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Reviews - page 22

The Crowded Room tries to get inside a killer’s head [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆

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Episode 1. Tom Holland in ★★☆☆
Despite starring Tom Holland, this is definitely not a Spider-Man movie.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review New Apple TV+ thriller The Crowded Room delves into a crime committed in New York at the end of the 1970s. Spider-Man star Tom Holland plays a troubled teen whose life in a halfway house leads to murder.

The miniseries stumbles a fair bit, but when it gets the steps right it proves quite compelling. Its depiction of lowlife decadence and debauchery almost hits the mark, but Holland can’t quite live up to the task of carrying all 10 episodes.

Peggy and Guru Bob find themselves in a tight spot on High Desert [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Rupert Friend and Patricia Arquette in ★★★★☆
Turns out selling bogus art to criminals isn't the smartest move.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review Apple TV+’s farcical neo-noir High Desert gets tied up this week as Peggy accidentally finds herself at the business end of some dangerous people’s guns. Guru Bob is kidnapped and tormented for his role in selling art forgeries to bad people, while Peggy’s quest to find Bob’s wife lands her in hot water with the Gatchi family.

The episode, entitled “A Nod Is Not a Hello,” is a raucous and funny time, even as the stakes climb higher by the minute

Things get awkward this week on Platonic [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Luke Macfarlane in ★★★★☆
Charlie (played by Luke Macfarlane) has a little trouble coming to terms with his "wife's boyfriend."
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ comedy Platonic finds Will and Charlie stepping outside of their comfort zones this week, at a greater cost than either imagined.

The show, about two adult friends who try to reclaim their nonsexual friendship at the start of their middle age, finds them Charlie’s wife Sylvia all keeping secrets from each other — a sure sign that everything’s going according to plan, right?

Entitled “My Wife’s Boyfriend,” it’s a surprisingly effective episode, despite all the comic games that come out of left field.

Hands on with iOS 17 Autocorrect and intelligent input improvements

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iOS 17 Keyboard settings
Entering text gets a bit easier, with fewer typos, in iOS 17.
Graphic: Apple
WWDC23

Apple is souping up the systems for entering text into iPhone with iOS 17. Autocorrect is getting enhanced with AI for fewer typos, as part of multiple improvements to what Apple calls “intelligent input.” And Dictation is getting a boost that promises more-accurate voice recognition, too.

I tested the changes in the first iOS 17 beta. Here’s how well they work … so far.

This clever multiport hub is also an accessory case [Review] ★★★★☆

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JSAUX Omnicase 2 Pro review★★★★☆
The JSAUX Omnicase 2 Pro includes just about all the ports a traveler needs.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The JSAUX Omnicase 2 Pro is an 11-in-1 USB-C travel hub that offers USB and video ports plus SD card readers. And it sets itself apart from rival hubs with a built-in case for storing a cable, various adapters and SD cards. It’s ready to connect a Mac or iPad to USB accessories, monitors, Ethernet, memory cards and more. And it includes adapters if you run into connection problems.

I tested the multiport hub out to see how well it works. Here’s what I found.

City on Fire has a wet hot Hamptons summer [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Wyatt Oleff in ★★★☆☆
Charlie (played by Wyatt Oleff) gets a rude awakening this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ thriller series City on Fire runs down its best leads this week. William has escaped an attempted murder, and flees to the one place he knows he might be safe. Nicky and Sol have one more trick up their sleeve to get even. And Charlie finds some disheartening things that put him even further in jeopardy than he was a few minutes ago.

Entitled “Annus Horriblis,” it’s a fine episode, even though it gives in to some of the very silliest tendencies prestige TV has to offer.

Silo ramps up the intrigue with a relic [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Rebecca Ferguson and Chinaza Uche in ★★★★☆
Sheriff Juliette (played by Rebecca Ferguson, left) and her deputy Billings (Chinaza Uche) try to get to the bottom of the silo's secrets.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewSilo, the dystopian Apple TV+ series about the last survivors of civilization living in a cavernous underground structure, finds new sheriff Juliette treading on shaky ground this week. With a reluctant Paul Billings in tow, she starts intensifying her search for clues. Meanwhile, the silo’s Judicial authorities start to get mighty suspicious of her motives.

The episode, entitled “The Relic,” is a creepy and involving installment of an increasingly interesting show.

Drops of God pours out an exquisite season finale [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Tomohisa Yamashita and Fleur Geffrier in ★★★★
Season one of Drops of God served up perfectly decanted drama.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewAs stellar Apple TV+ series Drops of God brings its first season to a close, Camille and Issei complete their last challenge in the contest to inherit their father’s estate. However, the real challenges remain ahead of them.

A final contest will test their allegiances and their strengths, but nothing will prepare them for their final trial. The Drops of God season one finale, entitled “All or Nothing,” serves as a wonderful conclusion to a surprise delight.

High Desert digs into Guru Bob’s weird past [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Matt Dillon and Patricia Arquette in ★★★★☆
Peggy's on the case. Sorta.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewOff-kilter Apple TV+ comedy High Desert, which stars Patricia Arquette as con artist-turned-private-investigator Peggy Newman, takes a detour into Guru Bob’s past this week.

In the episode, entitled “Soul Retrieval,” Peggy and her ex-husband get reacquainted with the good times and the bad times that so characterized their marriage. Plus, Peggy lands her first case — if she can remember to get around to it.

The wildly entertaining comedy procedural takes a beat from the main action this week and still proves fast on its feet.

Ted Lasso finale will make a believer out of you [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★

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Brett Goldstein, Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt in ★★★
It's finally time for Ted Lasso's last game with AFC Richmond.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewTed Lasso, the perpetually upbeat Apple TV+ show that blindsided a pandemic-stricken world with a cocktail of optimism and inspiration, comes to a fitting close this week after a remarkable three-season run.

The Ted Lasso finale, entitled “So Long, Farewell,” finds Ted’s team AFC Richmond up against its most fierce nemesis, Rupert Mannion’s West Ham United.

With West Ham’s old coach Nate back at Richmond after an awkward breakup, will the Greyhounds have what it takes to beat the Hammers? Just how optimistic can this show be?

Drugs fuel a poignant ‘divorce party’ on Platonic [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Seth Rogen and Tre Hale in ★★★★☆
What can go wrong when strippers and cocaine are involved?
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ comedy Platonic takes a look at the lighter side of divorce this week. The show, about two best friends who are suddenly back in each other’s lives after a prolonged absence, finds Sylvia deciding to throw Charlie a divorce party to get his mind off how well his ex is doing.

In the poignant episode, entitled “Divorce Party,” some drugs and changes of plan send Sylvia into a tailspin that makes her realize she isn’t where she wants to be anymore.

Foldable magnetic iPad mount proves stiff but useful [Review] ★★★★☆

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If you like your iPad mounted for use with your computer setup -- hello, Universal Control and Sidecar -- this mount can help.★★★★☆
If you like your iPad mounted for use with your computer setup -- hello, Universal Control and Sidecar -- this mount can help.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

If you like to mount your iPad as part of your computer setup — especially if you use Apple’s Universal Control or Sidecar — a foldable magnetic mount can be a big help. Kuxiu offers a high-quality product. It sent me one to try out.

My main impressions? Quality materials, strong magnets, good multidirectional design — and maybe I can skip going to the gym. This thing requires some muscle to move around.

Go ultrawide with this BenQ monitor for creatives [Review] ★★★★☆

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BenQ PD3420Q review★★★★☆
BenQ's ultrawide monitor has room for three apps side-by-side-by-side.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The BenQ PD3420Q is a ultrawide monitor designed to appeal to creative professionals with its atypical shape and color consistency with MacBooks.

The 34-inch screen has a 2K resolution and a 21:9 aspect ratio. And there are some nice additions, like a HotKey Puck and built-in KVM.

I tested the PD3420Q in my home office, exploring the advantages and drawbacks of the very wide screen.

3 Reasons to Watch: High Desert, the neo-noir comedy that Apple TV+ canceled too early

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Patricia Arquette in
Patricia Arquette whips High Desert into a frenzy in the role of Peggy Newman.
Photo: Apple TV+

In this installment of 3 Reasons to Watch, we’ll tell you why we’re buzzing about High Desert, the new Apple TV+ comedy starring livewire Patricia Arquette as daffy private eye Peggy Newman.

The show, created by Miss Congeniality writer Katie Ford and Grace and Frankie alums Nancy Fichman and Jennifer Hoppe, is a bawdy neo-noir set in a world of lowlifes and fake cowboys.

Here’s why you need to give High Desert the old college try.

Silo thrills with action and conspiracies [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★

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Rebecca Ferguson in ★★★
Sheriff Juliette Nichols (played by Rebecca Ferguson) just keeps getting deeper down the rabbit hole of silo conspiracies.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review Apple TV+ dystopian sci-fi hit Silo sends Juliette out on her second day as sheriff and into a minefield this week.

The show, about the last few thousand people on earth living inside a massive underground structure, unveils more tentacles of its political conspiracy. When Juliette and her new deputy look into the murder of their predecessors, they find corruption and lies in every corner they search. The episode, entitled “The Janitor’s Boy,” is a thrilling chapter in the Silo saga.

City on Fire dishes out clues and catastrophes [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Wyatt Oleff and Chase Sui Wonders in ★★★★☆
Charlie (played by Wyatt Oleff, left) is desperate to figure out who shot his friend Sam (Chase Sui Wonders), and why they did it.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewCity on Fire, the new Apple TV+ drama about a web of connections that expands from the attempted murder of an NYU student, nears what looks like a breakthrough this week.

Charlie finds a roll of undeveloped film that’s a missing piece of the puzzle surrounding the near-death of Samantha, the object of his affection. Nicky thinks he has the upper hand, but learns he’ll always be someone’s patsy. Plus, Keith and Regan follow a lead to a dead end, and Amory starts to sweat.

Entitled “Brass Tactics,” it’s an action-packed episode with few of City on Fire’s usual misplaced steps.

Drops of God prepares for its final showdown [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Fleur Geffrier and Tomohisa Yamashita in ★★★★☆
Camille (played by Fleur Geffrier, left) and Issei (Tomohisa Yamashita) get ready for their third wine-soaked challenge.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review This week on Drops of God, the excellent Apple TV+ show about two people competing for the title of greatest sommelier on earth, Camille and Issei consider their places in the world — and in their family lines.

Issei, fuming over a secret long kept, needs to focus for the final challenge. Camille, weighing an impulsive business decision, wonders what the next step for her will be, no matter whether she wins or loses.

Prehistoric Planet is the best dinosaur doc in a generation [Apple TV+ review] ★★★★★

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Triceratops in Prehistoric Planet season two★★★★★
Triceratops fights are a highlight of Prehistoric Planet season two.
Photo: Apple TV+

Season two of Prehistoric Planet will fill the heart of any dinosaur-obsessed child with joy. And adults should watch, too — especially anyone who still thinks dinos are slow-moving, stupid creatures that are just waiting around to go extinct.

These new episodes, which Apple TV+ doled out this week, combine cutting-edge CGI with the latest in paleontology. The result is a series that’s stunningly beautiful, exciting to watch and as scientifically accurate as possible.

Patricia Arquette kicks High Desert into high gear [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Weruche Opia and Patricia Arquette in ★★★★☆
Part private investigator, part Wild West show entertainer and all hustler, Peggy (played by Patricia Arquette, right) makes High Desert a blast.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review Apple TV+ neo-noir comedy High Desert gets mired in criminal business and stolen paintings this week. The show stars Patricia Arquette as Peggy Newman, who’s doing some on-the-ground investigation into a missing woman and the trail of chaos she left in her wake.

Is her husband, a mutilated guru, to blame? Or the woman’s mobbed-up brothers? The episode, entitled “Get Judy off the Bed,” delivers another delirious dose of the streaming service’s newest success.

Jamie Tartt shows some heart this week on Ted Lasso [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★

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Brett Goldstein and Phil Dunster in ★★★
Will Jamie Tartt (played by Phil Dunster, right) get his head straight this week on Ted Lasso?
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewTed Lasso, Apple TV+’s most popular show, is winding down, with just two episodes left before it closes up shop (likely for good). The fish-out-of-water football coach is trying to keep his struggling soccer team from the bottom of the rankings — and himself from the bottom of his feelings.

To complicate things, Jamie Tartt goes on an existential bender this week as he prepares for a big hometown gig, and Ted and his tough-guy coach Roy Kent need to figure out how to fix their star player. The episode, entitled “Mom City,” is about as good as this show gets.

Prep to be friends with actual benefits in new comedy Platonic [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Episode 3. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne in ★★★★☆
Platonic asks, "Why can't we be friends ... again?"
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewIn new Apple TV+ comedy Platonic, Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne play old pals who, after taking a hiatus from their intense friendship, learn that rekindling such a thing is a fraught proposition this far into their lives.

Created by Francesca Delblanco and Nicholas Stoller, Platonic is a lovely, lazy-day kind of a comedy that charms even when it seems like it could stand to straighten up and fly right.

Sit on your favorite Mac with a Throwboy pillow [Review] ★★★★☆

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A collection of Throwboy pillows sitting on a dingy tan couch★★★★☆
Throwboy: “Where do you want to sit today?” Oh wait, that’s Microsoft. Throwboy: “A cushion for the rest of us.”
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Throwboy pillows by Roberto Hoyos are a series of soft, squishy pillows that resemble your favorite Apple products. You can decorate your living room with astonishingly accurate facsimiles of the fan favorites — the Macintosh 128k, the iMac G3, the iPod, the iPhone — as well as the cult classics — the Lisa, the iMac G4 and the G4 Cube.

When I say “astonishingly accurate,” I’m not exaggerating. I was blown away by the attention to detail.

3 Reasons to Watch: Bad Sisters, the outrageous Irish black comedy on Apple TV+

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Sarah Greene, Anne-Marie Duff, Sharon Horgan, Eva Birthistle and Eve Hewson in
If you're not acquainted with the Garvey sisters, you're missing out.
Photo: Apple TV+

In this installment of 3 Reasons to Watch, we look at Bad Sisters, the Irish black comedy that racked up awards after its spectacular first season.

The acidic series follows the five Garvey sisters, who are complicit in a crime … but not in the way it initially appears. Here’s why you need to stream Bad Sisters yesterday.

Who needs HDMI? This gadget connects Mac or iPad to TV wirelessly [Review] ★★★★☆

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Who needs HDMI? This gadget connects Mac or iPad to TV wirelessly★★★★☆
Don't use a cable when the plug-and-play EZCast Pocket is so much more convenient.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

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.

City on Fire brings its mysteries to a steady simmer [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Nico Tortorella in ★★★☆☆
William (played by Nico Tortorella) finds himself in hot water this week on City on Fire.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewNew 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.