Logitech Alto Connect Notebook Stand Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this stand for use with my 13" MacBook Pro. After using this stand for a week I can say that it does not operate as a implied. As a stand I would rate it a 5 star, the design of the stand is simple, usb ports are laid out in a effective manner, and it has rubber padding to protect against scratching the laptop. The built in cable management is functional (barely but good enough).
Where this product looses two stars is that the device requires a AC adapter yet it is not a true powered USB hub. What this means is high powered devices like portable hard drives will not work properly; I personally experienced power-up and power-downs with both my new Seagate FreeAgent Go and older WD Passport Go/Simpletech drives. It seems to work fine with flash drives and my webcam. Another area that you may be affected by not being a true powered hub is if you have a device that draws power from USB even when the computer is off such as the Logitech G5 wireless reciever which doubles as a battery charger; it recieves no power when the laptop is off and thus does not charge the battery.
I can't understand why Logitech designed it this way as it would have been a perfect five star if it was a true powered hub. Despite the issue with usb power, I went ahead and bought a second one for my 15" Sony laptop because as a stand it the design is top notch, and compared to everything in its price range ($40)it is far more functional.
I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a laptop stand first, with the USB hub part as a "nice to have" since it effectively is a non-powered hub.

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Logitech Alto Connect Laptop Stand

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Kensington sd100s Notebook Docking Station with Stand K60721US Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, I recently purchased a Dell M1530 laptop with Vista 32bit Ultimate. Unfortunately the computer does not come with a standard docking station, which I would have preferred as you can sit it down and be done. With the M1530 about 1" stick out on either side of the station but it works and looks fine. I also have the 9 cell battery which sticks out a bit in the back of the laptop and it still just fits without pressing any of the keys in the front which was another concern of mine, for normal laptops up to 1.5" thick or maybe even 2" you should be ok its just harder to slide the laptop in and out. But I'm convinced with some practice it will be no problem, I did knock off a key the first time when I was not being cautious but luckily it popped right back on.
I was looking for the next best thing, I didn't want to use an external monitor as that would add to clutter. Despite reading the other reviews citing issues with drivers I went ahead and purchased. Once it arrived I inserted the Windows Vista CD it came with and then plugged in the USB cord. It installed the driver (I believe only took the Ethernet driver off the CD) and internet/USB devices were working. Didn't notice any speed slowdown with the internet and I tested speed before/after the docking station. I nervously plugged in my speakers to the docking station but they also worked perfectly. NOTE: By default in Vista your laptop will use the new "USB Speakers" if they are connected, but you can change this simply by right clicking the speaker icon on bottom right of your taskbar, clicking playback devices, and setting your laptop speakers as default and then restarting the media program you are using.
So now I arrive home, put my laptop in the stand (this is the awkward part - for side-entry the best way is to slide it in without going deeper than the mousepad, then once its centered lower it until it hits the bottom - for top-entry its much more simple as you can just lower it from the top but my desk has a roof) and connect power/USB and I'm done. Though it is a bit odd looking its highly functional and kinda cool. The note holding is also very handy and my IR remote works nicely through the plastic at the bottom.

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Convert your laptop into a desktop instantly.Slip your notebook into the SmartFit stand, plug in a single USB cable, and you're ready to enjoy the ergonomics and productivity of a desktop. With the Kensington sd100s Notebook Docking Station, you can connect multiple peripherals to your notebook with just one plug.Plus you never have to shut down your notebook to connect the dock or change peripherals. The built-in copyholder positions documents in line with the screen for easier viewing, and the black translucent front cover allows you to operate your notebook multimedia IR remote.Designed with a unique wedge shape to raise your notebook and help promote cooling. The sd100s offers five nicely spaced USB 2.0 ports to allow you to connect multiple USB devices such as a printer, external hard drive, or ipod to your notebook computer.The USB ports are always-on, meaning they are powered even when your notebook is turned off or disconnected, so you can charge your iPod or Smartphone even when you're not working.Kensington limited 18 month warranty.

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