Accomplished Irish actor Fiona Shaw joined the cast of Bad Sisters in an “inside look” at season two video Apple TV+ released Monday, ahead of the new season’s Wednesday debut. And this Bad Sisters season 2 video, really just a promo, is pretty entertaining.

“Thanks very much for welcoming me into your dangerous, hostile little world,” Shaw quips to the group of woman seated around a table. And later in the chat, she says of the Garvey sisters: “When they’re all together they become a kind of phalanx of meerkats.”

That line provokes gales of laughter from the “Garveys” in a video that is, essentially, a season one recap, a look ahead to the imminent season two and, maybe above all, a celebration of women.

Back when Apple Music put out its 100 Best Albums of all time list, some people expressed shock at the No. 1 pick — 1998’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. And now they might be shocked they’re being asked to pay a whopping $450 for a fancy-schmancy, limited-edition coffee-table book version of the whole list. That seems like an Apple move, doesn’t it? But if you’re into it, act fast — only 1,500 copies exist.

However, before you do … you know you could buy an M1 or maybe an M2 Mac mini with that $450, right? Just sayin’.

Does “incredible never-before-seen footage of rare and remarkable animal behaviors, highlighting the brilliant intelligence of the natural world” sound good to you? Then get excited for the new 10-part nature documentary series Apple TV+ unveiled Monday with that description, The Secret Lives of Animals.

And no, the series doesn’t come with David Attenborough narration. But you still get a great English accent. SAG Award winner Hugh Bonneville, of Downton Abbey fame, plays that role for this one.

Anyone hoping to hack into an iPhone now finds it more difficult thanks to a change in iOS 18.1. Whether this is police, foreign espionage agents or criminal hackers, there’s now much less time to crack the security on Apple handsets because of a simple trick.

It’s another example of Apple being serious about protecting user privacy.

November 9, 1994: Gil Amelio, a businessman with a reputation as a talented turnaround artist, joins Apple’s board.

Coming off his impressive revitalization of two other tech companies, National Semiconductor and Rockwell International, Amelio’s appointment at Apple sparks widespread celebration. Many Apple watchers think his arrival means the company’s dark days are over. Sadly, Amelio’s turnaround tricks won’t work in Cupertino.

Every time you leave your desk, the battery clock starts ticking. Which of your Apple devices will need to recharge first? Luckily, you can recharge three at once with this 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad.

It looks a lot like Apple’s MagSafe Duo, but it can handle three devices, not just two, which makes it an even more convenient travel charger. Plus, it costs a fraction of what Apple’s charger does. And now it’s even cheaper, thanks to a limited-time deal that drops the price to just $26.97 (regularly $69.99).

No sign yet appears of Apple’s annual gift guide. But the iPhone giant has officially extended its holiday return period for most purchases. So the holidays have officially begun! Each year Apple gives purchasers and giftees a little more time than usual to return items.

The bottom line: “Eligible products at the Apple Store Online that are received between November 8, 2024 and December 25, 2024, may be returned through January 8, 2025,” Apple said on its website.

The smart home industry’s universal technology standard, Matter, will get a significant update that could make it easier for Apple users to integrate non-Apple devices into their smart home setups, according to a new report. The new Matter 1.4 update introduces several key improvements, some long-awaited — including enhanced multi-admin capabilities and expanded device support.

AirPods come with no obvious controls, so it’s easy to think you just stick them in your ears and start listening. But Apple’s wireless earbuds offer features that aren’t immediately obvious. We recently published six hidden tips and tricks for AirPods. Now here are a few more you might not know.

The latest group covers how to easily control your AirPods, how to find a lost one, and a simple way to extend their battery life.

Concept designer Antonio De Rosa issued a slick new set of designs Thursday for what he’s calling “17 Pro Max: Thinnovation,” despite Apple’s legal department getting in his face a while back over some of his concepts looking “too real.” For the new one, he left out the word “iPhone” and used AI to help avoid copyright infringement, he said. And his passion for the work — and for Apple — outweighed his fear of retribution.

“Call me a fanboy, but I love these products and even the illusion to ‘work’ for any of those,” De Rosa told Cult of Mac. “It makes me feel happy. Maybe I can save them some headaches looking at my works; they could say ‘Naaa, this is ugly, let’s pass on [it].’ Who knows, maybe I’m helping to have less ugly phones.”