Filed under: Hardware, Portables, Rumors
Apple patent suggests notebook docking station
MacNN is reporting on a patent filed by Apple that describes a laptop docking station that looks a lot like a hollow iMac. According to images filed with the patent, a laptop is slid into a compartment on the side of the dock, leaving the laptop's ports accessible. There's no indication as to how the display works. Perhaps the docking station itself has a display that's powered by the laptop, though it seems silly to have two displays. It could be that the laptop in question is actually a tablet that docks with its own display facing the user.
The patent also mentions liquid cooling and a "telephonic handset." It's all interesting, but who knows if any of this will come to fruition. Perhaps we'll see next week.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Raymie said 4:11PM on 1-03-2008
thats awesome, id have a imac and a macbook (in a way)
Reply
Ed said 5:35PM on 1-03-2008
That's what I was thinking. A few months ago I could not justify getting an iMac in all it's awesomeness due to the fact that I needed a portable. Hope it's compatible with current models (though i doubt it, as there's no dedicated dock port,) because if it is then I'd definitely buy it.
tintin77 said 4:26PM on 1-03-2008
Apple is bringing out all of the oldies. Remember the comparisons between the iphone and the Newton? How about the duoDock?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_Duo#Duo_Dock
Reply
Rob Humble said 4:30PM on 1-03-2008
Goes back to the days of the Duo and it's dock http://lowendmac.com/misc/mr07/0904.html. On it's own, the Duo was a great sub-notebook without floppy or optical drives. The desk-bound dock had it's own display, drives, keyboard, etc. It was a great system and will be the next time they introduce it.
Reply
bob sakamano said 4:33PM on 1-03-2008
"perhaps this will come into fruition next week"
Apple can patent something this week and release it to the public by next week??! their Supply Chain turnround is amazing!!
Reply
punkassjim said 5:42PM on 1-03-2008
Clicking on links and reading are both good for the soul. They submitted the patent in 2006.
Rainer said 4:37PM on 1-03-2008
Why would it be silly to have two displays? I love the mobility of my 12" notebook and I love it even more when I can connect my 22" widescreen display at home. This docking looks super convenient and space-saving.
Reply
Pete said 6:55AM on 1-04-2008
Absolutely - a bigger display is the only thing you need these days to turn a laptop into a desktop. Plus have extra connections so you can have your external storage permanently connected to it, and have the whole thing work through the express port...
Sounds good to me. Would depend on the price though.
Lucy said 4:54PM on 1-03-2008
This would be a great idea if that was a hi-def slate tablet sliding into the side instead. Totally disabling the built-in display of a MacBook seems like a bad idea to me. I've only got a 12" PowerBook, but I would still not want to kick those 786,432 extra pixels (1024x768) to the curb for just ONE display (I currently have a 21" monitor hooked up to my PB... definitely better than just the one 21" display). A 30" Cinema Display may convince me otherwise, but even then, I'd prefer to have that IN ADDITION to my built-in laptop display.
On an unrelated note, is it just me or does anyone else find the drawing style of these patent illustrations to be incredibly cute in that badly drawn kind of way?
Reply
punkassjim said 4:56PM on 1-03-2008
I'd be amazed if they were able to find a way to make the DuoDock viable again. Looking back, it really was a half-baked idea. If they can fully bake it, rock the fuggout. I just hope they target the correct market.
Reply
Karl Childers said 5:17PM on 1-03-2008
How would that work with different sized notebooks? Also with that design either the video port or the power is on the exposed side. They would have to put in a "docking port" or locate all the ports on one side. And don't get me started on how to use the slot cd drive. Why not just make a port replicator and let me add my own display for Gods sake.
Reply
punkassjim said 5:38PM on 1-03-2008
You're thinking inside the box of the current notebook lineup. First mistake.
punkassjim said 5:43PM on 1-03-2008
Also, you should click on the link to MacNN so you can answer some of your own questions.
Ed said 5:49PM on 1-03-2008
At least on the MacBook, all the ports are on the left, so if it did interface with them directly and the MacBook did go into the right of the unit then the slot loading drive would be accessible on the right, just like an iMac. On the inside, it would need to connect to power, ethernet, mini-dvi, firewire, usb, and sound. It could even connect to the lock port, to keep the laptop from coming out accidently.
Saxo said 5:51PM on 1-03-2008
From the drawings in the original patent it looks like the laptop has an optical drive.... this would contradict the rumors of an ultra-portable laptop without one. Assuming this dock is meant for the mythical ultra-portable mac.
Reply
south said 5:55PM on 1-03-2008
the thought of an iMac version of the DuoDock gets me very excited. i can see my wallet there in the corner, quaking with fear already.
Reply
Chris said 8:08PM on 1-03-2008
Or, it is a large tablet mac, like a giant iPhone, and when you slide it into the iMac doc, it becomes the display only. Maybe the tablet mac only has one or two USB ports, and maybe a headphone jack, and a large port that allows the tablet mac to interface with the iMac doc.
That would make sense, because a tablet mac that is touch screen wouldn't have need for many ports, because if you're holding it, or walking around with it, you can't hold the peripherals at the same time.
Reply
ANDY said 8:10PM on 1-03-2008
Yes!!!!!!!!!!
Finally!!!!!!!!!
I have a iMac 266 that I had hacked up so i can stuff my MacBook in it. This makes me wonder if this dock was for the new ultraportable mac...
Reply
Ed said 11:02PM on 1-03-2008
You are truly made of awesome.
Rick said 8:15PM on 1-03-2008
Hmm... a monitor that works with one model (or, at best, manufacturer) of notebook. No thanks.
Reply