Emmy-winning Jane unpacks new adventures in season 2 trailer

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Jane season 2 trailer on Apple TV+
The work of ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall inspired "Jane."
Photo: Apple TV+

Clever kids and adorable animals rush headlong into new adventures in the season 2 trailer Apple TV+ dropped Tuesday for Jane. The work of famed ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall inspired the TV series.

The mission-driven family show’s second season debuts April 19 on Apple TV+.

Today in Apple history: Microsoft’s first hardware debuts … on the Apple II

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Microsoft Z80 SoftCard, the company's first hardware product, worked with the Apple II computer.
The original ad for the Z80 SoftCard.
Photo: Microsoft

April 2: Today in Apple history: Microsoft Z80 SoftCard, the company's first hardware, debuts on Apple II April 2, 1980: Microsoft releases its first hardware product, the Z80 SoftCard. A microprocessor card that plugs into the Apple II, it allows the computer to run programs designed for the CP/M operating system, a popular OS for business software.

Arriving several years before the first version of Windows, the Z80 SoftCard quickly becomes a big hit for Microsoft.

Free-floating Spatial Personas arrive in visionOS 1.1 for Vision Pro

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Spatial Personas on Vision Pro
Spatial Personas put you and others right in the shared workspace.
Photo: Apple

Apple will make Spatial Personas, a more lifelike enhancement of the Persona feature for the Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, available in the visionOS 1.1 update coming Tuesday.

In beta test versions of the software, Spatial Personas allow Vision Pro users to create and interact with customizable, free-floating 3D digital avatars in virtual spaces. They enhance collaboration via SharePlay while going beyond the limits of a little box on a FaceTime call.

Here’s the new batch of classic movies on Apple TV+ in April

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Here’s the new batch of classic movies on Apple TV+ in April
Apple TV+ has dozens of classic films for subscribers to watch. And it just added to the collection.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ just added two dozen more classic movies to its limited-time collection, including three John Wick films, the original Ghostbusters, a pair of Transformers movies and more.

They join an existing selection of films available to the streaming service’s subscribers, as well as all the content Apple TV+ itself produces or buys.

Get the skinny on your food’s nutritional value with healthy eating app Fooducate

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Fooducate healthy eating app: Eat smarter with this interactive food planning app for less than $50.
Track nutrition and wellness with the Fooducate app.
Photo: Cult of Mac deals

Eating healthy would be easier if food manufacturers told us exactly what’s in their products. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that perfect world. But Fooducate, a clean eating app that can help you achieve your nutritional and fitness goals, is here to keep the grocery stores honest.

This easy-to-use food planning app makes every aspect of your diet easier, from the checkout counter to the doctor’s office. Better yet, Fooducate is designed to help users create a healthier relationship with food. Now, a lifetime subscription to the Fooducate Pro Plan costs only $49.99 (regularly $149). That’s the best price you’ll find anywhere online.

Remove duplicate files and clean up your Mac with Washing Machine X9

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Getting rid of unnecessary files will speed up your Mac.
Getting rid of unnecessary files will speed up your Mac. And this software makes it easy.
Photo: Intego

It’s almost time for spring cleaning — and that can and should include tidying up your Mac’s files. If you want to do the job right, try professional software like Mac Washing Machine X9 from Intego’s robust software suite.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by Intego.
Read more about the software — and how to get a great deal on it — below. It’ll get rid of unneeded files and have your Mac running like a champ in no time.

Train for your future IT career with this 169-hour bundle

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A computer screen with code on it to illustrate a sale for the Ultimate Cybersecurity & IT Career Certification Pathway Training Bundle.
This is the perfect time of year to consider a new career.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Looking to go into a field that offers lots of job security? Check out The Ultimate Cybersecurity & IT Career Certification Pathway Training Bundle. These courses will prep you for a lucrative IT job. And for a limited time, the entire training bundle costs less than $28.

With this affordable course, you can get a head start on a bulletproof career path.

Google forced to delete user data by Chrome Incognito mode lawsuit

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The Google Chrome logo with the caption:
A lawsuit revealed that Google allowed users of Chrome's Incognito mode to think the app wasn't tracking them.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Google is reportedly required to delete the data it gathered while millions of users of its Chrome web bowser were in Incognito mode as part of settling a lawsuit.

Moving forward, the company will continue to track Chrome users in Incognito mode — while making it clearer that is what is happening.

Who is Colin Farrell’s gumshoe John Sugar? [Apple TV+ trailer]

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Colin Farrell stars as a private investigator in Sugar, debuting April 5 on Apple TV+.
Colin Farrell stars as a private investigator in Sugar, debuting this Friday on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

The new Apple TV+ trailer for LA-noir detective series Sugar asks an important question: Who is John Sugar? Well, apparently, the gumshoe played by Colin Farrell is a tough dude who “does one thing and one thing only: Find the missing.”

A legendary film producer played by veteran actor James Cromwell utters the line in the trailer, which Apple TV+ dropped Sunday. Having cast members like Cromwell adds some serious gravitas to a moody and engrossing-looking series (as if Farrell wasn’t enough).

You can see the new Sugar trailer, and the previous one, below. They should whet your appetite for some good ol’ fashioned-yet-contemporary LA crime noir. It comes up from time to time to great acclaim (see LA Confidential among others).

This weather radar app gives you real-time data you can use

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Weather Hi-Def Radar: This $39.99 weather radar app keeps you updated on storms, fires and more.
This $39.99 weather radar app keeps you updated on storms, fires and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With storms and flash floods becoming more prevalent, it’s more important than ever to stay up to date with the weather in your area. And a weather radar app like Weather Hi-Def Radar lets you do just that.

This isn’t just an upgraded version of the bare-bones Weather app on your iPhone. It’s an alert system and interactive map that allows you to plan your day and stay ahead of tornadoes, wildfires and more. And now, the Weather Hi-Def Radar Storm Watch Plus plan is priced at only $39.99 for life.

New Elgato Facecam ups picture quality at lower price

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Elgato Facecam Mk.2
With new HDR color technology, better light sensitivity and a new privacy shutter, Facecam Mk.2 is a formidable webcam.
Photo: Elgato

The new Elgato Facecam Mk.2, successor to the company’s popular Facecam webcam for creators and streamers, just came out. Improved picture quality, a new privacy shutter and other enhancements appear to make it a worthy upgrade. And that’s especially true because it carries a lower price than Facecam did at its launch.

Odd-couple dual displays suit MacBook rig [Setups]

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Different-size dual displays
The two primary external displays in this setup are different sizes and resolutions.
Photo: stephotosthings@Reddit.com

We see many, many dual-display computer setups in our coverage, with the vast majority being two screens of the same size, whether they’re oriented differently or not. But that’s not always the case. Today’s M1 Pro MacBook Pro and Windows laptop rig sports different-size dual displays that even have different resolutions. But it works for the user, a systems engineer who works for a software developer.

Apple Watch could become lifesaving pool attendant

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Apple Watch could become lifesaving pool attendant
What if your Apple Watch could sense if you are drowning and alert people nearby?
Drawing: Apple

Apple is investigating whether its wearable can prevent some of 4,000 drowning deaths every year in the United States. An engineer proposed a system for an Apple Watch to detect if the swimmer wearing it is in distress and send an alert to nearby iPhones.

The plan fits with Apple’s goal to bring more health-related features to Apple Watch.

Punch up your pix with this powerful Mac photo editor

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Get AI-powered photo editing with Luminar Neo plus a library of add-ons for under $150.
Get an AI-powered photo editor, filters and more for just $159.99.
Image: StackSocial

Getting just the right shot is exciting, but any professional photographer will tell you that post-production work separates decent vacation snapshots from magazine-worthy images. That requires powerful photo editing software. And photo apps don’t come much more highly recommended than Luminar Neo, which lets you utilize AI to make your images look amazing.

Now there’s a great opportunity for new users to get this versatile software (for Mac or PC), along with hundreds of dollars worth of add-ons and training. You can get the Award-Winning Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle for just $159.99 with code GET20. That’s a tremendous discount off the retail price of $752.)

Today in Apple history: First iPad reviews hail a true game-changer

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iPad
Did you own an original iPad?
Photo: Apple

March 31: Today in Apple history: First iPad reviews hail a true game-changer March 31, 2010: The world gets its first sense of how Apple’s tablet measures up, as the first iPad reviews hit the internet.

The consensus? That there’s no Flash, no USB, no multitasking — but Apple’s tablet offers an exciting new computing experience all the same. As USA Today writes, “The first iPad is a winner.”

Best external SSDs for Mac or iPad in 2024

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Best external SSDs for Mac or iPad
The best external SSD options add terabytes of storage, and are designed for portability.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Adding high-speed plug-in storage capacity to your computer is so easy it’s something every Mac user should consider. Here are some of the best consumer-oriented external SSDs that are designed for portability.

Today is World Backup Day, which seems a good opportunity to explore external storage options. Especially as there are deals on some of the best SSDs available.

1TB iCloud storage plan would be a win for both Apple and users

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1TB iCloud storage plan would be a win for both Apple and users
Adding a 1TB iCloud storage plan makes so much sense.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple offers iCloud plans for iPhone and Mac users who need a bit of extra storage capacity, and other plans for those who want a huge amount. But there’s a noticeable gap in the middle the company should really fill.

The lack of a 1TB iCloud+ storage plan is painfully evident. Adding it would be a boon to many users, and to Apple, too.

Today is World Backup Day — a fine opportunity to lobby for the additional tier.

WWDC24 is the name, and Apple AI is the game! [The CultCast]

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CultCast episode 640 promo image of sci-fi brain and circuit board and caption,
We have a date for WWDC24, and we know what's on the agenda!
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Now that Apple set a date for WWDC24, it’s time for the speculation to begin. Artificial intelligence undoubtedly will be on the agenda. But what will Apple’s AI push look like?

Join us for a whirlwind discussion.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Sounds like iOS 18 will give iPhone owners even more control over their Home Screens.
  • A flaw in Apple’s M-series processors sounds downright disturbing.
  • Apple’s got a trick up its sleeve to keep you from annoying iPhone upgrades.
  • And the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple makes some truly ludicrous claims.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Make PDF editing easier on Mac with PDF Expert

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Upgrade your Mac's PDF-handling capabilities this Cyber Week for only $70.
Get PDF Expert, an Apple Editor's Choice winner, for only $70 during Cyber Week!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

PDFs are arguably one of the most-used document formats by professionals, students and casual users alike. However, while they might be the best way to transmit documents, they’re not entirely easy to work with unless you own an excellent PDF editor for Mac like PDF Expert.

Fortunately, this app makes handling, organizing, annotating, merging and editing PDFs effortless. And for a limited time, you can get a lifetime license to this award-winning Mac app for just $109.99 (regularly $139).

Today in Apple history: Apple goes to war with The Beatles again

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Beatles
The Beatles' clash with Apple ran for almost 30 years.
Photo: Apple Corps

March 30: Today in Apple history: Apple goes to war with The Beatles again March 30, 2006: A court case begins that once again pits Apple Computer against Apple Corps, aka The Beatles’ record label and holding company.

The lawsuit caps a long-running legal battle between the two wealthy companies. It’s the final fight in an epic legal battle over music, technology and money.

7 reasons to get an Apple TV instead of a Roku

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Apple TV Better Than Roku?
Could it be? Yeah, I think so.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Comparing the Apple TV vs. Roku vs. other smart TV products, there are a lot of good reasons to stick with Apple’s offering — even though it’s more expensive.

Roku is the more popular product, selling plug-in devices for as little as $30. And if you buy a new TV today, it’s probably running Roku or Google TV software. Although the latest Apple TV 4K is a pricey $129, it offers better privacy protection, it’s easily controlled with your iPhone and Apple Watch, makes FaceTime calls, plays better games and runs faster.

Check out our latest video or keep reading.

Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for less than $25

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Upgrade your PC for less with this Windows 11 Pro sale.
See what Windows 11 can do for you with this limited-time price drop.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Not every Cult of Mac reader is all Mac, all the time. We know many of you use PCs for various reasons — and here’s the Windows 11 Pro sale you’ve been waiting for.

This limited-time price drop means you can get a lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro for less than $25 from Cult of Mac Deals.

iMessage getting RCS for better cross-platform texting in fall 2024

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iMessage vs. RCS ends in last 2024
The feature-limited version of texting available between iPhone and Android will come to an end in about six months.
Image: Apple

Google let slip that Apple will fulfill its promise to add support for Rich Communication Services to the iPhone Messages app “in the fall of 2024.”

That almost certainly means iPhone and Android users will enjoy higher quality cross-platform texting with the release of iOS 18 and not before.

Smartphone-maker’s new EV aims to equal Porsche and Tesla

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Xiaomi SU7 EV
Xiaomi's hot new SU7 EV wants to be like Porsche and Tesla EVs.
Photo: Xiaomi

A smartphone giant just came out with its first car. No, Apple hasn’t about-faced on its plans to scrap its decade-long Project Titan car program. Instead, Chinese tech behemoth Xiaomi unveiled a sporty electric vehicle Thursday it hopes will rival those made by Porsche and Tesla. It’s the Xiaomi SU7 EV series.