Field Report: Motion FlexDock

I recently posted that I had ordered two Motion FlexDocks and that I would report back once I started using them. This is that report.

Wow, what a difference! I had grown used to balancing my expensive little tablet precariously on the flimsy plastic picture frame stand that came with it, and had almost gotten used to life at 1024x768. But my FlexDocks have breathed new life into my tablet experience.

In Austin, I have the dock connected to my full-sized keyboard and mouse (via a USB switch so I can also control my PowerMac), an external flat-panel display, my PocketPC cradle, and a direct 100Mb Ethernet connection to the aforementioned Mac. (Hey Motion, how about dropping the FireWire port and adding Gigabit Ethernet?) In Denver, I have a similar setup, but with a bigger flat panel display. The addition of the docks has positively affected my tablet experience in two ways.

First, the in-office experience is worlds better. The added screen real estate of an external display is a big productivity boost. Also, I'm constantly getting up from my desk and taking my tablet with me, so the ability to simply pop it out of the dock, rather than fussing with handfuls of cables, makes me much more mobile at the office. My only gripe here is that I have to manually re-enable the external display once I redock. I'm sure there are utilities that can do this for me, but I haven't looked. If anyone knows of anything good, let me know.

Second, the on-the-road experience has benefitted as well. Since a good deal of my travel is simply between my two offices, I can leave the laptop bag at home and just bring the tablet itself in my executive portfolio. A single battery charge is good enough to last the two-hour flight from AUS to DEN, and once I arrive I simply pop the tablet in the dock and get to work.

So for those Motion owners of you who haven't also bought a FlexDock, I highly recommend it. Sure, it's expensive for what it actually is ($99 would be more in line), but you'll be amazed at what it does.