Eric Slivka

Eric is Editor in Chief of MacRumors, swimmer, and former biophysicist. Enjoys reading and chasing after two rambunctious boys when he's not playing with the latest gadgets.



Review: OWC's Updated Thunderbolt 3 Dock Adds 85W Charging, 10 Gbps USB-C Port, and microSD Slot

Wednesday October 10, 2018 2:01 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
Nearly a year and half ago, OWC was one of the first companies to launch a Thunderbolt 3 dock, offering over a dozen ports of various types to support a variety of accessories. While I loved the sheer number of the ports offered on the original version of the dock, there were some shortcomings, including a lack of any 10 Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports and only 60 watts of charging power, which may not be enough for 15-inch MacBook Pro users. Users for whom those two concerns are dealbreakers will be glad to hear that OWC is launching an updated version of its Thunderbolt 3 dock in just a few weeks, addressing these issues. The new OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock is exactly the same size and shape as the original, with a horizontal design constructed of an aluminum band (in silver or space gray) wrapping all the way around the sides and glossy black plastic on the top and bottom. All ports are clearly labeled in white, and there is an OWC logo and "Thunderbolt 3 Dock" branding printed on the front of the dock. The dock measures in at a hair over 9 inches wide by 3.5 inches deep and an inch tall. It weighs about 1.2 pounds, although as a desktop dock you're not likely to be moving it around very often so weight shouldn't be much of a factor. Because OWC's new dock is so similar to the original version, I'm not going to walk through all of the features, and I'll instead focus on the differences. But rest assured, the new version continues to have five USB-A ports running at 5 Gbps, a pair of Thunderbolt ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a Mini DisplayPort port, and S/PDIF output
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Apple Stores Experiencing 'Global' Issue With iPhone and Apple Watch Reservation Pickups

Friday September 21, 2018 1:42 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
We're hearing from a number of readers over the past hour or so that Apple's retail stores are having problems completing in-store reservation pickups for the new iPhone and Apple Watch models. Multiple customers have been told there is a "global" issue affecting Apple's systems and we're hearing there are some long lines building up as customers wait for the issues to be resolved. Pickup line at Manhattan Village store in Manhattan Beach, California Some customers have reportedly been told to cancel their existing reservations and make walk-in purchases from available stock, while others are simply being told to wait things out while staff members discuss how to handle the situation. We'll update this post if we hear more about the situation, but if you have an upcoming pickup window, you might want to be prepared for some delays. Update: Apple's systems appear to be coming back online and reservation pickups are now being processed. There is, however, still a backlog of customers to work
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Review: Mazda's CarPlay Support a Welcome Addition for iPhone Users

Tuesday September 18, 2018 1:37 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
Back in March, Mazda became one of the last major car manufacturers to announce launch plans for CarPlay support. Mazda's first announced vehicle with CarPlay is the 2018 Mazda6, with owners of Touring trim and above able to bring their vehicles to a Mazda dealer for a free upgrade starting this month. CarPlay will be available pre-installed in Mazda6 vehicles with Touring trim and above as of November, while Mazda's 2019 CX-9 is also just starting to roll out with CarPlay available pre-installed. 2018 Mazda6 Signature in Soul Red Crystal While the general CarPlay experience is consistent across car brands, as it's driven by your connected iPhone, there are some differences in how CarPlay interfaces with manufacturers' various infotainment systems and hardware, so it's worth taking a look at the CarPlay experience in a Mazda. I've had a chance to spend some time with a CarPlay-equipped 2018 Mazda6 Signature, and CarPlay is a welcome alternative to the built-in Mazda Connect infotainment system that has garnered mixed reviews over the years. Mazda Connect Before we touch on CarPlay, it pays to take a look at Mazda Connect, as that's the software and hardware CarPlay sits on top of. Mazda has opted for multiple control options in its vehicles, with both an 8-inch touchscreen on the dashboard and a commander knob with associated buttons on the center console. A smaller dial next to the commander knob lets you adjust volume without reaching up to the dashboard, or you can adjust the volume from the steering wheel. Voice control through a button on the steering wheel is
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Apple's September 2018 Media Event: Spoiler-Free Video Stream [Video Posted]

Tuesday September 11, 2018 10:57 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Apple's "Gather round" media event will be kicking off at 10:00 AM Pacific tomorrow, and as is tradition some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event live are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until Apple posts the recorded video of the event so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome. For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story. Apple has become quicker about making event videos available for replay over the past several years, and videos are now frequently available within an hour of an event's conclusion. Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events refrain from making any posts in the thread about Apple's announcements. Video Posted: A direct link to the video file is now available, with no
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'Creative Selection' Offers a Behind-the-Scenes Look Into Some Key Moments in Apple's Design History

Tuesday September 4, 2018 1:00 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Former Apple software engineer Ken Kocienda is releasing a new book entitled Creative Selection today, presenting a look inside Apple's design process through his involvement with a few key features across a variety of platforms and devices. I've had an opportunity to read through the book ahead of its debut, and it offers an interesting perspective on how Apple develops and refines features through an iterative process Kocienda terms "creative selection." Kocienda, who joined Apple in 2001 and spent 15 years with the company, identifies seven "elements" he deems essential to Apple's success in software development, including inspiration, collaboration, craft, diligence, decisiveness, taste, and empathy. He delves a bit into how each of these elements contributes toward Apple's relentless pursuit of innovative ideas and solutions that end up being intuitive and useful to Apple's customers. The process of creative selection is the overarching strategy for Apple's engineers, with small teams highly focused on rapid-fire demos of their work that allow the engineers to quickly iterate on their ideas and designs, saving the best elements of each iteration to rapidly reach levels of refinement required for Apple's final product releases. Back in 2001, Kocienda was part of a team from former Apple engineer Andy Hertzfeld's software company Eazel that went defunct. Following Eazel's shutdown, Kocienda and Don Melton were hired on at Apple to develop Safari for Mac, and a number of other Eazel engineers ultimately joined them on the project. But in the first days of
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Review: CalDigit's Thunderbolt 3 Mini Docks Let You Connect to Dual 4K Displays Wherever You Go

Friday August 31, 2018 9:45 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Last month, CalDigit debuted a pair of Thunderbolt 3 mini Docks, offering the ability to connect dual 4K 60Hz displays, Ethernet, and USB all from one travel-sized accessory that doesn't require its own external power source. Available in dual DisplayPort and dual HDMI versions, CalDigit's Thunderbolt 3 mini Docks are a convenient way to make sure you can easily connect to multiple high-resolution displays wherever you go. I've had an opportunity to test out both versions of the dock, and I came away impressed with their performance, compactness, and usefulness in making sure you have the connectivity you need available away from your usual workplace. Design Both versions of the Thunderbolt 3 mini Dock have the same primarily aluminum design with plastic on the two long edges where the ports line one side and the short built-in Thunderbolt 3 cable exits the other side. The aluminum is an attractive gray that's significantly darker than Apple's Space Gray shades, and there is a CalDigit logo on the top of the dock. The bottom includes a pair of non-skid strips to help keep the dock stable. Both docks measure just under 5 inches long by about 2.5 inches deep and 0.75 inches thick. That makes them just a bit smaller but considerably thicker than an iPhone 8, and at a little over 5 ounces they're just about the same weight as an iPhone 8 as well. Overall that makes them much smaller and lighter than a desktop Thunderbolt 3 dock, and they don't require a massive power brick (or any external power beyond the Thunderbolt cable), so they're very transportable. The
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Review: Koogeek's Light Strip and Door & Window Sensor Offer Solid Low-Cost HomeKit Options

Thursday July 26, 2018 1:14 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
Koogeek is one of the more interesting HomeKit accessory manufacturers, with an array of relatively low-cost and in some cases unusual products that can help users expand their Apple-focused smart home ecosystems. The company offers HomeKit-compatible smart outlets, switches, bulbs, and sockets similar to other manufacturers, but also has some less common products like light strips, door/window sensors, environmental monitors, and even power strips. LS1 Light Strip One of Koogeek's more popular HomeKit accessories is the LS1 Light Strip, a 2-meter string of LED lights that lets you choose from 16 million dimmable colors, whether you're looking for bias lighting behind your television or monitor, accent lighting in a kitchen, or any of a number of other applications. While Koogeek offers its own app for setting up and managing the LS1 Light Strip, HomeKit support means you can access it from the centralized Home app on iOS (and soon macOS Mojave) or Siri, and you can integrate it with other HomeKit devices to activate as part of a scene or other automations. Consisting of 60 LEDs, the LS1 is a 2-meter strip with some additional cord and a single-button controller that allows you to turn the lights on and off manually. The light strip is USB-powered, which can be a benefit as it gives you some interesting flexibility in terms of mounting locations when you can use a USB port on your TV, a computer, a dock, or a power bank to run them. On the downside, Koogeek doesn't provide a power adapter in the box, so you'll need to provide your own if you want to power it
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Apple's New 'Just Text Them the Money' Ads Feature Apple Pay Cash

Thursday July 12, 2018 8:41 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
Apple today released a series of new 15-second ads highlighting Apple Pay Cash under the tagline "Just text them the money." One ad shows how roommates can use Apple Pay Cash in Messages to send rent money, while another includes a "lost shirt" scenario that demonstrates the ability to request a specific dollar amount. A third ad highlights two friends discussing and paying for tickets to a game even though it conflicts with another friend's wedding, while the fourth ad covers a mother sending money to her child after receiving a photo of an empty fridge. Apple Pay Cash launched in the United States with iOS 11.2 in early December through a partnership with Green Dot Bank and has yet to expand to any other
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Belkin Debuts First MFi-Certified Power Bank With Lightning Input

Thursday July 5, 2018 9:00 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Belkin today is launching the first power bank with Lightning input to be officially certified under Apple's MFi licensing program, assuring that the product meets Apple's standards for quality and compatibility. Belkin's BOOST↑­CHARGE Power Bank 10K with Lightning Connector, priced at $59.99, offers 10,000 mAh of charging power and is recharged over a Lightning connector using either a USB-to-Lightning cable or a compatible Lightning dock sold separately. On the output side, the Power Bank 10K with Lightning includes a pair of USB-A ports, one at 2.4A for faster charging of iPhones and iPads and one at 1A for slower charging. A button-activated set of four LEDs on the top of the Power Bank shows the current charge level, and the button also lets you toggle between charging input and output modes if needed. While power banks most commonly use micro-USB for charging input and a few are shifting over to USB-C, Lightning offers the benefit of needing only a single cable to both charge the battery pack and use the battery pack to charge your phone. If you've got a Lightning dock on your desk, you may also be able to use that to recharge the power bank, although it is significantly thicker than an iPhone so not all docks will be able to accommodate the power bank. Charging on an Apple Lightning dock The Power Bank 10K measures about 6 inches long, around 2.75 inches wide, and a little under 0.75 inches thick, so it's slightly smaller but substantially thicker than a Plus-sized iPhone. It weighs a little over 8 ounces, about 25 percent more than a Plus-sized
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Review: Ring Alarm is a $199 Do-It-Yourself Home Security System That Keeps Things Simple

Tuesday July 3, 2018 9:00 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Last month, Ring began taking pre-orders for its Ring Alarm home security system, and today it begins shipping. I've had a chance to spend some time with Ring Alarm, and I've found it's an easy-to-use security system that's useful with or without professional monitoring. Priced at $199 for the base kit, the Ring Alarm comes with a base station, a separate keypad, one motion detector, one contact sensor for a door or window, and a range extender to help make sure all of your Ring accessories remain connected to your network. Additional contact sensors ($20), motion detectors ($30), keypads ($50), and range extenders ($25) can be purchased separately to expand your system. Other Ring Alarm accessories including a flood and freeze sensor as well as a smoke and CO listener to integrate your existing detectors into the Ring ecosystem are coming later. I'm a Ring user, with a Video Doorbell 2 and a Floodlight Cam already installed at my house, but I don't have any prior experience with home security systems. That made for a bit of a learning curve just in terms of figuring out how I wanted to set things up and remembering to arm/disarm the system at the appropriate times. But Ring Alarm is intended as a simple do-it-yourself system that makes it easy for even novice users to get up and running, so perhaps I'm an ideal candidate for testing things out. Setup Setup of Ring Alarm is quite simple, and the whole process only took me about half an hour, although I used the included adhesive strips to mount sensors and didn't mount the base station and keypad to my
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Apple's Rumored 18W USB-C iPhone Power Adapter Prototype Shown Off in New Photos

Monday July 2, 2018 6:42 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Recent rumors and CAD renderings have suggested Apple may be planning to include an 18-watt USB-C charger and a Lightning to USB cable in the box with its iOS devices later this year, allowing for faster charging without requiring users to purchase separate charging accessories at additional cost. New photos shared by Chongdiantou (via Mac Otakara) show what is claimed to be an engineering prototype of the actual U.S. version of the charger, although their legitimacy cannot be confirmed. The design of the charger is generally in line with previous renderings, featuring a compact body in the style of Apple's 5-watt charger that has always been included in the box with iPhones. The design otherwise simply includes a pair of prongs on one side and a USB-C port on the other end. The charger does, however, appear somewhat fatter than depicted in the original leaked rendering. Text on the charger is somewhat different from Apple's usual markings, although this may be due to its prototype nature. The text lists the charger with a model number of A1720, in line with Apple's numbering scheme, and it confirms the charger offers output up to 5V at 3A (15W) or 9V at 2A (18W). Apple is rumored to be including the more powerful charger with its new iPhones coming later this year, but it would make sense to also include it with upcoming iPad models, which have traditionally included 10–12W
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Review: Lutron's Caséta Lamp Dimmers and Serena Shades Bring HomeKit Convenience to Your Lights and Windows

Monday June 25, 2018 6:45 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Three years ago, Lutron was one of the first vendors to venture into the HomeKit ecosystem with its Caséta Wireless lighting controls, which include plug-in lamp dimmers, wall-mounted dimmer switches, and remotes, all coordinated through a wireless "Smart Bridge" that plugs into your internet router. The Caséta system has been such a mainstay in the HomeKit world that Apple is still selling it in its stores, including a >$100 starter kit with a smart bridge, an in-wall switch, and a Pico remote control. Additional sets of one in-wall dimmer and one remote are available for $60 each. A host of other lighting switches and Pico remotes are also available to satisfy a range of needs, and the entire system is very popular with our readers. Lutron's Caséta lamp dimmer starter kit and Serena shade Beyond lighting, the Caséta system also integrates with other products, including several styles of automatic HomeKit window shades from Lutron, as well as a joint Lutron-Honeywell thermostat and even some ceiling fans from Hunter. In addition to HomeKit, Caséta also integrates with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and Nest, as well as Sonos, Carrier, ecobee, Logitech, and Xfinity Home. I've had the Caséta lamp dimmer system controlling the bedside lamps in my master bedroom for quite some time, and Lutron also sent along a demo setup of the company's battery-operated Serena shades to see how the different products integrate both within the Lutron app and through HomeKit. Serena shades are available in roller, single honeycomb, and double honeycomb
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Apple Pay Debuts in Norway With Nordea and Santander

Tuesday June 19, 2018 11:07 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
Just a day after launching in Poland, Apple Pay has debuted in Norway, bringing the total number of supported countries and regions to 24 by our count. Apple has updated its list of participating banks to note that Nordea and Santander Consumer Finance are currently supported in Norway. Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on Apple's earnings conference call last month that Apple Pay would be launching in Ukraine, Poland, and Norway in the near future, and with the addition of Norway today those promises have been fulfilled. Apple Pay launched in Ukraine just over a month ago. (Thanks, TrulsZK!)
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AT&T Launches Father's Day 'Buy One, Get One' iPhone X Deal

Friday June 15, 2018 1:37 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
AT&T has launched a new Father's Day deal for the next few days, offering new and existing customers who purchase an iPhone X as an upgrade or a new line a second iPhone X at no additional cost as long as it's for a new line. Customers will need to finance both iPhone X devices via AT&T Next 30 or AT&T Next Every Year, but within three billing cycles they will begin receiving bill credits totaling up to $999.99 spread out over 30 months. Tax on the full cost of both phones is due at the time of purchase, and the deal runs through June 19. AT&T's product pages aren't yet reflecting the full $999.99 promo for the iPhone X, but the deal is live and will be applied at the end of the checkout process. AT&T has been offering a similar BOGO deal on the iPhone 8 as well as a $0 iPhone SE offer, and those deals continue to be valid for a limited time. On the internet and TV service side, AT&T is also continuing to offer Visa Reward Cards with the purchase of new services: $50 for internet, $200 for DirecTV, or $250 for a bundle of both. Full offer details are on AT&T's site. And as always, head over to our Deals Roundup for all of the latest sales and bargains. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with AT&T. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a payment which helps us keep the site running.
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Apple Launches New 'Behind the Mac' Ad Campaign

Thursday June 14, 2018 9:33 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
Apple today launched a new ad campaign focused on the Mac, carrying the tagline "Behind the Mac" and highlighting a trio of creators who have used Macs to "make something wonderful." There are four ads in the series, with the first, set to Daniel Johnston's "Story of an Artist," showing a variety of people using Macs as part of their creative processes. Three other ads focus on specific Mac users from various disciplines: - Photographer and disability advocate Bruce Hall, who is legally blind, uses his Mac and iPhone to help "see the things that always felt out of reach." Some of Hall's work is part of the permanent collection of the U.S. Library of Congress. - Music artist Grimes uses a Mac "from start to finish" to write all of her music, edit music videos, and create digital art for her singles. - App developer Peter Kariuki from Rwanda used his Mac to code the SafeMotos app for connecting passengers with safe motorcycle taxi drivers. The app monitors motorcyle riders on the road to "detect unsafe driving habits and help them become better drivers." Apple has highlighted the campaign on its homepage and Mac section of its
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WWDC 2018 Spoiler-Free Video Stream [Video Posted]

Monday June 4, 2018 7:47 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Apple's WWDC keynote will be kicking off at 10:00 am Pacific Time today, and as is tradition, some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event live are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until Apple posts the recorded video of the event so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome. For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story. Apple has become quicker about making event videos available for replay over the past several years, and videos are now frequently available within an hour of an event's conclusion. Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events refrain from making any posts about Apple's announcements in this thread. Video Posted: A direct link to the video file is now available, with no
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Review: CalDigit's T4 RAID Offers Lots of Fast Storage, Thunderbolt 3, and 85W Charging

Friday June 1, 2018 11:50 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Popular storage and dock company CalDigit recently launched a Thunderbolt 3 version of its T4 RAID storage hub, offering demanding Mac users a four-bay setup with capacities up to 32 TB of traditional hard drive or 8 TB of SSD storage. Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Macs including the MacBook Pro, iMac, and iMac Pro, the T4 connects over a single cable and not only offers a storage array but can also deliver up to 85 watts of power to the host computer and supports downstream displays via Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, and DisplayPort, as well as other standards using adapters. Installation and Setup Setting up the T4 is straightforward, but requires that you first download CalDigit's Thunderbolt RAID Utility Installer from the company's site and get the utility installed on your system. As of macOS High Sierra, this requires an extra authorization step in the Security & Privacy section of System Preferences, but the installer walks you through the process. With the utility installed and your computer restarted, it's just a matter of using the included 2-meter active Thunderbolt 3 cable to connect the T4 to your computer, plugging in the power cord, optionally connecting a downstream display, and starting up the T4. Once the T4 is up and running and the drive showing on your desktop, you're ready to go. The T4 comes pre-formatted in RAID 5 to offer a combination of redundancy and performance. If you prefer a different RAID mode (0, 1, or JBOD/SPAN), you can use the CalDigit Drive Utility menu bar app to reconfigure things. Design The T4 has a rectangular aluminum
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Review: BMW's CarPlay and Qi Charging Support Offer a Convenient All-Wireless Setup, but Subscription Plan Remains Questionable

Wednesday May 30, 2018 11:01 am PDT by Eric Slivka
While CarPlay has become very common in cars over the past several years, most manufacturers are still relying on a wired implementation that requires the user to plug his or her iPhone in using a Lightning cable connected to one of the vehicle's USB ports. The first and only car manufacturer to adopt wireless CarPlay so far is BMW (including its MINI brand), although Mercedes recently announced wireless CarPlay coming later this year. On the aftermarket front, Alpine is offering one solution that supports the feature, while Pioneer has just announced a few models of its own. One common justification for the slow adoption of wireless CarPlay has been that the car is an easy place to charge your phone, so it pays to plug it into your car to top off the battery while you're driving. But with Apple's latest iPhones supporting Qi wireless charging and more car manufacturers starting to include Qi charging pads as options on their vehicles, we thought it would be worth taking a look at how such a setup works in the real world. BMW's Plant Spartanburg BMW recently invited me down for a tour of Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina, which is BMW's largest plant in the world and produces 1,400 vehicles per day from the X3, X4, X5, and X6 lines. I also got to take part in the Performance Center Delivery program at the BMW Performance Center, a program that is typically available to anyone who purchases a new BMW and elects to pick it up at the factory. Off-road course at BMW Performance Center During the program, an instructor introduced me to the capabilities of some
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Apple Adopting OLED Displays for All Three 2019 iPhones

Monday May 28, 2018 8:43 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
As Apple continues its shift from LCD to OLED technology for its iPhones, reports have indicated that two out of the three iPhone models planned for launch around the usual September timeframe this year will offer OLED displays – a second-generation iPhone X and a larger "iPhone X Plus." The lowest-cost option is said to be a new 6.1-inch model with a similar full-face display as seen on the iPhone X, but it will reportedly be an LCD rather than OLED display. Apple's iPhone X promotional video highlighting flexible OLED display Previous rumors have suggested Apple will complete its transition to OLED in 2019, with all models adopting the technology. A new report from South Korea's ET News is now adding its voice to the claim [Google Translate] based on information from its sources."Apple recently started planning the iPhone model in 2019 and decided to adopt OLED in all three types," said an official from Apple who said, "The OLED used in the iPhone X (TEN) is a low temperature polysilicon (LTPS) LCD Quality, performance, and so on. " Another official said, "Apple has decided to put all the OLED on the new iPhone model in 2019." If the new model is more than three kinds, the LCD model may be maintained. However.While this isn't the first time we've heard this rumor and it does make sense based on Apple's trajectory, it appears the financial markets are taking this specific rumor fairly seriously. Reuters notes that shares of Japan Display fell as much as 20 percent today on the news (though they have recovered somewhat and are now down 10 percent), while Bloomberg
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iOS 12 to Allow iPhones to Unlock Doors Via NFC

Saturday May 26, 2018 9:56 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Apple is expected to expand the NFC capabilities of its iPhones beyond mobile payments, allowing users to securely unlock doors equipped with the technology, according to The Information. The company is said to be planning to announce the new functionality "next month," suggesting it will come at WWDC as part of the iOS 12 unveiling. The change to the near-field communication, or NFC, chip, which is expected to be announced next month, could pave the way for people to use iPhones for other security-sensitive interactions, from paying transit fares and opening car doors to verifying their identity in other ways. Already, employees at Apple’s new campus in Cupertino, Calif., are using their iPhones to gain access to buildings and offices, suggesting that the technology has been deployed there, people familiar with the matter said.The Information reported nearly four years ago that Apple was looking to expand NFC capabilities to building security and transit ticketing, working with its campus security vendor HID Global on the technology. Today's report notes that while Bluetooth is already used to manage some smart locks using iPhones, NFC offers a more secure method for connections and authentication, an important consideration for companies and government agencies in
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