Dock

Review: Twelve South HiRise for Apple Watch—an unassuming charging dock and a great stand

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 11, 2015

Apple Watch stands are multiplying like rabbits and getting more useful. Today, I get to tell you all about the HiRise for Apple Watch.

This is one of the first stands for Apple’s wearable device and the very first watch stand from Twelve South, a company based in Charleston, South Carolina which has been designing premium accessories exclusively for use with Apple devices.

Like their popular HiRise stand for iPhone and iPad, the Apple Watch edition helps protect your device while it's charging. And like other Twelve South products, it looks gorgeous and was designed to support all Apple Watch sizes, models and bands.

But is it worth your attention? Read on for all the details.

RND Charging Dock for iPhone works with rugged cases

Lory Gil ∙ June 24, 2015

If you use a particularly thick case to protect your iPhone 6, one of the most difficult things to find is a charging dock that will allow you to keep the device in the case. RND Power Solutions makes a charging dock that is specially designed with extra space around the base to so you can charge your iPhone 6 without having to remove it from the case.

Griffin WatchStand review: sleek design, double the functionality

Sébastien Page ∙ June 6, 2015

When I first saw the Griffin WatchStand a couple of months ago, I was immediately turned off by its design. Why would an accessory aimed at a device as small as the Apple Watch have such a large footprint? I just couldn't find a use for something that tall. That was until I received my Apple Watch.

Spigen Apple Watch Stand: an elegant and affordable charging solution

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 2, 2018

Spigen has been on the forefront of Apple Watch accessories since the device was first available a little over a month ago. The company rapidly came up with a line of cases for Apple Watch, and they also made a stand that represents an affordable yet elegant solution for your desk or night stand.

In a brief review of the Spigen Apple Watch Stand, I'll share with you what I like and don't like about this simple accessory.

The SyncStand is a sleek and stylish charging dock for your iPhone 6

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

Whether charging your iPhone 6, syncing it with iTunes, or simply gazing longingly into its front-facing camera, you may be in the market for a stand to display your device with. The Sinjimoru Aluminum SyncStand is a sturdy holder for your iPhone 6 that has a sleek design to compliment your Apple product. You don’t have to worry about whether this stand is MFi compatible since you use your own cable for syncing and charging.

New iPhone Lightning Dock requires iOS 8 for audio out via Apple headset with remote control

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 20, 2015

Apple yesterday surprised fans by releasing a $40 Lightning dock for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus which works with official Apple cases. A $10 pricier than Apple's previous docks, it can be used to listen to music and sync your device with a computer while charging your iPhone’s battery at the same time.

What the spec sheet available on the Online Apple Store doesn't tell you is that the dock requires iOS 8 or later for audio out. The requirement is listed in a support document for Apple’s Lightning docks, as noted by 9to5Mac.

Kenu Stance: a compact tripod for iPhone

Jim Gresham ∙ April 12, 2015

From the makers of the Airframe, which I also considered the 'perfect' travel companion for car mounts, comes the Stance. Like the Airframe, Kenu designed their newest gadget to be amazingly simple and solve a problem most iPhone users would love to solve.

Many times, I'm out and about, or even at home, and wish I could quickly find something to hold my iPhone in place. Whether FaceTime, Periscope, Netflix, or reading a recipe, Stance is there to help. I own a lot of docks and stands, at least in the double digits, but none of them are as small and versatile as Stance and I'm thankful Kenu sent one for review.

Charge your iPhone 6 in style with Mophie’s Lightning Desktop Dock

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

If I had to guess, I’d bet that a lot of iPhone users charge their device at night, next to their bed. Doing so serves two purposes. You can charge your iPhone through the night while you sleep, and you can use it as an alarm clock. When docked, it could also serve as a display for relaxation images and late night talk show viewing.

The Lightning Desktop Dock from Mophie is a stand that is compatible with the iPhone 5, 5s, 5c, and 6. Connect your device to the dock and it will charge all night while you watch movies in portrait mode until you fall asleep.

Apple granted patent for iOS docking station with flexible Lighting connector

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Tuesday published dozens of Apple patent grants on its website, among them an invention describing a docking station for portable devices with a flexible Lighting connector.

First revealed in March 2014 and then filed in October 2014, the U.S. Patent 8,986,029 titled 'Dock connector with compliance mechanism' outlines a compliance mechanism in the iOS device dock that flexes when the connector is stressed in order to pivot the connector at a point where the connector protrudes from the dock housing.

How to get a 3D dock on OS X Yosemite

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 22, 2015

Do you miss OS X's 3D dock? OS X Yosemite finally did away with the 3D dock that's been present since the release of OS X Leopard, but you can get it back by using a simple application called cDock.

cDock includes, among a host of other features, the ability to theme the dock with over a dozen built-in themes. There are night themes, fullscreen themes, pink themes, and, of course, 3D themes. If you've been reminiscing about the "good ol' days", then you can easily relive the past with this handy little application.

DockWare for iOS 8 brings enhanced dock features to the iPhone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Looking to add special enhancements to the dock on your iPhone? If so, then look no further than DockWare for iOS 8. The follow up to the original DockWare for iOS 7 devices, the sequel brings the ability to access the dock while within apps, hide the dock while on the Home screen, and invoke the dock using a handy Activator gesture.

How to quickly toggle dark mode using a keyboard shortcut on Mac

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Dark mode is one of the more popular features of OS X Yosemite, because it allows you to add a dark tint to both the dock and the menu bar on Mac. The standard way to enable dark mode involves venturing to System Preferences, opening the General section, and clicking on the enable dark mode option. But wouldn't it be cool if you could toggle dark mode using a simple keyboard shortcut?