Matrox has announced a new Thunderbolt docking station for MacBooks and Ultrabooks.
From a single Thunderbolt connection, users can add multiple peripherals including a large DVI or HDMI® display, a full-size keyboard, and a mouse. A gigabit Ethernet port provides connectivity to a wired corporate network, enabling data transfers 18 times faster than Wi-Fi™. One SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, a microphone input, and a speaker/headphone output are also provided. With its solid aluminum construction, yet sleek design, Matrox DS1 is ideal for office, dorm, or home use.
At a proposed price of $249, the Matrox DS-1 comes in cheaper than Belkin's $299 solution that is due this fall. Matrox's unit lacks a couple of ports (additional Thunderbolt, and Firewire) that are found on Belkin's dock. The DS-1 comes with DVI, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, (2) USB 2.0, Audio Output, Audio Input, and Power connectors:
The Matrox does carry a high speed USB 3.0 port that is absent on Belkin's unit. The addition of that port may make the dock more appealing to PC/Ultrabook customers. It's not clear, however, from Matrox's site if the USB 3.0 port is functional on a Mac. (*Update)
In the past, USB 3.0 support on the Mac has required the installation of 3rd party drivers. These drivers are generally provided by the hardware manufacturer.
Apple has been rumored to be including USB 3.0 support in their next generation MacBook Pros which are due this summer. If that does come to pass, the USB 3.0 port on Matrox's dock may work with Apple's own bundled USB 3.0 drivers.
The Matrox DS-1 Thunderbolt docking station will be available worldwide in September for $249.
Update: Matrox has informed us that MacBooks will be able to take advantage of the USB 3.0 port.
Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
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Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
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Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website.
Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50.
We have outlined some examples below:
Device
New Value
Old Value
iPhone 15 Pro Max
Up to $630
U ...
Sunday January 19, 2025 6:58 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action.
Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google...
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Notification Summary Changes
Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines.
For...
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iOS 19 will not drop support for any iPhone models, according to French website iPhoneSoft.fr.
The report cited a source who said iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that can run iOS 18, which would mean the following models:
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhon...
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For the last several months, we've been hearing rumors about a redesigned version of the iPhone 17 that Apple might call the iPhone 17 "Air," or something along those lines. It's going to replace the iPhone 17 Plus as Apple's fourth iPhone option, and it will be offered alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
We know the iPhone 17 Air is going to be super slim, but...
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Apple plans to expand the iPhone's redesigned Mail app to the Mac starting with macOS 15.4, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The first macOS 15.4 beta should be made available in the coming weeks, and Apple has previously suggested that the iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4 series of software updates will be released to the public in April.
The revamped Mail app debuted on all...
Sunday January 19, 2025 8:25 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In September, Apple said that it would be launching Powerbeats Pro 2 in 2025, and it appears the wireless earbuds are coming very soon.
Powerbeats Pro 2 images found in iOS 18 code
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the Powerbeats Pro 2 are "due imminently." In addition to Apple filing the Powerbeats Pro 2 in regulatory databases last month, Gurman said Apple is...
Matrox has announced a new Thunderbolt docking station for MacBooks and Ultrabooks.
