When we talk about the mobile workforce, it usually brings to mind two kinds of people: those who spend the day on their feet, typically using a tablet or 2-in-1 (retailers, police officers, and healthcare workers, for example) and those who use laptops in a variety of settings such as a conference room, airplane seat, coffee shop or couch. Yet even in the modern mobile workforce, most employees are still doing some portion of their work from a desk at the office or at home where access to larger displays, external keyboards and mice help improve multi-tasking, content creation and overall comfort.
We recognize it’s not enough for a device to exclusively function in its mobile state and that workers need technologies that can facilitate their “hybrid” workdays, moving seamlessly from the mobile environment to the desktop. In fact, our customers are asking for a few key things:
- Thinner, lighter devices with multiple connectivity options to help improve productivity
- Common docking experience across platforms with USB Type-C port(s) having data, video and power capabilities
- Fewer cables and wires, allowing for docking anywhere, whether at a fixed desktop or hot desk/hotel cube
So beginning in early 2016, Dell will begin offering the next generation of cable docking that utilizes two new technologies and their enhanced benefits:
- DisplayPort™ over USB Type-C: A new type of connector designed to replace any port on a user’s system, supporting USB, Display Port 1.2 and power (up to 130w) all through a single cable
- Intel® Thunderbolt™ 3: Single cable for audio, multiple 4K video support, faster data transfer and power (up to 130w)*
Dell Docks leverage a new type of connector, USB Type-C, to allow users to quickly connect their laptop or tablet to a single data and power source with a single cable, no matter the media type, and get a reliable connection. For power users such as our Precision customers, the Dell Thunderbolt™ Dock with Intel® Thunderbolt 3 technology provides a way to quickly connect their mobile workstation to a single data and power source while allowing for ultimate display performance—up to two 4K displays—and faster data transfers—up to 40 Gbps.
Just as our customers requested, these docks provide one common docking experience across Dell and non-Dell platforms for all media. Providing a cable docking solution for the desk will allow us to further innovate throughout our client portfolio and create even thinner and lighter laptops, tablets and workstations while still providing the fully integrated multi-screen experience people need for productivity.
We see our new docks being the ultimate choice for a variety of use cases:
Desk: People in all sizes of businesses with a variety of compatible Dell and non-Dell systems will be able to quickly and easily connect their laptops and tablets to the Dell Dock, enabling fast, efficient connectivity to multiple displays and essential peripherals through one cable.
“Hotel” Cubes and Hot Desks: In offices with shared spaces, IT decision makers will be able to outfit their hotel cubes and hot desks with the Dell Dock, allowing for one easy purchasing decision across all compatible systems. The small size will also create more desk space; meanwhile, workers will be able to easily connect systems to displays and peripherals.
Conference Room Collaboration: Users can easily take their laptop or tablet from their desk to the conference room and connect to the Dell Dock in order to share their screen with a conference room display or projector.
Power Users: The Dell Thunderbolt™ Dock will enable power users and traditional workstation clients to connect three FHD displays or two 4K displays at 60Hz. Data transfers of up to 40 Gbps will allow lightning-fast transfers of larger files such as video editing files.
We see a lot of possibilities in the new connections that can consolidate the footprint of our notebooks and tablets as well as power the device and peripherals, but we will continue to give our customers a variety of connection options on our client products so they can continue using their favorite legacy peripherals as well. We’re raising awareness about the upcoming docking solutions now to help make the purchasing decision easier for your IT team and the hybrid workday more seamless for your mobile workforce. As we continue to develop mobile solutions, we’ll do so with the small, simplified form factor of these docks as a guiding inspiration.
As always, your wants, needs and opinions are what drives our innovation. We can’t wait to share these new docks with you and look forward to hearing your feedback.
