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Spielberg and Hanks bring death from above in WWII drama Masters of the Air on Apple TV+

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Austin Butler, who recently played Elvis Presley, stars in the show.
Austin Butler, who recently played Elvis Presley, stars in the show.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ provided a first look Thursday at upcoming World War II drama series Masters of the Air, from the team behind the acclaimed wartime series Band of Brothers and The Pacific. That would be Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman.

So the gritty and realistic WWII action continues, and that’s OK by me. The new nine-episode series follows the harrowing missions of an 8th U.S. Army Air Force bomber group as it helped defeat Nazi Germany.

New MacBook Pro models with mini-LED could launch this year

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2023 MacBook Pro in 16-inch and 14-inch versions
The MacBook Pro models from January 2023 could be replaced by newer ones coming soon.
Image: Apple

Apple will return to its habit of introducing new MacBook Pro models in Q4, according to an unconfirmed report. Supposedly, 14-inch and 16-inch models will hit the market before the end of 2023, both with mini-LED screens.

If true, these will be the second round of new MacBook Pros this year.

Create words, images and more with this easy-to-use AI content generator

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Act quick for an unbeatable price on this all-in-one AI content tool.
Use this AI tool to generate posts, images and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

ChatGPT opened up the artificial intelligence floodgates, and now it seems like the possibilities of AI are limitless — possibly a bit too limitless for everyday users, in fact. Without effective filters, it’s tough to coax exactly the kind of output you need from open-ended AI tools.

Scribbyo fixes that. This all-in-one content creation platform channels the power of AI into templates you can use to create, well, pretty much anything. And thanks to a special fall promo, new users can get a lifetime license to Scribbyo for just $79.97 (regularly $1,692) through October 15.

How to stop macOS Sonoma from flashing your desktop

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macOS Sonoma brings widgets to the Mac desktop.
macOS Sonoma brings widgets to the Mac desktop, but maybe you don't want to see them every time you click.
Photo: Apple

Upgraded to macOS Sonoma? You probably noticed by now that clicking on your Mac’s desktop automatically hides all open windows, with the focus moving to your widgets and desktop shortcuts.

This is the new “Click wallpaper to reveal desktop” feature in the new Mac operating system. If you find this functionality annoying, here’s how to turn it off. That way, you can safely click your Mac’s desktop again.

PC upgrade bundle: Get Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for just $50

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Get MS Office and Windows 11 Pro for $50 through 10/15.
Limited-time price drop: Get Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for less than $50.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If your PC could use a little love in the software department, this bundle’s for you. It combines Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows, all for one low price. And if you need those upgrades, you’ll be thrilled to know that this bundle has been price-dropped to just $49.97  through October 15.

That’s a best-of-web price you won’t find anywhere else.

How to stop your iPhone from blaring out emergency alerts

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Feds test nationwide phone emergency alert system
The U.S. government recently tested its emergency notification system. You can opt out of these messages.
Photo: FCC/FEMA

There’s a way to prevent your iPhone from blaring out a loud alarm whenever the feds or local governments use the Wireless Emergency Alerts system. Setting your device so it ignores these alerts is actually quite easy, though it is more complicated than putting your iPhone in Silent mode.

Here’s how.

Apple rushes out fix for ‘warmer than expected’ iPhones

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iOS 17.0.3 Is the fix for ‘warmer than expected’ iPhones
Install iOS 17.0.3 to keep iPhone 15 from getting so hot.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iOS 17.0.3 just launched, and Apple promises it “addresses an issue that may cause iPhone to run warmer than expected.” This is a well-publicized problem with iPhone 15 models.

It also might increase the battery life of previous iOS handsets.

Apple educational outreach nurtures next-gen Hispanic leaders

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Students at TechConnect learn the fundamentals of coding while programming robots using iPad.
Students at TechConnect learn the fundamentals of coding while programming robots using iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s Community Education Initiative (CEI) brings “coding, creativity and career opportunities to learners of all ages, and to communities that are traditionally underrepresented in technology,” the tech giant said in a new feature story about its outreach success in Houston.

The article focuses on programs including TechConnect, which gives iPads to kids in various training projects. It joined the initiative in 2022.

‘My setup would make Steve Jobs roll in his grave’ [Setups]

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That's an HP Pavilion desktop machine running macOS.
That's an HP Pavilion desktop machine running macOS.
Photo: [email protected]

The quote in the headline above may be overly dramatic. Steve Jobs might not give a hoot that someone’s running macOS on an HP desktop machine. But the discussion on social media about whether it’s even worth it to bother with a hackintosh anymore is pretty interesting.

And if you’re into gaming, check out this guy’s mechanical keyboard and mouse.

Hit single ‘all-american bitch’ drives The Buccaneers 1870s aristocratic tale

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"The Buccaneers" are coming to raid English manors.
Photo: Apple

Olivia Rodrigo’s hit single “all-american bitch” and other tunes by women drive the new trailer Apple TV+ dropped Wednesday for The Buccaneers. The tale, set in 1870s England, comes from Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel of the same name, in which rich young American women mix it up with powerful English nobles.

It’s not the first series to pump out an anachronistic soundtrack. It debuts on Apple TV+ November 8 with three episodes. The remaining five come out on Wednesdays through December 13.

This Apple Watch Series 8 deal will make you forget about Series 9

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Apple Watch Series 8
The Apple Watch Series 8 focuses on women's health with a new body temperature sensor that can detect ovulation.
Screenshot: Apple

Planning to buy the Apple Watch Series 9 but don’t care about the new double tap gesture? Then, get the Apple Watch Series 8 for less than $300 instead.

With Amazon knocking up to $100 off the Series 8, the 2022 Apple Watch is an obvious choice over its successor.

Netflix plans to join wave of streaming price increases

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As part of a trend among streaming services, Netflix will jack up the price of ad-free streaming soon.
As part of a trend among streaming services, Netflix will jack up the price of ad-free streaming soon.
Photo: Netflix

With the writers and actors strikes now over if tentative agreements hold, Netflix plans to raise its ad-free streaming subscription price soon, joining other streaming platforms in doing so, a report said Tuesday.

PayPal and Venmo credit/debit cards now work with Apple Wallet, Apple Pay

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Add your PayPal or Venmo credit or debit cards to Apple Wallet for use with Apple Pay.
Add your PayPal or Venmo credit or debit cards to Apple Wallet for use with Apple Pay.
Photo: PayPal

If you use Apple Wallet and Apple Pay, now you can add your PayPal and Venmo credit and debit cards to the mix for easy payment on the go using iPhone or Apple Watch, PayPal said Wednesday.

This follows a previous PayPal announcement in November 2022 and some testing earlier this year.

How Apple muffed the iPhone 15 Pro’s new Action button

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Promo shot of iPhone 15 Pro with the Action button reversed to the opposite side
The Action button would be easier to reach for right-handed phone holders.
Photo: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

I’ve been using my new iPhone 15 Pro for a couple of weeks now, but I still haven’t gotten used to the new Action button.

The Action button can be configured to give easy, one-button access to a range of functions, from launching the flashlight to opening a Tesla car door.

I have mine set up to open the Camera app and then act as the shutter button. But it’s kinda useless for two reasons.

Create voiceovers in more than 600 voices and 140 languages

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Enjoy unlimited voiceover potential with $70 savings on this service that works with 160 languages.
Act now to get this lifetime AI voiceover subscription for just $49.97.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether creating a marketing campaign or a video project, voiceovers can make a powerful impact.  With this artificial intelligence-powered voiceover tool, you can create effective voiceovers in 600 different voices and 160 languages.

And during our Fall Deal Days sale, you can get a long-term solution to any voiceover needs at a surprisingly low cost. This lifetime subscription to Micmonster AI Voiceovers is available for only $49.97 (regularly $119) with no coupon required.

Apple TV+ plans to pack holiday season with kids-and-family specials

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Apple Original special “The Velveteen Rabbit,” debuts on November 22.
Apple Original special The Velveteen Rabbit debuts on November 22.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ set a slate of kids-and-family specials Tuesday for the upcoming holiday season, including the new Apple Original special The Velveteen Rabbit, based on Margery Williams’ beloved children’s book, on November 22.

But that’s not all. New holiday-themed episodes from series The Snoopy Show, Frog and Toad and Shape Island premiere December 1. And a special New Year’s Eve-themed episode of Sago Mini Friends comes out December 22.

Some Peanuts classics will stream for free, too — you don’t need to subscribe to Apple TV+ to see the classic Charlie Brown shows for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Speedy new Samsung T9 portable SSD puts 4TB in your pocket

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Samsung T9 portable SSD
The Samsung T9 SSD is small but holds terabytes of data.
Photo: Samsung

The just-launched Samsung T9 solid-state drive is small enough and tough enough to go almost anywhere. And it’s available in capacities up to 4 terabytes.

The USB-C drive offers high-speed data transfers, and support for USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 allows files to move even faster … but not for Mac users. If you’re considering alternatives, the Samsung T7 is another excellent option known for its reliability and speed.

Detectives duel over London murder in first look at Criminal Record on Apple TV+

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Academy Award winner Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo star in “Criminal Record,” premiering with the first two episodes on January 12 on Apple TV+.
Academy Award winner Peter Capaldi (left) and Cush Jumbo star in Criminal Record, premiering with the first two episodes on January 12 on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ unveiled a first look Tuesday at Criminal Record, an eight-episode crime thriller in which brilliant detectives clash over a high-profile murder in London.

Debuting January 12, the series stars Academy Award and BAFTA award winner Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who, The Thick of It) and Laurence Olivier Award and Critics Choice Award nominee Cush Jumbo (The Good Wife, The Good Fight, The Beast Must Die).

Feds will test nationwide phone emergency alert system on Wednesday

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Feds test nationwide phone emergency alert system
Your iPhone will get an emergency alert Wednesday that looks a lot like this.
Photo: FCC/FEMA

iPhones and Androids in the United States will receive an emergency alert Wednesday, but it’s not anything to worry about. It will come from a couple of U.S. government agencies testing the Wireless Emergency Alerts system.

This isn’t the first time the system has been tested — the feds are required to check that the system works every few years.

In short, just ignore it. Also ignore the crazy conspiracy theories surrounding the test.