BlackTie Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 Greetings, all. Our governors have asked me to investigate options regarding the purchase or lease of laptops for all teaching staff - including docking stations for ease of connectivity in the classroom. Looking at around 100 machines, 70 classrooms. Wondered if anyone had any experience of such a purchase or lease? Any recommended vendors - or those to avoid? Any pitfalls or gotchas? All comments welcome...
ICTDirect_Dave Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 I'd suggest my beautiful refurb Lenovo T410s i5, 4GB ram, 160GB HDD (SSD options available), Win 7 Pro, 12 Month RTB warranty (second year option available) I can get docking stations for them too. They're also incredibly robust. I use one of these and I love it! Drop me a PM if you want me to look at some pricing for you. 1
Norphy Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 If you want proper docking stations (i.e. ones which connect via a dedicated docking station port rather than glorified USB hubs), you're probably limited to the tier 1 vendors such as Dell and the like. Even then, you're probably limited to the enterprise lines (i.e. Latitudes rather than Vostros/Inspirons). The Stones (rebadged Clevos) that we have on site are perfectly adequate but they don't have docking station ports which would mean that your teachers would have to plug in USB plugs for the whiteboards and VGA for projectors etc. 1
featured_spectre Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 @ICTDirect_Dave does good quality refurbs (used in an old establishment). The rest fighting for your attention would be @Millgate, @CPLTD, @VeryPC, and then there is stone also 4
Millgate Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 Greetings, all. Our governors have asked me to investigate options regarding the purchase or lease of laptops for all teaching staff - including docking stations for ease of connectivity in the classroom. Looking at around 100 machines, 70 classrooms. Wondered if anyone had any experience of such a purchase or lease? Any recommended vendors - or those to avoid? Any pitfalls or gotchas? All comments welcome... Hi BlackTie, As nephilim said, we can offer numerous options for you. We work with every vendor including the @VeryPC boys so we're very unbiased. We can also offer leasing too. Feel free to drop me an email @ [email protected] and I'll be happy to help Luke 2
john Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 Worth checking the history of your docks if you are going that way, as has been said Dell enterprise do true docking stations and they have been the same connector for years (we have a LOT of Dell docks where I am and thus use Dell laptops due to that), New "sexi" Lenovo kit that people like and want is non-dockable without a USB3 dock which the Lenovo one is nice it has dual VGA, USB3 Ports, Networking etc... so well worth looking at and considering them as once you have 70 docks you are basically stuck with that choice for a long time with vendor specific docks and if that vendor changes the dock connector you are stuffed. If I was to do it in a school and had to have docks, I'd be going for the new USB 3.0 ones as the drivers for them go on all the makes and gives you some level of general docking VS a vendor specific dock as I would have fear that I'd spend say £10K on Lenovo docks and them change the connector in 2 years time so you are not able to dock the new ones. 1
VeryPC_Colin_M Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 Thanks for posting @BlackTie and thanks for the mention @nephilim and @Millgate Surely it's got to be the gorgeous, lightweight, incredible value VeryPC Thinbook 15.6" (same chassis as Stone's 15" laptop) with the Full HD IPS screen upgrade (because Staff need a great screen) coupled with a Toshiba dynadock to connect the LAN, Monitor, Mouse, Keyboard. Intel Wi-Di enabled CPU and Dual band 5GHz Wi-Fi card for broadcast to a Wi-Di enabled interactive screen too for less cable mess, and to the network if wireless coverage is good throughout the classrooms. Syscap for hassle free public sector approved leasing into the bargain. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to know more @BlackTie 1
Norphy Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 @VeryPC_Colin_M. Two questions: Whenever I've seen a USB to VGA adapter, the video performance has been abysmal. Certainly not good enough for playing flash video from the likes of YouTube. What's the performance like with this device? Secondly, most teachers here at least prefer to clone what's on their screen onto a projector rather than span across the built-in monitor and the projector. Since Windows would presumably treat this as another display adapter rather than two screens on the same adapter, can this device achieve this? Ta! 1
VeryPC_Colin_M Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 Hi @Norphy good to know you; good questions. This is the puppy that customers have been voting for with their wallets; dynadock Not heard a peep out of any of them regarding video performance on it, nor any issues with attaching 2 monitors and the laptop, but will ask around. I gather most teachers have the dock hooked to the whiteboard too with the screen extended / cloned not by windows, but by the on board video mode.
Norphy Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) I gather most teachers have the dock hooked to the whiteboard too with the screen extended / cloned not by windows, but by the on board video mode. But surely that defeats the object of having a dock if you need to plug multiple cables in? At least with a Dell dock, you just clip the thing in and that's it. The laptop is powered from the dock, the VGA/DVI output and USB connections come from the dock too. Edited February 18, 2014 by Norphy
VeryPC_Colin_M Posted February 18, 2014 Posted February 18, 2014 But surely that defeats the object of having a dock if you need to plug multiple cables in? At least with a Dell dock, you just clip the thing in and that's it. The laptop is powered from the dock, the VGA/DVI output and USB connections come from the dock too. Hi @Norphy how does the DELL dock connect to the monitor and whiteboard and keyboard and mouse - cables right? Wouldn't this be the same as using the dynadock or any off the shelf 3rd party dock? You're right the dynadock doesn't charge the laptop. It's not an elegant solution by any means but it's 1 cable to the dock and then everything else connects to the dock. My goal here is not to present a solution to compete with a laptop plus proprietary dock as we can't. My aim is to show there are ways of achieving the same goal of easy connectivity without being locked in to a particular product. If we examine what is required by @BlackTie Wi-Di could work for broadcasting images to interactive boards thus negating the need for multiple cables to whiteboards / monitors etc. I agree though that the cleaner the solution the better and the DELL you speak of achieves this with its dock.
VeryPC_Colin_M Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 Check out the review for this docking station. Targus Universal USB 3.0 DV Docking Station review: Turn any laptop or Win 8 tablet into a desktop replacement | PCWorld I think this would be perfect and connects the laptop via USB3.0. The dock is equipped with DisplayLink technology, so it can drive up to 6 outboard displays (there’s one DVI and one HDMI, but Targus provides DVI-to-HDMI and DVI-to-VGA adapters in the box and 4 more connections via DisplayLink to USB3.0 adapter). It has the look of a plug in docking station but the flexibility of a standalone. This vastly increases the choice of laptop.
hallb15 Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 @VeryPC_Colin_M. Two questions: Whenever I've seen a USB to VGA adapter, the video performance has been abysmal. Certainly not good enough for playing flash video from the likes of YouTube. What's the performance like with this device? Secondly, most teachers here at least prefer to clone what's on their screen onto a projector rather than span across the built-in monitor and the projector. Since Windows would presumably treat this as another display adapter rather than two screens on the same adapter, can this device achieve this? Ta! We have a Dynadock in school and it works very well. I can confirm that it installs as a display adaptor, network device, and audio device. You can then decide whether to clone the desktop on the laptop display and the dynadock VGA/HDMI output or extend across both. We use this with a Fujitsu laptop running Win 7 Pro 64. Its used by the school business manager so not for heavy video use, but I've tested it with iPlayer and youtube and not had any issues. 2
BlackTie Posted February 27, 2014 Author Posted February 27, 2014 Valid points both - but certainly think most teachers here would prefer the simplicity of a cloned display rather than the elegance of an additional/presenter's display...
BlackTie Posted February 27, 2014 Author Posted February 27, 2014 Thanks to everyone for your thoughts - sorry for the tardiness of my thank-yous but it's been a bit busy of late..!
BlackTie Posted February 27, 2014 Author Posted February 27, 2014 John - this is exactly my concern with proprietary docks - although the do offer the charging option without additional cables and I fear the long-term effects of certain members of staff repeatedly plugging in USB3 connectors..!
VeryPC_Colin_M Posted February 28, 2014 Posted February 28, 2014 That targus beast can charge the laptop too. What is it with staff and breaking stuff that's not theirs, eh?
BlackTie Posted February 28, 2014 Author Posted February 28, 2014 Tell me about it - although I must confess to having personally stood on a laptop which belonged to my previous school. Not the reason for my departure, I hasten to add! From looking at it, the Targus device would still need two plugs going in rather than one to charge - trivial I know but...
witch Posted February 28, 2014 Posted February 28, 2014 @Millgate and @ict_Direct depending on whether you want new or refurb. Can't fault 'em nuff said 3
VeryPC_Colin_M Posted February 28, 2014 Posted February 28, 2014 (edited) @Millgate and @ict_Direct depending on whether you want new or refurb. Can't fault 'em nuff said Well there you have it. @witch has spoken @BlackTie. If you feel that the VeryPC Thinbook with off the shelf dock merits further investigation you know where we are. Ta, Col Edited February 28, 2014 by VeryPC_Colin_M spelling error
witch Posted February 28, 2014 Posted February 28, 2014 (edited) Hey @VeryPC_Colin_M -that's a bit snarky, isn't it? I'm sure your products are brilliant but as I am yet to purchase from you (and I have been trying, promise!) I cannot in all fairness recommend you. Other people on this thread have recommended you though. *or were the sweets some sort of bribe Edited February 28, 2014 by witch
tmcd35 Posted February 28, 2014 Posted February 28, 2014 Hey @VeryPC_Colin_M -that's a bit snarky, isn't it? I'm sure your products are brilliant but as I am yet to purchase from you (and I have been trying, promise!) I cannot in all fairness recommend you. Other people on this thread have recommended you though. Have to agree, Colin's post probably doesn't read the way he (hopefully) intended. I'll say this though - I've had very good dealings with VeryPC and have been very happy with their products. Couple of our feeder schools have just got some of their laptops and I must say they look very sexy. That said - I don't make it easy for Colin and the team. Always pushing as hard as I can on price and they are usually up against tough competition from Novatech and Stone - who I can also heartidly recommend. Last couple of deals VeryPC have edged out the compitetion though.
cpjitservices Posted February 28, 2014 Posted February 28, 2014 I'm a big fan of the VAIO, I have one and it's a really good stable,reliable machine - I also recommend them to people if they need a new laptop... all I hear is good things about them.. UNtil someone bought one with Windows 8.1 on it of course.
witch Posted February 28, 2014 Posted February 28, 2014 Exactly! You can recommend them from experience - I can only say that I have heard that they are good.
cpjitservices Posted February 28, 2014 Posted February 28, 2014 I am on the lookout for a very cheap laptop for my missus, currently she has An Acer Aspire One Happy... it's not happy and she's not happy it's a garbage machine... As slow as anything and you can't upgrade the damn thing! She regrets buying it actually so looking for something cheap n cheerful for her if anyone has anything kicking about... Ta.
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