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We talk AirPods with health features, and Apple TV+’s hits and misses, on The CultCast

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CultCast 442: AirPods with health sensors
Can you handle some hot, hot beta action?
Image: The CultCast

This week on The CultCast: AirPods with new sensors could be on the horizon, and that would fit perfectly with Apple’s always-on approach to health. Find out why we can’t wait for in-ear health trackers. Or for Apple to revamp the musty Messages app for Mac.

Plus, we discuss the aftermath of last week’s controversial chat with hotshot Apple leaker, Jon Prosser. And finally, Cult of Mac TV reviewer Scout Tafoya tells us why you probably ought to queue up Defending Jacob (and why you might want to skip Central Park).

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Final episode of Defending Jacob delivers no easy answers [Apple TV+ review]

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Defending Jacob review: The Apple TV+ crime drama Defending Jacobcomes to a powerful conclusion.
The Apple TV+ crime drama comes to a powerful conclusion.
Photo: Apple TV+

Breakout Apple TV+ series Defending Jacob comes to a gutsy and strong conclusion by leaving its characters, and its audience, in the lurch. This is the smartest decision the show’s creators could have made.

The limited series’ ending, which premieres Friday, shifts everything we’ve seen so far into an entirely new light. It likely will haunt you for some time to come.

Spoiler alert: Details about “After,” the final episode of Defending Jacob, follow.

Get 30% off custom Ray-Ban eyewear when you use Apple Pay

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Ray-Ban promo
Brighten your day by, err, wearing sunglasses.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s latest Apple Pay promo will get you 30% off custom sunglasses or eyeglasses from leading brand Ray-Ban.

Since prices for glasses are over $100, that means a saving of at least 30 bucks. Not bad, considering all you need to do is pay online using Apple Pay, and use a special code.

Bob’s Burgers creator can’t make lightning strike twice in Central Park [Apple TV+ review]

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Central Park is here to do exactly what focus groups say you want it to.
Central Park is here to do exactly what focus groups say you want it to.
Image: Apple TV+

Despite an impressive pedigree and a marketable cast, new Apple TV+ show Central Park seems primed to annoy as many people as it will please.

You must put up with an awful lot of very trendy singing and songwriting, and an overly precious approach to character and plotting, to get to the meager delights within.

Judge throws out plagiarism lawsuit involving Apple TV+ show Servant

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Apple TV+ Servant promo image.
Not a copycat, judge rules.
Photo: Apple

A federal judge has thrown out a copyright lawsuit against Apple and director M. Night Shyamalan claiming that Apple TV+ series Servant stole its core idea from a 2013 independent movie.

As with the spooky Servant, the movie The Truth About Emanuel is the story of a traumatized parent who hires a babysitter to look after a baby that (spoiler alert) turns out to actually be a doll.

AirPods helped Apple stay king of the wearables in Q1 2020

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Earphones
AirPods made up for some of the Apple Watch shortfall in Q1.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple remains the king of the wearables, according to IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, published Thursday. In total, the analytics firm claims that total device shipments for all wearables hit 72.6 million in the first three months of 2020. Of these, Apple shipped 21.2 million units.

Apple Watch remains the world’s no. 1 smart watch by a wide margin. However, shipments declined as a result of coronavirus-related challenges in the supply chain. Nonetheless, the continuing might of Apple’s AirPods — helped by Apple’s Beats “hearables” — was more than enough to offset the decline.

Trump executive order targets social media’s ‘selective censorship’

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President Trump signs the executive order.
Pres. Trump signs an executive order that seeks to overturn protections for Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Photo: White House

Days after Twitter labeled a Tweet by President Trump as false, Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that seeks to overturn liability protections for social media services.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the president’s most powerful political opponent, called the move “a desperate distraction” on the day U.S. deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic reached 100,000.

Apple TV+ picks up Hedy Lamarr biopic starring Gal Gadot

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Wonder Woman in 2017! Photo:Warner Bros. Pictures
Gal Gadot will put down the magic lasso and appear on Apple TV+ as Hedy Lamarr.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

Apple nipped a 8-episode biography of Hedy Lamarr away from Showtime. The drama will star Gal Gadot as the 20th-century actress who was also an inventor who helped lay the groundwork for some of today’s wireless technologies.

The show will appear on Apple TV+, the company’s streaming video service that’s taking on the likes of Netflix and Disney+.

Threatening bag of apples shuts down Apple Store in Oregon

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A protest at an Apple Store in Oregon turned out to be not dangerous.
Apple Bridgeport Village was shut down Wednesday because of a possible bomb.
Photo: Apple

A protester wrote a cryptic message on the window of the Apple Store in Tigard, Oregon, on Wednesday, and left a mysterious package. Police shut down the shopping center and sent in the bomb squad.

Fortunately, the bundle at the center of the furor turned out to be a non-dangerous bag of apples.

3 Apple Watch studies you can join to help fight COVID-19

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Stanford COVID-19 Wearables Study is open to Apple Watch and Fitbit wearers.
The Stanford COVID-19 Wearables Study looks to see if your Apple Watch or Fitbit can detect a coronavirus infection before you know you have it.
Photo: Stanford University

Scientists want to know if the health data an Apple Watch collects can be used to diagnose COVID-19. There are multiple research studies currently open to those with Apple’s wearable.

Participants contribute to the goal of detecting the illness before the wearer knows they’re sick.

Banish lockdown boredom with big savings on Fire TV devices

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Fire TV Edition Smart TVs
Now with Apple TV support!
Photo: Amazon

Amazon is helping us all say entertained during COVID-19 lockdowns with generous savings on its own Fire TV devices. You can pick up a Fire TV Stick for as little as $29.99, and Fire Edition TV sets from just $139.99.

All Fire TV devices now support Apple TV+ — as well as a host of other streaming services, including Netflix and Disney+. These are limited-time savings, so enjoy them before they disappear.

iPhone’s voice-to-text transcription sucks compared to Pixel’s

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Pixel 3
Transcription is one area Google's Pixel is ahead of the iPhone.
Photo: Google

Apple continues to lag behind when it comes to machine learning — and voice-to-text transcription on the iPhone is just one more example of this.

In a new video posted online by journalist James Chan, the iPhone’s speech transcription skills are put up against Alphabet’s Pixel smartphone. Not only is Apple’s version significantly slower, but it’s a whole lot less accurate, to boot.

Users flock to mental wellness apps during COVID-19 lockdown

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Mental wellness app downloads surge due to COVID-19. The coronavirus presents no end of challenges for people.
The coronavirus presents no end of challenges for people.
Photo: Fernando @cferdo/Unsplash CC

Alongside the physical health concerns during COVID-19, there’s been a massive uptick in mental health issues like anxiety. Those worries are highlighted by a big surge in mental wellness mobile app downloads, as noted in a new report from app analytics firm Sensor Tower.

The firm notes that the top 10 mental wellness apps experienced a big increase in downloads in April from the pre-lockdown January 2020. In all, apps like Calm, Headspace and Meditopia racked up a total of 10 million downloads last month.

Possible Apple Watch Leather Loop strap shows up online

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New Apple Watch straps 1
Are these forthcoming official Apple Watch straps?
Photo: Onewingleft/Reddit

The Apple Watch Leather Loop strap could be getting a redesign for this year’s Apple Watch Series 6. According to images posted to Reddit on Wednesday, the redesigned bands will come in (at least) black, blue, red and brown color options.

Unlike the existing Leather Loop straps, the new ones appear to have an additional accent color that runs down the edge of certain straps. It’s definitely a nice touch, design-wise — although there’s no guarantee that these are legit.

Buy the California home of a former Apple CEO for just … $37.5 million

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Former Apple CEO Mike Markkula's Rana Creek Ranch in Carmel Valley is up for sale. What better purchase to show off your Apple fan credentials?
What better purchase to show off your Apple fan credentials?
Photo: Hall and Hall

Want to own the home of a former Apple CEO? Wouldn’t we all? Unfortunately, you’ll need to pony up $37.5 million to do so.

Belonging to Mike Markkula, the angel investor who played a critical role in Apple’s early days, the ranch is the largest single landholding in Central California’s Carmel Valley. Markkula reportedly purchased it in 1982 for $8 million. He’s been trying to sell it since at least 2013 — and has dropped the price substantially during that time.

A video by the listing agency, Hall and Hall, lets you take a look around.

Huge discounts back on 2018 iPad Pro — get a 12.9-inch model for $730

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iPad Pro with Smart Keyboard
Go claim yours before they're all gone!
Photo: Apple

Woot is offering some of the biggest discounts we’ve ever seen on the 2018 iPad Pro today only. You can bag your refurbished 12.9-inch model for as little as $729.99 with 64GB of storage, or $839.99 with 256GB of storage.

Stock is selling fast, so be quick!

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SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit makes a run for Apple Arcade

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“SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit” debuts Friday on Apple Arcade
It’s up to SpongeBob to run to his friends’ rescue in a title coming soon to Apple Arcade.
Photo: Apple/Nickelodeon

The next game headed for Apple Arcade involves a certain pants-wearing sponge. A short preview video on Wednesday teased the upcoming Apple Arcade release of SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit.

Watch it now: