David Snow - page 28

Apple TV+ dropped a Severance promo video Friday with cast members reading and (mostly) debunking online fan ideas guessing at answers to the show’s mysteries. But at the end of the video, executive producer and director Ben Stiller offers a clue that “no one talks about.” Is it a real clue, or is he just trolling everybody?

You can view the new fan-theory video and an older one below. They mention many theories, though even more exist online. And some fans says these videos ignore the best theories that seem more likely to be true (take your pick from cloning, aliens and more).

Apple’s retail footprint in South Florida expanded Friday with the opening of its newest location, Apple Miami Worldcenter. A big opening-day crowd — including Apple execs Deirdre O’Brien and Eddy Cue — swamped the sleek new store, Apple’s 10th retail location in Miami.

“Miami is a city with a history, culture and life all its own, and we are thrilled to capture that energy with Apple Miami Worldcenter in downtown Miami,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of retail and people, in a press release.

Apple Miami Worldcenter showcases the company’s commitment to sustainability, accessibility and community engagement in the heart of downtown. And it’s the city’s first store with a dedicated Apple Pickup area.

Apple just appointed seasoned executive Kim Vorrath to spearhead improvements to its artificial intelligence capabilities and Siri virtual assistant, signaling renewed focus on competing with AI leaders like OpenAI and Anthropic, according to a new report Friday.

CdkeySales extended its New Year Sale through January, so you can still get amazing deals on Windows 11 Pro and other Microsoft software. The sale slashes some prices by up to 91%! The latest Windows 12 rumors indicate Microsoft won’t release its next big operating system update until late 2025, so why not update your PC now the quick and easy way? Just buy a Windows 11 CD key on sale during the CdkeySales event.

You also can get great deals on upgrade-ready Microsoft productivity software like Microsoft Office. Savings include Windows 10 Pro for just $17.05 — with a free upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.

In yet another promo for Apple TV+’s intriguing workplace thriller Severance, Apple CEO Tim Cook gets in on the action. Severance director and executive producer Ben Stiller dropped a video Friday morning on X.com starring the mild-mannered tech honcho. Cook reports for orientation as an innie on the severed floor of Lumon Industries.

The video is short, but Cook isn’t bad — especially in the elevator, where he shows his severed transformation in consciousness (with the help of some special effects). Then, near the end of the video, he made me laugh out loud.

You’ve got to love a computer, gaming and TV setup with a big external display that’s so efficiently arranged it barely even takes up any desk space. Today’s featured MacBook Pro workstation manages the feat by mounting a big smart TV as a display on the wall, along with a pegboard for peripherals storage. But the MacBook setup with wall-mounted display took some pretty serious DIY skills, described below.

In our Severance season 2 episode 2 recap, we discover the lengths to which Lumon Industries went to clean up after the Overtime Contingency (OTC) that enabled the rebelling innies to briefly escape to the outside world at the end of season one.

In last week’s season two debut, the Macrodata Refinement (MDR) crew came back to work on the severed floor. This week’s episode, “Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig,” doubles back to show what it took for Mr. Milchick, Helena Eagan and others to get them there. It doesn’t quite have the first episode’s high impact — it brought the show back to us after season one’s climactic cliffhangers three years ago — but it clarifies matters while introducing new questions.

Amazon bargain site Woot! currently offers incredible deals where you can get huge discounts on Keychron mechanical keyboards — up to 63% off normal prices. Plus, you can nab an extra $10 off if you’re a new Woot! shopper. While quite a few of the keebs have sold out, you still have six excellent choices, listed with details and direct links below, and a bit more than a week to grab yours. The sale end January 31 at 10 p.m. PT.

In yet another creative promo for its hit workplace thriller series Severance, Apple TV+ dropped a new video Wednesday that masquerades as a Lumon Industries management training video.

“Lumon Industries is proud to present the Lumon Management Program — otherwise known by its breviloquent moniker of LUMP,” Apple TV+ wrote on X, announcing the video. “Today’s practicum: Integrating New Team Members.”

When a brilliant math postgraduate verges on sussing out a certain pattern in prime numbers, he finds himself in between unseen enemies and government forces in a burgeoning conspiracy. That’s according to the new Apple TV+ trailer, below, for series Prime Target. After all, the whiz kid’s discovery could unlock every computer and unravel digital security worldwide, apparently.

“A brilliant mind is a dangerous weapon,” notes the tagline on the new series’ key art. The eight-episode conspiracy thriller debuts January 22 on Apple TV+. Watch the trailer below.

Update: Prime Target started streaming on Apple TV+ Wednesday. While The New York Times calls it a “charming popcorn thriller,” other reviews are less charitable. And “rotten” ratings on Rottentomatoes.com — critical rating of 43% and viewer rating of 56% (60% and up is “fresh”) — don’t appear too promising, either.

A potentially big development for Apple-focused content creators is on display at 2025 NAMM Show, as Shure shows off the new MV7i Smart Microphone and Interface it first unveiled earlier this month at CES 2025, calling it a first of its kind.

The innovative $350 mic brings professional-grade two-channel recording capabilities to Apple’s ecosystem, eliminating the need for a separate audio interface. You can plug an XLR mic or instrument right into Shure’s new mic. And you can connect it to Apple devices via USB-C to work with tracks using Shure’s MOTIV audio and video apps.

Upcoming documentary series Vietnam: The War That Changed America tells the story of the conflict through those who survived it on both sides, according to the trailer Apple TV+ dropped for it Wednesday. Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke narrates the six-part series. Featuring rare archival footage and moving reunions of service members, it’s set to premiere January 31. As one of the most anticipated new movies Apple TV has to offer, this documentary provides a compelling look at the war’s lasting impact.

I’ve seen a few amazing man caves and she shacks while covering cool computer setups for Cult of Mac, but not many can compete with the home of today’s M4 Mac mini setup. The user converted a backyard shed nestled in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. So now the man shed M4 Mac mini setup doubles as a home theater sporting a gargantuan screen. You can find all the gear in the links list below for both the computer and home theater setups.

The psychological workplace thriller series Severance proved to be a major success story for Apple TV+, generating over $200 million in revenue from its first season alone, new analytics data shows. And it’s not the only Apple TV+ show bringing in big bucks for the iPhone giant, according to a new report. So how much money do Apple TV+ shows make? See below.

Perfection is hard to find in life, and so it is with the world’s many and varied earbuds. In my hands-on Edifier Comfo C earbuds review, I look at how the supremely comfortable and secure the clip-on wireless earbuds fit, making them a solid choice for many active users. And yet for me, that same fit keeps the sound quality from being all it could be, which makes me less likely to wear the buds.

As it has done on every Martin Luther King Jr. Day since 2015, Apple used nearly all of its website homepage to pay homage to the slain Civil Rights Movement leader Monday. The page is filled with quotations from King and links to learn more through a free book by the icon in Apple Books and a feature article about him in Apple News.

In today’s M2 MacBook Pro setup, the user stores one of the best-reviewed sets of wireless, over-ear headphones of all time on a stand over to the side. The cans are almost easy to miss in the photograph, but well worth noticing. AirPods Max competitor Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, in a Mac setup, make for a relatively rare sight. But they’re often at or near the top of “best of” lists — not just for great sound and a comfortable fit, but especially for their vaunted noise cancellation.

Apple TV and Apple Music will stream the upcoming FireAid benefit concert to help victims of the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, a new report Thursday. The concert lineup so far includes Billie Eilish, John Mayer, Lady Gaga, Sting and many others.

The concert will rock out in two Los Angeles performance venues near each other, but most people will get to see and hear it via streaming services.

For about as long as MacBooks have existed, confusion, questions and angst over how many external displays can run with them have plagued users. But at least some of the guesswork can be swept aside with a capable USB-C dock. In today’s M2 MacBook Pro setup, the powerful Ugreen Revodok connects multiple displays — three, to be precise — and other peripherals.

After a three-year wait that felt longer than a day working at Lumon Industries, Severance is finally back! The season two premiere, entitled “Hello, Ms. Cobel,” picks up right where we left our favorite corporate drones. In our Severance season 2 episode 1 recap, we look at the fascinating twists and turns that prove the show hasn’t lost its edge. As the season goes on, let’s see if it keeps it.

Are you into exercise and looking for wireless earbuds that’ll take your workout punishment but not break the bank? Look no further than EarFun OpenJump Open-Ear Wireless Earbuds. They aren’t fancy, but the lightweight, hook-on earbuds deliver comfort, security and solid audio without a premium price tag.

Let’s dive into what makes these earbuds, available now for preorder at a substantial discount, stand out in a crowded market.

Commuters trudging through Grand Central Station in New York City got an eyeful of Apple TV+ series Severance on Tuesday. That’s because employees of the bizarre workplace dramedy’s fictional Lumon Industries appeared to work on Lumon terminals behind glass for all to see in the historic train terminal’s grand halls.

Severance stars Adam Scott, Zach Cherry and Britt Lower entered the fake Lumon workspace Tuesday afternoon. And soon enough, Patricia Arquette and Tramell Tillman appeared. Earlier in the day, other people staffed the workstations.

That promotional stunt and a new “Lumon Is Listening” video, which promotes Lumon’s Severance brain surgery as a work-life balance solution, go hand-in-hand with the show’s own creepy weirdness. Check out the images and video below!

Apple is in ongoing talks with two financial companies to take over Apple Card credit services management from Goldman Sachs, according to a new report. The iPhone giant has been discussing the matter with Barclays and Synchrony Financial for a while, apparently.

News of the talks comes just one day after Goldman Sachs’ CEO said on an earnings call the firm’s Apple Card management, scheduled through 2030, might end sooner than that.

The Apple TV+ marketing department sure kept itself busy Tuesday. A space-suited denizen of the streamer’s hit sci-fi series Silo showed up in the stands at an NBA game ahead of the show’s season two finale, which arrives Friday.

Earlier Tuesday, a Severance office popped up in New York City’s Grand Central Station. The pop-up drew stars from the show as well as plenty of curious commuters ahead of the Severance season two premiere, which also arrives Friday on Apple TV+.

Apple TV+ ran a full-court press on the promo stunts this week, a departure from the norm. What else could be in store?

To help expedite recovery in response to deadly Los Angeles wildfires, Apple gives users simple ways to help LA wildfire victims by linking donation pages in popular apps directly to the American Red Cross, CEO Tim Cook said in an X.com post Wednesday. This follows the iPhone giant’s own donation of an undisclosed amount as well as considerations extended to wildfire victims regarding their Apple Card payments.