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Apple Creating iMac-like Docking Station
- Thread starter MacHiavelli
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Take a look at the Gizmodo mock up.
The notebook part would be much smaller then 20".
I dont think so. The screen would be way to small to work comfortable. I imagine it will be dock with independent screen
I think that it would make some sense: if the dock had a 500gb-1tb hard drive in it and an optical drive, then the ultraportable would be free to use a flash-based hard drive (which currently have a small amount of storage space) and no optical drive. Sounds like it could work...
IF this is true then there will need to be a major faster connector somewhere on the subnote to the motherboard.
The old PowerBook due had quite the wide connector.
The old PowerBook due had quite the wide connector.
I'm just going to put this one out there
Bold prediction:
The sub portable everyone is talking about *is* the next gen iMac. Comes in a range of sizes (12" - 24"), with multi-touch as the interface with the tablet when separate from the dock - which incidentally, *is* the external optical drive mentioned in some other rumors.
any takers?
Bold prediction:
The sub portable everyone is talking about *is* the next gen iMac. Comes in a range of sizes (12" - 24"), with multi-touch as the interface with the tablet when separate from the dock - which incidentally, *is* the external optical drive mentioned in some other rumors.
any takers?
Y'know, I think I might still have a PB Duo lying around here somewhere...
Hey, makes sense to me. Since this is supposedly going to be the first year that laptops will outsell desktops (it was a Wired story, I'll look for a link), it would take an innovative company such as Apple to combine the laptop and desktop in an extremely svelte way so that consumers wouldn't have to decide between a laptop and a desktop. (Also so that people don't have to worry about files being in sync between the two computers if they have both - like I do. It's really annoying having two documents folders.) Like I said a few posts ago, integrated 500gb-1tb HDD and a DVD burner would allow the ultraportable to have a flash-based HDD and no optical drive.
Bold prediction:
The sub portable everyone is talking about *is* the next gen iMac. Comes in a range of sizes (12" - 24"), with multi-touch as the interface with the tablet when separate from the dock - which incidentally, *is* the external optical drive mentioned in some other rumors.
any takers?
Hey, makes sense to me. Since this is supposedly going to be the first year that laptops will outsell desktops (it was a Wired story, I'll look for a link), it would take an innovative company such as Apple to combine the laptop and desktop in an extremely svelte way so that consumers wouldn't have to decide between a laptop and a desktop. (Also so that people don't have to worry about files being in sync between the two computers if they have both - like I do. It's really annoying having two documents folders.) Like I said a few posts ago, integrated 500gb-1tb HDD and a DVD burner would allow the ultraportable to have a flash-based HDD and no optical drive.
Seems to me that this is a VERY high-end solution. That's a lot of extra hardware you're paying for (LCD, case, HD, keyboard, dock connectors, etc.). And you're not gonna get that powerful of a computer to begin with given the small form factor of the ultraportable.
Wouldn't you be better off just buying a second computer???
Wouldn't you be better off just buying a second computer???
Sure but the form factor in this case looks goofy. I mean, when the "carcass" is alone... you've got this big empty round rectangle sitting on your desk. Very un-Apple.
The dock has to be a continuous piece to which the tablet attaches... otherwise if it's a shell or "receptacle" it wastes space. Sure I know it's vertical space, but that's still visual space being wasted... which looks ugly.
Imagine this though... you know the L-shaped armature on the iMac... imagine that where it comes down to the footprint, the base is thicker -- just wide enough to house a hard drive and optical drive. Then, when you dock it, it connects magnetically to the upright part of the smooth, curved aluminum arm, and charges entirely via induction... no interlocking parts.
Apple already has a patent for the induction charging stand of exactly this style, but not the thicker base with hard drive and optical drive in it.
When I get home I'll see if I can do a mockup of it or something.
As stated in other posts of this thread, most people don't like dealing with 2 computers.
The shell wouldn't be empty it would essentially look like today's iMac. You would still have the display and the notebook would slide behind it.
Ack!
I just bought a new iMac after debating to go with it, or a laptop and external monitor set-up at work. If they do come out with this, I'll be overjoyed and bummed at the same time (wanna buy a slightly used iMac?). It's exactly the simple elegant solution I'd want for my office desk. The Macbook plugged into an ext. monitor is pretty cumbersome and messy, and takes a lot of extra desk space.
I just bought a new iMac after debating to go with it, or a laptop and external monitor set-up at work. If they do come out with this, I'll be overjoyed and bummed at the same time (wanna buy a slightly used iMac?). It's exactly the simple elegant solution I'd want for my office desk. The Macbook plugged into an ext. monitor is pretty cumbersome and messy, and takes a lot of extra desk space.
Is there something I've missed - what about that patent application suggests they're duplicating lcd screens (probably the most $$ part of what we're talking about)?
MacBook Duo
Now this all makes sense to me.
Apple will release the MacBook duo at MacWorld, with the iMac style duo Dock shipping soon after.
The new product will straddle the desktop and laptop product slots, leveraging the popularity of laptops and the popularity of the iMac form factor at the same time.
The dock is an elegant way to address adding a larger monitor, optical drive, and peripheral connections, all at once. It may also include a larger (traditional) hard drive, but won't need to add AirPort and BlueTooth.
This also lets them do something pretty clever... This can be both their midrange laptop (laptop between the Mac Book and Mac Book Pro in price) and their midrange desktop (laptop plus dock between the iMac and Mac Pro in total price). I wonder what size the monitor will be.
This dock won't be for the MacBook or MacBook pro, because a smaller and thinner laptop leaves more room for other components, and bigger ones have less need for added drives, peripherals, monitor, etc.
I wish I had the budget, as this is really perfect for me. I've been torn between a midrange iMac or MacBook, to replace my aging Power Mac dual-G5. This covers both bases, but will definitely be priced outside of my range. The fact that I'm drooling over it lends a certain weight to the rumor, as it may suggest this is an untapped market segment.
Now this all makes sense to me.
Apple will release the MacBook duo at MacWorld, with the iMac style duo Dock shipping soon after.
The new product will straddle the desktop and laptop product slots, leveraging the popularity of laptops and the popularity of the iMac form factor at the same time.
The dock is an elegant way to address adding a larger monitor, optical drive, and peripheral connections, all at once. It may also include a larger (traditional) hard drive, but won't need to add AirPort and BlueTooth.
This also lets them do something pretty clever... This can be both their midrange laptop (laptop between the Mac Book and Mac Book Pro in price) and their midrange desktop (laptop plus dock between the iMac and Mac Pro in total price). I wonder what size the monitor will be.
This dock won't be for the MacBook or MacBook pro, because a smaller and thinner laptop leaves more room for other components, and bigger ones have less need for added drives, peripherals, monitor, etc.
I wish I had the budget, as this is really perfect for me. I've been torn between a midrange iMac or MacBook, to replace my aging Power Mac dual-G5. This covers both bases, but will definitely be priced outside of my range. The fact that I'm drooling over it lends a certain weight to the rumor, as it may suggest this is an untapped market segment.
^^^ We gladly welcome back the new incarnation of the PowerBook Duo!
It was really the coolest subnote I've ever used!
It was really the coolest subnote I've ever used!
Now that would be cool. I do not like the Targus docks for PC's (not mac compatible) that plugs into a USB port. I hope this is a true dock like dell used to do, where it slides into a special high-speed port connector and then the doc has all the extra USB ports, PS2 ports, lan ports, for a true desktop like experience. This would give me so many options, then I could say goodbye to a desk top all together and not be tranfering data back anf forth.
I like it I like it
The problem with this concept is that once docked, you have a nice big, iMac-like computer with the performance of an ultra-portable.
You know, like you've all been saying about low-power, slow CPUs, flash drives instead of hard drives.
Do you really want an iMac-sized computer that runs like a low-end MacBook (or worse?!)?
You know, like you've all been saying about low-power, slow CPUs, flash drives instead of hard drives.
Do you really want an iMac-sized computer that runs like a low-end MacBook (or worse?!)?
I'm not sure what the advantage would be for a dock? Why not just an easy way to connect to an iMac? Oh... thats right... we already have wireless networking! However, it would be interesting if iMacs all came with the ability to have an ultra portable slip right into them (much like a giant SD card)... it would be like having two computers in one when "docked".
I think this is a strategic release of information by Apple to see what users like us all think and to get "buzz" going before MacWorld. It's just to throw us all off the path and keep us guessing.
I think this is a strategic release of information by Apple to see what users like us all think and to get "buzz" going before MacWorld. It's just to throw us all off the path and keep us guessing.
If the idea is to use the laptop screen in the dock as the sketch sort of suggests then this is stupid... If as one of the photo shopped mark ups shows it would be like a envelope with a larger screen to slide the laptop into then maybe... but sliding it in from the side becomes problematic. Many people have stuff piled around there desk that would make it awkward at best. It would make more sense IMHO to slide it in from the top... the problem being then the assembled unit is prone to being top heavy.
As a side note some of the ultra portable rumors put a hing on it that is reminencent of the edge of the new keyboards. These hinges could in theory rotate 360 degrees. The lack of even going to 180 is one of my gripes about the MBP. Flipping 360 could allow it to be docked vertically with the screen exposed...
As a side note some of the ultra portable rumors put a hing on it that is reminencent of the edge of the new keyboards. These hinges could in theory rotate 360 degrees. The lack of even going to 180 is one of my gripes about the MBP. Flipping 360 could allow it to be docked vertically with the screen exposed...
Points for creativity, but in the end a very, very bad idea!
I have many friends at work who use PC laptops with docking stations. They all have an extra monitor connected to the dock such that when at their desks they get the benefit of dual screens; one on the laptop itself and the external desktop monitor. With the concept in this patent the laptop screen goes to waste when docked. Not only that, but you would also have no option to use the laptops own keyboard when docked, thus forcing you to use a desktop keyboard and not really saving much desk space anyway.
Apple definitely needs to add a docking station port to all of its laptops as it is a very useful feature for many folks, but this concept, just like the old duo concept, is too clever to the point of failure.
Please Apple, just give us a docking plug and let this thing die in development.
I have many friends at work who use PC laptops with docking stations. They all have an extra monitor connected to the dock such that when at their desks they get the benefit of dual screens; one on the laptop itself and the external desktop monitor. With the concept in this patent the laptop screen goes to waste when docked. Not only that, but you would also have no option to use the laptops own keyboard when docked, thus forcing you to use a desktop keyboard and not really saving much desk space anyway.
Apple definitely needs to add a docking station port to all of its laptops as it is a very useful feature for many folks, but this concept, just like the old duo concept, is too clever to the point of failure.
Please Apple, just give us a docking plug and let this thing die in development.