WEBVTT 00:00:01.210 --> 00:00:04.520 - Remember that commercial Apple released a couple of years ago with the young girl 00:00:04.520 --> 00:00:08.940 living her epic life with an iPad? At the end, while typing away on her smart keyboard, 00:00:08.940 --> 00:00:12.837 her neighbor asks what she's doing on her computer, to which she responds, 00:00:12.837 --> 00:00:17.580 "What's a computer?" Urgh! (relaxed upbeat music) 00:00:17.580 --> 00:00:20.580 Oh, that's still hurts today. Man, how we hated that line. 00:00:20.580 --> 00:00:23.870 It's interesting now because since then, Apple's been working very hard 00:00:23.870 --> 00:00:27.980 to make the iPad more computer-like, with things like a USB-C port 00:00:27.980 --> 00:00:35.220 and trackpad and mouse support. It leads us to this, the Kensington StudioDock. 00:00:35.220 --> 00:00:38.637 It's the first accessory of its kind, and it asks the question, 00:00:38.637 --> 00:00:44.210 "What if iPad was a desktop?" So, does it earn its $379 price tag? 00:00:44.210 --> 00:00:48.710 And if it does, can the iPad even keep up? (upbeat music) 00:00:48.710 --> 00:00:52.820 The Kensington StudioDock is one of the most comprehensive iPad docks out there. 00:00:52.820 --> 00:00:59.580 It's designed for the ultimate Apple user. Compatible with the latest gen flat-edged USB type C iPads, 00:00:59.580 --> 00:01:04.690 sporting two wireless charging pads, perfect for your iPhone and AirPods, 00:01:04.690 --> 00:01:09.575 and supporting the Apple Watch, with this optional charging adapter too. 00:01:09.575 --> 00:01:12.575 (soft upbeat music) 00:01:18.470 --> 00:01:23.520 It plants your iPad firmly on the desk through a built-in hub that sports gigabit Ethernet, 00:01:23.520 --> 00:01:26.890 four USB-3 ports, SD card reader, 00:01:26.890 --> 00:01:30.890 headset jack, and an HDMI 2.0 output. 00:01:30.890 --> 00:01:36.460 Design-wise it's all nicely integrated. I do love the fabric mat on the wireless chargers, 00:01:36.460 --> 00:01:39.920 and how the iPad sits on the dock with minimal intrusion, 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:43.810 unlike other stands with their massive grabby grips on either side. 00:01:43.810 --> 00:01:47.680 It rotates 90 degrees. This feels great. 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:50.850 And it tilts beyond 90. This feels okay. 00:01:50.850 --> 00:01:54.517 There's no swivel or height adjust, but I didn't really miss that. 00:01:54.517 --> 00:01:59.400 (relaxed upbeat music) But that doesn't mean I don't have gripes. 00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:02.980 Firstly, it's nowhere near Apple standards of build quality. 00:02:02.980 --> 00:02:07.110 The back is black plastic that creaks if you grab it, 00:02:07.110 --> 00:02:10.453 and the placement of this power button is going to kill me. 00:02:11.400 --> 00:02:15.050 Why isn't it in the center? The other sticking point is that 00:02:15.050 --> 00:02:20.390 it's not that easy to place the iPad in here. It's supposed to slide into this USB-C plug 00:02:20.390 --> 00:02:24.550 and stay secure with magnets, but there's also this grippy rubber pad and guardrails 00:02:24.550 --> 00:02:29.260 which are great at holding things together once docked, but all these components are fighting each other 00:02:29.260 --> 00:02:32.800 on the way in, to the extent that the experience 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:39.276 is just finicky rather than easy. You have to slide it in at a slight angle like this 00:02:39.276 --> 00:02:43.300 and then just kind of mush it in. It's just not satisfying. 00:02:43.300 --> 00:02:44.623 But, once it's in, 00:02:46.500 --> 00:02:49.830 your iPad really well and truly does become a computer, 00:02:49.830 --> 00:02:53.040 rotating between portrait for focused writing sessions 00:02:53.040 --> 00:02:57.560 and landscape for multitasking. And if you do hook it up into an external monitor 00:02:57.560 --> 00:03:01.810 with a mouse and keyboard, it really starts to feel like a desktop. 00:03:01.810 --> 00:03:04.930 Well, almost. Here's the problem. 00:03:04.930 --> 00:03:10.620 iPad OS really isn't a desktop operating system. External display support from the HDMI output 00:03:10.620 --> 00:03:14.780 is only a mirror of the iPad interface, unless you're viewing photos or video. 00:03:14.780 --> 00:03:20.620 Oh, and 4K resolution only works with the pros. This iPad Air maxes out at 1080p. 00:03:20.620 --> 00:03:25.090 Regardless of resolution, you're going to get pillar boxing. And though the iPad on paper 00:03:25.090 --> 00:03:29.893 is a four by three aspect ratio, don't expect it to fill those old monitors completely. 00:03:33.500 --> 00:03:39.730 Now, how about going in the other direction and bringing your Mac screen to the iPad with Sidecar? 00:03:39.730 --> 00:03:44.160 You can do that, but only wirelessly, so it's not the most responsive experience. 00:03:44.160 --> 00:03:48.600 And unfortunately this USB-C port won't pass through. 00:03:48.600 --> 00:03:54.130 That being said, I used the iPad and this dock for a whole week and it is remarkably capable. 00:03:54.130 --> 00:03:57.780 I could easily write scripts, edit photos with Lightroom, 00:03:57.780 --> 00:04:01.760 and when I was web browsing, I'd even forget I was on an iPad. 00:04:01.760 --> 00:04:07.420 But the problem is that there are some times where it's very clearly not capable enough, 00:04:07.420 --> 00:04:12.230 like when it needed to add a hyperlink to an email or multitask while on a video call 00:04:12.230 --> 00:04:14.143 without having my camera turn off. 00:04:17.660 --> 00:04:21.220 So then who is the StudioDock for? 00:04:21.220 --> 00:04:24.860 This was the cause of much discussion in the office as we puzzled over this. (soft upbeat music) 00:04:24.860 --> 00:04:29.160 The product bumpf shows a photographer person doing something with photos, but that's not enough. 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:32.430 So, here's the list I came up with. 00:04:32.430 --> 00:04:37.170 Is it for realtors? Asked mine, said no. 00:04:37.170 --> 00:04:40.730 Salesperson? Asked one I know, also said no. 00:04:40.730 --> 00:04:44.200 Artists? Don't ask. 00:04:44.200 --> 00:04:48.163 Point of sale? Spoiled children? 00:04:49.030 --> 00:04:53.723 Writer? People with tiny desks? 00:04:54.880 --> 00:04:58.820 (upbeat harp music) Yeah, people with tiny desks. 00:04:58.820 --> 00:05:02.880 Especially considering how much new apartments have been shrinking these days. 00:05:02.880 --> 00:05:10.250 So should you buy the Kensington StudioDock? At $379 for the small and 399 for the large model, 00:05:10.250 --> 00:05:13.890 it's certainly a steep price. But the iPad has come a long way 00:05:13.890 --> 00:05:19.400 since the days of half-baked accessibility mouse support and a lack of file server connectivity. 00:05:19.400 --> 00:05:22.640 And if you buy all the elements of the StudioDock separately: 00:05:22.640 --> 00:05:29.110 the hub, the wireless chargers, the stand, you'd be saving at least $115. 00:05:29.110 --> 00:05:34.823 So that certainly would be a less expensive route, but it won't be as clean on your tiny baby hands desk. 00:05:36.035 --> 00:05:39.285 (relaxed upbeat music) 00:05:41.500 --> 00:05:45.380 If you like what the StudioDock offers, it's really the only game in town. 00:05:45.380 --> 00:05:50.060 Those who are really committed to what the iPad has to offer and use it for everything 00:05:50.060 --> 00:05:54.810 will find this quite perfect. But while I personally may feel the iPad is best 00:05:54.810 --> 00:05:59.820 as a comfortable computer for the bed, living room and bathroom, 00:05:59.820 --> 00:06:04.277 I can't help it feel that what Kensington is saying with the StudioDock is, 00:06:04.277 --> 00:06:10.690 "Your move, Apple. You know what a computer is." It lays bare the iPad's capabilities and limitations. 00:06:10.690 --> 00:06:17.193 Clearly Kensington thinks the iPad is ready to sit, elevated at the desk, ready for business or whatever. 00:06:19.310 --> 00:06:24.800 Thank you for popping into this "Mac Address". I'm really curious who you think this iPad dock is for, 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:28.530 so please explain in the comments. There's something about the iPad conceptually 00:06:28.530 --> 00:06:34.269 that gets people passionate for or against it. This StudioDock, eh, won't help that discussion. 00:06:34.269 --> 00:06:36.546 (relaxed upbeat music)