Since I just converted to a Mac, I had to find a solution for an easy come and go solution that would replace my existing PC set up. My Lenovo had a reliable docking station that had all the bells and whistles, so I could simply pop it in and out as I would come home from a short or long trip. For travelers, the idea of not having a docking station is absurd or SHOULD BE.
It’s astonishing to me that there are not more docking station options for laptop users. When I began my search for Mac Book Pro docking stations, I was surprised to discover how few products there were on the market. After extensive research, I reached out to the guys at Henge and also visited them at their booth at CES this past January to learn more.
Why Henge? Succinct and compact, their docking stations allows you to quickly, easily and cleanly incorporate your MacBook computer into a desktop setup or your home theater system, so you get the best features of a laptop, desktop and media center PC all from one computer. Henge Docks don’t require any hardware, software or settings changes to your computer.
The other thing I liked about the reviews I read and their site is that it was easy to understand what you were getting into – no surprises on the back end. Setting up a Henge Docks unit is straight forward, allowing you to select only the cables you need making docking and undocking the computer as easy as possible.
While I don’t have my system completely set up yet, we tested it out to see how easy it was to slip my 13 inch laptop into the docking station when it arrived.
As you can see from the left view, there are various ports that you can use to connect so whether you just need USB drives for extra peripherals, a printer or connecting drives, the Henge drive is a perfect companion for any traveler who doesn’t have time to connect and reconnect to every device when they get home from a trip.
To be honest, I was really hoping for a horizontal docking station like I currently have although they don’t seem to be plentiful for Macs despite Mac’s popularity. At CES, I was able to view an upcoming version of a Henge dock not yet available, which is horizontal – it’s slated to come to market sometime in the next few months. To be honest, the design looked sweet and I’d love to convert to a horizontal solution as soon as it’s out.
Smart – horizontal docking stations are so much more convenient and easier to hide away behind a large external monitor, key for us design and clutter-free snobs.
It should hopefully also mean that I can dock my Mac Book Pro with an external case on, which I need to remove for a vertical set up — each and every time.
That said, their design is slick and does the trick.
Below is a useful video the Henge team put together that makes it dead easy to learn how to use. I should also add that the team is incredibly helpful and I found them to be not only knowledgeable but into customer service. Thumbs up. If you’re a Mac user, Henge is the vendor you should go with….and if you don’t have a docking station, what are you waiting for?
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
