Technologies

Dress Up Your MacBook Pro Like a Fancy Leather-Bound Book

The Pad & Quill Leather Copertina Case is a stick-on folio case, a laptop stand and a handsome addition to your bookshelf.

High-end laptops call for high-end accessories. At least that’s how I justified attaching this Leather Copertina Case from Pad & Quill to my 16-inch MacBook Pro. This is more than the usual soft laptop sleeve or clip-on plastic cover. Instead, it’s a sturdy hardback leather folio cover that attaches to the outer shell of the laptop. It’s hefty, looks great, is made of full-grain leather with wool padding on the inside… and it costs $189 (which converts to roughly £160 or AU$290).

See it at Pad & Quill

Yes, that’s a lot to ask for a laptop case, and it frankly makes the MacBook Pro bulkier, heavier and harder to handle in some instances. But, it’s also highly protective, looks fantastic and gets the conversation going at any meeting I show up to with it.

The case looks a bit like a book cover. The entire case lies flat during setup, with adhesive strips on the bottom panel that attach to the bottom of the MacBook. They’re not permanent, but you’d need to clean off any residue and replace the 3M-style strips to remove or reposition it.

It took me a few minutes to figure out whether the adhesive panel was supposed to attach to the bottom or other top. The packaging wasn’t much help, but it eventually made sense.

These adhesive strips attech to the bottom panel of the MacBook.

Dan Ackerman/CNET

When the clamshell laptop is open, the top panel of the case falls flat against the table behind the laptop screen by default. You can also fold it back 360 degrees, like a hybrid laptop, turning the entire case into a tilted stand that both lifts and angles the laptop.

When closed, it makes the MacBook look like a leather-bound book, and I naturally slotted it onto my giant bookcase.

I wouldn’t use this case on a MacBook that I carry around on my daily commute — it just adds too much bulk. At home, it’s a great way to keep your laptop protected, and when you’re done working, just close the case and slide the entire thing onto your bookshelf for a seamless look.

Giphy

Right now, I’ve got it on my in-office 16-inch MacBook Pro. At first, it was intended as a quick hands-on trial, but I’ve left it on for weeks now, with no regrets.

If the added bulk on a 16-inch MacBook Pro is too much to handle, Pad & Quill also makes a version for the 14-inch MacBook Pro and a non-leather version for the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The best laptops in every category

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Jan. 13, #1669

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Jan. 13, No. 1,669.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle is a little tricky, and it might make you hungry. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has two vowels.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with G.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with O.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to a spicy Cajun stew popular in New Orleans.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is GUMBO.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, Jan. 12, No. 1,668 was TRIAL.

Recent Wordle answers

Jan. 8, No. 1,664: BLAST

Jan. 9, No. 1,665: EIGHT

Jan. 10, No. 1,666: MANIC

Jan. 11, No. 1,667: QUARK

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

Don’t be afraid to use our tip sheet ranking all the letters in the alphabet by frequency of uses. In short, you want starter words that lean heavy on E, A and R, and don’t contain Z, J and Q.

Some solid starter words to try:

ADIEU

TRAIN

STARE

NOISE

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 13 #681

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Jan. 13, No. 681.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

It took me a while to figure out the theme for today’s NYT Strands puzzle, but once I did, I thought it was a fun one. Some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: You need to chill

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Brrrr!

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

GONE, ABLE, TABLE, FOOD, TEEN, LEAF, GOOF, GOOD, SAFE

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

PIZZA, SHERBET, POPSICLES, WAFFLES, VEGETABLES

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is FROZENFOOD. To find it, start with the F that is five letters down on the far-right row, and wind backward.

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Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest.

#1: Dated slang. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.

#3: Off the hook. Again, it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.

Technologies

Anker’s Brand New Soundcore Aerofit Pro 2 Earbuds Are Barely a Week Old and They’re Already $30 Off

The AeroFit line has been one of our go-tos, and the brand-new Pro model is already easier to recommend thanks to a solid deal.

If you’re looking for earbuds that can keep up with your workouts, commutes and everything in between, the Anker AeroFit Pro 2 earbuds are worth a look. This brand-new model just launched last week, combining comfort, open-ear listening and active noise cancellation into one versatile package.

We expect big things from this new model — after all, the AeroFit 2 are one of our favorite earbuds, so this new model is bound to impress. Despite being so new, the AeroFit 2 Pro are already discounted to $150, down $30 from the launch price of $180. You’ll need to use promo code WSTDA3875US when you shop at Anker, giving you a head start on a top-tier open-ear experience.

What’s unique about the AeroFit Pro 2 is that the buds can switch between two forms with a simple adjustment of the ear hooks. That means you get both an open-ear design for breathable comfort and active noise cancellation for focused listening. Those same skin-friendly liquid silicone ear hooks ensure a secure fit that should stay comfortable all day.

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Sound promises to be equally impressive. The earbuds offer studio-grade 11.8mm composite drivers, LDAC technology and dynamic head tracking deliver immersive, theatre-like audio. Four mics with AI call-boosting make your voice come through crystal-clear, even in noisy environments.

If you want to compare models, take a look at our roundup of the best open earbuds for 2026, and the best headphone deals for more savings.

HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones (Black):

$248 (save $152)
Beats Studio Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black):

$170 (save $181)
Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones:

$398 (save $62)
Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Twilight Blue):

$179 (save $170)
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless ANC Over-Ear Headphones (Black):

$200 (save $250)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

You have the chance to get a brand-new model from a proven line of favorites at a solid discount. With versatile forms, premium sound and top-notch microphones, the AeroFits Pro 2 is a flexible, high-quality option for any listener.