This is one of the few things that I would change about the MBP? As a user of a 17", It's both my portable and desktop machine. It would be nice to be able to drop it into a slick docking port and not have to reconnect everything when moving to and from my desk. Has apple made notebooks with docking stations in the past or is this something that has always been absent?
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Why not add a dock?
- Thread starter atad6
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You can get 3rd party docks. Well they aren't really docks as you'd know them but rather a load of connectors which plug in in one go.
I'd say Apple don't make the dock because it would ruin the lines of it's MBP.
I've been wondering the same thing for a long time. I can understand (even though its disappointing) not having docks for the consumer line, but for the pro line it should be an option.
Apple did have docks back in the day, too...but I think that was when Steve Jobs was not there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_Duo#Duo_Dock
Those third party docks are expensive and ugly. Not that there's much to be done about it. Apple needs to build dock support into the machine. There's no reason it has to affect the aesthetics, because the dock connector is on the bottom! (There's an ipod dock, and an iphone dock, after all!) Apple could build a really sleek dock and keep the aesthetics intact.
Or they could just build a "superport" that routes all the USB/firewire/DVI in a single cable, and have a breakout box to connect it to...doesn't sound like apple's style either, but it really seems like they need to do something.
I have seen those before, to me they look aesthetically awful. I haven't seen one in person but the pictures aren't very flattering.
I wish the iMacs had one of these. The look isn't helped by 6 pieces of spaghetti coming off the back. I've always assumed there's some sort of shielding issue.
I had one of these for a 2002 G4 PowerBook (the last model with all of the ports on the back).
While it worked well in the sense that once it was connected it made good use of a stationary set-up (especially since you didn't have to leave a bunch of loose cables around - I hate it when they fall behind the desk).
They were a pain to get connected. I basically had to hold the front of the PB and the back of the Dock and push them together. Think of the horror when one of the pins on the VGA connector got bent.... It was useless until it was fixed.
The problem with the docks is that it replicates the ports through physical connections and thus is subject to a ver low tollorance when it comes to lining everything up JUST right.
But they can be usefull
While it worked well in the sense that once it was connected it made good use of a stationary set-up (especially since you didn't have to leave a bunch of loose cables around - I hate it when they fall behind the desk).
They were a pain to get connected. I basically had to hold the front of the PB and the back of the Dock and push them together. Think of the horror when one of the pins on the VGA connector got bent.... It was useless until it was fixed.
The problem with the docks is that it replicates the ports through physical connections and thus is subject to a ver low tollorance when it comes to lining everything up JUST right.
But they can be usefull
I do like having my docking station for my VAIO. I can leave the printer, mouse, ethernet and FW drive connected and just pop it in.
http://www.belkin.com/highspeeddock/
If only it worked with OS X it would be close.
Although, if the rumors are true, we could see something that works in conjunction with an ultraportable MBP. Personally, I'd love to see something like that in the form factor of the
TV (or thinner than a macMini) with an 8x superdrive, 4xUSB 2.0, FW400 (800 ?), 5.1/SPDIF audio-out, Dual-Link DVI, GigE, and an IR Sensor for kicks. Put it on an ExpressCard/34 connection over PCI-E and sell it for $199-249.
http://www.belkin.com/highspeeddock/
If only it worked with OS X it would be close.
Although, if the rumors are true, we could see something that works in conjunction with an ultraportable MBP. Personally, I'd love to see something like that in the form factor of the
TV (or thinner than a macMini) with an 8x superdrive, 4xUSB 2.0, FW400 (800 ?), 5.1/SPDIF audio-out, Dual-Link DVI, GigE, and an IR Sensor for kicks. Put it on an ExpressCard/34 connection over PCI-E and sell it for $199-249.yes i agree that they need a dock!
this is my first mac, a macbook pro. and i dont think i will ever go back to a desktop...
i will never need the power of a macpro, and i think its better to get a MBP with external screen than an imac
there is a way they could make a dock and not have to change any of the cosmetics of the MBP...
i think it toshiba who has already done it, buts its a wireless dock that uses some high bandwidth wireless connection...
and once your laptop is in range with the dock it auto connects to it.
this is my first mac, a macbook pro. and i dont think i will ever go back to a desktop...
i will never need the power of a macpro, and i think its better to get a MBP with external screen than an imac
there is a way they could make a dock and not have to change any of the cosmetics of the MBP...
i think it toshiba who has already done it, buts its a wireless dock that uses some high bandwidth wireless connection...
and once your laptop is in range with the dock it auto connects to it.
How cool would it be if some company came up with a new wireless protocol that could take over all the I/O and connections and attributes of a laptop. The video, audio keyboard input, mouse, all usb/firewire type thingies, and everything else I'm missing. That would be cool. Plus wireless recharging.
So when you get into your apartment with your lappytoppy, just fling it onto a mat which hooks all this stuff up and your 50" tv now pops to life and is your screen and ..and.. bliss.
So when you get into your apartment with your lappytoppy, just fling it onto a mat which hooks all this stuff up and your 50" tv now pops to life and is your screen and ..and.. bliss.
I think enda1 has stumbled on Apple's answer to the dock. With a variety of Apple gadgets, you can have many of the normal gadgets attached to your computer without sacrificing any style.
You can already "connect" an external hard drive, or a pair of speakers, or a printer, or a mouse or a keyboard, or all of them! These would probably be the most popular peripherals. Only a couple of things are left over that come to mind immediately- a display, and a miscellaneous USB device (and power, of course). And if you're only connecting two things to the computer, does a dock *really* do much of anything?
You can already "connect" an external hard drive, or a pair of speakers, or a printer, or a mouse or a keyboard, or all of them! These would probably be the most popular peripherals. Only a couple of things are left over that come to mind immediately- a display, and a miscellaneous USB device (and power, of course). And if you're only connecting two things to the computer, does a dock *really* do much of anything?
perhaps this is a bit of a stretch, but maybe apple has been reluctant to create a seamless docking solution because it would make the macbook pros an even better desktop/portable solution, thus killing potential desktop sales from people who already have notebooks.
That's probably why. They're probably hoping that some people are too lazy to connect a few cables and they'll buy a new (i)Mac(Pro)
I don't believe that for a second... oh wait... (checks sig)
Sucker...lol.
I think if Apple made a sexy, *cough* reasonably priced */cough*, easy to use dock for the pro notebooks, it would make life easier for the mobile pro or any other MBP owner when they hook up their pride and joy at home or the office. I would be ecstatic to have one in my home office.