though. If you find that your laptop is lacking in connectivity, you still have another option: a USB-C dock or hub, which does the exact same thing — turns one port into many different ports — just with less power and speed. (Grab one of the best USB-C hubs according to our experts.) Thiago Trevisan / IDG Lastly, just because your laptop is closed doesn’t mean it’s invisible. It’s still going to take up space on your desk, so you’re probably going to want a laptop stand or holder. Not only will it keep your workspace tidy, but it’ll also raise your laptop, improve airflow, and mitigate heat. Related: Are laptop cooling pads worth it? How to keep your laptop running while closed in Windows So you want your laptop to stay awake and running even when you close the lid, but it keeps going to sleep? You’re going to have to make a quick change in Windows’ settings — but don’t worry because it’s easy. Open the Start menu and search for Control Panel, then launch it. In Control Panel, click on Hardware and Sound, then click on Power Options. Then, look to the left side for a link called “Choose what closing the lid does” and click it. You’ll find what you need in the Windows Control Panel.Thiago Trevisan / IDG Here you’ll find tunings for what the power button, sleep button, and lid closing action do on your laptop, and you can choose separate actions depending on whether your laptop is plugged in or on battery. For “When I close the lid,” change both settings to Do nothing, then click Save changes. You’re done! Your laptop will now avoid going to sleep whenever it’s closed, allowing you to use it freely with an external monitor. It’ll stay this way until you come back and change the settings. Caveats and best practices to be aware of Once you have your laptop operating with its lid closed, and once you have your peripherals and monitors and accessories set up, it’s pretty much smooth sailing from there on. However, there are a few things you should probably keep in mind. When using your laptop with its screen closed, it’s a good idea to keep the power adapter plugged in to avoid unnecessary battery drain.Thiago Trevisan / IDG First, it’s a good idea — at least in this particular case — to keep your laptop’s AC power adapter plugged in while using an external monitor. It’s going to draw more power, so your laptop’s battery life is definitely going to be affected (to various degrees, of course). Related: Is it bad to leave a laptop always plugged in? Second, some high-powered gaming laptops — like the Razer Blade 16 — are designed to expel airflow from the top of the keyboard area. That means congestion or even blockage when the lid is closed, in which case you might not want to run it that way due to increased thermals. (Really only a concern with long, strenuous gaming sessions.) But if your laptop exhausts air out of the bottom, sides, or back, you should be fine. Thiago Trevisan / IDG Lastly, I want to reiterate the importance of having a laptop stand or cooling pad when running your laptop with its lid closed. Not only will it help free up desk space, but it’ll also help keep your laptop thermally in check, especially when gaming or doing intensive work tasks. Further reading: How to use a laptop with multiple monitors Read...

The six-time Indycar champion is in Barcelona renewing his decade-long ties with sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke. Read...

A Christchurch couple are frustrated by the cancellation of their ferry sailing that will leave their business about $1000 out of pocket. Read...

The cancellation comes after the ferry hit a wharf and twice lost power in the past month. Read...

Yesterday, Microsoft started rolling out the major Windows 11 2024 Update to the general public who are on devices considered “safe” for the upgrade. However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. As it turns out, the Windows 11 24H2 update is causing issues for numerous users and has even been resulting in Blue Screens of Death (BSODs). What’s most frustrating, though, is that there doesn’t seem to be one single cause to point to. For example, installing the Windows 11 2024 Update on an Intel PC with outdated audio drivers (Intel Smart Sound Technology) can cause the system to start crashing. The Easy Anti-Cheat tool that’s supplied with games like Fortnite and Asphalt 8 is also causing problems. Same goes for the Safe Exam Browser and with fingerprint sensors. The update also disrupts functionality in many popular wallpaper apps, which could lead to crashes or problems with virtual desktops. What can you do about it? This is mainly a problem of compatibility on a software-by-software basis, so you can’t really do anything except wait for each software’s developers to issue their own updates that address their respective faults. The silver lining is that if your PC could possibly be affected, the update probably won’t be rolled out to you until things are clear. If the update was rolled out to you and you’re affected by crashes or instability, see our article on rolling back problematic Windows updates. How to install Windows 11 24H2 anyway All of the above aside, there are some cool changes in the Windows 11 2024 Update — cool enough that maybe you want to make the upgrade ASAP and you’re tired of waiting for the rollout to hit you. In that case, there are ways for you to force install the update. However, do so at your own risk! (If you start blue screening, that’s on you.) Still want to proceed? Then you have two options for manually installing the Windows 11 2024 Update: Using Windows Update Press the Windows key to open the Start menu. Type “Check for updates” and press Enter to open Windows Update. Make sure the Get the latest updates as soon as they are available checkbox is ticked in Windows Update. Click Check for updates to check for updates. If the Windows 11 24H2 update is available, click Download & install, then restart your PC when prompted to do so. If the official Windows Update method doesn’t work, you still have the alternate option of using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant. Using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant Visit the official Windows 11 download page. Under the section titled “Windows 11 Installation Assistant,” click the Download Now button to grab the installer file. Double-click to execute the downloaded installer file. Click on Accept and install, then follow the on-screen instructions. After installing the update, your PC will restart. Post-update check After the Windows update is installed, open the Start menu, then type “winver” and press Enter. This will run a check to see what your current Windows version is. If you’ve successfully installed the Windows 11 2024 Update, you should be on Build 26100 and version 24H2. Further reading: Windows 11 24H2 removes these apps and features Read...

Eliminated challenger Alinghi had been sailing unofficially in a strong breeze when its boat heeled over and capsized. Read...

The accident occurred during practice sailing, following the team’s earlier exit from the America’s Cup challenger semi-finals. Read...

The Bluebridge ferry that lost power in Cook Strait last week is sailing again. Read...