Kickstarter Project Aims To Make MacBook Air Dock

The LandingZone is a docking station for the MacBook Air that hopes to become a reality via Kickstarter pledges. The dock circles the end of the MacBook Air, plugging into the ports on both sides of the device and including a full range of ports on the back -- including a 10/100 ethernet port and a Kensington-compatible lock, two things the MacBook Air lacks. The planned retail price of the LandingZone is around $200, but can be purchased with a $159 pledge.

LandingZone is a docking station for the MacBook Air. We love the MacBook Air for its beauty and functionality. The MacBook Air deserves a docking station that's just as beautiful and functional. So we designed one and we think it's pretty cool. We hope you agree.

- Total of 4 USB 2.0 ports; no need to attach a separate USB hub
- Built in 10/100T Ethernet port; no more dongles for the Ethernet or fumbling with the cable
- Built in Mini DisplayPort capable of driving resolution up to 2560x1440
- Built in locking port compatible with all the Kensington Locks; now you can secure your MacBook Air
- Two models to support either the 11" or 13" version of the MacBook Air (2010 or later)
- Beautifully designed and engineered for simplicity, elegance, reliability and functionality (patent pending)
- Comes with US power adapter which accepts wide range of input voltage (100~240 Vac)

The project is looking to raise $50,000 by January 1st, 2012 to begin production of the LandingZone. 111 backers have pledged more than $17,000.

Top Rated Comments

(View all)

arbitraryUser

103 months ago

So, there's a Kensington lock on the dock - great. How does that protect the laptop, unless the dock's attachment to your laptop is somehow as robust as that of a Kensington lock itself?

Can't you just pop the laptop out of the dock and walk out of the room? Does the doc just hold on to your USB ports really tightly?

Afraid I'm not willing to Kickstart this one. :P

Rating: 6 Votes

Stingray454

103 months ago

Great idea, but.. Why not take advantage of the thunderbolt? A TB hub would be awesome, or maybe just use the TB to get gigabit ethernet. Probably comes down to licensing costs, but I would personally not go without a thunderbolt hub/extension/whatever. Right not it seems to turn the Mini DisplayPort / TB port to only displayport, making it unable to use any TB peripherals.

Also, agree about the looks, hope they make a version in brushed aluminum or similar as well.

Rating: 5 Votes

macrumorsuser10

103 months ago

I would only buy one if it's made of aluminum and of the same colour as the MacBook Air. I am not putting anything that looks like cheap plastic on my desk.

Rating: 5 Votes

guan

103 months ago

Not that great

This doesnt have any FireWire ports and only has 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, not Gigabit. The USB hub connects to your MacBook Air via USB, as does the Ethernet controller. It probably wont be as fast as you expect from, say, the equivalent function on a Thunderbolt Display. Theres no Thunderbolt support at all.

Finally, and this isnt completely obvious for the final product but is true for the clear plastic prototype theyve posted, it doesnt power your MacBook Air directly: you need to plug in a regular power adapter with the MagSafe head that will plug in to the Air, and then the docking station presumably needs a separate power supply.

I guess for pre-2011 Airs you cant do much better, but as a 2011 Air owner I would wait for a Thunderbolt model. I doubt they can solve the power problem because Apple doesnt license MagSafe.

Rating: 4 Votes

reden

103 months ago

This isn't a dock, this is a USB hub

Rating: 3 Votes

syan48306

103 months ago

From the looks of it, it does not support thunderbolt because the license and implementation would bump the cost of the device to $1000 according to the inventor. Also, there isn't an easy way to just leave it unblocked because the concept of the device is to be able to detach everything by flipping the lever.

Clever design. It's just a damn shame thunderbolt would cost so damn much.

EDIT: "- Until two months ago, the price of an entry level Thunderbolt peripheral is over $1000."

Rating: 3 Votes

spillproof

103 months ago

Great idea, but thunderbolt implementation would be nice.

I think it locks the mechanisms in place (not allowing the handle to release).

Rating: 3 Votes

rmwebs

103 months ago

Who else noticed the SJ biography on the table when they watch the movie ;)

I like the idea of this, but it should have used thunderbolt, or at least provided an accessible thunderbolt port.

Rating: 3 Votes

paulrbeers

103 months ago

set them up with several million $ so they can hire engineers, management, and pay for an advertising campaign. oh yeah, and get those licenses handled. then all they'll need is a Chinese sweatshop and you'll have it on the shelves at Best Buy.

What's your point? If they can't make it right because they don't have the money/engineers, are we supposed to buy it just to make them feel better about selling an expensive USB hub?

Rating: 2 Votes

vjl323

103 months ago

Reason for no GB-ethernet, FW800, TB

This seemed nice but equates to nothing more than an overpriced, flop IMHO

No tb, gb-Ethernet, FW800?

Like others have said - this dock is fine for MBA 2010 and prior models; not us TB owners!

It won't work on MBAs older than 2010, since they are built differently and have only one USB port.

There's no way to add FW800 or GB-ethernet since the MBA only has USB2 ports - both of which are slower than FW800 and GB-ethernet.

Intel is delaying many people/companies from licensing Thunderbolt. And the licenses are VERY expensive [it would probably double the price of this dock, sadly enough].

Rating: 2 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]