If you have a laptop you know how hot they can get. If you use them for several hours the heat is enough to fry an egg. This is caused by the air flow being restricted underneath the laptop. You can also feel how your hands ache after typing on a flat keyboard for several hours. There is a simple solution to this problem and that is to purchase either a laptop stand or docking station. But what is the difference between a laptop stand and a docking station? The answer is simple, a laptop stand is just that a stand to place your laptop on. Laptop stands are usually higher in the from and slightly angled. This reduces the risk of developing repetitive strain in your hands from long periods of typing on a flat keyboard.
If you have an area that is strictly for your laptop, you may want to purchase a docking station. A docking station is similar to a stand but a bit more elaborate. There are many special features to attach peripherals such as a keyboard, monitor, mouse, phone, Ethernet, and even USB ports. Docking stations are a step above stands, however, so is the price. The price range of a laptop stand is around $20, however, the price range for docking stations is anywhere from $30 to over $200, depend on your needs.
Docking stations provide the most convenience when they are plugged into a portable computer in the designated slot. A docking station makes it possible for a laptop to be like a PC or desktop computer. This can be done without sacrificing the functionality and mobility of the laptop.
How a laptop docking station is used depends upon the user. One option is to cold dock the laptop. This is done shutting down the laptop before it is placed in the docking station. Hot docking is where the laptop is still running and is fully functional whether it is docked or not. Another option is standby docking which is putting the laptop in sleep mode before placing it in the docking station. The docking and undocking functions can be intermediate depending on the model of laptop you have.
There are four different styles of docking stations on the market. Some docking stations have more than one port available to plug in a docking station. Docking stations do this by creating the ports in the dock with the use of converters instead of internal chipsets. The various functions of docking stations is extremely important when a hub is used where several converters are used. This is the same way mobile docking stations function in vehicles. Some of the industries that use mobile docking stations in their vehicles are utility companies (such as oil, electricity, gas), law enforcement, construction companies, the military, fire departments, insurance companies, and the transportation industry.
Docking stations for laptops can also have peripherals such as printers, a mouse, and printers attached without using cables or plugs. This is one of the most important roles for docking stations.
