I have been using my MacBook Pro at home and at work as my main machine for about 6 months. When I get to work, I plug in the power, the mouse, and the ethernet. When I go home, I unplug it. Every frigging day. There are also a pair of external hard drives and a monitor that I'd LIKE to attach, but they stay on my Dell -- which has a docking station.
Well, that's your opinion (as is Aiden's); the parts you have to plug are pretty much basic parts that everyone else plugs...power and internet, and mouse for those that prefer it...it's not much, if you compare to the ugly and undesirable footprint of an extra docking station...no, thanks...and don't forget...slow sales were among the main factors behind the phasing-out of the Duos, notwithstanding their GREAT implementation, as is usual for Apple.
And once again I have to disagree. I have had two Thinpad X series ultraportables, which feature a MODULAR bay architecture that lets me have whatever I want -- an optical drive, a 2nd hard drive, or a 2nd battery. When I go full battery (8 cell internal + 2nd battery) I am good for 8-10 hours of use on a single charge -- all day computing. Match that!
I still don't see the use for that, because the main thing here is the optical drive. Portables are NOT meant to have 2 HDs (not even desktops have that, normally)...and if you really need that extra space, just plug some flash drive...case closed.
Extra batteries follow the same principle...if you have one that works well, no need for another swappable part in your bag. I need full functionality, not replaceable volumes in my jacket.
Remember that the next time you shell out $3k on a laptop that lasts for 18 months before it's obsoletel.
Sorry, but that's progress. You should base your purchase on your CURRENT and FUTURE needs, in accordance with your plans TODAY. Obsolescence does not exist on the grounds of the latest and greatest, but on your own use of a computer. I've paid CHF 2500 for my damn awesome iMac G5 2.0, and it lets me do ANYTHING I want as a moderate/normal user...it's been here for 2 years, its processor cannot be swapped and I am happy...as are 99% of Apple customers out there...you guys must see beyond the "MR community needs" and check whether there is a REAL mass demand for that...I don't think so.
You must never move your Mac and actually use it in more than one place. I also want to know what companies you are visiting that don't use docks. Your opinions run completely 100% to the opposite of my experiences in 15 years of working. I work for a large semiconductor manufacturer and every single notebook given to every single employee has a docking station. Everywhere I have been, this is the case. Even in the startups I've worked at, road warrior executives insist on having a docking station. That might be one reason none of them used Macs.
Let me just say that every company/org. for which I have worked so far had NO docks whatsoever...perhaps this is different for "techie" companies; but as a lawyer who has worked for an investment bank, a power company, a telecom company, a NGO and an international organization, I've never seen any mass-usage of docks.
So in your world people are all self employed in little illegal unregistered businesses? Because otherwise they would constitute a "company". I certainly can see the utility of a dock, nevermind Apple's idea of kool.
I didn't really understand your statement, but anyway...as Mr. Shaw said above, I also must be on the "right track"...after all, I've got more than 3 replies defending ugly and bulky docks in this forum...perhaps we should roll back the Duos...they had a neat mechanism, at least...
