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Apple TV Unveils Two New Sci-Fi Series Spin-Offs from Beloved Shows

Apple TV is solidifying its role as a top choice for science fiction fans, with thrilling spinoff series set to launch from two of its hit shows.

### Star City: A Spinoff of For All Mankind

Scheduled to debut on May 29, “Star City” is a spinoff of the celebrated series “For All Mankind.” This innovative show, which marked Apple TV’s initial venture into sci-fi, is currently in its fifth season. “Star City” will investigate an alternate historical account of the space race, shifting the narrative from the U.S. viewpoint to that of the Soviet Union.

Apple’s official description characterizes “Star City” as a “propulsive paranoid thriller” that revisits critical moments in the space race, specifically the Soviet Union’s milestone of landing a man on the moon. The series will examine the experiences of cosmonauts, engineers, and intelligence officials in the Soviet space program, emphasizing the dangers they faced to progress human exploration.

The initial two episodes will be accessible on May 29, followed by weekly installments concluding on July 10.

### Young Lee Shaw Prequel for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Another notable addition to Apple TV’s science fiction slate is the forthcoming spinoff of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.” This series, starring Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell, blends sci-fi action with character-driven storytelling within the Monsterverse.

The new show will center on Colonel Lee Shaw, played by Wyatt Russell, during a clandestine mission in 1984 aimed at disrupting Soviet efforts to unleash a giant Titan that could alter the Cold War’s power dynamics. Joby Harold, an Emmy-nominated writer, will be the showrunner and is also overseeing the larger Monsterverse franchise for Apple.

Although the release date for this spinoff has yet to be revealed, it is expected to premiere in 2027 or later.

### Conclusion

With these new spinoffs, Apple TV is broadening its sci-fi repertoire, inviting audiences to explore various aspects of cherished narratives. As the platform continues to expand, fans are left to speculate on whether more spinoffs or original content will shape its trajectory. Apple TV is available for $12.99 per month, with reduced rates through the Apple One bundle.

Remove These Data-Harvesting Chrome Extensions Without Delay

malicious Chrome extensions masquerade as helpful applications, ranging from games and utilities to social media sidebars. However, although they appear to be legitimate applications, the extensions inject code into the background of the user’s browsing sessions. These browser infiltrations lead to hackers stealing user data and injecting ads and harmful JavaScript into every site that users visit. Here’s the complete list of extensions pinpointed by Socket. Extensions with more than 1,000 downloads consist of:

  • Web Client for TikTok
  • Web Client for Telegram – Teleside
  • YouSide – Youtube Sidebar
  • Web Client for Youtube – SideYou
  • Formula Rush Racing Game
  • Page Auto Refresh
  • Page Locker
  • Text Translation
  • Web Client for Rugby Rush – SideGame
  • Telegram Multi-account
  • Black Beard Slot Machine
  • Clear Cache Plus
  • Speed Test for Chrome – WiFi SpeedTest

Experts recommend promptly removing any of these extensions from your Chrome web browser. To accomplish this, click on the three dots located in the upper right corner of your browser window. Then, hover over the tab labeled “Extensions” and click on the side panel, “Manage Extensions,” which will direct you to a list of all your Chrome extensions. If any of the 108 malicious extensions mentioned in the Socket report show up in this window, you should eliminate them without delay. Additionally, users are urged to log out of all Telegram web and mobile sessions. This can be done by navigating to the “Devices” section in their Telegram “Settings.” Users who have logged into the game and sidebar extensions are likely to have compromised their Google accounts and should review third-party access by visiting myaccount.google.com/permissions.

An intricate scam

The scheme employed a variety of seemingly genuine applications to aim at a broad range of victims. Extensions comprised text translators, page utility extensions, Telegram sidebars, slot machine and Keno games, as well as social media enhancers. The 108 attack vectors were distributed

Verizon Presents Complimentary Galaxy S26 Ultra and $100 Gift Card Deal

For the last few weeks, Verizon has been offering a promotion that provides a complimentary Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra when you add an eligible line to your account. This is already an impressive deal, but the carrier has seemingly decided to enhance the offer for online buyers.

By adding a line on the Unlimited Ultimate plan, Verizon will now give you $1,300 over 36 months (sufficient to cover the full cost of the S26 Ultra) PLUS a complimentary $100 gift card if you place your order online. No trade-in necessary!

To clarify, the free gift card promotion applies to ALL smartphone purchases when you add a line under the carrier’s myPlan system, so you can select the Verizon deal that suits you best. However, I would suggest that the Galaxy S26 Ultra provides the most value, as you aren’t required to process a trade-in to qualify for the substantial credit.

The gadget in question stands out as one of the top Android phones available today, featuring a stunning 6.9-inch AMOLED screen, integrated S Pen stylus, and the robust Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite processor. Like the entire Galaxy S26 series, the phone is also equipped with seven years of guaranteed OS/security updates and all of the latest AI-enhanced software capabilities.

The only significant drawback I see with the Galaxy S26 Ultra is its price, making offers like this crucial. The catch is that you must enroll in Verizon’s Unlimited Ultimate plan to take advantage of the savings, which is the carrier’s priciest option.

Nevertheless, you receive substantial value for your expenditure, as the data plan includes unlimited talk, text, and 5G Ultra Wideband data, numerous international perks, and an unlimited mobile hotspot. You also have the option to customize additional benefits for a modest monthly fee. These perks range from discounted streaming services to cloud storage and more.

Unlimited Ultimate begins at $90 per month for one line, although you can significantly reduce that cost by adding more lines and utilizing AutoPay. Yes, the phone plan isn’t inexpensive, but when you include a free Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra AND a $100 gift card? Now that’s what I consider making the price more palatable.

Apple Glasses Unveiling Showcases Firm’s Tactical Advantages

**Apple Glasses: An Insight into the Anticipated Smart Wearable**

Earlier this week, Mark Gurman at *Bloomberg* revealed new insights about Apple Glasses, particularly emphasizing design. Here’s why it appears that Apple is genuinely leveraging its strengths with this upcoming device.

### Apple Glasses Expected to Feature Iconic, ‘Instantly Recognizable’ Designs in Four Varieties

Earlier reports regarding Apple’s impending smart glasses have given us significant insights into the product’s capabilities. Expected features include comprehensive iPhone integration, cameras for photography and visual recognition, a voice-first interface with iOS 27’s updated Siri, and additional functionalities.

This week, we received our most extensive update on what Apple Glasses could potentially resemble. Mark Gurman elaborates at *Bloomberg*:

“Apple’s design team has developed at least four unique styles and intends to launch some or all of them, according to sources, along with various color options. The latest prototypes are crafted from a premium material known as acetate, recognized for being more resilient and luxurious than the conventional plastic utilized by many other brands.”

Here are the designs currently being tested:
– A large rectangular frame, evoking Ray-Ban Wayfarers
– A sleeker rectangular shape, akin to the eyewear worn by Apple CEO Tim Cook
– Larger oval or circular frames
– A more compact, refined oval or circular variant

Apple is considering a variety of finishes, such as black, ocean blue, and light brown. Similar to AirPods and the Apple Watch, the ambition is to produce a design that is instantly identifiable. Internally, Apple refers to this as the “icon.” A noteworthy aspect being evaluated is the camera system: vertically placed oval lenses with ambient lighting, diverging from the circular designs seen in products from Meta.

Competing smart glasses tend to have appealing designs. This is unsurprising, as companies like Meta have collaborated with eyewear specialists: Ray-Ban, Oakley, among others.

Apple’s designers are crafting smart glasses independently, without external collaborations. This strategic approach is spot on, given that Apple’s design team has consistently demonstrated its capability to produce iconic designs. Achieving this with smart glasses is a formidable challenge, especially with several distinct styles in the works. However, Apple’s current wearables indicate that this is well within the company’s skill set.

### AirPods and Apple Watch Designs Offer Strong Foundation for Apple Glasses

AirPods and the Apple Watch exemplify Apple’s talent for developing iconic aesthetics. Both product lines even feature multiple distinctive models. Whether discussing AirPods Pro, standard AirPods, or AirPods Max, each version has an “instantly recognizable” attribute.

The same holds true for the Apple Watch. The designs for both the Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Ultra were distinct from their inception. In spite of competitors’ efforts to emulate Apple, those designs remain emblematic. Headphones and watches have existed for ages, yet Apple has succeeded in creating tech versions that maintain familiarity while distinctly representing the Apple brand.

It seems that the company will lean on this strength with Apple Glasses as well. Apple aims to create a glasses design that is instantly recognizable. However, achieving this across potentially four or more different styles is a substantial challenge. The use of acetate, the innovative camera configuration, or another design element might assist Apple in unifying its various glasses offerings while simultaneously distinguishing them from third-party options.

Apple’s design team has seen considerable changes since the launch of the original AirPods and Apple Watch. Notably, Jony Ive was part of the team during those early designs. But perhaps as early as this fall, we will finally glimpse what Apple’s current design team has planned.

What do you think about Apple’s reported design intentions for Apple Glasses? Share your opinions in the comments.

NASA Grants Approval for iPhone 17 Pro Max for Space Missions: Criteria and Procedure

Occasionally, Apple devices make their way into outer space. For instance, NASA’s Perseverance rover operates on an older Mac chip. However, this is different from launching a product designed for Earth into space. As humanity returns to the Moon after half a century, it is noteworthy that NASA’s Artemis 2 crew brought along four iPhone 17 Pro Max units. Interestingly, it was NASA that provided the iPhones, not Apple. This arrangement allows Apple to enjoy unsolicited marketing, with some of the most breathtaking space photographs captured using iPhone cameras.

The New York Times reports that this marks one of the initial instances where NASA permitted astronauts to travel with smartphones. The crew received the new iPhones in March, prior to their quarantine period. Nevertheless, to reach this point, the space agency underwent extensive testing to evaluate how Apple’s iPhones would perform under such extraordinary circumstances. Typically, the approval process for new hardware is prolonged and involves four stages: presenting the hardware to a safety panel, identifying potential risks associated with it, devising a strategy to mitigate those risks, and demonstrating the effectiveness of that strategy.

NASA placed certain limitations on the use of the iPhones in space. According to the New York Times, astronauts are prohibited from using the iPhones for typical activities such as FaceTime calls, gaming, or any other connectivity functions. These devices are restricted from accessing the internet or utilizing Bluetooth — they are solely for capturing photos and videos.

This is necessary as NASA must authorize everything that enters a spacecraft. If the agency were to test the iPhone’s radio transmitter and its performance in a tightly regulated electromagnetic environment, it could lead to significantly longer testing durations.

Nonetheless, it is reasonable to believe that the four astronauts have many responsibilities during their journey to the Moon beyond merely using their phones. Even with their limited photo and video capabilities, the astronauts managed to take remarkable images of Earth and the Moon. NASA is simultaneously sharing stunning photographs shot with a Nikon on Instagram, Flickr, and various other social media platforms.

This initiative represents Apple’s most significant free promotional campaign to date. Whenever Apple unveils a new iPhone, it prominently showcases its camera features. The same occurred with the iPhone 17 Pro. In fact, the company quickly began to emphasize how this device would be utilized for the final 2025 Friday Night Baseball broadcast, assuring users of consistent streaming quality as before.

With this generation of iPhones, Apple also placed an emphasis on the 8x optical zoom, claiming that this technology is comparable to a 200mm focal length lens, while featuring a sensor that is 56% larger than that of the earlier model for the Telephoto lens. Another significant enhancement in this iPhone generation is the selfie camera, which Apple now designates as the Center Stage front camera, boasting up to 18MP resolution. This enables landscape photos to be captured without needing to rotate the iPhone, a feature the Artemis 2 crew utilized while in space.

Trusti Envisions Human-Centered Recommendations Returning in a Digitally Expansive Marketplace

When a need arises, many people instinctively turn to someone they know. A quick message to a friend or a brief conversation often brings clarity, shaped by shared experiences and personal understanding. According to Stanley Fulton, founder of Trusti, this pattern has long guided everyday decisions, offering a sense of familiarity that extends beyond simple […]

This story continues at The Next Web

Meta Quest 3 Poised for Major Price Hike — Buy the VR Headset Today

The RAM shortage persists.

The persistent RAM deficit remains a significant challenge for producers, and it’s now impacting two of our preferred VR headsets. Beginning this Sunday, April 19th, the costs of both the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S will rise by $100 and $50, respectively, so if you’re looking to purchase the headsets before the increase, now is your final opportunity to do so.

As per a blog entry from Meta, the “worldwide spike in the cost of essential components — particularly memory chips — is affecting nearly every sector of consumer electronics, including VR,” indicating that the price of the VR devices will be influenced as follows:

  • Meta Quest 3 512GB: was $499 now $599 (starting April 19)
  • Meta Quest 3S 128GB: was $299 now $349.99 (starting April 19)
  • Meta Quest 3S 256GB: was $399 now $449.99 (starting April 19)

The price increase will also impact refurbished units available through Meta’s shop. It’s certainly disappointing, but the silver lining is that you still have a few days to secure your Meta Quest headset before the price hike takes effect.

Unsure about which Meta Quest headset best suits your needs? Take a look at our Meta Quest 3 vs Quest 3S comparison, where we outline all of the advantages and disadvantages of each model.