Lenovo's missing dock stands

[davidhbrown]

One of the two main reasons I don't use a Mac any more (the other is that they still haven't fixed the Finder after breaking it in OS X) is that they abandoned the idea of docking notebooks to use at the desk, where I am 90% of the time. Lenovo, HP, and Dell seem to be the only companies reliably offering professional notebook docks -- by which I mean power, video, ethernet, audio, USB all on one connector.

Dell offers three accessory stands for their E-series port replicators. One for CRTs, one for LCDs, and one to use the notebook open at a user-defined height.

HP is less accommodating, but they at least offer a notebook stand integrated with their dock.

And Lenovo. Well, Lenovo offers a dock for the W520 (ThinkPad Mini Dock Plus Series 3). And they offer a notebook stand (Lenovo Essential Notebook Stand). But the two don't work together. And all that's keeping it from working with their old notebook stand is a little ridge of plastic. Stupid/frustrating.

So, I Velcro'd the dock to an old Dell stand I had kicking around. It actually works quite well. (pics)

But I would happily have bought one from Lenovo. Come on, guys... finish the job: revise the stands already!

[misfit]

Nice fix! That bites that Lenovo aren't up with the play on this one. I'd be lost without my advanced mini-docks and adjustable notebook stands for my T60s. I've also got a Dell D620 that I picked up cheaply, probably going to sell on, that has a docking station and the same stand that you modified. It's a good system too.

Odd that Lenovo aren't offering similar for their latest machines. Kinda makes me happy with my decision to stick with the T60 / FlexView for as long as possible.

[dr_st]

What is the function of the notebook stand?

[misfit]

What is the function of the notebook stand?

I use mine to elevate the most excellent FlexView display to a better height so that I don't get back-ache from looking down at the screen. I spend a lot of time at my laptop and have a bad back. A port replicator or mini-dock will lock into the stand, then the ThinkPad locks into the dock.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-61154 (I don't know why they don't show it set up with the screen vertical, perpendicular to the desk, as that's how you use it. Perhaps they are midgets?)

As mentioned, the upside of this is that I don't have to crane my neck to look at the screen (and also less dust seems to find it's way into the laptop when it's on the stand). The downside is that I don't get to use the excellent T60 keyboard, instead using a USB keyboard.

Anyway the lack of upper back / neck pain after several hours at the keyboard makes it all worth it. Also, I can still just hit a button and disconnect the laptop and take it with me, the same as I could if it were just in the dock.

[JeffeVerde]

. . . And Lenovo. Well, Lenovo offers a dock for the W520 (ThinkPad Mini Dock Plus Series 3). And they offer a notebook stand (Lenovo Essential Notebook Stand). But the two don't work together. And all that's keeping it from working with their old notebook stand is a little ridge of plastic. Stupid/frustrating. . .

Do you have an impression whether the offending ridge might be amenable to surgical removal (e.g. dremel grinder)

[misfit]

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-61154 (I don't know why they don't show it set up with the screen vertical, perpendicular to the desk, as that's how you use it. Perhaps they are midgets?)

I've only just realised, now I revisit this thread, that in the pic I linked to they just have the notebook sitting on the ledge on the stand - they aren't using it with a dock.

Other than taking my own pics the only one I can find on teh webs in a hurry showing the dock in place is this one: http://i.pgcdn.com/pi/7/23/19/72319048_125.jpg Then of course you just clip the ThinkPad into the dock. While you could use it like the Lenovo pics, without a dock, you lose most of the reasons for having it IMO. I only use the ledge part for sitting flash drives on.

Sorry JeffVerde, I don't have the newer dock to be able to answer your question. Hopefully the OP will come back.