7. Kensington Expansion Dock With Video

• NB EXPANSION DOCK-USB...
• • BuyMeBuyMe.com
  • $119.99
• • Instawares
  • $186.78

By Mark Raby

If you do a Google search for "USB accessory" you'll get a lot of results. I mean, it's enough to make your head spin. So why are they still only putting in one or two USB ports in computers? You need some kind of USB hub to expand the number of cool devices you can attach. So, if you get an expansion dock, you may as well get one that's all decked out with extra features, and Kensington's top-of-the-line expansion dock with video is exactly what I'm talking about.

In addition to turning one USB port into four, this expansion dock has an Ethernet connection port, a microphone-in jack, a speaker-out jack, and a connection for an external monitor. Seriously, who knew that USB was amazing enough to power all of these connections? After installing a very quick, very small driver, you're good to go. No reboot needed.

The USB ports are spread widely enough apart so that if you have an unconventionally-shaped plug, it won't obstruct the other ports at all. It's most annoying when you've got a bunch of plugs but can only use about half of them. That's what I hate about most of those conventional power strips...but that's another story. Back to the USB ports, there are indicator lights next to each one so you can tell immediately whether or not your device was detected.

The microphone and speaker jacks seem the most superfluous, but if you really want to turn your notebook into a desktop experience, and you want to buy an extra set of speakers, more power to you. However, what's really the cornerstone here is the video capability. You can plug in an external monitor, up to a 19" flat-panel, and that's where the fun begins. It is literally plug-and-play. As soon as you hook up the monitor cord, your notebook will recognize the attached monitor. You get a couple of options when you hook this up. You can either use the new monitor as your default screen or you can expand the user interface to extend across both monitors.

In other words, you can expand your desktop so that quick-start icons are spread out between the two monitors. Or you can have applications running on one screen while the main desktop remains on the other screen. This is especially useful if you're big into watching videos on your 'puter. Use one screen to view your DVDs while you're working on your homework on the other one. It's really the ultimate productivity-based USB device. There's no other way to describe it.

If you're really into tripping out your notebook and you need something that can handle all of the things you do on the computer, then Kensington's Expansion Dock With Video may be the connectivity solution of your dreams.