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Take a gamble on Schmigadoon!, the inventive Scream of musicals [Apple TV+ review]

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Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key in Schmigadoon!
Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key wind up in a surreal situation.
Photo: Apple TV+

With a murderers’ row of talent behind and in front of the camera, and nods to handsome musicals and TV of the past, Schmigadoon! could become a major crossover hit for Apple TV+.

The new musical comedy injects a thoroughly modern sensibility into the classic Brigadoon storyline. Loaded with the obligatory singing and dancing you’d expect, it’s good and occasionally great.

If you like musicals, you’ll almost certainly love Schmigadoon!. The only question is, is the public’s thirst for musical theater enough to sell this high-concept gamble?

A Mac mini, a PC and a G4 walk into a podcasting primer … [Setups]

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See the G4 peeking out from under the desk? Ah, nostalgia.
See the G4 peeking out from under the desk? Ah, nostalgia.
Photo: omgaporksword@Reddit

It sounds like the setup to a punchline: A strapping young Mac mini, a yoked gaming PC and an elderly Power Mac G4 walk into a podcasting primer. Then what happens?

Well, if we’re talking about Redditor omgaporksword’s recent setup post, you learn a few OS-switching tricks, share some old-school Mac nostalgia and see how to position your USB microphone using a boom arm.

There is no punchline and there are no laughs. But please, people. Not everything is about humor. Except maybe omgaporksword’s Reddit handle.

How Apple uses US Customs and Border Protection to bust bogus AirPods

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AirPods
Not exactly authentic AirPods.
Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

When you think about the types of items typically seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, you might picture contraband like drugs or weapons. You probably don’t imagine knockoff AirPods as a target.

In fact, bogus earbuds are a big deal. Customs and Border Protection seized “roughly 360,000 counterfeit wireless headphones with a retail value of $62.2 million” since October, according to a story in The Information, citing previously unreported government data.

Apple is one several predominantly larger companies that work with Customs officers to help weed out copycat products upon their entry into the United States. And the counterfeit goods are not necessarily packaged to look exactly like actual Apple products. Here’s how it works.

Improved Alto’s Odyssey, Angry Birds arrive in Apple Arcade

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‘Angry Birds Reloaded’ is coming soon to Apple Arcade.
“Angry Birds Reloaded” is one of the classic games now available on Apple Arcade without the hassle of in-app purchases.
Photo: Rovio

A trio of classic games have been updated just for Apple Arcade. That includes Angry Birds Reloaded, Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City and Doodle God Universe.

All three debuted Friday on Apple’s subscription gaming service.

Lisey’s Story finale cements show as one of Apple TV+’s finest [Review]

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Lisey's Story finale review: Lisey learns to carry on.
Lisey, played by Julianne Moore, learns to carry on as the Stephen King-penned mini series concludes.
Photo: Apple TV+

The time has come for a bool hunt in Lisey’s Story! In the Apple TV+ series finale, Lisey and Dooley reach their final showdown — and get their last look at the brutal past just in the rearview mirror.

It’s a fitting end to the Stephen King-written miniseries about the widow of a famous writer and the crazed superfan who hunts her down. If you’re an Apple TV+ subscriber and haven’t watched this show yet, a rewarding binge awaits.

Make your MacBook a double-wide with this portable second screen

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Increase your workflow with this 11.6
Enjoy twice the screen space with this 11.6-inch portable display.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Laptop screens are large enough to enjoy movies and work efficiently, but sometimes a little more screen space proves beneficial. Whether you’re developing crucial IT skills or writing the next great American novel, having an additional screen provides more space to work.

That’s why this portable second screen from Ofiyaa is a must-have for laptop-toting professionals. And it’s available for a limited time at just $249.99.

How to send Soundmojis in Facebook Messenger

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Amp up your emoji game with Soundmojis in Facebook Messenger.
Amp up your emoji game with Soundmojis in Facebook Messenger.
Image: Facebook

Emoji just got a sonic boost in Facebook Messenger. The social network’s chat app added Soundmojis on Thursday, giving users the option of sending audio snippets with some key emoji.

At launch, you can send catchphrases from TV shows, bits of hit songs, and garden-variety stock sounds. If your conversation demands the world’s tiniest violin emoji, your chat partner can actually hear it!

Microsoft just won’t let Clippy die

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It looks like you're digging a shallow grave. Would you like help?
Shockingly, Microsoft’s Clippy has fans. and they’re responsible for bringing it back — in a limited form.
Image: Microsoft

Windows users can’t escape Clippy. The much hated personal assistant is coming back. Fortunately, it’ll be far less prominent than back in 1997. And Mac users won‘t have to see it at all.

Apple has made its share of mistakes over the years. But few of these can compare to Clippy’s irritating attempts to help people using Microsoft Office.

Save more with a year-long Sam’s Club membership for $19.99

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Score a Sam's Club membership and complimentary meal for $19.99
This discounted Sam's Club membership includes a free rotisserie chicken and cupcakes.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Walmart ranked as the world’s largest company by revenue in 2020, experiencing a 79% boost in e-commerce sales as a result of the pandemic. Similarly, Sam’s Club also boomed for pandemic-related reasons — it’s preferable to stock up on bulk items and save hundreds each shopping trip.

Apple loves Mophie’s new 3-in-1 MagSafe stand

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Apple loves Mophie’s new 3-in-1 MagSafe stand
The Mophie 3-in-1 stand for MagSafe Charger can juice up your iPhone 12, Apple Watch and AirPods.

You can charge an iPhone 12, Apple Watch and AirPods simultaneously with the just-released Mophie 3-in-1 stand for MagSafe Charger. Apple likes it so much the product is listed on the online Apple Store, an honor that doesn’t go to most accessories.

5 tips to make your iPhone secure

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Amp up your iPhone security with these easy tips.
Amp up your iPhone security with these easy tips.
Photo: Freepik

This post about iPhone security is brought to you by UnMask.

These days, it is not uncommon for someone to have their whole life saved on their iPhone. This includes their emails, banking information, passwords, photos, etc. If their phone gets stolen or hacked, they run the risk of losing all that data to strangers.

To help you avoid that fate, we came up with five tips you can follow to make your iPhone more secure and reduce the risk of compromising your confidential data. And we put together five more tips that can help you keep from getting your iPhone stolen.

New emoji will let you salute, melt, gasp and tear up

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New emoji will let you salute, melt, gasp and tear up
These are just some of the proposed emoji that could be coming to your iPhone or Mac.
Graphic: Emojipedia

Soon there could be new emoji that let you show you are melting, have a low battery or are feeling ambivalent or teary-eyed. These and more are on the list for approval in Emoji 14.0. But they might not appear in iPhones and other devices until 2022.

The list appears with World Emoji Day coming July 17.

Affordable Linksys mesh router gets HomeKit support

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HomeKit integration adds security to Linksys' mesh router system.
HomeKit integration adds security to Linksys' mesh router system.
Photo: Linksys

Linksys has rolled out support for Apple’s smart-home platform, HomeKit, in a firmware update for its flagship  affordable Wi-Fi router system. Now users can enjoy high-speed internet access throughout the house with a little extra peace of mind.

Love Ted Lasso? Hate it? Watch this ‘Honest Trailer’

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Whether you love Ted Lasso or hate it, the Honest Trailer will probably make you laugh.
Whether you love Ted Lasso or hate it, the Honest Trailer will probably make you laugh.
Photo: Fandom

With media outlets breathlessly reporting on every movie and TV show trailer that hits the internet, it’s great to see a hilarious one worth watching whether or not you care about the underlying title. That’s the case with the parody series Honest Trailers generally, and all the more so with its latest one about the Apple TV+ hit comedy Ted Lasso, released Wednesday.

Top-rated iScanner app turns your iPhone into a fully functional digital office

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Scan documents & more with this helpful app
This app lets you scan anything -- documents, ID cards, books, receipts, etc. -- using just your iOS device.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With all the sweeping changes of the last year, one thing seems to be sticking around (and maybe for the better): remote work opportunities. It seems that one out of four Americans will continue to work from home — and by 2025, approximately 36.2 million Americans will work remotely.

That’s an 87% increase from previous years! And while the added flexibility and increased work/life balance that can accompany remote work might be beneficial, not having immediate access to common office machines can certainly decrease productivity. Luckily, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on office equipment: This iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription allows you to easily scan, edit and organize documents, books, receipts, forms and more, right from your iPhone or iPad.

‘iPhone 13’ could feature Wi-Fi 6E for even better connectivity

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iPhone 12 Pro Max review: The industrial design will leave you breathless.
But you'll need a compatible Wi-Fi router to enjoy it.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple’s next-generation “iPhone 13” devices could feature Wi-Fi 6E technology for even better connectivity, according to a new report.

The extended version of Wi-Fi 6 — which is already available in iPhone 11 and later — promises even faster speeds and better range using the 6GHz band. But you probably won’t be able to enjoy it out of the box.

Microsoft’s new Cloud PC feature streams Windows to Mac and iPad

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Microsoft Windows 365 Cloud PC
Windows anywhere, on any device.
Photo: Microsoft

Who needs Boot Camp when you can stream Windows to your Mac? Microsoft’s newly announced Windows 365 feature allows you to use Windows 10 and 11 on almost any device — including Mac and iPad.

With a Cloud PC, you get an instant-on experience and access to all your data, software, and settings anywhere. And you’ll be able to configure your setup to suit your needs. The service launches on August 2, 2021.

iOS 15, watchOS 8 let you install updates with less than 500MB of available storage

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iOS 15 brings welcome enhancements to FaceTime, Notifications, more
Great news for Apple Watch Series 3, in particular.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and watchOS 8 betas, rolled out to registered developers on Wednesday, allow you to install software updates with less than 500MB of available storage.

The change means that devices with lower storage capacities — like Apple Watch Series 3, which has only 8GB — will now be a lot easier to update.

How to use a long, alphanumeric iPhone passcode so cops can’t hack it [Update]

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iPhone passcode
A strong passcode is the next-best thing to keeping your iPhone in a safe.
Photo: Rob Pongsajapan/FlickrCC

It’s time to stop using that useless six-digit passcode on your iPhone. Now that cops around the United States are going crazy for the GrayKey, a little box that can crack your iPhone’s passcode in hours, it has become clear that the iPhone’s regular six-digit numerical code is no longer secure.

Plus, now that GrayKey is available, it won’t be long before they’re in the hands of the bad guys, too, if they’re not already. In fact, instructions on how GrayKey works surfaced online last month.

The good news is, it’s super-easy to change your iPhone passcode to something a lot better. The bad news? There actually isn’t any, unless you already have the cops trying to break into your iPhone — in which case you’ve got plenty of bad news already.

Be a multitasking hero with this slide app for Mac

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Bring more flexibility to your Mac with this slide app
Slidepad brings the iPad's slide in/out feature to your Mac.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Ever wanted your Mac to work more like your iPad? Well, now it can. This Slidepad Mac App: Lifetime Subscription brings the slide in/out feature that iPads have to your Mac. That means all you crazy Mac multitaskers can easily and intuitively access all the apps and media you’re using, instantly.