Dennis Sellers

<p class="">Apple and Google have announced a joint effort to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of COVID-19. Across the world, governments and health authorities are working together to find solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic, to protect people and get society back up and running.</p>

<p class="">According to <a href="https://twitter.com/jon_prosser/status/1241840738712895494" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTuber and leaker Jon Prosser</a>, Apple’s AirPower may return from the dead. “May” being, of course, the key word here.)</p>

<p class="">Apple has introduced Scappers to its Apple Arcade line-up. It's available for iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV set-top boxes, but not, sadly, for the Mac</p>

<p class="">In a research note with Chinese research firm GF Securities, obtained by <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacRumors,</a> analyst Jeff Pu says Apple will launch the follow-up to the iPhone SE in mid or late—April and 5G iPhones in September and October.</p>

<p class="">On April 8 HBO said its HBO GO and HBO NOW streaming services will no longer be available on second-generation and third-generation Apple TV set-top boxes starting April 30,The company has now extended this deadline.</p>

<p class="">Apple and Netflix are in talks with director Martin Scorsese on a super-expensive movie project for its Apple TV+ streaming service, according to the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/martin-scorsese-courts-apple-and-netflix-to-rescue-costly-dicaprio-film-11586484037" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wall Street Journal.</a></p>

<p class="">Apple's education team has launched <a href="https://education-static.apple.com/creativity-for-kids/activities.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">“30 Creative Activities for Kids” </a>to keep kiddos ages 4-8+ entertained and educated during these days of social distancing and closed schools and day care.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://tvline.com/2020/04/09/apple-tv-free-dickinson-for-all-mankind/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TVLine</a> notes that Apple has made several shows from its Apple TV+ streaming service free for a limited time to help keep folks self-isolating from the COVID-19 pandemic entertained.</p>

<p class="">OWC’s update of the <a href="https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-mercury-elite-pro"><span style="text-decoration:underline">Mercury Elite Pro</span></a> can help future proof your iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Pro when it comes to storage. It can do the same for laptops, but is better suited for desktops as it requires a dedicated power supply and can't run off a portable’s bus power.</p>

<p class="">On the new episode of <a href="http://www.macvoices.com/macvoices-20112-charlotte-henry-on-apples-response-to-covid-19-and-ten-years-of-the-ipad-part-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacVoices,</a> Charlotte Henry of<em> The Mac Observer </em>examines Apple’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, not just from the monetary donations side, but also from the resources angle, and why Amazon, the streaming services and others are in the spotlight.</p>

<p class="">Apple has updated its COVID-19 app — introduced last month — with tips to help keep us sane during this trying, surreal time.</p>

<p class="">Some pundits don’t think Apple TV+ is doing very well (read <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2020/4/8/reelgood-apple-tv-has-192-of-the-tv-streaming-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">this</a> and <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2020/3/24/apple-tv-sees-just-a-little-boost-as-lots-of-folks-stay-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">this)</a>, but Wedbush analyst Dan Ives thinks Apple’s streaming video service currently has between 30 million and 40 million subscribers.</p>

<p class="">NASA is inviting video gamers and citizen scientists to embark on virtual ocean research expeditions to help map coral reefs around the world in an effort to better understand these threatened ecosystems. One tool they’re using is an iOS/iPadOS game.</p>

<p class="">Apple Music will launch a new initiative dubbed "Stream Local" on April 11, according to <a href="https://www.okayafrica.com/apple-music-streaming-local-south-african-music-amid-coronavirus-in-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Okay Africa.</a></p>

<p class=""><a href="http://www.lg.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">LG Electronics USA</a> has announced pricing and availability of 2020 8K LG NanoCell TVs, featuring 12 new models led by the 86-inch class Nano90 4K UHD model. They support Apple’s HomeKit and AirPlay 2.</p>