Cult of Mac

If you love building things — especially if you’re assembling something with a lot of small, delicate parts (i.e., a computer or a drone) — you might want to get a closer look at whatever it is you’re working with. And whether you’re using your weekends to tinker around by yourself or as a bonding activity with your child, this Veho DX Discovery USB Digital Microscope with Stand is the perfect tool to use.

Don’t expect the 2021 iPhone to be able to charge AirPods or Apple Watch. A reliable tipster says Apple doesn’t intend to build reverse wireless charging into future handsets. Not anytime soon, at least.

There’s an interesting new feature in iOS 14 that you might never have noticed. It’s called Mobility Metrics, and it tracks several things that offer insight into your overall fitness, coordination and health. Find out where to look for these metrics, and what to make of them, in our in-depth Mobility Metrics how-to.

Also in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine, we’ve got several hot rumors about upcoming Apple gear (and a possible March 16 event), plus loads of Apple TV+ reviews and first looks at upcoming shows. Download it now to enjoy on your iOS device.

P.S. If you’re a fan of Apple lore, don’t miss our exclusive interview with Del Yocam, the company’s first COO and a mentor to Steve Jobs. He’s got some interesting stories to tell.

Beats headphones set the standard for listening before Apple bought the company six years ago. Since then, Cupertino’s $3 billion acquisition has resulted in a slew of new products with Apple’s proprietary tech integrated into the Beats lineup for a seamless audio experience.

That means Beats fans know what to expect when using their headphones with Apple devices: smooth performance, excellent sound quality and thoughtful design. These Beats Solo Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling On-Ear Headphones are no exception. That’s why they earned 4.7/5 stars on Amazon out of 5,520 reviews. And now Cult of Mac Deals can offer these headphones at a massive 46% discount.

Apple TV+ is prepping at least 21 new shows, movies and additional seasons of current series for release throughout 2021, and possibly beyond. A new sizzle reel gives a glimpse of all of them in two exciting minutes.

Watch it now to get a glimpse of the dramas, comedies, sci-fi and action series Apple hopes will entice audiences in 2021.

And there may have been some surprise announcements.

Apple TV+ revealed Friday that Schmigadoon! will sing and dance its way onto the streaming service this summer. The comedy is a parody of iconic musicals, and is executive produced by Lorne Michaels of Saturday Night Live fame.

On this week’s episode of Apple TV+’s millennial melodrama Dickinson, Austin’s drowning, Emily’s flailing, Mrs. Dickinson’s catering two tea parties, and John Brown’s raiding Harper’s Ferry. And that’s just in the first few minutes.

The future hangs in the balance. And with only two episodes left in the show’s second season, every action and word counts. The show only wastes some of them.

Every good game deserves an expansion pack. Just like Apple TV+’s game-themed Mythic Quest deserves a season 2. New episodes of the twisted comedy premiere in May as the game developers struggle to create an expansion pack for their hit Raven’s Banquet.

Apple released a trailer of the upcoming season on Friday to prepare viewers for the crazy. Watch it now.

Apple TV+ will premiere a drama based on the classic book The Mosquito Coast this April. The first trailer for the series dropped Friday, and it looks like an adventure. (At least that’s what the lead character keeps telling us.)

In addition, Apple’s streaming service also revealed that ’80s comedy/drama Physical will debut this summer.

Blast through waves of zombies in Survival Z, an action game that launched Friday on Apple Arcade. You’ll be facing different types of shambling undead and must destroy them with an array of weapons and traps.

Pick up a brand-new and genuine Apple Smart Cover for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro for just $10.99 today on Woot. This is the lowest price we’ve seen so far on this model, but it’s good for today only. Enjoy it while you can!

Losing Alice starts to wind down its look at the perverse triangle formed by a screenwriter, a director and their star in the Apple TV+ psychothriller’s penultimate episode.

The time has come for Alice to direct David and Sophie in their big, erotic close-up. Can they find the chemistry needed to sell it before the wheels come off the machine and Sophie is found out?

Apple reintroduced its MagSafe branding for the magnetic charging and clip-on accessories system for the iPhone 12. But it’s hoping to introduce the best accessory yet with 2021’s iPhone refresh: a magnetically attached battery back.

This will reportedly wirelessly charge handsets on the go, extending the time you can use your iPhone between charges. Unfortunately, Apple is apparently having a few teething problems with it — and these could prove fatal.

Apple has reportedly began cracking down on apps that feature subscriptions Apple considers to be unreasonable, claims 9to5Mac.

The report cites a rejection email sent to one developer saying that the price of in-app purchases do not “do not reflect the value of the features and content” on offer. It also calls it a “rip-off to customers.”

If you own one of the iPhone 12 models — which Cult of Mac reviewers basically called the greatest thing since sliced bread — you know they’re fabulous smartphones. But even near-perfect devices can still be missing something.

And in this case, that “something” seems fairly obvious. But this Logiix Essential Kit — with an 18-watt power adapter and Lightning earphones — fills that void. It packs the accessories you wish your iPhone 12 came with out of the box.

Apple TV+’s alternate-history space race extravaganza For All Mankind is back for a second season (with a third already paid for). Things are different on the moon but they’re very much the same in the drama department.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company will make a “financial contribution” to assist local organizations’ relief efforts for people in Texas and elsewhere suffering from extreme winter weather.

Renowned cardiologist Dr. Heather Ross has teamed up with Apple to carry out a clinical study to see whether the Apple Watch could be used to predict worsening heart failure.

As part of the study, data that is collected using the Apple Watch’s sensors — including the Blood Oxygen app and mobility features — will be compared to the data that’s gathered by doctors using physical examinations. If it’s accurate, this could turn to be another exciting advance for the Apple Watch and its users.

It sounds like some kind of crazy game show scenario for a future Apple TV+ show: Would you dive into freezing cold water to retrieve an iPhone? And how new would that iPhone have to be for you to consider it worth your while?

In fact, it describes a real-life iPhone rescue mission that took place recently in Victoria, Canada, when Roman Czarnomski dived into the freezing harbor to retrieve his 2018-era iPhone XS. Czarnomski described the experience as “refreshing.”

Check out the video below.

When you sell an iPhone, Mac or other Apple computer, it’s critical to turn off Activation Lock or else the buyer won‘t be able to use the device. It’s easy to do when you still have the product, and not that much harder if you’ve already sold it.

Here’s what you need to know to prevent problems.

Microsoft on Thursday committed itself to releasing Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac and Windows. This is a one-payment version of Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and OneNote. It’s separate from the Office 365 subscription service.

And there’s good news about pricing.

News that Apple TV+ bought the rights to Luck from Skydance Animation only broke Wednesday, and there’s already word that screen legend Jane Fonda will take a major role in the film.

iPad fans should mark March 16 on their calendars. Apple will reportedly unveil faster iPad Pro models, a significantly redesigned iPad mini and AirTags item-location trackers at an event on that date.

Previous leaks already spilled many details about these upcoming devices. Now Korea’s Economic Daily News reports that Apple will take the wraps off these products on March 16. This is expected to be a virtual event broadcast to the public.

It’s now possible to watch Apple’s streaming service on the Chromecast with Google TV, a redesigned model of this video dongle that debuted in 2020. A version of the free Apple TV application launched Thursday for this accessory. It brings access to series like Ted Lasso and movies like Wolfwalkers.

Tony Walker has been an Apple user since 2003. As a college student in his early 20s, he did his classwork on a 12-inch PowerBook G4 and a 3rd generation iPod during downtime at his graveyard-shift job.

Things have changed a little almost two decades later.