Storage maker CalDigit this week announced a new portable dock called the CalDigit Thunderbolt Station, adding to the growing collection of Thunderbolt docks introduced recently from Sonnet, Belkin and Matrox.
CalDigit's entry costs $199 and provides users with USB 3.0, Audio In and Out jacks, Ethernet, and HDMI in a portable aluminum case.
“As Macs are getting thinner, and more portable we need more ways to connect to multiple devices. The CalDigit ThunderboltTM Station gives professional users the ability to connect their ultra portable computers to a lot more devices via a single ThunderboltTM port", said Kosta Panagos Director of Marketing at CalDigit.
CalDigit makes a number of high-end storage enclosures and expansion cards for audio and video professionals. The company says the Thunderbolt Station will be "available soon".
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Btw, the is the first article published by GeekWebGuides that I tipped off. Even though it's lame, I feel so cool lol.
Finally, after seeing all those high-priced docks coming out with either features I didn't need, or a lame/paltry assortment of features for a high price, this looks like something reasonable.
Unless something better comes out soon, I'm gonna get this.
So far every Thunderbolt dock I've seen mentioned is missing at least one feature I'd want.
Matrox's doesn't have Thunderbolt daisy chain or Firewire.
CalDigit's doesn't have Firewire.
Belkin's and Sonnet's don't have HDMI output. That's probably the feature of a dock I can most easily live without, as I only occasionally plug in an external display, and my future Retina MBP would have an HDMI port anyway.
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Yes, as long as the Thunderbolt bus speed isn't saturated by the combined usage of all connected peripherals.
The dock contains its own USB 3 controller, which is addressed by the host computer independently from the built-in USB 2 controller.
You would need to be running a new enough OS version which has the necessary USB 3 driver support. That definitely means Lion or later, since the first models with USB 3 ports were in June 2012 and came with OS X 10.7.4, and it wouldn't surprise me if Mountain Lion was required for stability reasons.
Hoping we can use the HDMI and still use a Display Port plug/adaptor for 2x external monitors.
Not all Macs have native USB3 :(