All in One usb c hub+charger idea

[jpma]

I've come across this product while searching for all in one usb c dongle for MacBook Pro 2016,
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...-2-in-1-usb-c-docking-and-chargin/description

I actually fine the idea of incorporating all in one is quite an ideal form for now as of yet.
Some of us bring charger where ever we go, if we can have all the dongle build into the charger means we will require to carry less cables and adapters.

Apple's own charger only does charging and nothing more.

If there's such item that can serves as a charger at the same time with build in, usb a ports, hdmi, ethernet, sd card slot, mini sd slot, usb c. At least all the necessary one that most people needs.

The most important is that it will even function as a dongle even without connecting to any power source.

With a wireless charging technology for iPhone build in too and can also serve as a power bank, well that will be somewhat unreasonable as power bank will greatly increase the size of it.

Comparing to now,
Most traveller have to carry the MacBook Pro, charger, power bank, maybe a single all in one usb c hub and a little bit of cables. If you move around a lot with all those in a backpack, you will know reducing weight load is an important factor too.

I myself have been looking into usb c hub,
currently I've found ;
http://www.satechi.net/index.php/co...-micro-card-reader-3-usb-3-0-ports-silver-587

https://www.amazon.com/CableCreatio...1477873101&sr=8-17&keywords=usb-c+displayport

Both these does what I'm looking for except no charging capabilities, beside the charge thru which I still need to carry the apple charger.

 

[scotty588]

Good idea for a product, but that still doesn't have everything I want. I mainly deal with regular sized SD cards so the micro SD is no use for me. I like the HDMI slot and the USB-A ports, but I wish it had ethernet also.

I almost bought that Satechi hub but it doesn't support the power requirements for the 15" MBP and HDMI is 30 hz instead of 60 hz. Not huge deal breakers, but I would rather wait for the fully supported one to come out.

 

[jpma]

yes, apparently most have charge thru but doesn't really state does it provide a full 80w charge thru for 15" mbp 2016

 

[Yoshimura]

https://www.owcdigital.com/products/usb-c-dock/
http://caldigit.com/usb-3-1-usb-c-dock/
http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F4U095/

 

[anson42]

I've come across this product while searching for all in one usb c dongle for MacBook Pro 2016,
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...-2-in-1-usb-c-docking-and-chargin/description

The Kickstarter project is interesting. Unfortunately the description clearly states it is a 60W charger so it is sub-optimal for 15" MBP owners. It cannot do 4K@60Hz out of the HDMI port and does not have a regular SD card slot. To be considered for 15" use and perhaps attract more buyers, it needs:

* full size SD slot
* HDMI with 4K@60Hz
* mini display port with alt mode
* full size HDMI port and not a micro HDMI when mini display port is present

It's no longer truly portable though once it grows in size to accommodate the above.

 

[jpma]

https://www.owcdigital.com/products/usb-c-dock/
http://caldigit.com/usb-3-1-usb-c-dock/
http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F4U095/

Thank you for sharing.

One thing I notice is all of them does not have adapter for the dock build in and doesn't state does it function as a dongle without the need of plugging into a power source.

Beside the bulky size which I can't comment much as I'm sure of the technical reason.
[doublepost=1479860241][/doublepost]

The Kickstarter project is interesting. Unfortunately the description clearly states it is a 60W charger so it is sub-optimal for 15" MBP owners. It cannot do 4K@60Hz out of the HDMI port and does not have a regular SD card slot. To be considered for 15" use and perhaps attract more buyers, it needs:

* full size SD slot
* HDMI with 4K@60Hz
* mini display port with alt mode
* full size HDMI port and not a micro HDMI when mini display port is present

It's no longer truly portable though once it grows in size to accommodate the above.

Yes, removing all those does remove the equivalent size for the new mbp 2016. Yet buying back a dock it hub seems to bring back the size and weight. Sounds like pretty much the same thing.

The kick starter project Marble said they're testing more to support the new mbp 2016

 

[Yoshimura]

Thank you for sharing.

One thing I notice is all of them does not have adapter for the dock build in and doesn't state does it function as a dongle without the need of plugging into a power source.

Beside the bulky size which I can't comment much as I'm sure of the technical reason.

Those docks come with a power supply and will also charge your MBP. You don't need to use the Apple charger.

The 2 first ones, have 60W of charging power and the last one has 85W.

Are you looking for a permanent dock or a mobile solution?

 

[zhenya]

Yes, there was a lot of discussion about this type of product when the rMB was first released. 18+ months later and nobody has delivered. I wouldn't touch any of those kickstarter projects, especially anything usb-c which has flummoxed even big corporations in putting out products that work as advertised.

4k/60hz HDMI is a pipe dream right now. I don't think there is anything conforming to this spec, and even the spec for USB-C direct to HDMI, agreed upon just in September of this year, is only for HDMI 1.4b.

 

[jpma]

Those docks come with a power supply and will also charge your MBP. You don't need to use the Apple charger.

The 2 first ones, have 60W of charging power and the last one has 85W.

Are you looking for a permanent dock or a mobile solution?

I've just checked with Belkin and it doesn't function without connecting it to a power source.

I'm looking for mobile for sure, if it's mobile it's definitely usable for permanent dock, so it seems.

something like the existing apple charger brick that with all necessary port build in that can function even without the need of connecting to power source.

The Marble: A Portable 2-in-1 I mentioned earlier did it very well except not all common used port are supported.
It function as a hub without the need of power yet can also be a charger replacing apples charging brick.
[doublepost=1479862302][/doublepost]

Yes, there was a lot of discussion about this type of product when the rMB was first released. 18+ months later and nobody has delivered. I wouldn't touch any of those kickstarter projects, especially anything usb-c which has flummoxed even big corporations in putting out products that work as advertised.

4k/60hz HDMI is a pipe dream right now. I don't think there is anything conforming to this spec, and even the spec for USB-C direct to HDMI, agreed upon just in September of this year, is only for HDMI 1.4b.

Yes, I've actually read a few of this thread when the MacBook released year back.
Apparently, as you mention...until now there's no such product exist yet.
The idea seems ideal enough that probably most people can though of it.

I wonder are we looking into a technology limitation or stability issue here.

Yes Kick starter is more of a starter project and we want something fail proof. I definitely wouldn't want this to happen. Not even once and replacement is hard to come by when you in some rural areas.