Cult of Mac

Steve Martin is a comedy legend going way, way back, as the trailer for a new documentary called STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces shows, below. The Apple TV+ documentary, debuting Friday, is chock-full of admiring celebs talking about the famous comedian, plus clips from his wild and crazy standup years in the 1970s.

UPDATE: The two-part documentary — and the two parts are quite distinct, like two different documentaries — premieres Friday, March 29, on Apple TV+. One part chronicles Martin’s meteoric rise to fame decades ago and the other part nestles into his happy and fulfilled life now. Reviews so far seem quite positive, though the two parts don’t provide a complete, linear account of all the legend’s accomplishments.

A version of Apple Pencil stylus that can be used with the Vision Pro AR headset is in testing, according to an unconfirmed report.

And there’s proof that Apple is at least considering the idea — it filed for a patent on methods of using a stylus to create virtual objects while wearing a headset.

It’s the best of both worlds: A computer setup with a Mac and a PC. They each have their strengths. But how best to use both in the same workstation? Well, today’s setup does it with a MacBook Pro and Anker dock arrangement.

The user, a systems engineer for a software developer, relies on an Anker 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 dock to connect an M1 Pro MacBook Pro and Windows laptop to displays that suit them, plus other peripherals.

This JBL earbuds sale lets you get the wireless earbuds for only $60. These well-reviewed noise-canceling earbuds are highly rated for their bass-heavy sound and long battery life.

This deal is “open box,” which means it’s excess inventory. They could have been a display set that sat on a store shelf. But aside from being removed from the original packaging, these earbuds are certified as new. The packaging might show some wear or have extra stickers, but the gear itself is in prime condition.

Receiving calls from unknown numbers is a recurring theme that can often be quite aggravating to deal with, especially since most of them tend to be from pranksters and telemarketers. However, the fact remains that some calls may be important, which raises the question, how can you truly distinguish the real from the fake?

An AI writer can significantly reduce the time it takes to craft copy, and that’s precisely what Write Bot is designed to do. Perfect for bloggers, marketers and content creators, this AI writing bot makes the writing process incredibly easy and efficient with the power of artificial intelligence.

Right now, a Lifetime Pro subscription to Write Bot is priced down to just $19.97 (regularly $539.40).

A release date for much anticipated 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air will come in early May, according to a reliable source of Apple information. Fans of Apple tablets have been on tenterhooks as the announcements for these had been expected weeks ago.

This will reportedly be the debut of the first iPad Pro with an OLED display plus the largest iPad Air model yet.

Apple’s upcoming M3 Ultra chip won’t consist of two M3 Max processors merged together, according to information leaking out of Cupertino. The change from its predecessors would free up designers to make the next-gen Apple silicon even more powerful.

It even raises the possibility of an M3 Extreme, a workstation-level processor that would give the Mac Pro a reason to exist. With Apple continuing to push the boundaries of performance, the Apple M3 lineup is expected to redefine computing power—learn more about it in Apple’s unveiling of the M3 Ultra chip.

Apple plans to release the first Immersive Video sports film Thursday at 6 p.m. PT. It’s a 5-minute recap of the 2023 MLS playoffs.

And the 180-degree 3D soccer blowout with Spatial Audio will be free in the Apple TV app for all Vision Pro users.

You may not want to spend top dollar on a new Mac or iPad, but how about bargain-basement deals on older Apple gear? That’s what Amazon bargain site Woot! asks with its latest sale on 40 items.

As the site says: “Apple iMacs, MacBooks, and iPads: Whether you need a big-screen powerhouse, a portable productivity partner, or a tablet to rule them all, we’ve got the iDevices you crave.”

You’ve got a little over a week to shop a wide range of Apple computers, some rather old (and really cheap) and some not so long in the tooth. The sale ends at 10 p.m. Pacific on April 6. See some highlights below.

And if you’re in the market for new Apple accessories, Woot! also offers $3 off with promo code APPLEBITE (although that sale ends March 31.)

Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip has got a whopping $100 discount within weeks of its launch. Thanks to the deal, you can get Apple’s latest 13-inch Air for just $999.

A $50-$100 discount is also available on other configurations of the machine.

Apple TV+ may not pack in as many movies and TV shows as other major streaming platforms, but what it showcases rates highest for quality on IMDb, according to a new report.

Apple TV+ tops quality ratings in 19 genre categories on the movie-database site, including drama, comedy, action, biography and children’s content. But its relatively small catalogue helps keep it from ranking high on value for its price.

Add the iPhone 12 to the list of handsets that support the new Qi2 cross-platform wireless charging standard that’s based on MagSafe. Apparently, Apple gave the older phones support for the newest chargers without mentioning it.

More recent iPhone models already can use Qi2 accessories.

The compact and slim Torras Ostand Power Bank is a second battery for your iPhone, providing 15-watt fast charging whenever and wherever you need it. It also serves as an iPhone stand and can charge other devices, like iPad, too.

Torras sent me a 5000mAh Ostand Power Bank to try. And it did not disappoint. Doing exactly what it claims to do, the device offers good value — especially while it’s discounted for the Amazon Big Spring Sale (see below).

Apple Maps could receive a pair of big updates this year: “Custom routes” and topographic maps. A developer from Argentina spotted the two new features recently in Apple code, saying they could arrive in iOS 18 and macOS 15.

If true, the changes will make Apple’s navigation application more useful for both drivers and hikers.

Mac mini may be Apple’s smallest desktop computer, but that doesn’t make it meek. It’s anything but meek, in fact. Today’s M2 Mac mini setup is the user’s first Apple rig, and the computer, working alongside a recent 12.9-inch iPad Pro, drives an impressive 35-inch LG ultra-wide display.

Within weeks of going on sale, Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air is available with a sweet $50 discount. The deal knocks the price of the entry-level configuration down to $1,249.

You can score a similar $50 discount on the 15-inch Air with M3 chip in 512GB and 16GB configurations. And, if you don’t need that massive 15-inch screen, you can get the 13-inch MacBook Air at an even bigger discount.

Apple reportedly released a tiny, tiny update to iOS and iPadOS on Wednesday. It’s possible this is the new version of the operating system supposedly needed for the much rumored — and much anticipated — 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air models.

Don’t go looking for the updates on your iPhone or iPad, however.

Update: The latest leak indicates that Apple’s next tablets won’t reach customers until May. They allegedly aren’t just waiting on software; production challenges are also supposedly pushing back the launch.

Apple TV+ pumped up its reputation as a hub for thought-provoking and visually stunning science fiction with Constellation, a series that’s part sci-fi, part horror and part family drama. The intricately plotted space thriller’s season finale airs Wednesday. And, as the season concludes, the show must clear a high bar to make the ending ring true.

After all, hit TV mysteries like Lost disappointed lots fans with their finales. And those same sci-fi fans (and their kids) are sick of being disappointed.

UPDATE: The show’s season finale is satisfying but does not “solve” the mysteries of space travelers’ fractured realities as much as it deepens them while inviting viewers, along with characters, to accept them. In some ways the show seems like a metaphor for mental illness as an unavoidable part of the human condition. The victim and their loved ones must accept what they cannot change so they can move on. And my Lysenko theory, below, turned out to be correct.

Known for compact and affordable chargers, Ugreen jumped into network-attached storage (NAS) devices in a big way Tuesday with a crowdfunding campaign for its new NASync products on Kickstarter.com.

That’s where you can pledge and save 40% on items that suit home and business users alike with high-speed, huge-capacity data storage, the company said.

Your iPhone doesn’t need to look like it came from 2012. You can easily swap out wallpapers and/or customize iPhone Home Screen layouts by adding widgets and folders (and by hiding unwanted apps from your view).

This guide will help set up your iPhone screen so it looks exactly how you want it to.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft expressed disappointment Tuesday over how The Dynasty documentary on Apple TV+ portrayed the football franchise’s championship teams, according to a new report.

Kraft made the comments while talking with reporters at an annual NFL meeting.

Apple CEO Tim Cook’s trip to China apparently scored a big win: Tencent will reportedly bring some of its biggest apps to the Vision Pro AR headset. The company developed both the hugely popular WeChat super app plus a wide array of successful games.

Vision Pro has not yet launched in China but the debut is expected soon.

WWDC24, this year’s big Apple developer conference, will start with a live-streamed event on June 10, the company said Tuesday. During the keynote, Apple undoubtedly will reveal its plans for iOS and its other computing platforms, with a rumored focus on AI.

After the keynote, set to stream for free at 10 a.m. Pacific on June 10, the rest of the week will be filled with prerecorded online sessions that will help developers implement the new features and APIs in their apps.

The conference will take the same format of the mixed online/in-person event Apple utilized the last two years.

Thunderbolt docks bristling with ports are great tools for connecting your Mac to displays and other peripherals in your computer setup. And right now you can get excellent deals at Amazon on well-reviewed 15-port CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 dock or — for blazing-fast connectivity — an 18-port Thunderbolt 4 dock.