Apple could launch a smart home IP camera in 2026
Apple could launch a smart home IP camera featuring deep integration with its other products in 2026, foraying into a new product category. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Rumor: Second-generation Vision Pro headset to debut in late 2025/early 2026, feature an M5 chip
Apple’s second-generation Vision Pro headset may be pushed back a bit to 2026, but also feature an M5 chip at its core. Per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the headset could see an upgrade to the as-yet-unannounced M5 chip. The unit it reportedly in active development, which Gurman has stated could be expected to arrive “between the […] Source

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Plugable Thunderbolt Docking Station with DisplayLink (TBT-6950PD) review
Macworld At a glance Pros 11 fast ports Up to four 4K at 60Hz displays 6K at 60Hz display 180W power supply Cons M1/M2 limited to three displays North America only Our Verdict DisplayLink software opens up impressive external display potential. Not many of us need four screens but those who do will find this fast, 11-port Plugable Thunderbolt 4 dock strong in features and reasonable in price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$299.95 Best Prices Today: Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station for 4K Quad Monitors Retailer Price $299.95 View Deal $299.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The Plugable Thunderbolt Docking Station with DisplayLink (TBT-6950PD) is a full 11-port docking station that beats nearly all other Thunderbolt docks by boasting not just four Thunderbolt 4 ports (one upstream to the host computer) but two HDMI 2.0 ports as well. That’s a lot of video connection options, and, with some software installed, it can support up to four external 4K displays at 60Hz. If you want to hook up three or more monitors to your Mac, this dock is a solution that will keep with Mac’s other ports free for other duties while adding a bunch more for extensive flexibility. There are two other Thunderbolt docks that match this setup. The ridiculously endowed 21-port iVanky Fusion Dock Max dock—which is super-powered with not one but two Thunderbolt chips inside—is a titan, but costs $500. The closest match to the Plugable TBT-6950PD is the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multi-Display Docking Station (with DisplayLink). Indeed, these two Thunderbolt docks are almost identical in both features and looks. This could be the result of following the same Intel Reference Design plus sharing supply chain partners. Either way, we can’t separate the two in material terms. Later, we’ll look at this direct comparison to help you choose the best multi-display dock for your needs. The single-chip Plugable and Satechi docks must rely on third-party DisplayLink software to reach a four-display setup. DisplayLink enables even plain non-Pro/Max M1/M2 Macs to connect to up to three displays (one at 6K and two at 4K), and plain M3/M4 and Pro/Max M1/M2/M3/M4 chip Macs to handle four 4K displays. Plugable Specs and features Eleven ports is a generous offering, and there are no duffers making up the numbers—unless you really must have Ethernet faster than 1,000Mbps. One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 96W)
 Three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
 Two HDMI 2.0 ports Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 4.5W)
 Gigabit Ethernet 
 UHS-II SD Card reader (312MBps)
 3.5mm audio jack
 180W power supply Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) features the fastest available 40Gbps bandwidth plus smart device daisy-chaining and turbo-charged storage connectivity. It also offers Intel VT-d DMA device protection that works against drive-by Direct Memory Access (DMA) attacks using PCI hot plug devices. If you don’t understand what that means, just be reassured that Thunderbolt 4 has your back. Thunderbolt 4 is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C, so you can use it with older devices, but we assume your MacBook will be equipped with Thunderbolt 4 as it’s been the default on the Pro models since 2021 and even the MacBook Air has the USB4 variant. Apple has now begun equipping its latest Macs—starting with those with at least an M4 Pro chip—with 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5, which is backwards compatible with TB4 and USB-C. However, there are few devices or docks that are yet ready for this standard so buying Thunderbolt 4 can still be recommended for probably at least a year until the new standard becomes common enough not to be super expensive. The Plugable TBT-6950PD dock requires you to use one of the Thunderbolt ports to connect to your computer—this is known as the “upstream” port and is handily placed on one side of the dock. We prefer this placement as it keeps the cable out of view compared to docks that stick it at the front of the dock. Plugable includes three “downstream” Thunderbolt 4 ports that can be used to connect to external displays and/or other gadgets such as storage devices. Most docks with three downstream Thunderbolt ports don’t have dedicated video ports included too, but the TBT-6950PD features two HDMI ports. To use these HDMI ports as well as the TB ports you need to install DisplayLink software, which gets around the limitations in Mac software that don’t allow the MST (Multi-Stream Transport) technology that allows Windows PCs to run up to four displays with ease. Apple usually warns you off installing third-party system software, but we are confident that you can trust DisplayLink software, which is well established and used by many trusted accessory makers. Installing DisplayLink on your Mac is reasonably simple, and we have more detailed instructions on installing DisplayLink software on a Mac if those supplied by Plugable are not enough for you. Plugable has instructions and links to the latest DisplayLink version on its website. Later in this review, we’ll dig deeper into the Plugable TBT-6950PD’s video configuration options. Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry Back to the dock’s ports, there are no USB-C ports because the three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports are USB-C compatible and anyway offer much faster 40Gbps data-transfer rates and 15W of power output to connected devices. Using the dock, you could power the laptop at 96W (via the upstream Thunderbolt connection) and use two of the downstream TB ports to simultaneously charge your phone and iPad, for example. 15W is not enough power to fast-charge these devices but standard charging will still be speedy at that rate. The dock’s external power supply can handle 180W, which is a decent amount for a dock of this type. If you need more grunt from your dock, look at the CalDigit TS4 that has an impressive 230W power brick. Located upfront, there are two old-school USB-A ports, at their fastest-possible 10Gbps data-transfer speed. These ports can only output a puny 4.5W of power but it’s enough for low-power devices such as memory sticks. Instead, use the Thunderbolt ports to attach non-powered storage drives. You can add inexpensive portable storage using the SD Card reader, which is rated at a fast 4.0 UHS-II 312MBps. With an adapter, this card reader can also be used with even smaller and more capable MicroSD cards. It’s a great way of adding fast and affordable storage to your laptop setup. You can pick up a fast (UHS-II) 512GB card for under $100, and cheaper at a compatible but slower UHS-I. At the back there’s a Gigabit Ethernet port for stable and speedy wired Internet access. A growing number of new Thunderbolt docks feature faster 2.5Gb Ethernet that outpace 1Gb Ethernet by two and a half times if the network you are plugged into supports such speeds. Gigabit Ethernet is fast enough for most wired networks. A 3.5mm audio in/out port is placed sensibly at the front of the dock for your speakers, headphones or microphone. The power button the front of the dock gives you the option of turning off the dock and therefore power to the connected laptop when you are done for the day. Most docks lack an on/off button forcing you to disconnect the cable at night to stop the laptop’s battery constantly being powered up, which can harm the battery’s life expectancy over time. Plugable Multiple monitor support Any MacBook Pro with Max variants of the M1, M2, M3 and M4 processors can support up to four external 4K displays at 60Hz, even without a dock: three displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over its built-in HDMI. However, that will use up all the MacBook’s own built-in ports. Using a docking station uses up just one of the MacBook’s Thunderbolt ports for the upstream connection to the dock. We’re guessing that a four-display user is going to want to connect other devices and use a fast wired network, and so definitely needs a dock for this expansion. If you just need more Thunderbolt 4 and USB ports, the basic but port-bristling CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub should be all you need. But a dock is nearly always a more supportive solution. MacBook Pros with Pro variants of the M1, M2, M3 or M4 processors are limited to two external displays. The same is now true for Macs with the plain M4 chip. DisplayLink therefore opens the chance to add three or four external displays, making the Plugable dock a wise choice. MacBooks with the standard M1, M2 or M3 processors (neither Pro nor Max) natively support just one display. This is where DisplayLink docks such as the Plugable TBT-6950PD are especially useful. Even using DisplayLink, these plain M-series Macs are limited to three external displays. If you must have four monitors to goggle at you need a Pro or Max-equipped Mac, and we suspect it’s only power users who need so much screen space. There are DisplayLink docks with more USB ports than this Plugable dock or the similar Satechi Thunderbolt dock, but these are the perfect options for multiple-monitor powers—particularly as many as four external displays. When installing DisplayLink software be prepared for some fiddling around in your Mac’s System Settings, allowing the software to permit “Screen Recording” for DisplayLink devices to work properly. Other than that, once installed you shouldn’t need to worry about it again. Supporting four displays means Plugable’s dock is great for the higher-powered Pro and Max MacBooks. The only real competition is the much more expensive iVanky FusionDock Max 1. Only using the FusionDock gets you four 6K displays at 60Hz (using all four of its downstream TB4 ports). With the Plugable, your best four displays will be 4K at 60Hz. While the dock supports two Apple Studio Displays, connecting two displays via Thunderbolt would require the resolution to be limited to 4K at 60Hz using a DisplayLink dock. It is also possible to drive one display at 6K at 60Hz via one of the dock’s downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports while also driving three additional displays at up to 4K at 60Hz (one via a second downstream Thunderbolt 4 port and two via the HDMI ports).  Base model M1/M2 chips support a triple display configuration: single 6K at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and dual 4K at 60Hz via HDMI. Windows PCs can support an even more impressive 8K at 60Hz. When connecting three displays, if you want one 6K monitor, it is required for the other two monitors to be connected via HDMI and using DisplayLink, while the 6K monitor is connected to one of the Thunderbolt 4 ports. The highest resolution on the HDMI ports will be 4K/60Hz. We’ve rounded up the best DisplayLink docks for M1, M2, M3 and M4 MacBooks, and the Plugable TBT-6950PD dock is, alongside the similar Satechi Thunderbolt DisplayLink dock, our recommended Thunderbolt 4 option due to Thunderbolt’s faster data transfer. Using this dock and DisplayPort, the M3 MacBook Air can support four external displays connected to the Thunderbolt dock, but only with its lid closed (Clamshell Mode). You’ll need to use a keyboard and mouse in this mode. Check out options for the best Mac keyboard and best Mac mouse. You can connect displays directly to the Thunderbolt ports if your monitors have a USB-C connection. If not, you’ll require either a USB-C-to-HDMI or USB-C-to-DisplayPort adapter (not included) depending on the display’s ports. Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry Price and alternatives The Plugable Thunderbolt Docking Station with DisplayLink (TBT-6950PD) costs $299.95, which is about in the middle of the Thunderbolt 4 dock market but represents value for money of multiple monitors is your goal. Remember that the super iVanky FusionDock Max 1 costs $500. While it doesn’t support four 6K displays, the Plugable does offer four 4K displays. If 4K at 60Hz is enough for you, this is going to save you a lot of money. As mentioned at the start of this review, there is a near-identical Satechi Thunderbolt 4 DisplayLink dock that is priced the same—read our Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multi-Display Docking Station (with DisplayLink) review. There are a few small differences where Plugable wins out: the Plugable’s included TB4 cable measures 1m compared to the 0.8m Satechi cable; the Satechi lacks the Plugable’s security lock slot; and the Plugable beats the Satechi when it comes to Windows, with support for 60Hz 8K compared to 30Hz 8K. Other than that, to separate these two Thunderbolt 4 DisplayLink docks we recommend you compare the prices at the time of purchase. See the latest Plugable TBT-6950PD prices in this review and see the competing prices in our Satechi TB4 DisplayLink Dock review linked to above. U.K.-based customers can’t yet buy the Plugable TBT-6950PD, but can purchase the Satechi dock, which is available internationally direct. Note that Satechi customers outside of the U.S. will have to pay some shipping costs–£22 for delivery to the U.K.—until it becomes available via Amazon in other regions. U.K. buyers will need to add their own C5 power cable as it ships with either a North American or E.U. plug. If you want a mere three external displays, another option is the Alogic DX3 Triple 4K Display Universal Docking Station. It’s 10Gbps USB-C rather than Thunderbolt but it does support three 4K displays at 60Hz. At the time of writing, it’s discounted at Amazon but at full $299 retail price is not as fine an option as the Plugable or Satechi. Should you buy Plugable Thunderbolt Docking Station with DisplayLink (TBT-6950PD) There are Thunderbolt 4 docks with more ports, but you will be buying the Plugable TBT-6950PD dock for its multiple monitor support, not a handful more USB-A ports. If it’s more ports you’re after, look through our roundup of the best Thunderbolt docks for Mac. If you are comfortable installing the third-party DisplayLink software (and it’s not overly complex), this opens up impressive external display potential. Not many of us need four screens but those who do will find this fast, 11-port Plugable Thunderbolt 4 dock strong in features and reasonable in price.

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Kuo: Apple to release its own smart home camera in 2026, with AI features
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported today that Apple will enter the smart home camera market in 2026, with the company seemingly set to compete against third-party HomeKit cameras like the for the first time. The IP camera is targeted to hit annual shipments in the tens of millions, indicating Apple hopes this will become a major accessory in its product lineup. Kuo says the appeal of Apple’s camera will be rich integration with Siri and Apple Intelligence features. more…

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Channel 4 launches Vision Pro streaming app with a Taskmaster environment
Vision Pro users in the UK have a new TV streaming app starting today. Channel 4 is launching a dedicated Vision Pro app, the first UK broadcasters to do so. Here are the details. more…

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Chrome for iOS adds Shopping Insights, enhanced Google Lens, and more
Macworld Google on Tuesday revealed four new features for the Chrome browser on iOS and iPadOS. These features are currently available on Chrome for Android, but they’re making their iPhone debut. Here are the new features Google Lens: image and text search at the same time Chrome on iOS can do a Google search using an image from your photo library. Google has enhanced this feature so users can add words to the visual query in order to perform specific searches. In an example provided by Google, the user can pick a picture of a snowboard to search, but then can refine the search by adding text, such as a color like “purple” and get results of purple snowboards. Google Lens can be accessed by tapping on the camera icon in the Google Search bar. Save files to Google Drive and Google Photos Chrome for iOS now has the option to save files to Google Drive.Google Web content can now be saved to a Google Drive or Google Photos account–you must be signed into a Google account for this to work. When saving a file from Chrome, users can tap a Google Drive option and a new “Saved from Chrome” folder is created, housing your saved files. To save images, press and hold on the image, and a pop-up menu appears with the option to “Save in Google Photos.” Tap to see a mini-map of an address “Starting soon,” users will be able to tap an address and view a mini-map of the location, directly in Chrome. Goggle states that this feature is in an experimental phase and will be rolled out gradually to other regions. Shopping Insight deals Shopping Insights in Chrome for iOS.Google When shopping using Chrome, if a Shopping Insight deal is available, a “Good Deal Now” notification appears and users can tap it to get details. This feature requires users to be signed into Chrome and the “Make Searches and Browsing Better” setting enabled. Shopping Inisghts is available in the U.S., with more regions added “in the coming months.”

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Supply chain hints at two potential Apple product releases set for 2026
An Apple supplier may have been tapped to build an Apple-designed smart home camera and future health-focused AirPods, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.Tapo smart cameras compatible with Apple HomeKitAfter Apple abandoned the decade-long Apple Car project, rumors suggested Apple would increase investments in the smart home and AI. While Apple Intelligence has been released to the public, there has been little evidence of Apple's new commitment to the smart home beyond rumors of a smart monitor.A new supply chain-based rumor from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests an Apple supplier named Goertek has been tapped with orders for two products due in 2026. The first is a smart home camera, and the second is a set of AirPods with more health-focused features. Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Hands-on: iOS 18.2 beta 3 changes and features [Video]
iOS 18.2 beta 3 isn’t inundated with tons of user-facing changes like the previous two iOS 18.2 betas, but there are a few interesting changes included. Alongside a new Camera Control setting for iPhone 16 users, the third 18.2 developer beta features a new customizable tab bar for the TV app on iPad, and a much-needed update to the video playback UI in the Photos app. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the details. more…

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'Punctuation Is Dead Because the iPhone Keyboard Killed It'
Android Authority's Rita El Khoury argues that the decline in punctuation use and capitalization in social media writing, especially among younger generations, can largely be attributed to the iPhone keyboard. "By hiding the comma and period behind a symbol switch, the iPhone keyboard encourages the biggest grammar fiends to be lazy and skip punctuation," writes El Khoury. She continues: Pundits will say that it's just an extra tap to add a period (double-tap the space bar) or a comma (switch to the characters layout and tap comma), but it's one extra tap too many. When you're firing off replies and messages at a rapid rate, the jarring pause while the keyboard switches to symbols and then switches back to letters is just too annoying, especially if you're doing it multiple times in one message. I hate pausing mid-sentence so much that I will sacrifice a comma at the altar of speed. [...] The real problem, at the end of the day, is that iPhones -- not Android phones -- are popular among Gen Z buyers, especially in the US -- a market with a huge online presence and influence. Add that most smartphone users tend to stick to default apps on their phones, so most of them end up with the default iPhone keyboard instead of looking at better (albeit often even slower) alternatives. And it's that same keyboard that's encouraging them to be lazy instead of making it easier to add punctuation. So yes, I blame the iPhone for killing the period and slaughtering the comma, and I think both of those are great offenders in the death of the capital letter. But trends are cyclical, and if the cassette player can make a comeback, so can the comma. Who knows, maybe in a year or two, writing like a five-year-old will be passe, too, and it'll be trendy to use proper grammar again. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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An iPhone 14 Pro prototype reveals the humble beginnings of Apple's Project Bongo
A newly-discovered iPhone 14 Pro prototype features one of the earliest known incarnations of Apple's scrapped haptic button project.An iPhone 14 Pro featuring Apple's Bongo design was recently discovered.Back in July of 2024, AppleInsider published exclusive imagery of a prototype iPhone 15 Pro Max equipped with Apple's long-rumored haptic buttons. Developed under the codename Project Bongo, the haptic buttons were supposed to make their debut in 2023 but never ended up on mass-production units. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Signal is making it easier for users to join group calls with custom links
The popular encrypted messaging platform Signal announced on Monday some new features coming to its users. With the update, it’s now easier to join group calls using custom links, so read on as we detail what’s new in Signal. more…

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iOS 18.2 fixes one of the most annoying aspects of the new Photos app
Apple introduced a brand new interface to its Photos app with iOS 18, which for years had looked pretty much the same. Unsurprisingly, while some users liked the update, others are still reluctant to approve the new app. But there was one very annoying aspect of the new Photos app that Apple is finally fixing with iOS 18.2. more…

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Apple Will Let You Share AirTag Locations With a Link
With iOS 18.2, Apple will allow you to share the location of a lost AirTag with other people and with more than 15 different airlines. The Verge reports: When using the feature, you can generate a Share Item Location link within the Find My app on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Once you share the link with someone, they can click on it to view an interactive map with the location of your lost item. Apple will update the website automatically when the lost item moves, and it will also display a timestamp when it moved last. Apple will turn off the feature once you find your lost item. You can also manually stop sharing the location of an AirTag at any time, or the link will "automatically expire after seven days." [...] As part of the rollout, Apple is partnering with over 15 airlines, including Delta, United, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Air Canada, and more. All of these airlines will be able to "privately and securely" accept links to lost items, as "access to each link will be limited to a small number of people, and recipients will be required to authenticate in order to view the link through either their Apple Account or partner email address." This feature will be available to airlines in the "coming months." Additionally, SITA, a baggage tracing solution, will also implement Share Item Location into its luggage tracker. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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New in iOS 18.2 developer beta 3: Changes to Apple Intelligence, video playback, and more
The third developer beta of iOS 18.2 is now available for all compatible iPhone models, as Apple Intelligence testing continues. Here's everything you need to know about the update.iOS 18.2 developer beta 3 introduces enhancements to existing features.On Monday, Apple released iOS 18.2 developer beta 3, with build number 22C5131e, up from the previous 22C5125e. While the update is compatible with devices as old as the iPhone XS and iPhone XR, the software includes a variety of Apple Intelligence features that only work on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 range.The iOS 18.2 update introduces support for Image Playground, Genmoji, Visual Intelligence, and ChatGPT integration via Siri. There's also a new FindMy feature that helps users locate lost luggage or AirTags. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Price drop: Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for just $17.97
Don't get stuck using an old version of Windows. Upgrade your PC to Windows 11 Pro with this limited-time sale from Cult of Mac Deals. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Qualcomm’s ‘AI-First’ Vision for the Future of Smart Devices
Snapdragon Elite technology is advancing raw performance and enriching the user experience by adding thoughtful, adaptive features that make devices more intelligent, personal, and responsive. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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Find lost luggage by sharing your AirTag location with your airline
Find out how AirTag and the new Share Item Location feature can help you recover lost luggage securely and (hopefully) easily. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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OpenAI and others seek new path to smarter AI as current methods hit hurdles
Artificial intelligence companies like OpenAI are facing significant challenges in developing larger language models. To overcome… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Here’s a look at a rare iPhone 14 Pro prototype with a haptic volume button
We’re already in the , but taking a look at old Apple prototypes is always interesting as we can see details that the company scrapped during the development process. Now a rare iPhone 14 Pro prototype gives us a closer look at what the rumored haptic volume button might look like. more…

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9to5Mac Daily: November 11, 2024 – M4 Mac mini tidbits, iPhone 17 Air rumors
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. more…

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