CES: Belkin unveils Thunderbolt Express Dock, coming in Sept. for $299
Belkin on Monday introduced its new Thunderbolt Express Dock, which will allow users to connect multiple devices to their Mac with one Thunderbolt cable when it arrives in September for $299.
Though it won't be available until later this year, the Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock will be on display at the company's booth at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nev. The dock will enable Thunderbolt-equipped Macs to access multiple desktop peripherals with just one cable.
"People purchase MacBook Airs and Ultrabooks for ultimate portability, but constantly plugging-in and unplugging numerous cable-connected peripherals is an annoying and time consuming ordeal," said Martin Avilla, general manager of Belkin's Core Business Unit. "The Thunderbolt Express Dock provides a much-needed solution that creates a cleaner, faster, more productive workspace and reliable connectivity to desktop devices and the Internet."
Highlighted features of the Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock are:
Quickly connects into a desktop workstation and instantly accesses multiple devices with a single cable
Adds reliable, gigabit Ethernet connectivity to your laptop
Includes three USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire 800 port, one HDMI port, one 3.5mm Audio port, one gigabit Ethernet port and two Thunderbolt ports (one upstream and one downstream) for daisy-chaining to another Thunderbolt compatible device.
Utilizes Thunderbolt Technology for data transfer rates of up to 10Gbps bi-directionally
For now, Mac users looking to use Thunderbolt for a simplified docking solution can use Apple's Thunderbolt Display, which allows users to plug in one 10Gbps Thunderbolt cable that can drive multiple devices with its high bandwidth capacity. The Thunderbolt display serves as a docking station in addition to a monitor, and packs three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, one Gigabit Ethernet port and a Thunderbolt port for daisy chaining up to five additional Thunderbolt devices.
Comments
Again, this is a terrible design, one that makes the thing darn near unusable, and the price is extortion, period.
I have to agree, it looks like an apple display stand, and the price ugh!!
USB 3.0 would have been nice as would a PCI or esata port, now that would have been useful.
Do they make "external PCI" or were you seriously suggesting a standard size 16x PCIe slot?
(And when September finally rolls around, the lack of USB 3 will seem pretty short-sighted.)
Rip off price.
Is there any body listening in China that can start knocking out Thunderbolt hubs at a reasonable price ?
And what is that extra thing on the top?
The price probably reflects all the chip and port licensing.
Here's the actual device.
http://www.hardwarezone.com/tech-new...-unveiled-2012
Does the current TB driver already support all those other protocols (HDMI FW, USB, Ethernet, audio I/O etc.) ?
Since it's essentially PCI, it can support just about anything using bridges.
I'm not seeing the reported HDMI port on this thing, though.
And what is that extra thing on the top?
It looks like a MagSafe connector for charging MacBooks.
The product shot on this device is pretty substandard. Who laid out the cables?
That's a mockup.
Here's the actual device.
http://www.hardwarezone.com/tech-new...-unveiled-2012
Uh, yeah, that totally looks like the same device that's being reported on blogs everywhere.
Thanks for the clarification.
It looks like a MagSafe connector for charging MacBooks.
The product shot on this device is pretty substandard. Who laid out the cables?
Okay, I might be wrong about this. I sort of hope that I am, because if I'm not, that's about as low as you can go.
…
That cable is the cable on an Apple Thunderbolt Display, hence the MagSafe break-off. These idiots decided to string it (poorly) through their… monstrosity… instead of actually shelling out for a real, proper Thunderbolt cable.
Here's the actual device.
I honestly didn't think that they could top that mockup for hideousness, but they have. Who wants a gigantic box on their desk just for PORTS?!
Uh, yeah, that totally looks like the same device that's being reported on blogs everywhere.
Thanks for the clarification.
Yea, do a google search and look at a few other blogs. I see several others with this design and so far, it's the only one that shows an HDMI port.
http://www.clubic.com/salon-informat...in-468436.html
In french, but shows other angles and is a recent image.
Yea, do a google search and look at a few other blogs. I see several others with this design and so far, it's the only one that shows an HDMI port.
Either they're making two docks or that's not it at all.
This is it. Real image. CES.
Either they're making two docks or that's not it at all.
This is it. Real image. CES.
Where's the HDMI port they are reporting? Where's the audio?
Do they make "external PCI" or were you seriously suggesting a standard size 16x PCIe slot?
Something along the line of an express 34 PCI card slot was what I was thinking of as the penultimate dongle. But then if the first accessory offered enough expansion then where would be the onus to create more?
Like this http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sonne...ology/ECHOE34/.
Where's the HDMI port they are reporting?
It isn't on that model, apparently.