Sponsored by Direct Mail: Create and send great looking email newsletters with Direct Mail, an easy to use email marketing app for the Mac. Get started for free and save 10% when you sign up for any pricing plan. Stories discussed in this episode: Apple extends repair program for AirPods Pro with crackling sound Universal Control now labeled ‘beta’ ahead of macOS Monterey release AirPods hearing aids capabilities just the start, says report Enjoy the podcast?...

Apple this week officially announced iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. While the external design looks pretty much the same as previous iPhones, the 14 Pro models have a new display design with Dynamic Island – a cutout at the top of the screen that replaces the notch with smart features. Read on as we detail how this feature works in practice. In terms of hardware, the iPhone 14 Pro’s screen has two separate cutouts: one for the Face ID sensors and one for the front camera....

Agents of SHIELD has a great track record of taking various tidbits from the movie side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – whether that be characters, plot points, or thematic motifs – and fully integrating them into its own ongoing narrative. This is, of course, an effort to fulfill its side of the “it’s all connected” bargain (the films themselves continue to neglect this bargain, and the Netflix series make token efforts at best)....

As season 4 of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. reached its mid-season finale this week, Gabriel Luna’s Robbie Reyes - otherwise known as Ghost Rider - was last seen bravely dragging his megalomaniac Uncle to another dimension before his raging god complex could wreak any more devastation. The addition of Ghost Rider has generally been received very positively by S.H.I.E.L.D. fans, with many vastly preferring Luna’s iteration to the previous live-action incarnation of the Rider - Nicholas Cage’s Johnny Blaze....

These alien races all originate from the comics, although some are pretty deep cuts. What’s more, many of them could prove to be a terrifying threat to Earth’s defenders. Let’s take a look at the alien races who are part of the Confederacy. This Page: The Kree, The Remorath, and The Rajaks The Kree The Kree were the first members of the Confederacy to be introduced in season 5. It’s worth noting, though, that the entire Kree Empire is not part of the Confederacy; rather, only the ancient ancestral House Kasius is....

Following the first reviews of the new MacBook Pros earlier this morning, the embargo has now been lifted on AirPods 3. The early reviews are here to go in-depth on the new design, spatial audio support, and much more. Head below for the full details on everything you need to know… AirPods 3 reviews The biggest change for AirPods 3 is the new design, which heavily resembles AirPods Pro, but without the replaceable ear tips....

The Golden Girls was an incredibly progressive show that was far ahead of its time. First airing on TV back in 1985, the series would conclude its seven-season-long run in 1992. Starring Betty White, Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan, the series was a beloved piece of sitcom history. The characters of Rose, Blanche, Dorothy, and the matriarch of the group, Sophia, were all deeply praised for being so fleshed out and well-developed....

Over the past decade, blockbusters have become the norm of modern cinema, regularly racking up billion dollar grosses. Last year alone brought four billion dollar movies, of which now are now amongst the top seven highest-grossing films of all-time. With grosses getting higher, one of the key factors thought to influence the incredible box office intakes are good reviews, but that isn’t always the case. The latest blockbuster on the block, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, is garnering less than stellar reviews - standing at a 29% Rotten Tomatoes rating - but its ultimate goal of becoming a massive success definitely isn’t out of the question....

Deadpool 2 is on its way, and with it comes the rolling waves of fan theories. Some are comic-based, some fully reliant on the trailers, and some are so outrageous they actually kind of make sense. While there’s really nothing about the Merc with a Mouth that will surprise us after he’s engaged in the most weirdest relationships in the world of comics, taken out every character in the Marvel universe, and carried around his own yapping head as a buddy, some interesting fan theories may play out yet in the film....

After months of uncertainty between different networks during which it looked like the project might be axed, Netflix has swooped in to make sure America’s live-action Death Note adaption lives on. Whether you’re a fan of the beloved anime, or have just seen enough snippets to be intrigued, it’s exciting to see the project moving forward. Word is that production is going to start in June, and we’ve already heard Paper Towns’ Nat Wolff and The Leftovers’ Margaret Qualley are set to take on the roles of Light Yagami and Misa Amane respectively....

Writing for television is a difficult balancing act. Showrunners are unfolding a story over a certain number of episodes, trying to pace everything in the best way possible. There are time constraints, as well as budgetary ones, not to mention a backbreaking schedule. Difficult decisions must be made and unfortunately, they don’t always work out in the show’s favor. Whether a season is twenty-two installments or ten, there is bound to be some filler, regardless of the quality of the writing....

Every story about a great hero needs one thing: a great villain to obstruct him and his destiny. After all, how can a hero prove his greatness without a great villain to oppose? In movies, great actors help create great villains, often giving powerful performances which can run the gamut from pure evil to sympathetic. Actors often remark that the villains are far more fun to play than the heroes, since a villain can do just about anything and get away with it....

It is arguable that the mainline series of Pokémon games is one of the most successful franchises on a handheld gaming console. Game Freak’s massive success with Pokémon Red and Blue in Japan, and in America, ushered in a whole new level of video game obsession, and fandom. The series initially swept through America by word of mouth; schoolyards were particularly infested with talk of the new pocket monsters. By the time Pokémon Gold and Silver were released, the fans playing the game had already become a little segregated into groups of casual gamers and those who aspired for more....

The Final Fantasy series first became a mainstream hit with the release of Final Fantasy VII. The success of Final Fantasy VII happened at around the same time that the Internet was becoming more prominent in homes across the world, which meant that a massive online community of fans was created around the series. Final Fantasy VII was a huge hit, but the previous games in the series were considered to be cult classics at best when they were first released....

Emotional investment can be risky business on a show like The Walking Dead. There isn’t much romance to be had in the first place, so the odds are low that the couple you’re rooting for is actually going to get down to business. If they do, it’s almost worse because then you inevitably have to deal with probable grisly end one of them will suffer for the sake of drama....

A Quiet Place director John Krasinski says that the surprise smash hit’s upcoming sequel may focus on different survivors of the alien apocalypse. When it comes to potential for return on investment, horror may well be the most reliable genre in Hollywood. While it’s very rare for a fright flick to be one of the top-grossing movies of the year - outside of major anomalies like IT - most horror films don’t cost very much to make by studio standards, and can easily earn back their budgets many times over....

According to Justice League producer Charles Roven, Ben Affleck is “certainly planning” on starring in filmmaker solo Batman movie right now. Justice League is Affleck’s third time portraying the Dark Knight - he also starred in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and cameoed in Suicide Squad - and the actor’s comments during the film’s press tour have only added fuel to the fire that his departure is imminent. Affleck was originally slated to write, direct, and star in a solo Batman film, but he stepped down from the writing and directing duties after a long pre-production process....

AirPods Pro fall to new all-time low of $179 Arguably the most compelling aspect of AirPods Pro is the active noise cancellation, which pairs with one of the best transparency modes on the market to deliver an enticing listening experience. That’s alongside newer additions like Spatial Audio and support for Dolby Atmos that launched earlier this summer on top of other new lossless streaming features. Not to mention, some other perks like Hey Siri support, IPX4 water resistance, and 24-hour battery life....

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum delivered yet another fantastic entry into the unexpected John Wick franchise. The first film arrived without much fanfare but proved to be a glorious treat for action movie fans. The sequels have continued to explore the fascinating world of assassins and their culture as they follow Keanu Reeves’ titular killer on his deadly journey. The John Wick films feel very unique, but they do owe a lot to some work that came before....

Few people have had an impact on comedy even half as big as Mel Brooks. The man’s quick wit and fearlessness in irreverently tackling serious subject matters proved to future generations that anything is funny if one looks at it in the right way. On paper, a comedy featuring a song called “Springtime For Hitler” sounds like a recipe for trouble. But not only did The Producers please audiences, it also earned Brooks an Academy Award for best original screenplay, beating out Arthur C....