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Apple TV+ thriller 'Dr. Brain' will get inside your head

If you're not watching Dr. Brain, the new Apple TV+ show about a neuroscientist who devises a way to communicate with the dead, you're missing out.

The South Korean sci-fi thriller from director Kim Jee-woon is energetic, engaging and original. We're only two episodes in, and thing are already getting pretty wild.

"Dr. Brain exhibits an unyielding momentum, where every zoom and pan draws you down a corridor of suspense, of secondhand longing and mistrust, of unbelievable sights and sounds," raved our reviewer about this week's episode.

Will the show become a breakout hit like Netflix's Squid Game?

It's a tough ask, because Apple TV+ commands such a tiny sliver of the streaming market. But if you're an Apple TV+ subscriber, and you like creepy and creative shows, give Dr. Brain a shot -- and if you like it as much as we do, spread the word.

-- Lewis Wallace, managing editor

Apple TV+’s exciting new sci-fi series continues to unfurl its mysteries this week. Brilliant neuroscientist Sewon draws closer to ascertaining the full shape of the crimes that claimed the lives of his family, thanks to “brain syncs” with both his wife and an unexpected source.

News and opinion

Apple brought back the MagSafe charger for its newest MacBook Pro models — much to the delight of long-time fans who appreciated the proprietary charging port in the past. Unfortunately, Cupertino might have spoiled one of the biggest things that made MagSafe charging so great.

The 2021 MacBook Pro lineup is an exceptional upgrade over its predecessors, with new M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets that offer more computing power than ever before. And big companies are scrambling to reap the benefits.

Saying the 2021 MacBook Pro’s screen notch is controversial is putting it mildly. But Apple could have made it easier to bear. Building in Face ID would have better justified the display cutout — and also made the newest macOS notebooks easier to use.

Starting with iOS 15.2, iPhones will be able to detect if an iPhone or iPad user gets or sends a text with sexually explicit photos. The goal is to protect children from sexual predators.

More new features coming in iOS 15.2:

Cupertino is reportedly walking back a policy that might have put many small repair shops out of business.

How-tos

Creating a killer app isn’t the only way to make an honest buck in the Apple ecosystem. You can publish an ebook quickly and easily on Apple Books. It’s a straightforward way to sell your ideas, and doesn’t require any coding. In fact, the only software you need is probably installed on your Mac already.

This new feature makes the app much more comfortable to use at night and in low-light settings. We’ll show you how to switch it on.

With Turkey Day just around the corner, it's time to watch the beloved Peanuts holiday special -- on Apple TV+ or PBS.

Deals

Apple people are the hardest — and the easiest — to shop for. To help you decide what to get the Apple fanatic in your life (even if it’s you), we gathered up some of the best deals you’re going to see anywhere during our Pre-Black Friday Sale. And if you use code SAVE15NOV, you can get an extra 15% off.

Plus, more pre-Black Friday deals:

The Mini Game Entertainment System is styled like a Nintendo Entertainment System and comes with hundreds of classic games for around $30.

Usually $199, this KeepSolid VPN Unlimited Lifetime Deal is basically unbeatable.

If you’ve been looking for a great gift for the person who has everything, take a (very close) look at this seriously awesome WiFi Digital Microscope.

Reviews

Apple TV+’s newest (true crime) comedy is here to deliver laughter with a side of psychoanalysis. And it stars a couple of wise guys you might recognize: Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell.

Plus, more Apple TV+ reviews:

This stunner shields your valuable handset while also giving you an easy way to carry your credit cards and driver’s license.

You don’t have to splash out on an Apple TV to enjoy Apple TV+ and Apple Music alongside all your other favorite streaming services.

The Mophie Snap+ Powerstation Stand offers 10,000 mAh — enough to come close to recharging an iPhone 13 twice. It uses MagSafe so handset and charger cling together, and it comes with a couple of special features.

Setups

Proper attention to ergonomics for comfort, good posture and repetitive-strain avoidance starts with some basics. Here's how to go “ergo everything” on a MacBook Pro setup with a big external monitor and a nice set of peripherals, furniture and accessories.

Sometimes you see a workstation and you can pretty much tell by the gear what its owner does for a living.

Thanks to a swanky new Apple laptop, plus a few other bits and pieces I quickly acquired, I no longer wallow in a PC laptop pigsty.