Thank you, rh.

I'm way curious about these nifty hubs, but for the short term (aka: the next three weeks), the fifteen-buck solution is a winner.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
Wow! I'll check that out in a second. Thank you. Eventually, my old HP is going to croak, and this one may take its place for the routine deskwork. I'm spoiled by my dual 19" monitors... Is there a way to connect both to a Macbook (at the same time)?

Do you have Thunderbolt ports? TB can be used as a Mini Displayport and support a second monitor that has a Displayport input jack, and also the HDMI port on one of those docks can run a second monitor. This may depend on the age of your MBP, though, whether it supports more than one monitor. My desktop Mac can run 6 monitors at 2560 x 1440. A recent Mac Mini can run two monitors at 2560 x 1440. Older ones cannot. What it the model of your MBP?
 

Mine is a mid-2012. Looks like a TB2 port on the left side.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
Mine is a mid-2012. Looks like a TB2 port on the left side.

There was no mid-2012. If it is just one TB port, it is a mid-2011. 2 TB ports makes it a late-2012. You can run an external monitor (up to 30") at 2560x1440 directly from a TB port, or, if as you mentioned at the outset, you also need more USB ports, then a TB dock is your best bet. Run one TB cable to the dock, and you've got extra USB ports, and you can run an external monitor from the dock's other TB port or its HDMI port. You'll also get at minimum a Gigabit ethernet port on the dock, as well as sound in and sound out.
 

As a recent convert to MacBook, I agree that using BT for all that you can is the first and easiest step.

If you still need/want PC-like connectivity options, consider this product or others by this firm.

Plugable Works great for me as a docking station for all peripherals and wired internet.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:
There was no mid-2012. If it is just one TB port, it is a mid-2011. 2 TB ports makes it a late-2012.

Well... um... I'm not sure what to say. If I click on the Apple logo at the top left and choose "About this Mac," a box comes up that says, "MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012)." But there is just one TB port on the left, along with power, Ethernet, some symbol I don't know (looks like a Y, sort of), two USB, a card slot, and audio in/out. Nothing on the right but the DVD drive.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
As a recent convert to MacBook, I agree that using BT for all that you can is the first and easiest step.

If you still need/want PC-like connectivity options, consider this product or others by this firm.

Plugable Works great for me as a docking station for all peripherals and wired internet.

I'm liking the looks of that Plugable dock... more to study!

Like sjtill, I also use Apple's magic mouse. It will free up one of your USB ports since it pairs directly to the laptop without a USB receiver. I have also used a J5 Create 4-port USB station (Model: JUH340SKU: 4445016 $29.99) when I had a Cannon portable scanner (that ran from 2 usb ports) and a printer attached at the same time. No problems with the hub at all.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:
There was no mid-2012.

You are mistaken. There are other URLs available, but this one is from Apple: MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) - Technical Specifications

A mid-2012 pre-Retina 15" model was also released, and I also own one of those.

The mid-2012 pre-Retina MBPs are unique in being the only MBPs that have USB 3.0 ports but not glued-in batteries and soldered memory. Some of us find them highly desirable.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
Well... um... I'm not sure what to say. If I click on the Apple logo at the top left and choose "About this Mac," a box comes up that says, "MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012)." But there is just one TB port on the left, along with power, Ethernet, some symbol I don't know (looks like a Y, sort of), two USB, a card slot, and audio in/out. Nothing on the right but the DVD drive.

Sorry, my mistake. I was looking up iMacs, not MBP's. Here are the full spec for yours. The Y shaped symbol is a Firewire port. But you have USB 3.0 ports, which far outpace Firewire. You should need to use the Firewire only if you have an external drive that has only Firewire connections.
 
Everything else said stands. Were it me, I would plug that Thunderbolt port into a Thunderbolt dock. You get at least two more (probably 3) USB 3.0 ports, a second TB port for daisy chaining, an HDMI port (usually), a Gigabit ethernet port (most people would not need or use this). The machine supports an external monitor up to 30" at 2560x1440 resolution (or even 2560x1600, if you happen to have a 16:10 format monitor).
 

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:
But you have USB 3.0 ports
 

I must have a full-on case of the bonehead this morning, too, for I can only find two USB ports here. Left to right, on the left side: power, Ethernet, Firewire, Thunderbolt, two USB, card slot, and two audio.

Regardless, I do appreciate your help, and that the more I look at the Thunderbolt dock the more I like it. I guess I can't drive both of my existing external monitors, but I'll have to deal with that.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:
But you have USB 3.0 ports
 

I must have a full-on case of the bonehead this morning, too, for I can only find two USB ports here.

Two USB 3.0 ports. The "3.0" is the USB standard level they are. 3.0 can transfer data about 10 times as fast as 2.0 ports.
 

Oh, my gosh... I totally misread that.

New rule for me: wake up fully, then try to read and comprehend.