This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Well-placed sources say Apple’s AR/VR headset blew them away. Even the guy who dreamed up the Oculus Rift says it’s great.

The more we hear about the device nobody seems to need, the more intrigued we become. And with WWDC23 just weeks away, we don’t have long to wait for answers to our questions. In the meantime, we can imagine the possibilities …

Also on The CultCast:

• How Apple’s M3 chip will stack up against its predecessors.
• Five hidden features in iMessage that you should try ASAP.
• Erfon finally gives us an update on his beloved, but beleaguered, original HomePod.

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.

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I’ve written six nonfiction books about Apple, and every time during the writing process, I’d grind to a halt because I had no idea how to organize all the material I’d gathered.

So I’d do what every writer has done since time immemorial: I’d take reams and reams of notes, cut them up into small pieces, and then tape them together in an order that made some kind of sense. The trouble is, it rarely did!

Little did I know, there’s a much easier way: Scrivener.

Silo, Ted Lasso and Ghosted all showed up in this week’s lists of the most-watched streaming movies and TV shows. They offer further proof that Apple TV+ can successfully compete against Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.

In fact, Silo currently ranks as the most popular series on any streaming service.

EZCast Pocket lets a range of computers connect wirelessly to an external display. No additional software is needed — it’s very nearly as easy to use as a cable, but without the cable clutter.

I tested the affordable and very portable wireless video adapter in my home and on a business trip. Here are its strengths and occasional weaknesses.

Note: When this review was first published in March, there was so much interest that EZCast Pocket sold out almost immediately. Amazon once again has the product in stock so we’re re-publishing the review.

Searching for a job is frustrating. And it’s definitely not made any easier when you need to constantly revise your application materials for every new position, and figure out ways to get around bots that do much of the screening these days.

If you want to save time crafting quality resumes, there’s an AI tool that can help. Resoume is an intuitive resume-writing tool you can use to quickly craft your application materials. Get a lifetime subscription while it’s only $39.99, and future-proof your job search.

New Apple TV+ drama City on Fire, based on the book by Garth Risk Hallberg, tries to crack its central mysteries wide open this week.

William discovers he has a connection to the attempted murder of Samantha. Regan discovers she has more rats in her nest than she imagined. Charlie finds his allegiances tested as his sanity frays. Keith’s troubles are getting worse, and he still hasn’t even hit bottom.

Entitled “Land of a Thousand Dances,” it’s a good episode of the Dickensian potboiler, but it’s almost undone by rookie mistakes.

Learning how to play the piano is challenging, especially if you don’t have the time or cash for traditional lessons. Skoove is an iOS app designed to help you learn piano at home.

You can become a piano pro through Skoove’s virtual lessons thanks to interactive tutorials and feedback from advanced AI. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription to Skoove premium piano lessons for only $139.97 (regularly $300). That’s the best price across the web!

Apple Watch Ultra owners, this week’s giveaway is for you. We teamed up with Elkson to give away five Quattro Pro 2.0 cases for Apple Watch Ultra. All winners also will receive an Apple Watch Ultra screen protector for an added layer of protection.

This great bundle retails for $25.99. It’s excellent for any Apple Watch Ultra wearer who’s looking for some extra comfort and protection.

Ugreen unveiled its new 6-in-1 USB Steam Deck Dock Thursday, saying it provides gamers with a range of high-speed connectivity, 4K@60Hz output and fast charging.

And it’s on sale at Amazon. See below.

Apple TV+ dystopian sci-fi hit Silo investigates a high-profile murder and a hero’s childhood this week.

The show, about the last people on Earth living in hellish conditions underground, follows new Sheriff Juliette Nichols as she gets wrapped up in her first homicide investigation with Deputy Marnes. Plus, it delves into her past as she remembers the circumstances under which she became a machinist.

As this show progresses, it gets a little better with each episode and each twisty plot development.

The first betas of iOS 16.6 and macOS Ventura 13.5 went to developers on Friday. The same is true for iPadOS 16.6 beta 1, watchOS 9.6 beta 1 and tvOS 16.6 beta 1.

The timing might seem odd because Apple is expected to unveil iOS 17, macOS 14 and the replacements for its other operating systems in a couple of weeks, but this is normal.

This week’s episode of the Apple TV+ series Drops of God, about the differing paths of two potential heirs to a fortune in wine, finds Camille on an excursion and Issei in a fog.

Camille and Lorenzo take a jog to Italy to do research before the second challenge. And Issei and Yurika discover some things about his personal history that make the contest even more bitter. Entitled “Legacy,” the episode splashes out a very fine bit of work from this team.

If you invested in Apple’s fantastic AirPods Pro (2nd generation) earbuds, shouldn’t you consider protecting that investment with an exceptional carrying case?

Elago’s Liquid Hybrid Case, available with a handy nylon lanyard, is now available in the Cult of Mac Store at a great price.

Edifier unveiled a new version of its bestselling wireless over-ear headphones Friday. The active-noise-canceling (ANC) W820NB Plus — the Plus is added to the older set’s name — bring support for the high-definition LDAC Bluetooth codec as well as Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification.

And you know what else sounds good? The price — $79.99.

Gabriel B., a 13-year-old student and photographer in Baton Rouge, La., sent pics and commentary showcasing and describing his well-equipped MacBook Air-and-dual-display setup to Cult of Mac this week.

He noted his Intel MacBook powers an “army of peripherals,” but it’s not quite up to the work he asks of it. And how has he already filled 3TB of digital storage space, anyway? Well, that’s what heavy photo and video editing will do.

If you love Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang, the kids-and-family slate Apple TV+ plans for this summer should be right up your alley (or in your dog house).

Apple TV+ said Friday you can expect two new Peanuts specials, the new series Camp Snoopy and, outside of Linus and Lucy’s world, new seasons of Duck & Goose, Eva the Owlet and the award-winning Lovely Little Farm.

There’s no time like the present to score amazing deals on crucial Microsoft software. When you shop at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com. you will find amazingly low prices on Windows, Office and more.

And don’t forget, if you want to get the most-possible savings, be sure to enter promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com. That cuts an additional 30% off the site’s super-low prices on keys for Windows 10 Pro, Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and more.

Light: It takes up no space, yet it does so much for the feel of a room. If only the lamps that produce that light could be so compact, right?

If you’ve got a taste for subtle appliances that make a big impact, this sleek LED corner floor lamp may be the solution to your decor dilemma.

A recent study found that web browser clutter is a source of stress for many people. It’s a result of keeping large numbers of tabs open and disorganized.

Here are some tips for managing the number of browser tabs you keep open, including using Safari’s system for organizing them.

Apple TV+ limited series The Last Thing He Told Me comes to a shockingly emotional end this week.

In the series finale, Hannah makes a calculated risk on behalf of her stepdaughter and herself, and they’re both still distraught over the disappearance of their husband and father. Plus, a shadowy criminal and a U.S. Marshal offer competing visions of safety for the pair — and no one’s sure which one is better.

Apple reportedly banned its employees from using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT for work purposes. The company’s decision stems from concerns about confidential data leakage.

Apple informed its employees about this move through an internal memo.

If you’re itching to explore new educational avenues, modern advancements make it easier and more affordable than ever to get that underway. Lifetime access to hundreds of courses, including the ability to learn up to two dozen languages, can be accessed now for far less than you might imagine.

The Unlimited Lifetime Learning Subscription Bundle is available for only $170.99 (regularly $900) when you use coupon code ROSETTA10 at checkout. That’s an incredible price that pairs highly rated courses from StackSkills Unlimited and a lifetime subscription to Rosetta Stone.

The first trailer for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon opens with bare-chested members of the Osage Nation dancing exuberantly in slow motion around an oilfield gusher. And then things get dark … really dark, really fast.

It’s a riveting first look at the movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, which comes to Apple TV+ this October.

OpenAI introduced ChatGPT for iOS, an application that brings the much-hyped chatbot powered by artificial intelligence to iPhone users.

It is free and has all the features of the web version, which means it is ready to answer questions with generally correct answers. Plus, this iOS version supports OpenAI’s speech recognition system.

Apple rolled out its new multiview feature on Apple TV 4K Thursday. It lets sports fans watch four streams at once, mixing and matching programming in a choice of layouts.

And that programming can include not just Major League Soccer matches and Friday Night Baseball games, but also selected MLS and MLB live shows with commentators.