The curse of the highgate vampire is a topic that has intrigued many people over the years. Highgate Cemetery in London is known for its Gothic architecture and eerie atmosphere, and it became the focal point of a vampire legend in the 1970s. It all started when two people claimed to have seen a vampire lurking in Highgate Cemetery. These individuals, named Sean Manchester and David Farrant, were both self-proclaimed vampire hunters and had their own theories about the vampire haunting. Sean Manchester believed that the vampire was a medieval nobleman who had become a vampire after dabbling in black magic. He claimed to have encountered the vampire several times and even led a group of followers in an attempt to exorcise the vampire from the cemetery.
He claimed to have encountered the vampire several times and even led a group of followers in an attempt to exorcise the vampire from the cemetery. David Farrant, on the other hand, believed that the sightings were nothing more than a hoax or a figment of people's imagination. He argued that there was no evidence to support the existence of a vampire in Highgate Cemetery.
Apple Magic Mouse 2 Review
The Apple Magic Mouse 2 looks and feels the same as its predecessor, and now comes with rechargeable batteries. Its minimalist design may not be comfortable for everyone, however, and the Lightning port isn't in the best location.
MSRP $79.00 $79.00 at AmazonPCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.
Pros
- Rechargeable battery.
- Multitouch surface.
- Good for both left- and right-handed use.
- Automatically pairs with Macs via Bluetooth.
- Ships with Lightning-to-USB cable.
Cons
- Requires OS X El Capitan or later.
- Cannot use the mouse while it is charging.
- Shallow design doesn't fill the curve of your hand.
One of the biggest gripes that Mac users have with the Apple Magic Mouse is its relatively short battery life. It isn't unheard of to find the mouse needing new cells in as little as four weeks, which means you're burning through a lot of AA batteries. Apple has heard the plight of its users, and introduces the Magic Mouse 2 as standard equipment for new iMacs, including the latest Apple iMac 21.5-inch with 4K Retina display( at Amazon). Upgrades include rechargeable batteries and an idiot-proof pairing process. It's certainly an improvement over the previous iteration, though at $79 (if you buy it on its own), it is $10 more expensive.
Design and Features
Side by side, the Magic Mouse 2($79.00 at Amazon) looks just like the Apple Magic Mouse, with the same white, polycarbonate, arched profile. It's 0.85 inch tall, which is an almost-imperceptible 0.1-inch difference from the older model, and less than a quarter-ounce heavier at 3.52 ounces. It glides on a pair of low-friction strips, tracking just as smoothly as the last Magic Mouse. The optical sensor on the bottom reacts quickly to movements, and you can adjust sensitivity and tracking in the Mouse system preferences on your Mac.
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Multitouch commands are easy to execute, including swiping left and right between browser pages, and up and down between full-screen apps, and bringing up Mission Control with a double-tap of two fingers. Regular scrolling and right-click are available on the mouse' touch-sensitive surface, and you can turn all of these commands on or off. The newly redesigned Apple Magic TrackPad 2($120.00 at Amazon) uses Force Touch and allows for even more gestures.
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$149.99 at AmazonIf you flip the mouse over, you'll notice two things that are new: There's no battery-access door, and there's a Lightning port in the base. With the Magic Mouse 2, it only takes two minutes to charge the batteries enough to last a 9-hour workday, though if you leave it plugged in overnight Apple claims the batteries will last a whole month. Plus, once you plug the mouse into your Mac, it automatically pairs over Bluetooth. The mouse and Mac will continue to be paired until you plug the mouse into another Mac. You need to be running OS X El Capitan for all of this to work. And if you didn't guess, the Magic Mouse 2 can't be used with Windows PCs.
Unfortunately, since the Lightning port is on the bottom of the Magic Mouse 2, when you recharge it you have to turn the mouse over, which renders it temporarily unusable. In contrast, some other rechargeable mice, like the Logitech MX Master($149.99 at Amazon), employ front-mounted micro-USB ports so you can continue to use the mouse while you top up the batteries. The issue is compounded by the fact that both the Apple Magic Keyboard($99.00 at Amazon) and the Apple Magic TrackPad 2 can be used while they are recharging.
The Magic Mouse 2 also exhibits the same ergonomics as the previous Apple mice. And like the previous iteration, it takes some getting used to. While it tracks your movements without any undue effort, the mouse is half to a third as tall as many standard mice. Since it's so short, you either have to arch your unsupported palm to move the mouse, or essentially leave your hand almost flat on your work surface while using it. You can set the mouse buttons for tap sensitivity, where they activate at the touch of your finger, instead of having to depress the mechanical switch built into the mouse. This makes it feel more like a trackpad, but with the precision cursor control that you get from a mouse. On the whole it's a better choice than a trackpad if you need to work with and edit a lot of text, but I prefer the feel of a more traditional mouse in my hand.
Conclusion
The Apple Magic Mouse 2 is an evolutionary update to a distinctive, minimalist design. It addresses the issue of burning through disposable batteries, and using the Lightning-to-USB cable to pair the mouse instead of mucking about with Bluetooth settings is a neat bit of kit. It's a pity that Apple couldn't put the mouse's Lightning port in a better spot. Realistically, however, not everyone will find the mouse as comfortable as a traditional scroll-wheel mouse, so if you've tried the previous model and it's not for you, consider other Mac-friendly mice from manufacturers like Logitech with its MX Master, and Microsoft with the Sculpt Touch Mouse .
Outside of the rechargeable battery aspect, there’s really little incentive that’s apparent at first glance to incite you to upgrade. But after using the Magic Mouse 2, I can say that there are some noticeable differences. First, there’s the tracking—the mouse glides more smoothly over the surface of my wooden desk. That’s largely in part to the slightly redesigned rails that allow the mouse to float along a surface. It’s not immediately noticeable, but after comparing the two, the new mouse feels smoother in its glides and makes less friction noise when moving it.
The media caught wind of the vampire sightings and the story gained widespread attention. It became a tabloid sensation, with sensationalized headlines and stories of vampire hunts in Highgate Cemetery. The legend of the Highgate vampire continued to grow over the years, with more and more people claiming to have seen or encountered the vampire. Some even reported strange occurrences and unexplained phenomena in and around the cemetery. However, despite the numerous claims and theories, no concrete evidence of a vampire in Highgate Cemetery has ever been found. The sightings and stories remain as urban legends and folklore, captivating the imaginations of those who hear them. Whether or not the Highgate vampire actually exists remains a mystery. The legend has become deeply ingrained in popular culture and continues to fascinate people to this day. Highgate Cemetery itself has become a tourist attraction, with visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive vampire. In the end, the curse of the Highgate vampire serves as a reminder of the power of folklore and the enduring appeal of supernatural legends. It reminds us of the allure of the unknown and the desire to believe in something beyond the realm of our everyday lives..
Reviews for "Highgate Cemetery: A Dark Tourist Attraction for Vampire Enthusiasts"
1. Emma - 1 star - The Curse of the Highgate Vampire is an absolute disaster. The plot is poorly developed, with no clear direction or purpose. The characters are one-dimensional and lacking any depth or charm. The writing style is painfully dull, making it a struggle to get through each page. It's a shame because the concept of a vampire story set in Highgate had potential, but this book fails to deliver on every level. Save yourself the disappointment and skip this one.
2. Oliver - 2 stars - I had high hopes for The Curse of the Highgate Vampire, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The pacing is uneven, with long stretches of tedious exposition followed by rushed action scenes. The dialogue feels forced and lacks authenticity, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Additionally, the ending is unsatisfying and leaves many loose ends. Overall, I found this novel to be mediocre at best and would not recommend it to any vampire fiction enthusiasts.
3. Sarah - 2.5 stars - The Curse of the Highgate Vampire had a promising premise, but the execution was lacking. The writing style was convoluted and confusing, making it hard to follow the story. The characters felt flat and uninteresting, with their actions and motivations often seeming arbitrary. While there were a few moments of suspense, they were overshadowed by the overall lackluster plot. I wouldn't say it was the worst vampire novel I've read, but it certainly wasn't memorable or enjoyable either.
4. David - 1.5 stars - As a fan of vampire fiction, I was incredibly disappointed with The Curse of the Highgate Vampire. The plot was predictable and offered nothing new or refreshing to the genre. The writing was sloppy and riddled with grammatical errors, making it distracting to read. The characters were clichéd and lacked any depth, making it difficult to care about their fates. Overall, this book failed to capture my interest and left me feeling unsatisfied. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating vampire tale.