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There is no shortage of Thunderbolt 3-enabled docks for the Mac; nearly every popular Mac peripheral maker has one, and they all seem to have various strengths and weaknesses. Recently, CalDigit, who has produced a number of Thunderbolt-3 Mac-centric docks of its own, launched its latest hardware, the CalDigit TS3 Plus. The TS3 Plus features a build quality and design that’s nearly identical to its previous dock, but comes with a lot more port options, and maintains its strong USB Power Delivery....

Clean cable management with smart speakers can be challenging, especially with small speakers that you might place in space-constrained areas. The new Echo Dot makes this harder than the first two generations due to the power supply switching to an all-in-one brick and cable solution from the old Micro USB cable and run-of-the-mill USB brick combination. The solution? Mounting the Echo Dot. Mounting the Echo Dot does two things. You can reclaim that counter space by lifting the Echo Dot up, and the mount neatly tucks away the excess cord without trying to hide it behind something else....

ProCam 4, an advanced photo and video app for iOS, has been updated to support the iPhone 7 Plus iSight Duo camera. Not only will users find basic support for switching between the wide angle and telephoto lenses, but you’ll also find a new 3D Photos mode. This mode allows users to wield both cameras to take faux “3D” wigglegram photos and save them as GIF animations or videos. ProCam 4 8....

Disney reportedly did not actively seek a replacement for James Gunn on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 before his rehiring earlier this week. After bringing Marvel’s intergalactic band of misfits, the Guardians of the Galaxy, to the MCU in two well-received movies and subsequently contributing to their appearance in Avengers: Infinity War, anticipation was certainly high for James Gunn’s third GOTG adventure. Unfortunately, the resurgence of distasteful tweets from the director’s past led to Disney firing Gunn - a move that was roundly panned by the entire industry and, most significantly, the main Guardians cast themselves, with some even pledging not to return without Gunn’s involvement....

A new iOS 12 developer beta has been released, and with it comes a handful of new changes and features. Watch our hands-on video as we walk through what’s new. iOS 12 beta 5 changes and features covered: Updated Apple News buttons New glyphs for media types in Photos app Album tab Updated ‘Use as Wallpaper’ button in Share Sheet Updated ‘Copy iCloud Link’ button in Share Sheet New lyrics search hint message in Apple Music Off centered buttons fixed in music app New FaceTime sound effects Updated Stocks widget Passcode button presses are more subtle (bug)?...

While many developers are now ditching Apple Watch support for its user base, some smaller developers are looking to get on board and adopt the platform. For Apple Watch, one notable omission has been Reddit Apple Watch clients. The Apple Watch app market as it stands is similar to the early days of iPhone, where everything is done with major limits and there’s no real way to take full advantage of the Apple Watch hardware....

Real Racing 3 has been around for several years on iOS, but yesterday’s update marked its debut appearance on tvOS and the fourth generation Apple TV. This isn’t the first time that the Real Racing franchise has been associated with Apple’s set top box, as previous versions allowed you to use AirPlay to stream races to the Apple TV while using an iOS device as a controller. Check out our hands-on video with the new racer below....

Yesterday Apple released the second iOS 13.2 beta for developers. The update brings several noteworthy changes to the table, including brand new emoji, along with the ability to delete Siri & Dictation history associated with an iOS device. Watch our brief hands-on video as we step through the latest iOS 13.2 beta 2 changes and features. The Siri & Dictation update comes on the heels of the controversy stemming from the fact that Apple contractors used to listen to Siri recordings in order to grade interactions with Siri....

If you’re a fan of Nomad’s Horween Leather products for iPad and iPhone, then you may be interested to know that the Santa Barbara, California-based company just launched new Apple-centric leather goods — a 13- and 16-inch MacBook sleeve, and mousepad. Check out our brief impressions for the details. Nomad’s leather mousepad is made to correspond to the size of the 13- or 16-inch MacBooks, which allows them to easily fit inside a laptop bag or case....

Google has updated its iOS search app to version 4.0, which introduces a variety of new and useful changes. The app now recognizes new voice search cues and conversational input similar to the way Siri works. For example, Google says you can ask the app “What’s the weather like?” and follow up with “How about this weekend?” to get results relevant to the weekend rather than the current day. The app will now also alert you when you new articles on certain topics appear....

A dual-SIM iPhone was way down the list of features wanted by most buyers, so it was a surprise to hear Phil Schiller say during the September Apple keynote that the two newest iPhones would have both an eSIM and regular nano-SIM slot for phones sold globally — except in one particular region. Dual-SIM phones have long been a big deal in China, which has a confusing labyrinth of phone plans depending on which village or town you’re in and what plan you sign up for....

In the most literal sign yet that Stadia’s launch came in hotter than Google had anticipated, it seems like some early users of the service are experiencing overheating Chromecast Ultras. The devices in question were included with the Stadia Founder’s Edition and Premiere Edition, two bundles which offered the earliest access to Google’s new game streaming service. Even before complaints of overheating surfaced, Stadia’s launch had more than its share of problems....

Google today unveiled the next version of its mobile operating system and its competitor to Apple’s iOS 11 with the official introduction of Android 8.0 ‘Oreo’. Some of the highlight features for the release include a redesigned notifications system with both a visual and functional overhaul, new ‘adaptive icons’, improved sound quality and battery life, and multi-display support. A new Picture-in-picture multi-window mode brings enhanced multi-tasking capabilities. And there also a number of under-the-hood improvements and new APIs for developers....

Griffin Technology collaborated with Papernomad to make a unique paper case for iOS and Mac devices that folks can doodle on. The European-made cases—which look strikingly similar to the leather Snugg line— feature patent-pending, water- and tear-resistant paper that is also organic and compostable. The materials used range from viscose fiber and biopolymer to hemp and wool. “The paper used is made from sustainably forested trees and FSC Forest Stewardship Council certified,” said Griffin in a press release....

It’s fair to say that expectations for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 are exceedingly high, and following a recent press screening of the film, it would seem that James Gunn’s follow-up to his enormous 2015 hit is firing on all cylinders. That’s good news, as the first film surprised audiences everywhere, introducing the world to members of a dysfunctional family of intergalactic outcasts and their unwitting involvement in saving the universe from almost certain annihilation....

The attacks also involve the compromise of multiple cloud and managed service providers as part of a campaign designed to enable the hackers to gain access to clients downstream from the vendors in supply chain attacks. The wide-ranging campaign has been detailed by cybersecurity researchers at Mandiant who’ve linked it to two hacking groups they refer to as UNC3004 and UNC2652. SEE: A winning strategy for cybersecurity (ZDNet special report) Mandiant associates these groups with UNC2452, also known as Nobelium in reports by Microsoft, which is a hacking operation that works on behalf of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service and was behind the cyberattack against SolarWinds....

Michael Myers celebrates Halloween in a very unique manner, to say the least. The devil-eyed slasher has never been seen carving a pumpkin into a jack o’ lantern. (Unless you count the opening to Halloween 5.) However, he has been seen attempting to carve up his sister, niece, nephew, and doctor. As frightening as that sounds, he has stumbled upon some ridiculous situations in his brutal path. His encounters with musicians, models, hooded figures, and braindead teenagers are just scratching the surface to this hardened piece of candy corn....

HomeKit, Apple’s smart home accessory framework, is gaining some much needed attention in iOS 10 and watchOS 3 thanks to a new built-in Home app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Apple previously relied on third-party apps from accessory makers to control the HomeKit experience, using Siri as the only first-party controller, and various apps like the third-party Home app and Hesperus filled in the void. Apple’s new Home app comes with a modern look, relatively easy-to-use controls, and access to accessories and scenes from anywhere on iOS 10....

Belkin’s Boost Up Special Edition Wireless Charging Dock for iPhone + Apple Watch (plus an extra USB port) is exclusively available through Apple or direct from the manufacturer. We’ve been testing out this charging solution and even if AirPower was available, it would give it a run for its money. Considering that AirPower’s future is still a mystery, follow along for why those holding out for Apple’s charging solution should consider Belkin’s take on a three-device charging station....

The Google Voice app on the iPod looks just like it does on the iPhone (and you can imagine that on the iPad it is the same, just 4 times larger). We figured that after all the wait Google was going to amaze us by including VoiP calls over Gmail, we were wrong. All the Google Voice app does is what the webapp has been doing all along, ringing your phone....