dock

Move the OS X Dock to the corners of your screen

One of the details of the classic Mac OS (version 9 and earlier) that I enjoyed was its control-strip feature, which, similar to OS X's current menu extras, would allow quick access to system and application settings. While the OS X menu bar now serves this purpose, part of the appeal of the control strip was that its contents were off to the side of the screen and could be tucked away in a bottom or top corner rather than always being in the middle of the screen.

This option was removed in OS X; however, Apple's Dock … Read more

Five Web sites for businesses to create Passbook passes

Whether you're a small business or an individual who wants to create a pass for Passbook, unless you have a lot of technical knowledge, it's not going to be an easy journey. There are a lot of moving parts that come together to create a pass for Passbook. Certificates, the actual coding of the pass, signing it, distributing and tracking it are just a few of those parts.

Instead of investing countless hours and money into developing a pass, it may be easier to use a service to streamline the process and prevent any headaches you would likely … Read more

Motorola confirms death of Webtop, laptop accessories

Motorola Mobility's Webtop concept, which enabled its phones to act as the brains of a laptop or television entertainment hub, has quietly been killed off, the company confirmed to CNET today.

Webtop was software that allowed a Motorola smartphone, such as the Atrix 4G for AT&T, to be docked into a special laptop accessory and run with some computer functionality such as the browser. When it was unveiled, many had called it the future of mobile computing.

Unfortunately, the execution wasn't so smooth and sales were disappointing. Motorola, a unit of Google, said today that adoption … Read more

Magnetyze brings conductive charging to iPhone 4/4S

One of the features I was secretly hoping to see in the iPhone 5: induction-powered battery charging.

This already exists in the form of third-party products like the Powermat and Energizer Qi. Alas, Apple missed a chance to wow the world, catch up with smartphones like the Lumia 820 and 920, and perhaps distract from the massive disappointment that is the Lightning connector.

Fortunately, if you own an iPhone 4 or 4S, you still have options for cutting the charging cord. One of the latest: BuQu Tech's Magnetyze, a complete inductive conductive-charging kit priced at $69.99. Update: According … Read more

Thunderbolt docks for Macs gain new features

Apple's Thunderbolt technology is a great option for expanding the capabilities of a Mac system. Since it extends the system's PCI Express bus it allows vastly more options than USB or FireWire alone by giving the option to host controllers for these and other technologies. If you need a FireWire connection and do not have one, then you can attach a controller for it using Thunderbolt instead of having to purchase an expansion card or having the controller built into the computer's motherboard.

This expansion capability has been a very attractive option, especially for laptop users for … Read more

The 404 1,133: Where we put the Apple iPhone 5 on a pedestal (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Check out Scott Stein's comprehensive review of the Apple iPhone 5.

- Scott writes about the 5 things that surprised him about the iPhone 5.

- Apple delivers iOS 6, available for download now.

- First Look video of Apple's new Maps application.

- How to control your privacy settings on iOS 6.

- Apple Lightning Adapter adds life to your old gear.

- Sony unveils super slim PlayStation 3.

- … Read more

iPhone dock extender solves the problem of bulky cases

All the hullabaloo over the iPhone 5's new dock connector reminds me of a problem I had long before Apple's Lightning struck.

See, my iPhone 4S lives inside a case just bulky enough that it won't fit in most docks. Consequently, I can't easily charge my phone or listen to music via one of the many speaker docks scattered around my house. I'd have to take the iPhone out of the case every time, and that's way too big a hassle.

So, what, am I supposed to switch to a smaller case? Or go … Read more

Breakdown of Apple's new iPhone 5, iPods

It's an Apple-tastic Wednesday tech news roundup:

Months of Apple iPhone rumors and speculation are finally behind us! In today's CNET Update video, I highlight all the big changes for the iPhone 5, as well as the new versions of the iPod Nano and iPod Touch. You can find more details about Apple's new products in the links below:

iPhone 5: Longer screen, faster speeds, better camera, and new body. (The option for 4G LTE could be a boon for Verizon.) Lightning connector: The smaller connection port means you might need to pick up this adapter for … Read more

The 404 1,129: Where free Apple iPhone 5 free Apple iPhone 5 (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- CNET iPhone 5 Editors' take

- Apple unveils new iPod Touch with 4-inch screen

- New iPod Nano: Remembering the iPod Mini

- Apple's new EarPods were three 3 years in the making???

- Lightning Cable connects old accessories to Apple's newest port

- Apple reworks, simplifies iTunes… Read more

Apple's dock connector change is awful, don't kid yourselves

With this week's iPhone 5 announcement, Apple confirmed many rumors about the new phone, both good and bad. The most disappointing confirmation of all, though, is the resized, redesigned, and still proprietary new dock connector.

Apple calls the new connector Lightning, but giving it a clever name doesn't mean it adds anything but dollars in Apple's bank account.

The company has legendarily built a strong business on licensing its proprietary connection technology to accessory makers, and in selling its own premium cables for a handy $19 each, plus $29 for adapters. But as the rest of the … Read more