F. Scott Fitzgerald’s last work heads to Amazon’s silver screen

Amazon’s turning to literature once again for an original series. Only this time, Jeff Bezos’ video wing is eschewing Philip K. Dick in favor of The Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Period piece The Last Tycoon tells the story of young Hollywood studio executive Monroe Stahr in the 1930s as he battles his boss (played by Kelsey Grammer) “for the soul of their studio” amid The Great Depression and the rise of Hitler’s Germany. The story is loosely based on the short, but highly influential career of MGM producer Irving Thalberg — the man responsible for sneak previews, reshoots and story conferences with scriptwriters. If the trailer below proves interesting enough, you can check out the pilot episode right now ahead of the full season’s July 28th premiere. Still not enough Fitzgerald? Then maybe check out Z, the story of F. Scott’s wife, Zelda, on the service.

Source: Amazon Studios (YouTube) (1), (2)

Xprize enlists sci-fi authors and filmmakers to map our future

Science fiction has been instrumental in creating the future from the very beginning. Real-life manipulator hands, originally created for the nuclear industry, were named after Robert Heinlein’s short story, “Waldo.” It makes a lot of sense, then, that when the Xprize program partnered with All Nippon Airlines (ANA) to “imagine a bold vision of the future,” it would look to celebrated science fiction novelists, writers, filmmakers, producers and screenwriters. The collaboration has produced the Science Fiction Council, a group comprised of high-octane sci-fi storytellers from nine countries, including luminaries like Margaret Atwood, Cory Doctorow, Andy Weir, Charles Stross, Ernest Cline and Nancy Kress.

The Xprize organization runs prize competitions to encourage and support solutions to humanity’s biggest challenges, like clean water, moon flights, Star Trek-inspired tricorders and even artificial intelligence. The latest prize seeks to do something similar, only directly aimed at humanity’s vision of its own future.

“Xprize has always been inspired by science fiction. Heinlein’s The Man Who Sold the Moon was an early inspiration for me, as was Star Trek, which inspired the recently-awarded Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE,” said Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, founder and executive chairman of Xprize, in a statement.

This future-think initiative includes roadmaps across various domains like Planet and Environment, Energy and Resources, Shelter and Infrastructure, Health and Wellbeing, Civil Society, Learning and Human Potential and Space and New Frontiers. The roadmaps will help “identify the ideal catalysts, drivers and mechanisms — including potential Xprize competitions — to overcome grand challenges and achieve a preferred future state,” according to the press release.

Xprize and ANA have also created a new science fiction anthology site, Seat 14C, which will showcase original stories by members of the advisory council. The original tales will involve fictional passengers on a transpacific ANA flight (because sponsorship) who find themselves mysteriously transported 20 years into the future.

Source: Xprize

What to expect from Apple at WWDC 2017

As a rule, Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference is predictable: New versions of iOS, macOS and watchOS are the stars of the show, and anything else is gravy. WWDC 2017, however, is shaping up to be different. Although there hasn’t been much talk about what the new software will entail, the rumor mill has kicked into high gear with word of new Macs, new iPads and even a smart speaker. All told, operating systems may actually be the least exciting part of Apple’s keynote. But which products are likely to steal the spotlight, and which ones are just wishful thinking? That’s what we’re here to sort out.

A Siri speaker in your living room

Here’s something you haven’t seen in a while: the prospect of Apple introducing a completely new device at its developer conference. Rumors are swirling of that the company will unveil a Siri-controlled speaker at WWDC, overshadowing virtually anything else Apple would otherwise discuss at the keynote. It might not ship until sometime later in the year (likely to give developers time to support it), but production may have already started.

As you might expect, the speaker would represent Apple’s answer to the Amazon Echo and Google Home. It would likely handle many of the tasks that Siri already does on your iPhone, such as checking the weather, playing music and controlling HomeKit gear — you just wouldn’t have to pick up a gadget to listen to songs or turn on your lights. The speaker could be particularly important if you want to control your household when you’re away because you currently need to use an Apple TV or iPad as a hub to control your HomeKit-compatible devices remotely.

There hasn’t been much discussion of the speaker’s design, but Bloomberg believes it would stand out from the pack by focusing on audio quality. You’d enjoy louder, crisper sound than what you typically get from rivals like Echo or Home. It might also incorporate virtual surround sound that would provide a more immersive experience. There has even been talk of Apple including ambient noise sensors to adjust the volume when you’re talking, but it’s not clear that this feature made the cut before production began.

New MacBooks

A speaker might not be the only hardware introduced on stage. Apple is rumored to be updating its laptop line at WWDC, possibly in an attempt to underscore its renewed support for the Mac. The most credible rumors, again from Bloomberg, suggest that these would mostly be under-the-hood updates. Both the MacBook Pro and 12-inch MacBook would jump to seventh-generation Intel Core (aka Kaby Lake) processors that promise both faster performance and longer battery life. They might support more memory, too. Customers have complained that the MacBook Pro’s maximum 16GB of RAM isn’t enough to handle heavy workloads, and there have been hints that the laptop will support as much as 32GB with its next refresh. The more diminutive MacBook might also support as much as 16GB, although that’s clearly not as vital an upgrade given that it’s only designed for basic tasks.

There’s some tangible evidence to back up these claims. Apple recently delayed shipping times for 15-inch MacBook Pro orders, pushing their delivery to the day after the WWDC keynote. The Cupertino firm frequently stalls orders like this when it’s clearing out inventory for an outgoing device, so that’s as strong a sign as any that something is afoot.

Don’t get your hopes up for a MacBook Air update, though. Although the same Bloomberg rumor had Apple considering an Air refresh, neither the filings nor other clues point to an imminent upgrade. If there is one, we’d expect it to fly under the radar. This would be a maintenance update that does just enough to keep Apple’s most affordable system relevant in 2017 — hardly something you’d want to crow about in a keynote. You might see a switch to seventh-gen Core processors but not much more than that.

A 10.5-inch iPad

While Apple’s mainstream iPad just received an update in March, the iPad Pro is more than a little overdue. Neither Pro model has been touched for more than a year, and they’re based on a design that hasn’t changed much since the original iPad Air in 2013. Where’s a truly new iPad, one that pushes the concept forward? Thankfully, it sounds like you might get it at WWDC — there’s mounting buzz that an update is right around the corner.

If you believe Bloomberg, it’s the long-rumored 10.5-inch iPad Pro that many expect to replace the 9.7-inch edition. This would be more than just an upsized version of the slate you see today. Slimmer bezels would give it a footprint roughly comparable to its smaller sibling, so you wouldn’t have to give up portability for the sake of a larger screen. The 10.5-inch tablet is likely to pack a faster processor (a souped-up version of the iPhone 7’s chip, possibly called the “A10X”), and it might have a higher-resolution display to match. One IHS Markit analyst believes it could have a 2,224 x 1,668 LCD that slots in neatly between existing 9.7-inch iPads (2,048 x 1,536) and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2,732 x 2,048).

There isn’t much else to know about the specs at this point, but we have found a few clues. Case leaks from Twitter’s @ShaiMizrachi point to a familiar layout for the 10.5-inch iPad, including the stereo speakers you’ve seen on all Pro models so far. Also, Consomac has found Eurasian Economic Commission filings for four previously unknown iPad models split into two families. It’s easy to guess that these may be WiFi and cellular versions of both the 10.5-inch Pro and another iPad, possibly a refreshed 12.9-inch model.

Just don’t expect the iPad mini to get any attention at the same time. Apple only recently doubled the storage for the iPad mini 4, so it’s doubtful that you’ll see a more substantial upgrade a few months later. In fact, a BGR rumor claims that Apple might drop the mini in the long run. This tiniest of iPads reportedly doesn’t sell well compared to its larger counterparts, and the iPhone 7 Plus is close enough for some buyers. Bigger iPads are the future, and WWDC could reflect that.

Software: iOS, macOS and Siri’s future

Apple’s software plans would normally take center stage in one of our WWDC previews. This is a developer conference, after all. But thus far, there have been precious few credible hints as to what Apple will announce. This isn’t to say that this year’s updates will be low-key — it’s just that Apple may be keeping a lid on secrets this year.

In a Bloomberg interview, Apple’s Jimmy Iovine mentioned that iOS 11 would include a new Music app that does a better job with videos. Projects like Carpool Karaoke might fit better into the app, something that’ll help Apple push more exclusive video content going forward. Also, there are longstanding rumors of improved iPad support across all of iOS. You could use the Pencil to annotate all kinds of content, such as websites or email messages. This certainly makes sense if there’s a 10.5-inch iPad in the works, since Apple has been keen to demonstrate that iPads can serve as PC replacements.

When it comes to the Mac, there’s even less to say — we’re practically limited to speculation. One theory is plausible, though: Given that Apple File System launched on mobile devices with iOS 10.3, it stands to reason that macOS is next in line. If so, you could expect speedier, more secure storage that’s better-optimized for Macs with solid-state drives.

We haven’t heard anything about new versions of watchOS or tvOS, so any big features will come as surprises.

Instead, the greater focus might be on a common thread for all of Apple’s software: AI. It’s no secret that Apple has been making heavy investments in AI, and WWDC could be an ideal venue to showcase improvements, whether they apply to Siri or individual apps. Some of Apple’s acquisitions may indicate what’s on deck. Turi, for example, helps detect patterns and personalize content. Siri might be better at understanding your requests by recognizing what you tend to look for while iOS might be more proactive when suggesting photos or music.

Improvements to Siri could be particularly crucial this year. If there really is a Siri speaker, its success could hinge on high-quality AI; it has to answer common requests as well as an Echo or Home. And few would doubt that rivals like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Microsoft Cortana have distinct advantages over Siri on any device, such as Google’s access to its powerful search engine. Although we wouldn’t expect a total revolution in Siri’s abilities, it probably can’t remain as-is for much longer.

Wildcards: Mac Pros and iMacs

You can never completely rule out surprises at Apple events, even if WWDC’s focus limits the kind of introductions you’re likely to see. And there are certainly a few candidates this year.

One such possibility is a very early preview of the redesigned Mac Pro. Apple revealed the current workstation’s design at WWDC 2013, months ahead of its release, and it wouldn’t be shocking if there were a repeat showing as the company reassures developers worried about the fate of pro Mac desktops. But the new Mac Pro is still a long ways away (it’s not expected until sometime in 2018), and there may not be much point to showing it off if Apple isn’t ready to provide the finished specs.

Augmented reality might also show up, since Apple has been very open about its interest in AR technology. With that said, there aren’t any believable rumors of Apple having something it can show at WWDC. We’ve heard that it could be testing AR glasses, but they might not ship until 2018, if not later. At best, you’ll get a sneak peek.

If there’s a relatively realistic wild card, it might be the pro iMacs that Apple confirmed back in April. The company was only willing to commit to a “later in 2017” release at the time, but some of the hardware needed to make this all-in-one is available now. Notice how Intel’s new Core i9 chips have the abundance of cores that pros crave? No, they’re not Xeons, but they could easily fit the bill if you need to compile code or edit 4K videos. It may just be a matter of whether or not Apple is willing and able to use these parts quickly. We wouldn’t be surprised if these high-performance iMacs weren’t unveiled until the fall.

Image credits: Reuters/Stephen Lam; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Study suggests Airbnb hosts are unfair to people with disabilities

A recent study conducted by researchers at Rutgers University found evidence that Airbnb hosts might be less likely to rent to people with disabilities. But there are some important limitations to consider in regards to the findings.

The researchers created fake profiles with pictures of white men around 30 years of age and messaged nearly 4,000 Airbnb listings across the country. When inquiring about the host’s listing, some of the “renters” would ask if the unit was accessible to one of four disabilities: blindness, dwarfism, cerebral palsy or a spinal cord injury.

Profiles that didn’t ask about disability accommodation received preapproval almost 75 percent of the time, while those with a disability were preapproved at significantly lower rates ranging from 61 percent for dwarfism down to just 25 percent for those with a spinal cord injury. However, if a host followed the request up with questions before making the approval, it wasn’t classified as preapproved, which the researchers noted could explain some of the gaps in pre-approval rates.

Additionally, for every disability except dwarfism, profiles were more likely to be rejected compared to profiles with no disability. The study also found that units listed as wheelchair accessible were still less likely to preapprove individuals with blindness and spinal cord injury and more likely to reject those with blindness.

There are some limitations to the study, however. First, they did not take instant booking into account, which Airbnb says accounts for 60 percent of their reservations. And the study only used white male profiles, meaning compounding factors of race and gender weren’t measured. Finally, the study has not yet been submitted to a journal and subjected to peer review. Mason Ameri, one of the researchers on the project, told Engadget via email that the study is a working paper and they plan to submit to a journal in the near future. Douglas Kruse, another author of the paper, added that several colleagues at Harvard and Rutgers have reviewed the current version.

The researchers provide several suggestions for Airbnb to consider including enforcing Americans with Disabilities Act standards with hosts listing wheelchair-accessible units, cultivating partnerships with disability-focused organizations, and making sure hosts adhere to the company’s new nondiscrimination policy.

In a statement, Airbnb said they’ve already been working on a number of the issues brought up in the study and added, “Our work is ongoing and we will continue to work with everyone who shares our goal of making the Airbnb community more open and accessible.

Via: New York Times

Source: Rutgers

If hacking back becomes law, what could possibly go wrong?

Representative Tom Graves (R-GA) thinks that when anyone gets hacked — individuals or companies — they should be able to “fight back” and go “hunt for hackers outside of their own networks.” The Active Cyber Defense Certainty (“ACDC”) Act is getting closer to being put before lawmakers, and the Congressman trying to make “hacking back” easy-breezy-legal believes it would’ve stopped the WannaCry ransomware.

Despite its endlessly lulzy acronym, Graves says he “looks forward to formally introducing ACDC” to the U.S. House of Representatives in the next few weeks.

Hacking back sounds really awesome at first glance, and obviously, especially to lawmakers. The hacking back of “ACDC” in action would most likely happen just like on Mr. Robot, or in that movie about black hats. Evil hackers invade a company’s computer system and plant a cyber-bomb. Except the company’s IT department is actually a crack team of formerly-evil hackers who now work for the good guys (you can tell they’re the good guys because they have jobs). Because it’s now legal, the good guys dive into The Matrix and defuse the cyber-bomb just in time! Then they fly through the wires to get into the bad guy’s computer, instantly downloading his name and address and Tinder profile, sending it instantly to the FBI who bust through the guy’s door right as he’s trying to wipe the files!

Yeah, that’s probably how lawmakers see it happening, too.

Attacks that go both ways

The bipartisan ACDC bill would let companies who believe they are under ongoing attack break into the computer of whomever they think is attacking them, for the purposes of stopping the attack or gathering info for law enforcement. According to early press, the bill “includes caveats such as you cannot destroy data on another person’s computer, cause physical injury to someone or create a threat to public safety.

This is Rep Graves’s second attempt at making ACDC work out with all his friends. His May 25th revision of the legislation included attempts at limiting collateral damage, which as you may have suspected, is a particular criticism of people who work in infosec.

According to Politico, who had the early scoop on the new version:

Key changes include: a mandatory reporting requirement for entities that use active-defense technique to help federal law enforcement ensure such tools are used responsibly; a two-year sunset clause that would make Congress revisit the law in order to make changes; and an exemption allowing people or companies to recover their lost data if it’s found using defensive techniques and can be grabbed back without destroying other data.

Setting aside the naive idea that digital secrets can somehow be “stolen back,” just that information alone diagrams why hacking back generally isn’t considered a great idea by most.

Brian Bartholomew, senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, told Engadget, “While the proposal’s intent is to make it more difficult for an attack to be successful, it also raises major concern within the community.” He explained that for starters, it’s impossible to contain what data the victim touches when they’re hacking back, destroying the bill’s rule that victims only mess with their own stolen property.

“Another concern is for chain of custody preservation,” Bartholomew told Engadget, even if victims tell law enforcement what they’re about to do. “Providing a ‘plan of action’ is a far cry from possessing the proper training or legal expertise on how to preserve evidence that will be upheld in a court of law,” he explained. “It is only a matter of time until the first criminal is prosecuted and evidence [is] thrown out due to improper chain of custody or documentation.”

Attribution is hard and usually wrong when not done by teams of professional analysts. And even then they get it wrong thanks to the incredible skills attackers have at what’s called “false flagging” — making attacks look like they’re from someone else.

Bartholomew, who co-authored the leading research on “false flag operations” agreed. As it has been demonstrated many times before, attackers are becoming more and more aware of techniques to throw defenders off their scent and lead them down a wrong path.

“Pointing the proverbial finger at another attacker is becoming more commonplace and with the introduction of this bill, the possible outcome of such an act can potentially be devastating. Performing proper attribution of an attack is an already difficult and sometimes impossible task, especially for an untrained person.”

There is also the serious concern that a hack back attack might spark a bigger issue between nations than anyone’s considering.

Last September, the Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group at Cal Poly released a report called “Ethics of Hacking Back,” a neutral look at the issues and laws surrounding the infosec version of “an eye for an eye.”

The report comes from the stance that reasonable arguments exist to support hacking back. Still, in a summary from Patrick Lin, Ph.D., the group’s Director, Cal Poly found that the concept of hacking back fails across a number of categories. “If meant as a deterrent,” Lin wrote, “hacking back would likely not deter malicious and ideological attackers.”

Importantly, the paper cuts to the heart of all hacking back discussions by raising a critical issue: We don’t know if it would actually work or not because there is no data. “Currently,” Lin said, “there is no self-reporting of hacking back, because the practice is presumed to be ‘likely illegal’ according to the U.S. Department of Justice.”

We cannot track what we do not measure. Without that data—a way for individuals and organizations to safely report countermeasures, without fear of being made into criminals—it is difficult to answer the question of whether hacking back has deterrent value, which is an empirical question.

More to the ideological point of Graves’s bill, Lin points out that hacking back also won’t do anything to restore security.

By peddling the idea that hacking back could’ve stopped WannaCry — ransomware — ACDC is security snake oil. It’s reminiscent of the “anonymity box” gold rush that hit Kickstarter after the Snowden snatch and dump, where charlatans sold “Tor in a box” promising that their gadgets would’ve prevented the Sony hack. Just take a recent, dimly-understood hacking disaster and graft on an infantile solution, don’t bother to consult people in the trenches, and off we go.

When you try to make laws about hacking based on a child’s concept of “getting someone back,” you’re getting very far and away from making yourself secure. It’s like trying to make gang warfare productive. Or trying to make it legal to break into someone’s house to steal your stuff back and take photos, because they broke into yours, except without anything in your favor of going right. Unless you’re really, really good at different kinds of hacking. Spoiler: most everyone in hacking and security isn’t, no matter how hard they try to make us all think all hackers are good at everything.

It’s a smarmy and conceited bill to propose. But that seems to be going around Washington DC lately, so good luck to us.

Images: Yuri_Arcurs via Getty Images (Guys at computer); EFE/EPA/RITCHIE B. TONGO (WannaCry ransomware)

‘Instant Tethering’ comes to Chromebooks with some caveats

When you’re nowhere near a Wi-Fi hotspot, tethering to your smartphone’s data connection is a great solution. Doing it quickly and easily makes it even nicer. Apple has had what it calls Instant Hotspot since 2014, while Google added Instant Tethering to its Nexus and Pixel devices this past January. Now it looks like the quick connection technology is coming to Chromebooks as well, though there are a few caveats.

According to ChromeStory, the latest developer-focused Chrome OS version, Canary, has a flag you can use to toggle the feature:

“Instant Tethering Chrome OS
Enables Instant Tethering. Instant Tethering allows your nearby Google phone to share its Internet connection with this device. #enable-tether”

If you’re running this early-adopter build of Chrome OS, you can enable this feature by typing chrome://flags into your URL bar, reports 9to5Google. You can enable the tether option there, restart the machine and then find Instant Tethering in the quick settings menu in the “network” section. The feature will also need to be toggled on your smartphone, which will also need to be a Pixel or Nexus device. With those caveats in place, however, you should be able to quickly tether up your Chromebook and easily get online without Wi-Fi.

Via: 9to5Google

Source: ChromeStory

Walmart recruits its employees to deliver your packages

Walmart has been struggling to compete with shipping perks offered by companies like Amazon. And in its latest attempt to contend,it has turned to employees — asking them to deliver packages on their way home.

In a previous move to lower its own shipping costs and still remain appealing to customers, Walmart created their “Pickup Discount” program, which lowered the price of online items if buyers agreed to pick them up from a store rather than have them shipped to their home. The company also launched and subsequently killed its Prime-like subscription service. And last year, Walmart bought Jet.com to boost its online shopping presence.

But Amazon is a hefty foe and last month it dropped its free shipping threshold back down to $25, undercutting Walmart’s $35 minimum. And with Amazon also beginning to compete in the brick-and-mortar world with its drive-through grocery stores, rumored convenience stores, and book outlets, Walmart will have to compete on multiple fronts.

The employee-delivered shipping service is being tested in three stores — two in New Jersey and one in Arkansas. For its employees, the program is completely opt-in and the company says those choosing to deliver packages can decide how many they want to take on and on what days. They can also limit the size and weight of their deliveries. It’s unclear what the compensation is for the added work, but it’s obviously less than what they’re paying for typical delivery services.

Walmart says that 90 percent of US residents live within 10 miles of one of its 4,700 stores. But for this new service to work, it will depend on how worthwhile they can make the initiative to its one million employees.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Walmart

WWDC 2017 Spoiler-Free Video Stream

Apple’s WWDC keynote will be kicking off at 10:00 am Pacific Time on Monday, 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.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2017
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Review: Belkin’s $350 Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD Looks Great, but Could Use More Ports

With the flood of full-featured Thunderbolt 3 docks about to hit the market, it’s time to take a look at Belkin’s Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD, one of the major contenders users have been waiting for in addition to the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock and CalDigit TS3 that we’ve also recently reviewed. As with the other docks we’ve looked at, Belkin’s offering includes a variety of ports and even charging capabilities all over a single Thunderbolt 3 cable, making it a great option for turning the new MacBook Pro into a robust desktop setup.

Belkin’s Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD is launching this Monday, June 5 (exact time still to be determined), and will be available directly from Belkin and through Apple, as well as from other select retailers, but we’ve already had a chance to spend a little time with it to see how it compares to the competition.

The Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD is fairly stylish, with a horizontal design constructed primarily of aluminum and tapering slightly back to front in both horizontal and vertical dimensions. The sides and rear port panel of the dock are a glossy black plastic that come with a clear plastic protection film that’s surprisingly difficult to get a fingernail under to remove.

At 8.17 inches maximum width by 3.4 inches deep by a maximum of 1.2 inches high, it has the same general footprint as OWC’s dock and CalDigit’s TS3 Lite. The silver aluminum finish complements silver MacBook Pro machines well, and the darker gray Belkin logo and word mark in the front corner of the top are not overly distracting. A small LED near the left side of the front glows orange when there is power to the dock and turns green when the dock is connected to a computer.

As with other docks, Belkin’s offering comes with a fairly large external power brick that rivals the dock itself in size, although it can usually be tucked away a bit. Belkin also includes a 1-meter Thunderbolt 3 cable in the box.

Like the CalDigit TS3 and Elgato’s upcoming dock, Belkin’s dock supports up to 85 watts of charging power over its Thunderbolt 3 cable, enough for not only the 13-inch MacBook Pro but also its larger 15-inch sibling. Docks with lower ratings, such as OWC’s at 60 watts, may be unable to keep up sufficiently with a 15-inch MacBook Pro under heavy load.

One area where Belkin’s dock comes up a bit short is in the array of ports offered. The front of the dock includes a single USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) Type-A port and a combined audio in/out port for easy access. The rear of the dock hosts a Gigabit Ethernet port, an audio port, two more USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a DisplayPort port. It’s a basic set of options that may be sufficient for many users, but there aren’t any advanced options here as seen on some other docks, and something as simple as a few more USB ports would have been nice to include.

On the plus side, all three of the USB ports on Belkin’s dock can provide stand alone charging even when the dock isn’t actively connected to a computer, something that isn’t necessarily the case with other docks. That means you can leave your Apple Watch or iPhone hooked up via the dock to charge overnight even if your computer is asleep or turned off.

As with other Thunderbolt 3 docks, Belkin’s dock can support a single 5K display or dual displays at up to 4K resolution using a combination of one Thunderbolt 3 port, the DisplayPort port, and any necessary adapters.

Priced at $349.99, Belkin’s dock is a bit more expensive than most of the other flagship models, which tend to come in at around $300, although Belkin’s previous docks have frequently been available at less than list prices through Amazon and other retailers, so we’ll have to wait and see whether that premium based on list prices can be overcome once it launches.

At the full $350 list price, it’s hard to recommend the Belkin dock over other options though, especially since its array of ports is more on par with the $200 TS3 Lite from CalDigit than the $300-level docks that include additional ports such as an SD card slot, FireWire, eSATA, or extra USB ports.

The full 85-watt charging support is a welcome inclusion, which helps separate the Belkin dock from some other competitors. It’s also a pretty good looking dock, with the subtle tapers in multiple dimensions and smooth curved aluminum body offering a sleeker look compared to some other simpler or more industrial looking designs.

Despite its drawbacks, Belkin’s dock performs well for the features it has and is likely to be a popular option given the company’s reputation for quality and its close relationship with Apple that should see prominent placement in Apple retail stores and at Apple.com.

Note: Belkin provided the Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD to MacRumors free of charge for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received.

Tags: Belkin, Thunderbolt 3
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What to Expect at WWDC 2017: Software Updates, Mac Notebook Refresh, New iPad Pro, Siri Speaker Possible

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off on Monday morning, with a keynote event that starts at 10:00 a.m. This year’s event promises to be exciting, because alongside new versions of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS, there are also rumors suggesting we’re going to see several hardware updates.

New Mac notebooks are likely to be unveiled, and there’s apparently a 70 percent chance we’ll see the much-rumored 10.5-inch iPad Pro and a 50 percent chance Apple will use the event to introduce its Siri speaker, designed to compete with the Amazon Echo.

Check out the video and list below for an extensive overview of what we expect to see introduced at the event.

Software

iOS 11
We’ve heard little about iOS 11 ahead of its debut, so many of the features in the newest version of iOS will come as a surprise. iOS 11 is expected to feature a redesigned interface, with the first major system-wide design changes since iOS 7, but what it will look like is up in the air.

Apple has been rumored to be working on some major updates to Siri, and the company has purchased several AI and machine learning startups, so it’s possible iOS 11 will introduce expanded Siri capabilities.

Rumors have suggested the update will include support for group FaceTime calls for the first time, a feature many have wanted for years, and Apple Music head Jimmy Iovine has said iOS 11 is going to include a new version of the Music app that “better showcases video” as Apple prepares to launch its first original Apple Music TV show, Carpool Karaoke.

Because iOS 10 focused so heavily on the iPhone with few iPad-specific features, iOS 11 is rumored to include some iPad-specific updates, such as improved and expanded Apple Pencil support for the iPad Pro that would allow it to work with more apps and better integration between hardware and software.

Some of the features included in iOS 11 might not be fully revealed until September, when Apple’s much-rumored “iPhone 8” launches. We’ve heard rumors suggesting the device could include features like augmented reality, 3D sensing, and facial recognition, all of which would need to be supported by the operating system and would introduce new functionality.

For more information on iOS 11, make sure to check out our iOS 11 roundup.

macOS 10.13
With iOS 11 expected to see some design changes, it’s reasonable to expect some of the same tweaks to be introduced in the next version of macOS, maintaining shared design elements across the two operating systems.

Other changes introduced in iOS 11, such as any potential Siri improvements, could also come to the new Mac operating system, and because Apple builds on the integrations between iOS and macOS each year, additional Continuity features and cross-device interactions could be included.

Apple introduced Apple File System (APFS) with iOS 10 and macOS Sierra, and while it was implemented on iOS devices, it has yet to come to the Mac. APFS could finally be introduced with macOS 10.13. APFS is optimized for flash/SSD storage and offers features like strong encryption, snapshots for freezing the state of a file system (better for backups), space sharing, and better space efficiency, all of which should result in a more stable platform.

Aside from those guesses, we know little about macOS 10.13, as we’ve heard no rumors about the upcoming software.

There has been some speculation that Apple could go from macOS 10.12 (Sierra) to macOS 11 because of iOS 11, but references to macOS 10.13 have already been spotted. What macOS 10.13 will be officially named remains a mystery, but Apple is likely to continue its California landmark naming scheme.

Apple is supposedly going to use a name that starts with an “M,” and some possibilities include Monterey, Mojave, Mammoth, and Miramar, all landmark names Apple has previously trademarked.

To read more about macOS 10.13, check out our macOS 10.13 roundup.

watchOS 4
Any significant design changes planned for iOS 11 could also bring similar tweaks to watchOS 4, and if there are Siri updates in the works, we can expect expanded Siri functionality in the new version of watchOS as well as in iOS 11.

New watch faces and perhaps new complications are also safe guesses for features that will be included in watchOS 4, but other functionality remains a mystery because we’ve heard no rumors on what to expect in the update.

Apple is continually working to improve battery life and make apps more useful on the Apple Watch, so watchOS 4 could introduce those kind of refinements and improvements.

We’ve heard rumors suggesting Apple could potentially introduce cellular connectivity in a third-generation Apple Watch, a feature that would need to be supported by tweaks to the watchOS operating system.

tvOS 11
If we know little about iOS 11, macOS 10.13, and watchOS 4, we know even less about the next-generation version of tvOS. There have been no rumors or hints giving us an idea of what to expect, and many tvOS features are still in their infancy.

Single sign-on, Live Tune-In, universal search, and the TV app are still evolving and could see some improvements in the next-generation version of tvOS to make them more useful and cohesive for an improved television-watching experience.

Any new features or expanded capabilities introduced to Apple’s personal assistant Siri will likely expand to tvOS, and with Apple Music for iOS rumored to be getting a revamp to better focus on video content, it’s safe to expect some of the same changes in tvOS.

Hardware

MacBook Pro
Apple just introduced 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with a Touch Bar and upgraded internals in October of 2016, but rumors suggest refreshed MacBook Pro machines are already set to debut eight months later at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Refreshed MacBook Pro devices will not include any design changes, but are expected to feature faster, more efficient Kaby Lake chips, introducing processing improvements. New GPUs and other internal spec bumps could also be included in the refresh.

Rumors suggest Apple is working on a high-end MacBook Pro model that will support up to 32GB of RAM, but whether or not that particular machine will be introduced at WWDC remains to be seen as it was originally rumored for late 2017.

For more information on the upcoming MacBook Pro update, make sure to check out our full MacBook Pro roundup.

MacBook
Apple’s 12-inch MacBook is expected to see a refresh at WWDC, introducing faster Kaby Lake chips with improved graphics capabilities and improvements to app switching and battery life.

Next-generation MacBooks could also include support for up to 16GB of RAM, up from 8GB in current machines, but no external design changes are expected.

For more information on the upcoming MacBook update, make sure to check out our full MacBook roundup.

MacBook Air
Along with new MacBook Pro and MacBook models, Apple is said to be considering announcing a MacBook Air refresh, with new machines that include updated processors.

The MacBook Air was last updated in 2015 and continues to use a previous-generation Broadwell chip. If Apple does go ahead with a refresh, a new machine could use Skylake or Kaby Lake processors, making it viable for several years to come.

An updated chip for the MacBook Air isn’t a sure thing, but if new chips are introduced, it will likely be the only MacBook Air upgrade. External changes like a new display or a new body are not expected as Apple’s low-cost notebook has largely been replaced by the MacBook and the MacBook Pro. It does, however, hold a valuable position in the Mac lineup as Apple’s most affordable notebook.

For more on the MacBook Air rumors, check out our full MacBook Air roundup.

Siri Speaker
Apple has been quietly working on a Siri speaker to compete with the Amazon Echo and the Google Home, and the device, which is already in production, could be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Apple’s Siri speaker will serve as a hub for its services, including Apple Music and HomeKit. To differentiate it from competing products, Apple is said to be focusing on superior sound quality with virtual surround sound technology that’s able to “reproduce sound more crisply” than the Echo or the Home.

Rumors have suggested it could include sensors that would allow it to measure a room’s acoustics and adjust audio levels automatically during use, and it could also include a camera and facial recognition capabilities so it is able to tell between different members of a family.

A Siri speaker mockup with a “Mac Pro-like” concave design (Image via iFunnyVlogger)
Some rumors initially suggested the speaker might have a touch panel, but later information clarifies that it will not include a full display. Design wise, the speaker may feature a Mac Pro-like concave top with built-in controls and a “fat” body covered in speaker mesh. Like the Amazon Echo and the Google Home, the Siri speaker is likely to support third-party services and apps, allowing it to perform a wide range of tasks.

If Apple does debut the Siri speaker at WWDC, it won’t launch immediately – it’s not expected to go on sale until later in the year, perhaps in the fall alongside the rumored “iPhone 8.” If Apple is planning to allow third-party developers to create speaker integrations, an introduction at WWDC ahead of a later launch makes sense.

For additional detail on the Siri speaker, make sure to check out our full Siri Smart Speaker roundup.

iPad Pro
Apple is rumored to have a 10.5-inch iPad Pro in the works, and it could finally make an appearance at WWDC. The new iPad Pro is said to have a body that’s similar in size to the 9.7-inch iPad, but with a larger ~10.5 inch display, made possible through thinner top and side bezels. As seen in the mockup below, said to be based on current iPad Pro rumors, alleged design drawings, and dummy models, the new iPad could potentially be slightly larger than the existing 9.7-inch device.

iPad Pro rumors have largely focused on the new display, but an upgraded model is also likely to feature an upgraded processor, improved cameras, True Tone flash, quad speakers, and a True Tone display, with some of these features being adopted from the previous 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

Apple may also be planning to introduce a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with updated internal components, but we’ve heard little about it with most of the spotlight on the new 10.5-inch model.

For more on the upcoming iPad Pro refresh, make sure to check out our full iPad Pro roundup.

What’s Not Expected

Many of Apple’s desktop Macs, including the iMac and the Mac mini, are in need of updates, but we’ve heard no rumors suggesting a refresh is imminent. Apple executives have said new iMacs, including high-end pro-level models, are in the works, but it’s not clear when those machines will launch.

WWDC Coverage

MacRumors plans to provide live coverage of Apple’s keynote event here on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account for those who are unable to watch Apple’s livestream.

Following the keynote, we will also have ongoing coverage of all of the announcements and everything that’s discovered over the course of the week.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2017
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