Henge Dock?

Anyone purchase one? Looks like the most innovative dock ever

 

never heard of it... you should supply a link to a product if your asking about it.

 

Let me google that for you

MOD EDIT:

As funny as that link above is, it could be construed as rude. That said, here's the link to the product in question:

http://www.hengedocks.com/

 

It appears that the product is not available. The site is only taking "preorders".
I wonder if it works with the new MBP power adapter that uses the "air" type right angle mag-safe connector. The pictures of the product appear to utilize the older straight design.

 

the plug is exactly the same.. its only the AC adapter that is changed... you can plug the old straight ones in just fine and use them.

 

You need the old version mag safe adapter
Henge Docks

 

Yep, that's what it looked like to me. Ironic.... the product is not even out yet and it's obsolete for new MBP owners. Unless they go out an get an old version adapter. I have two of the older ones, and one of the new.

That dock is of interest to me, when they finally come out.

 

I suggest to all of you not to get one. The air intake vents are under the center of the keyboard. Your macbook is gonna run hot

 

Jay,

I know what you are saying, and for the longest time I would agree with you 100%. When the MB is open, you do get a little bit of the flow up the hinge, but if you look at the MB when it is closed, you see why. The outlet flow splits a little, but most is still exiting through the lower back.

Many people operate their MB closed, with no problem, and I used to always wonder how it was possible.

Take a look at the underside with the lid closed (with a flashlight), and you can see that a similar air path for cooling air is wide open, it just doesn't split into two streams (up and back), only back, with the lid closed.

With the lid closed, the aggregate cooling flow is about the same.


However, Henge actually says that the MB will run a little cooler with the dock, since it does not power up the display, and the underside is exposed to air. This makes sense.

 

Very true since the LCD inverter generates heat.

 

what the.... it costs that much and it doesn't even have its own plugs.. you have to plug everything in under it... even power? so its just basically a stand that holds your cables in place? cheesey

 

Exactly what I was thinking, But it does come with regular cables (USB, Ethernet and audio) but I still think it's over priced.

I also wonder how many people will buy them not knowing that they can't use it if they have a new mag safe. The only place it says what mag safe adapter you need is the support page I linked too.

 

I'd just order a new magsafe on ebay, or find a used one on craigslist. If you check out docks for Lenovo and Dell, I'm pretty sure they don't come with the chargers either, and you don't get any cables. This one at least comes with an array of cables to help you get started. If I get a MBP this summer, this is the first accessory I'm going to get. There's other docks out there that are $150-$350 that are butt ugly and huge. This is sleek, and it's an attractive solution.

 

other companies have real docks.. not this molded piece of plastic with some cables.

bookendz are outrageously expensive, but they are a t least a bit better than these.

 

There are no real docking stations out there for any current generation Macs and there never will be unless Apple decides to start put a docking connector on their laptops which I don’t see happening unless they decide they can make a big enough profit from it by selling their own branded docking stations, but again there is just something “Un-Apple Like” about a true docking station and a connector on their laptops. So that leaves us with Port Replicators and I do not see how something like the BookEndz is fundamentally any different from the Hedge Dock. It too is simply extending each of the existing ports on the laptop from the side to the back/front, but instead of using cables it uses a circuit board. In addition it has a USB hub built in that offers 3 extra USB ports as well as a front headphone in jack. Neither product offers any additional ports that cannot already be found on the MacBook as a traditional docking station would, IE the laptop itself may not have an S-Video output but the dock includes one. You still need to supply your own Power Adapter, Video Adapter and additional cables. The product IMO looks like crap, it is huge and bulky and certainly not something I would want sitting on my desk if I was using my Pro with an external monitor, mouse and keyboard. The build quality does not look impressive for the crazy $300 asking price either.

When I first came across the Hedge Dock I thought it was innovative as it saves space on your desk which in my case is something that I need, I just want to be able to drop my Pro in and have it output its display to my 30” LCD and use my Bluetooth Mouse/KB as well as output Optical Audio to my receiver via the 3.5mm jack. Again this is something not everyone will need or maybe has even thought about, but it is not possible using the BookEndz, yet is made possible with the Hedge Dock since you can use your own cables. Sure when I found out it was simply a stand to hold cables I thought it was a little cheesy at first but again that is all a port replicator does and I would much rather have this type of design for $60 than pay $300 for something else that is trying to mimic the design of true docking station. Plus it looks good IMO, you can use only the cables you need to reduce clutter and all the cables exit straight out the back in location to make them easier to hide/manage.

They include all the extension cables you need to replicate each port including 2 USB, 1 FW 800, 2 3.5mm Audio and 1 Cat 5 Cable. As discussed the only two exceptions here are the Magsafe Power Adapter and a Mini DisplayPort Video Adapter, the latter makes sense as it would not only increase the cost of the dock but they would have to offer several more configurations or allow you to select an adapter depending on what your display requires for an input, be it HDMI, Dual Link DVI, DVI or VGA. The former I will agree will lessen its appeal to those with newer MacBooks requiring the need to seek out an older Magsafe Power Adapter just for use with the dock. I would not exactly call it an oversight on their part as they had no clue that Apple was going to release a new right angle version and I am sure they are kicking themselves trying to come up with a solution or way to make it work. The only other flaw that I see some possibly having an issue with is the need to remove their laptop from the Hedge Dock in order to insert/eject an SD Card, where as the BookEndz allows access while the laptop is in the dock. Again *in my case* this is not a big deal, as long as they have left an indentation to make sure that the machine can sit in the Dock with an SD Card inserted.

Anyway in my case I don’t think this looks like an awful product and it will function the same as others that cost 5 times as much and IMO it looks better and I like the desk space saving design of it. I also think that just using extension cables that plug directly into the laptop is fine as long as they look neat as it not only allows the dock to be modular and only use cables you need but you can also use your own cables should you have the need and if they fit correctly. Oh as as for the heat concerns I run my 2.8 Ghz C2D Macbook Pro closed all the time and it is fine, as mentioned it is still able to exhaust air though the slit in the back and it runs about the same closed or open, I do have a program that allows me to control the RPM of the fans as closed or open as I think that the Pros run too hot but that is another topic.