They seem to do the same damn thing but have different names. what gives?

7/30/2010 4:40:03 PM

notebook = laptop, what gives?

7/30/2010 5:01:45 PM

True docking stations used to take an underpowered notebook and provide additional storage drives, peripheral devices, PCI/ISA card slots, and recharge the batteries of course. Old NEC docks were even motorized!

A port replicator was a quick disconnect device to remove peripheral devices.

The lines have blurred with more powerful laptops these days and most "docking stations" no longer support having drives and card slots. I think Dell calls a real dock an "advanced" port replicator now.

7/30/2010 5:52:18 PM

^that's what Dell called it in 2000, I know I got an "advanced" port replicator with my Inspiron 7500...

although I always understood it to be how you discribed it, where the laptop actually "slide" into the dock (adv. port rep.) versus just a box you attach in the back manually (port rep.).

[Edited on July 30, 2010 at 6:22 PM. Reason : .]

7/30/2010 6:21:34 PM

I'd almost buy a macbook just for one of these:

http://hengedocks.com/index.html

7/30/2010 10:43:46 PM

^no joke. i really wish they made them for other manufacturers.

7/30/2010 11:16:50 PM

I'm buying a macbook pro next weekend.

7/31/2010 3:45:26 AM

Just bought a 13.3" MBP. That dock is pretty cool. Wouldn't use it though as my primary desktop is still a PC.

8/2/2010 10:17:12 AM

going to bump this ---

So i'm looking a docking station for my bosses new laptop he wants to buy.

He wants to buy a HP Pavilion dv7-4080us 17.3" Laptop.

all the port replicators/docking stations I find seem to only support one monitor. How can I find a dual monitor docking station for this laptop? do they support the pigtailed DVI splitter?

8/2/2010 2:33:31 PM

This could be an option

8/2/2010 4:08:48 PM