SanDisk today announced that its iXpand Flash Drive is now available in a larger 256GB storage capacity for $279.99, expanding upon existing 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities available for between $49.99 and $129.99.
The iXpand Flash Drive connects to the Lightning port on an iPhone or iPad to provide the device with up to 256GB of additional storage space through the SanDisk iXpand Drive app. It has a USB-A port with USB 3.0 speeds for quickly transferring files to and from another iOS device, Mac, or PC.
MacRumors reviewed the second-generation iXpand Flash Drive last year and noted that it was a worthwhile purchase for those who need expanded storage, although the new 256GB size is on the expensive side.
SanDisk also introduced its Connect Wireless Stick in a larger 256GB storage capacity for $279.99. The wireless flash drive enables wireless storage and transfer of files from one iPhone or iPad to another iOS device, Mac, or PC over a password-protected Wi-Fi network. It has a USB 2.0 port.
Both external storage solutions are available now at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo Video, and select other retailers in the United States and elsewhere.
Apple's rumored 10.5-inch iPad Pro will have a higher resolution of 2,224×1,668 pixels, while maintaining the same pixel density as the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro, according to IHS Markit director of tablets and PCs Rhoda Alexander.
Specifically, she told Forbes that a 10.5-inch iPad Pro at 2,224×1,668 would have 264 PPI, equal to the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro at 2,048×1,536.
The article actually quoted Alexander as saying the 10.5-inch iPad Pro will have a 2,024×1,668 resolution, but she confirmed to MacRumors that this was a typo and that she indeed expects a resolution of 2,224×1,668.
If the 10.5-inch iPad Pro does in fact end up having the same pixel density as the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro, that would go against another mathematically possible scenario in which the tablet could have the same 2,732×2,048 resolution as the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro, with the same pixel density as the iPad mini 4.
In line with existingrumors, Alexander said the 10.5-inch iPad Pro will have slimmer bezels that allow it to have the same overall footprint as the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. She reportedly expects the 10.5-inch iPad Pro to "arrive in the March-April timeframe," which lines up with Apple's rumored March event.
Japanese blog Mac Otakara said Apple will release four new iPad Pro models at a March event. The report said the 10.5-inch model may not ship until May, while new 7.9-inch, 9.7-inch, and 12.9-inch models are said to ship in March. DigiTimes likewise said the 10.5-inch iPad Pro may not come until May-June.
Alexander also said Apple's rumored low-cost 9.7-inch iPad Pro could start at $299, which would be $100 cheaper than the iPad Air 2. It could supplant the iPad mini 4, which Alexander said may not be updated. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the low-cost model could have an older A9X chip.
At Mobile World Congress today, enterprise application software company SAP gave more details about its partnership with Apple, which will result in the creation of a toolset that aims to help developers build "enterprise-grade" apps for iOS. Called the SAP Cloud Platform SDK for iOS, the tools will use Apple's programming language Swift to present developers and designers with a collection of pre-built UI components and provide easy access to iPhone features (Touch ID, location services, notifications, etc.) in order to "accelerate app development and increase adoption."
To further the partnership between the two companies, SAP Academy for iOS will be available to developers and include training courses and workshops that teach attendees what they need to know to build apps using the new SDK. The courses provided "will be updated regularly" as Apple and SAP integrate new technologies into the SDK and new roles are added into the program.
Susan Prescott, vice president of Product Marketing, Apple, said: “When we set out on this partnership with SAP, we knew we had an incredible opportunity to transform how people around the world work by combining the innovation and security of iOS with SAP’s leadership in enterprise software.
We’re already seeing the impact that the combination of iOS and SAP brings to businesses to enable better, more efficient and effective processes across industries. Now even more developers will be able to take advantage of the new SDK, and we can’t wait to see how they transform their businesses.”
The first iOS app created from the SAP Cloud Platform SDK aims to improve communication and collaboration within project teams on both iPhone and iPad. Called the "SAP Project Companion," the app was built for consultants and managers of professional services "who are typically on the go." It will debut on March 30, 2017 alongside the official launch of the full SAP Cloud Platform SDK for iOS.
Although the SDK has yet to officially launch, an early adopter program is said to have already seen success in a variety of enterprise environments. These include retailers like Burberry, foreign campuses like King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, and interior/exterior design company FunderMax.
“The iOS SDK will help us compete with other universities by providing the best experience for both our students and professors in addition to a top-notch education,” said Abdulmajeed Serajuddin, the manager of IT enterprise applications at KAUST. “Innovapptive, an SAP partner, is working with us through all the critical steps of implementation.”
Apple has previously entered into an enterprise-focused partnership before with IBM, which saw the creation of a collection of "MobileFirst" apps that centered on industry-specific native programs built from the ground up for the iPhone and the iPad. The apps eventually expanded to cover the airline, vehicle transportation, retail, healthcare, and insurance industries.
T-Mobile today announced that, starting March 1, new and existing customers can activate three lines of T-Mobile ONE with unlimited data, talk, and text for $100 per month after bill credits. The plan usually costs $100 per month for two lines, and $140 per month for three lines, so the third line is essentially free.
T-Mobile is also offering an additional line for free to existing customers with two or more voice lines, including T-Mobile ONE and older Simple Choice plans. There are virtually no strings attached to the deal, which is likely an incentive to keep customers from switching to new unlimited data plans at AT&T and Verizon.
The offer is available for a limited time only, but T-Mobile said customers who take advantage of the promotion now will be able to keep the free third line for as long as they have qualifying service and remain in good standing, or until they make changes to their plan. Prices are based on AutoPay.
In the first drone update since Apple officially named its Spaceship campus "Apple Park," Matthew Roberts has shared an ongoing look at the progress of the campus as it grows ever closer to the official employee move-in date in April. The last collection of video updates came at the end of January and saw walkways, lamps, and parking lots beginning to appear on the site.
Now, the R&D center is "as polished as ever," according to Roberts' newest aerial update video. On the vehicle garages, solar panel installation is finally at 100 percent completion, while the main circular building has received more solar panels but progress on that front has yet to be completed.
As is usual for these updates, landscaping efforts are a major part of the continued construction on the site. Now, more trees have appeared above the underground tunnel and workers are prepping the area to finish the meadows surrounding the campus. The walkways part of last month's update can be seen cutting through the campus as well -- in total there will be 2 miles of walkways at Apple Park.
Other updates include "major changes" to the fitness center and the ongoing progress to the large courtyard inside of the main building. In the center, more drought resistant trees have been planted and more landscape features have appeared. More than 12,000 employees will work at Apple Park, including company CEO Tim Cook.
In its official announcement last week, Apple mentioned that the theater at Apple Park will be named the "Steve Jobs Theater" after the late CEO, who would have turned 62 last Friday. The theater is one of the buildings that won't be open when the campus begins moving employees in this April, and is expected to officially be ready later this year.
In an interview with CNBC today, billionaire investor Warren Buffett revealed that his holding company Berkshire Hathaway held around 133 million shares in Apple prior to the company's record-breaking earnings results on January 31.
Berkshire Hathaway disclosed that it held 57.3 million shares in Apple as of December 31, 2016, so it more than doubled its stake in the iPhone maker in January. The holding, which reflects about 2.5% of Apple's outstanding shares, is worth over $17 billion if the shares are still held today.
Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a nearly $1 billion stake in Apple last May, which led the iPhone maker's stock to soar 9% once the investment became public knowledge. Apple stock has been on the rise since then, closing at an all-time high of $137.11 last week just nine months after setting a 52-week low of $89.47 in May 2016.
In a bid to reassess self-driving car guidances following the Obama administration, the Trump administration's newly appointed Transportation Secretary, Elaine Chao, said this weekend that she is reviewing the guidances while urging companies "to explain the benefits of automated vehicles to a skeptical public." Chao said that there's a lot at stake in improving and regulating the technology, and ensuring that passengers are safe when they use the new self-driving systems (via Reuters).
The guidances referenced by the Obama administration asked carmakers to voluntarily detail each of their self-driving systems by using a 15-point "safety assessment" precaution. Most regulations were also urged to be looked at by the federal government and taken out of the hands of the states. As a new administration approached last November, automakers concerned about the guidelines -- citing a need to give up "significant data" and likely facing months-long delays in testing -- asked the incoming Trump staff to re-evaluate.
Google tests out its "Waymo" self-driving technology
Earlier in February, automakers faced Congress to request a few legislative changes that they hoped would "speed self-driving cars to U.S. roads." According to Chao, the Trump administration will do everything it can to be "a catalyst" for the industry and not become a blockade to progress in self-driving vehicles. Chao's thesis hit on asking Silicon Valley companies to first and foremost figure out a way to "educate a skeptical public" about why self-driving cars would be a good thing in the first place.
"This administration is evaluating this guidance and will consult with you and other stakeholders as we update it and amend it, to ensure that it strikes the right balance.
She said the Trump administration wanted to ensure it "is a catalyst for safe, efficient technologies, not an impediment. In particular, I want to challenge Silicon Valley, Detroit, and all other auto industry hubs to step up and help educate a skeptical public about the benefits of automated technology."
Vehicle automation has become a hot topic over the past few years, and even Apple hasn't escaped the rumors of working on a self-driving vehicle. The hopes for an "Apple Car" have largely been dashed after vans roaming around the country were debunked as data-collecting vehicles for Apple Maps, and any of the company's efforts to build a full Apple Car have since shifted towards focusing on an autonomous driving system. In a letter to federal regulators last year, the company further confirmed its interest in "machine learning and automation" as it relates to motor vehicles, hinting that Apple wouldn't be averse to creating self-driving software that's used in another manufacturer's vehicle.
The letter was sent to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and some of it aligns with other automakers' concerns over the established self-driving guidances. In its letter, Apple referenced an issue with delayed testing for companies entering the automobile industry with automation technology, as well as an agreement that companies should share sufficient data in relation to crashes and near-misses, but it should never come at the expense of breaching privacy.
Both of these suggestions, and a collection of others, are points that Chao aims to evaluate as the administration updates and amends the guidance for self-driving vehicles, "to ensure that it strikes the right balance." The Transportation Secretary also mentioned a concern over potential employment loss in the context of vehicle automation growing, as well as promising to help the Federal Aviation Administration develop drone regulation standards "to ensure that drones can be safely integrated into our country’s airspace."
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
All Withings products will be rebranded under Nokia by the summer, according to Withings CEO Cédric Hutchings. The announcement was made on Sunday during Nokia's event at Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona, Spain.
Withings makes iOS-compatible smart connected home products as well as a range of health and fitness wearables. Nokia bought the French health tracking company last year for an estimated $192 million. The acquisition saw Withings' 200 employees integrate into Nokia Technologies when the deal went through in June.
As well as the rebranding, the Withings CEO said the company would release a redesigned Health Mate app later this year that will bring an "improved user experience" and new data sharing features. Nokia is also set to launch a new Patient Care program similar to Apple's Healthkit that will allow patients to share data medical doctors.
In related news, Nokia also announced a new modern variant of its original 3310 mobile phone, first launched back in September 2000. Made by HMD Global, which bought the right to make Nokia phones last year, the new version retains the same name – and even includes classic game Snake – but runs Nokia's more advanced Series 30+ software. It also features a 2.4-inch QVGA display, a 2 megapixel camera, and a microSD slot.
The new 3310 supports Bluetooth and comes with Opera Mini installed for basic web surfing. Talk time is said to be 22 hours, but the big draw is likely to be the featurephone's 31-day standby time.
The Nokia 3310 will be available in a number of candy colors and should arrive later in the spring for the price of $52.
Amazon and Netflix yesterday collected the first Academy Awards for streaming services, sharing four gold statuettes between them at this year's Oscars.
Amazon Studios bagged a Best Actor trophy for Casey Affleck's portrayal of a grieving man in "Manchester by the Sea". Bought by Amazon for $10 million at the Sundance film festival, the movie also won Best Original Screenplay. It has earned $46.8 million at domestic theaters, and is set to appear later this year on Amazon's Prime Video service.
Scene from "Manchester by the Sea", courtesy K Period Media
Amazon also gained another accolade for Best Foreign Language Film with Iranian drama "The Salesman," which the company distributed in the United States and Canada.
Netflix won Best Documentary in the short-subject category for 40-minute film "The White Helmets", which followed volunteer rescue workers in war-torn Syria. The Netflix Original was directed by Orlando von Einsiedel.
According to one former Wall Street analyst, Apple's first Academy Award is not too far away either. Venture capitalist and tech ponderer Gene Munster predicted on Friday that Apple will win an Oscar in five years.
"We think Apple will win an Oscar in the next five years," Munster wrote in a research note issued by his company, Loup Ventures. "That's how long it will take for Apple to scale its original content spend from less than $200 million today to $5-7 billion."
According to Munster, Apple's moves towards making original content to drive user engagement with its ecosystem will turn increasingly towards movies and TV series, as it aims to boost revenues to its Services division, which includes Apple Music and iTunes.
Apple has already unveiled plans to launch two unscripted series on Apple Music, "Planet of the Apps", which shares a format similar to talent-based reality show The Voice and Shark Tank, and "Carpool Karaoke", based on the popular James Corden segment from The Late Late Show. In addition, Apple is also working on "Vital Signs", a dark semi-autobiographical drama starring Dr. Dre, which will also be used to promote Apple Music.
With reference to the upcoming Galaxy S8 at this year's Mobile Wold Congress limited to a March 29 launch date confirmation, Samsung chose to put the focus on two new tablets, the Android-powered Galaxy Tab S3 and the Galaxy Book, which runs Windows 10.
Aiming to compete with the iPad Pro, the Tab S3 comes with a 9.7-inch HDR-ready Super AMOLED display running at 2,048 x 1,536 resolution. On the back is a 13 megapixel camera, while a 5 megapixel camera sits on the front, where a fingerprint sensor lives on the home button.
The new metal and glass-backed design is 6mm thick, and houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage (expandable up to 256GB with a microSD), built-in LTE, and a 6,000 mAh battery with Fast Charging support using the USB-C port. A new Note7-like S Pen stylus is also included.
The Galaxy Book was Samsung's other big announcement at MWC. The hybrid tablet-laptop, positioned as a Surface Pro competitor, comes in 10.6-inch and 12-inch versions, with 1,920 x 1,280 and 2,160 x 1,440 resolutions, respectively.
The 10.6-inch size features a 2.6GHz Intel Core m3 dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, and has a 5 megapixel front-facing camera. The 12-inch Galaxy Book has a 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage, with a 13 megapixel camera on the back and a 5 megapixel one on the front.
Samsung has not yet announced any pricing information for the Tab S3 and Galaxy Book. Meanwhile, Apple is expected to launch new 12.9-inch iPads and a new flagship 10.5-inch model in March. The latter is said to have an edge-to-edge display on the same footprint as the current 9.7-inch iPad.
Unlimited Plus starts at $90 per month for a single line and includes unlimited talk, text, and data at up to 4G LTE speeds. Video can be streamed in HD quality, but Stream Saver mode, which reduces streaming video to around 480p quality, is enabled by default and must be turned off through myAT&T.
AT&T Unlimited Plus includes up to 10GB of 4G LTE tethering per line per month, with speeds reduced to a max 128 Kbps for the rest of the bill cycle for eligible devices once the high-speed allotment is exceeded.
Two smartphone lines starts at $145 per month, while up to eight additional devices, such as tablets and hotspots, can be added for $20 per month each. The pricing includes monthly access charges, but it is not inclusive of taxes or additional fees. AutoPay and paperless billing are required.
For a limited time, AT&T Unlimited Plus customers can receive a $25 bill credit towards DirecTV, DirecTV NOW, or AT&T U-verse each month. The bill credits begin in 2-3 billing periods. The total monthly cost for AT&T Unlimited Plus with DirecTV NOW, for example, would start at $100 per month after discounts.
Meanwhile, AT&T Unlimited Choice starts at $60 per month for a single line, and includes unlimited talk, text, and data at up to 3 Mpbs speeds, but with no tethering included. Video streams at a max of 1.5 Mbps, aka about 480p. No discount is offered for bundling DirecTV, DirecTV NOW, or U-verse.
Two smartphone lines starts at $115 per month, while up to eight additional devices, such as tablets and hotspots, can be added for $20 per month each. The pricing includes monthly access charges, but it is not inclusive of taxes or additional fees. AutoPay and paperless billing are required.
For both plans, each line that exceeds 22GB of data usage may experience reduced speeds on that line for the remainder of the billing cycle, but only at times and in areas where there is network congestion, which is similar to 22GB, 23GB, and 28GB soft cap policies from Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile respectively.
Additionally, AT&T said both plans allow individuals and businesses to make unlimited calls from the U.S. to Canada and Mexico, and send unlimited texts to over 120 countries. AT&T customers on these plans can also use their plan to talk, text, and use data in Canada and Mexico with no roaming charges.
Video references AT&T's earlier unlimited data plan
AT&T's earlier unlimited data plan started at $100 per month and did not include any tethering, so its new plans offer better value. Meanwhile, Verizon Unlimited starts at $80 per month, Sprint Unlimited starts at $50 per month for a limited time, and T-Mobile ONE starts at $70 per month, inclusive of taxes and fees.
Apple has announced that its retail store at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City shopping mall in Arlington, Virginia reopens on Saturday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m. local time. The store, which originally opened in August 2005, has been closed for renovations since September 25 of last year.
Apple Pentagon City has expanded into adjacent storefronts (Image: Jordan Sheckman)
Apple Pentagon City will be the iPhone maker's latest retail store to be updated with its next-generation design introduced in 2015.
The newer look often includes wide, open spaces with some combination of indoor trees, large glass doors, touch-sensitive sequoia wood tables and shelves, seating areas for community events, large 6K resolution video screens for product marketing, and light boxes extending the length of the ceiling.
Google today announced that its AI helper, Google Assistant, will begin rolling out to users with smartphones running Android 7.0 Nougat and Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Previously, the company's AI assistant was exclusive to the Pixel smartphone, Google Home, the Google Allo app, and Android Wear devices.
Google Assistant will first arrive to English users in the United States this week, followed soon after with an English debut in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Support for German speakers will be coming soon, and Google said that it will "continue to add more languages over the coming year." Users with eligible Nougat and Marshmallow devices will automatically gain Google Assistant through Google Play Services.
Whether you need to know how to say “nice to meet you” in Korean or just a simple reminder to do laundry when you get home, your Assistant can help. With the Google Assistant on Android phones, you have your own personal, helpful Google right in your pocket.
A few new smartphones will be incorporating Google Assistant from the get-go as well, like the LG G6 and some other "newly announced partner devices." Sony, Huawei, Samsung, and HTC are all listed as companies with Android smartphones that will support Google Assistant.
With the expansion of Google Assistant to more smartphone lines, as well as a future launch on TVs and in cars, Google is continuing to bolster the Assistant's competition against Apple and Siri. Many smartphone vendors are reported to be doubling down on artificial intelligence features for smartphones debuting in 2017 and beyond, including Apple with the "iPhone 8" and an update to Siri that is said to bring more "enhanced" capabilities to the personal assistant.
In its announcement post, Google said that its ultimate goal "is to make the Assistant available anywhere you need it." Google's hope for an AI future was highlighted at a media event in October where it unveiled Google Home, the Pixel smartphone, and more, while connecting everything to its artificial intelligence initiatives.
The Mobile World Congress 2017 officially opened today in Barcelona, where some of the biggest names in mobile technology gather annually to show off their latest products. With Apple skipping MWC as in previous years and Samsung choosing to delay the announcement of its next flagship phone, this year's event offers a better opportunity for their smaller rivals to hog the limelight.
LG G6
Kicking things off at MWC on Sunday, LG announced the G6, its latest flagship smartphone and the successor to the G5. Dominating the front of the new phone is a 5.7-inch LCD display sporting a resolution of 2880x1440 and an 18:9 aspect ratio – making the screen length double the size of its width – with support for Dolby Vision and HDR10 HDR videos.
The unusual screen ratio allows the G6 to display two 1:1 square photos side by side, something LG was eager to promote as a particular benefit for Instagram users. With the phone's bezels taking up minimal space on the front, the power button and fingerprint sensor sit on the back of the phone below the camera, while a virtual home button is located on the main display.
LG also made much of the resilience of the G6 compared to previous phones. The front is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, while the back is encased in Gorilla Glass 5. Elsewhere, the rear dual-lens camera boasts Gorilla Glass 4. The device is also IP68-certified waterproof.
Other specifications of the LG G6 include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset, 4GB RAM and a 3300 mAh battery. The front camera has a 5-megapixel sensor and a 100-degree field of view, while the dual cameras at the back pack 13 megapixels each. No announcement was made regarding pricing or the release date of the handset.
Google has responded to multiple reports of users being unexpectedly logged out of their Google accounts, in order to assuage fears that the logouts were security related.
The unexpected sign-outs began on Thursday night and continued through Friday, affecting multiple services including Gmail, Chromecast, YouTube, and Google Play.
During routine maintenance, a number of users were signed-out from their Google accounts. This may have resulted in you being signed out of your account or seeing a notification about "A change in your Google account" or "Account Action Required".
We hear your concerns that this appeared to potentially be phishing or another type of security issue. We can assure you that the security of your account was never in danger as a result of this issue.
Google said the issue with its Google Accounts engine also caused some Google Wifi and OnHub devices to automatically revert to factory settings. "Unfortunately, these devices need to be set up again," said Google. "We'd like to share our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience." Instructions on re-setting the Wi-Fi devices can be found here.
We know some of you had issues signing in today. Please try again now. Rest easy -- your account's security was not affected.
— Google (@Google) February 24, 2017
The reports initially caused some concern among users, coming in just hours after it was revealed that content delivery network CloudFare had been informed by Google of a bug that leaked memory, which could potentially contain private information cached by search engines.
Cloudflare worked with the affected search engines, including Google, Yahoo, and Bing, to erase any remnants of the sensitive data from their caches, and the bug has since been patched.
iPhones that have undergone any third-party screen repair now qualify for warranty coverage, as long as the issue being fixed does not relate to the display itself, according to an internal memo distributed by Apple today. MacRumors confirmed the memo's authenticity with multiple sources.
Previously, an iPhone with a third-party display was not eligible for any authorized repairs under warranty.
When a customer with an iPhone that has a third-party display seeks a repair for a non-display issue, Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers have been advised to inspect the device for any fraud or tampering, and then swap out the device or replace the broken part based on Apple's in-warranty pricing.
iPhones with third-party displays must still be within their warranty coverage period, whether it be Apple's standard 1-year manufacturer's warranty or extended AppleCare coverage, in order for warranty service to be honored.
If the iPhone is out of warranty, or the repair involves a display-related issue, customers will be offered the option to pay Apple's flat rate out-of-warranty pricing. If a customer declines this out-of-warranty pricing, then Apple Authorized Service Providers are instructed to decline service altogether.
If the presence of any third-party part causes the repair to be unsuccessful or breaks the iPhone, Apple said customers will be required to pay the out-of-warranty cost to replace the third-party part, or the entire device if necessary, in order to resolve the issue that the iPhone was initially brought in for.
If a customer wants to pay for an Apple genuine display to replace their third-party display, Apple Authorized Service Providers have been instructed to quote the typical out-of-warranty price for a new display. Apple said AppleCare+ will not cover third-party display or battery repairs.
Apple Authorized Service Providers are still instructed to decline service for any iPhone with a functional failure related to a third-party aluminum enclosure, logic board, battery, Lightning connector, headphone jack, volume buttons, mute switch, sleep/wake button, and certain microphones.
MacRumors has confirmed that the policy applies to repairs in the United States and Canada, while other regions are likely included.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with CalDigit to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Thunderbolt Station 3 Lite, which is designed to work with the new 2016 MacBook Pro.
The new MacBook Pro is equipped with Thunderbolt 3, but it offers a limited number of ports, making a dock or some form of dongle essential for most users who have older accessories. The TS3 Lite, a small hub that includes support for Thunderbolt 3, is ideal for users who need a robust but portable solution.
The TS3 Lite features two Thunderbolt 3 Type-C ports with 40Gb/s throughput, two USB 3.1 Type-A ports, 1 USB 3.1 Type-C port, a DisplayPort, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and Audio In/Out ports. It doesn't support 85W charging though, so you'll need a separate cable to power your MacBook Pro.
It's able to support a single 5K monitor at 60Hz or dual 4K monitors, and it ships with a Thunderbolt 3 cable. With daisychaining, up to six Thunderbolt 3 devices can be connected to a single computer, and the included USB-A and USB-C ports can be used to connect a variety of other accessories.
For instances when a computer is not available, the TS3 Lite features a Stand Alone Charging function that allows users to charge devices like an iPad or an iPhone using the USB-A ports on the TS3 Lite even when it's not connected to a computer.
The TS3 Lite, which features a brushed aluminum enclosure that matches well with Apple devices, measures in at 8 inches by 3.15 inches and it weighs less than a pound, so it's easy to pack into a bag with your computer and it doesn't take up much space on a desk.
CalDigit charges $199 for the Thunderbolt 3 Station Lite, but we have two to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (February 24) at 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time on March 3. The winners will be chosen randomly on March 3 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
A longstanding lawsuit between Apple and Samsung over "Slide to Unlock" may be headed to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Samsung has until March 29 to file a petition for a writ of certiorari, aka a request for Supreme Court review, per FOSS Patents.
If it accepts the case, the Supreme Court will review the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit's decision to reinstate Apple's $119.6 million award last October.
Apple successfully argued that Samsung copied its patents related to slide to unlock, autocorrect, and phone number detection.
The lawsuit is so old that Apple does not even use "Slide to Unlock" anymore. Unlocking an iPhone on iOS 10 requires using Touch ID or pressing down on the Home button, which first brings up the passcode screen if you have one enabled. Swiping to the right now brings up a collection of Lock screen widgets.
Google has responded to multiple reports of users being unexpectedly logged out of their Google accounts, in order to assuage fears that the logouts were security related.
A longstanding lawsuit between Apple and Samsung over "Slide to Unlock" may be 
