New reports today show Microsoft coming out with a bevy of new device accessories meant to help us plug into a broader architecture in today’s data-centric world.
The first piece of equipment covered by current tech reports is the Dock 2, which offers no less than six USB ports – four USB-C and two USB-A ports, as well as an ethernet connection and an audio jack.
“The new dock supplies power to your Surface while adding additional ports, making it a solid choice for a desk dock you can use when you aren’t on the go,” writes Dan Thorp-Lancaster at Windows Central. “According to Microsoft, the new dock ‘delivers faster charging, higher data transfer rates, and the enterprise management tools people have been asking for.’”
This device also has what’s called a ‘Kensington lock,’ which, for the uninitiated, is used to anchor it to a physical object like a table. This anti-theft feature is commensurate with the device’s relatively high cost at around $260.00.
“The Surface Dock 2 only works with Surface computers, as its cable connects via the Surface Connect port,” writes Cameron Faulkner at The Verge in a description of the new product offerings. “Robin Seiler, an executive with Microsoft’s devices team, told The Verge that, compared to the previous-generation Surface Dock, the latest model has increased cable length so that you won’t feel tied down as much.”
A second new option called the Travel Hub has a lower price tag around $100, and is much more of a legacy type of connector. It has one USB-C port one USB-A port, an ethernet port and an HDMI port, as well as an old-school VGA pin connector.
That makes the Travel Hub an appropriate choice for users who have older computers or legacy devices that they want to connect, while the Dock 2 provides an ultra-modern approach much more akin to something you would see connecting virtual LANs with trunk ports in a modern virtual network (although that is definitively not something that either of these devices is going to do).
Then, too, Microsoft has its own ergonomic keyboard and other peripherals going on sale now. Check out how all of this gear works with the Surface world and what manufacturers are bringing to the table to allow for tomorrow’s connectivity in a post-COVID world where so much of our commerce and social activity is accomplished in a digital space.
