'Chief of War' is bloody brilliant!

Jason Momoa's epic Apple TV+ show is your weekend must-stream.

Author

Leander Kahney
August 08, 2025

Jason Mamoa’s OK. He seems like a nice enough guy, but I’m hardly a huge fan.

That’s why I was kinda meh about his new passion project, Chief of War, which just started streaming on Apple TV+.

Set in 19th-century Hawaii, the show tells the story of Kamehameha I, the first ruler of the unified Hawaiian Kingdom.

I was cool on it until I read the Cult of Mac review of the new miniseries, which gives the show a full-throated thumbs up:

“Chief of War isn’t just another historical drama. It’s more of a cultural phenomenon that challenges conventional storytelling while delivering the great-looking cinematic work Apple TV+ subscribers have come to expect. The series masterfully weaves together political intrigue, cultural authenticity and human drama in ways that should captivate history buffs, cultural diversity seekers, bloodthirsty battle lovers and pretty much anyone hungry for some fresh storytelling.”

I know what I’m going to be watching this weekend.

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • I’ve been trying to install the latest beta on an old iPad, but the tablet’s running out of storage and won’t download the update. This is where our handy guide comes in.

  • Thanks to SecureMac for sponsoring today’s email. SecureMac’s MetaWipe is a new app that scrubs sensitive metadata from photos and other files you share online. Download the app today and get 100 free wipes.

  • My old iPad Pro is getting long in the tooth, but my wife will likely murder me if I drop a few thousand on a new one. But maybe she won’t notice $33 a month on Upgraded’s new iPad financing program. Dare I risk it?

  • Japan is now following the European Union’s lead in demanding Apple open up its platforms to more third-party browser engines.

  • My youngest son, who’s 25, is an insufferable cultural snob who loves obscure, foreign-subtitled movies and disdains Hollywood fare. But he loved F1: The Movie, which is returning to Imax theaters this week. Maybe I’ll catch it this weekend, as well as Chief of War?

  • When I got COVID-19, I used my Apple Watch to obsessively check my blood oxygen levels, lest I end up in the ICU. I can’t do that with my current Apple Watch because Apple disabled the feature due to a patent dispute. But this refurbished Apple Watch Series 6 still has the functioning Blood Oxygen app, and it’s absurdly cheap for a cellular model.

  • Today’s the day in Apple history that Steve Jobs teased the iconic “Think different” campaign at Macworld Expo. It’s one of the most famous advertising campaigns of the 20th century.

  • Who needs a pricey MacBook Pro when you have a Mac mini and an iPad as a display? This is perhaps the most oddball mobile setup we’ve ever featured.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

A message from SecureMac

SecureMac has launched MetaWipe. The app is designed to help Mac users delete file metadata from images and other file types that they share online, ensuring added privacy. Special Offer: Download and get up to 100 free wipes!

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Get Apple Watch Series 6 (with Blood Oxygen app) for just $124

This refurbished 44mm Apple Watch Series 6 works for fitness tracking and health monitoring. Plus, it comes with the banned-in-the-U.S. Blood Oxygen app.

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One more thing ...

❝

I want it to be as beautiful as possible, even if it's inside the box. A great carpenter isn't going to use lousy wood for the back of a cabinet, even though nobody's going to see it.

— Steve Jobs, 2011.

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