The iPad Pro really shines when you’re working on the go, offering a convenient way to keep the creativity flowing without the hassle of bulky hardware. A docking station lets you connect your iPad with whatever peripherals you might want to use – conveniently all in one place. Once you’ve configured your desktop setup with the docking station, it’s simply a matter of plugging in your iPad Pro with a single USB-C connection. Expand your creativity : External monitor support enables you to extend (or mirror) your display beyond the iPad Pro for applications like Apple TV, iMovie, Keynote, Netflix, and much more.
: External monitor support enables you to extend (or mirror) your display beyond the iPad Pro for applications like Apple TV, iMovie, Keynote, Netflix, and much more. More control in your hands : Additional USB ports allow users to use the keyboards and mice they know and enjoy.
Remove compatibility obstacles : Cameras and flatscreen TVs don’t always play well with computers or other electronic devices. Use just one device: The iPad Pro is meant to be your electronic easel – a docking station is your complete fixed desktop solution without the hassle of a second computer.
By keeping your favorite peripherals connected and configured, you’ll enjoy the mobility the iPad Pro offers while having a complete creative desktop experience when you get back to your desk. Get your iPad Pro charged up to 50% faster than Apple’s native USB-C charger – even while other things are plugged into it.
Get your iPad Pro charged up to 50% faster than Apple’s native USB-C charger – even while other things are plugged into it. Whether video conferencing, presenting, watching Netflix on an external display, or simply working on a larger screen, you can do so with stunning, true-to-life images on a single monitor.
Whether video conferencing, presenting, watching Netflix on an external display, or simply working on a larger screen, you can do so with stunning, true-to-life images on a single monitor. A security slot for a cable lock ensures that even if other people agree, they can’t inspire your dock to walk off.
A security slot for a cable lock ensures that even if other people agree, they can’t inspire your dock to walk off. When the newly redesigned iPad Pro dropped in 2018, Apple described it as a “magical piece of glass” capable of being anything the user desired – with a little creativity on your part.
While Apple has always positioned its iPad Pro as an innovative tool for creative professionals, 2018 was the year it took major strides to increase the usefulness of the device for artists and designers. Since 2018, the iPad Pro 11” and 12.9” has boasted the capabilities and power of a computer … but also the slick features that creative professionals have come to love.
In other words, Apple is working on making the iPad Pro the only tool you’ll ever need as a creative professional. While the most recent models of the iPad Pro are sleek workhorses meant to let you unleash your creativity, you can enhance the experience further with a few clever tricks.
Thanks to their decision to include a USB-C port in iPad Pro models after 2018, it’s now possible to enjoy access to a whole universe of devices.
Connect iPad to a display with a cable
Connect the other end of the HDMI or VGA cable to the display, TV, or projector.
Kensington StudioDock review: Unleash the iPad Pro with tons of ports
The totally wild Kensington StudioDock pushes the iPad Pro far outside its normal tablet window, and that just makes me want Apple to close the gap and turn this thing into the Swiss Army computer it nearly already is. I’ve already nearly turned the iPad into a laptop with trackpad-equipped keyboard cases, but the StudioDock pushes toward the iPad-as-desktop-computer design.
Kensington’s expensive dock is like a monitor stand for your iPad, with (almost) all the charge ports and expansion pieces you could wish for. 1: The StudioDock comes with a huge number of ports: three USB 3.2, gigabit Ethernet and HDMI 2.0 on the back, USB-C on one side (3.2 Gen1, it doesn’t output video for a monitor), a 3.5mm headphone jack (missing from the iPad Air and Pro) and an SD card reader on the other side.
That one USB-C port can’t help with video connections, only charging and external storage. Optionally, you can also attach an extra Apple Watch charger (which I tried) to the dock’s swiveling iPad cradle. Kensington’s dock comes with its own beefy AC charger, which plugs in the back and powers the whole thing. I also used the bottom half of the Brydge iPad Pro keyboard case, which is Bluetooth and worked in a pinch.
The price of this dock is high, but $400 isn’t quite as insane if you consider this does triple duty as a multidevice charger, a USB-C multiport dongle, and a swiveling stand, all in one. If the next iPadOS goes even further and unleashes the iPad to where it clearly needs to be — in other words, Apple’s version of the Microsoft Surface Pro — then Kensington’s StudioDock is already here and ready for the transition to happen.
Review: This dock turns your iPad into a desktop computer – sort of
As new tablets continue adding features commonly found on traditional computers, you might wonder if you even need that laptop anymore. Its goal is to bridge the gap by basically turning your tablet into a compact iMac desktop computer of sorts. Other ports include an SD card reader, 3.5mm audio jack and gigabit Ethernet That had to be frustrating for Kensington, but even worse for consumers who upgraded to the latest iPad only to find out it won’t work with the $400 dock they bought a few months before.
Financial part aside, it didn’t take long for Kensington to announce a StudioDock compatible with the 2021 iPad Pro 12.9-inch model. The latest StudioDock went on sale at the end of January, and it just so happens I recently upgraded to that big, new iPad Pro.
I carefully unpacked all of the contents, attached the charger, and everything was going smoothly — until it was time to connect my iPad Pro. The iPad attached magnetically to the dock’s backplate, which was a nice touch, but then I ran into an issue when trying to slide it down onto the USB-C connector. I double-checked that this was indeed the new StudioDock designed for the 2021 iPad Pro and confirmed it was, so I tried some of the other troubleshooting tricks and finally had to reach out to Kensington customer support.
I went through the same steps with the support agent, who eventually concluded that the StudioDock was defective and needed to be exchanged. Then I took a closer look and noticed the iPad wasn’t pushed all the way onto the USB-C connector. I disconnected and reconnected the iPad a few different ways, not pushing too hard to limit the risk of damage to either device.
But there was still the same gap, so I turned the whole dock sideways and tinkered with the angle of the iPad ever so slightly until I finally got it to line up. Long story, but the trial and error part of just getting the iPad and StudioDock to connect took about an hour when all was said and done. On one side, you have the power button and a single USB-C port, while on the other, you’ll find a 3.5mm standard audio jack and an SD card reader. The latter is excellent for photographers who can plug their DSLR camera’s SD card right into the StudioDock to edit images and videos.
I’m not sure if others had the same issue getting the iPad and USB-C connector lined up with this model or if there was just a subtle variation in the way this specific dock was built.
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