Latest news with #BernieThompson
Forbes
04-07-2025
- Forbes
Plugable's New 140W Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station Starts Shipping
The new Plugable TBT-UDT3 Thunderbolt 5 docking station supports speeds up to 120Gbps with Bandwidth ... More Boost. Computing brand Plugable recently unveiled its first-ever Thunderbolt 5 docking station. The TBT-UDT3 uses Intel's new Thunderbolt 5 technology with a bandwidth boost up to 120Gbps, a considerable leap from Thunderbolt 4's 40Gbps of bandwidth. Aimed at power users like IT professionals and content creators who may be using the new Mac mini M4 Pro, which features Thunderbolt 5 ports. There aren't many Thunderbolt 5 docks on sale at the moment, although Anker recently revealed the new Prime Thunderbolt 5 docking station. However, we're likely to see many more Thunderbolt 5 docks appearing in the coming months as more computer brands take up the new standard. 140W Of Charging Power Plugable's new 11-in-1 docking station includes three Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports and a muscular 140W of power for host charging. Other features include a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, dual 8K display support, SD and microSD card readers, three 10Gbps USB-A ports and a 3.5mm audio combo jack that rounds out a low-latency I/O suite. The Plugable TBT-UDT3 Thunderbolt 5 docking station can support two 8K displays with a refresh rate ... More of 120Hz. 'With Thunderbolt 5's 120Gbps of potential bandwidth, the TBT-UDT3 is a productivity enabler,' says Bernie Thompson, the founder and CTO of Plugable. Ben Hacker, the general manager of Intel's client connectivity division, adds: 'Thunderbolt 5 introduces a new level of performance and connectivity. We're excited to partner with Plugable to bring their first Thunderbolt 5 docking station to market. Their commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions ensures users can fully harness the power of Thunderbolt 5.' So, whether you're connecting to a Mac mini M4 Pro with dual Apple Thunderbolt displays, or you want to access super-fast Thunderbolt 5 storage, the TBT-UDT3 has enough power to handle the extra performance that Thunderbolt 5 can deliver. As well as being compatible with the new Thunderbolt 5 standard, the new docking station can also handle Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 with stable connectivity, broad compatibility and high-speed data access. The new TBT-UDT3 is a pure Thunderbolt 5 docking station with three downstream ports. Intel's Latest Thunderbolt Chip The compact Plugable TBT-UDT3 is housed in a sturdy metal case and built around Intel's JHL9580 Thunderbolt 5 controller with support for up to 120Gbps of downstream bandwidth when using Bandwidth Boost. The three Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports also provide 15W device charging as well as display connectivity. With its 140W of host power via USB-C Power Delivery 3.1, the docking station can also support two external displays with resolutions up to 8K with a 120Hz refresh rate, depending on system and adapter configuration. A 2.5Gbps Ethernet port provides high-speed network access, while the onboard SD and microSD UHS-II card readers are there for photographers and videographers. The three USB-A ports share a bandwidth of up to 10Gbps and the 3.5mm audio combo jack can handle audio input and output for a headset or separate headphones and mic. The TBT-UDT3 also supports Thunderbolt Share software, which PC users can download to unlock a powerful set of tools specifically developed for Windows users. The new software can be used to transfer files securely between two PCs at Thunderbolt speeds. Each computer can be controlled from a single monitor, keyboard and mouse. They can even share audio and storage. The TBT-UDT3 docking station is shipping in North America now and is available directly from Plugable and Amazon for $299.95 in conjunction with a 15% coupon. The TBT-UDT3 is also backed by Plugable's support team and customer-first 2-year warranty.
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Plugable Unveils DockTag Hot-Desking Management And Asset Tracking Technology
Hot-desking can reduce costs for companies but needs careful management. Plugable's new DockTag ... More technology can help with desk booking, asset management and IT support and is embedded in Plugable's new UD-7400PD USB-C Docking Station. Flexible office seating allocation, often called hot-desking, is a cost-effective way of reducing office costs but it needs careful management if it's to work properly and keep all stakeholders engaged. Redmond-based computing accessory brand Plugable has developed new technology that can be embedded in its products to enable hot-desking management. DockTag is a new cloud-connected technology that simplifies the allocation of desk space and keeps track of assets as well as streamlining IT support. Plugable;s first product to support DockTag is the new Plugable UD-7400PD USB-C docking station and is DockTag compatible and is available immediately to Plugable's fleet customers across the world. 'Hardware alone doesn't solve the challenges of the hybrid office,' claims Bernie Thompson, Plugable's founder and CTO. 'DockTag turns every dock into an instruction manual, an asset tag awe well as a booking kiosk; all from a single screen.' Hot-desking can provide companies with significant cost savings by making more efficient use of available office space, especially now more employees are working some of the time from home. Because employees aren't in the office every day, fewer desk spaces are needed, but the available spaces require careful management to ensure everyone who wants a space can get one. The new DockTag feature from Plugable lets hot-deskers reserve a desk and it also works as an asset ... More manager for docking stations. Plugable says that businesses using hot-desking report up to 30% lower real estate expenses when desk occupancy averages 40% or less. However, without real-time visibility showing which of the spaces are free or occupied, both employees and IT support can face avoidable friction or even a breakdown of the allocation system. Plugable's DockTag addresses this by transforming the brand's docks into dynamic, self-service workstations. When connecting a monitor, a DockTag docking station projects an on-screen splash that shows desk-specific information like model, serial number and MAC address. DockTag also displays a QR code enabling employees to reserve the desk or request technical support instantly. The system can also switch dynamically to guide the user without needing help desk intervention. The technology requires no client-side installation or complex network configuration. DockTag enables companies to keep track of assets like docking stations from a central display. A recent Makula study published in March 2025 found that QR-based asset access can reduce manual searches and downtime by having all the key maintenance information just a scan away. DockTag can also reduce ticket volumes and can streamline employee onboarding in shared workspaces. The new UD-7400PD launching alongside DockTag is a USB-C five-display docking station that supports up to four 4K displays and one 8K display simultaneously. First unveiled at CES 2025, the UD-7400PD is now shipping in quantity to Plugable's fleet customers and IT professionals. The UD-74000DP docking station will be the first of Plugable's products to include DockTag. Built around the new DisplayLink DL-7400 chipset from Synaptics, the UD-7400PD is the first docking station that can support five simultaneous displays while providing up to 140W PD for powering high-performance laptops. The docking station is universally compatible with macOS and Windows. It's equipped with two HDMI ports and three DisplayLink-enabled USB-C ports. The UD-7400PD has a front-facing 10Gbps USB-C port with 30W charging, two front-facing 10Gbps USB-A ports (one with BC 1.2 charging), 2.5Gbps Ethernet port and a combo TRRS audio jack. There are also three rear-facing DisplayLink-enabled USB-C ports that can also support 10Gbps data transfer and 15W charging. Finally, a Kensington Lock slot stops the docking station from disappearing. Plugable's UD-7400PD docking station is available directly from Plugable and Amazon priced at $279.95 including a 20% launch discount. DockTag is offered as a subscription model costing $60 per desk per year. One plan includes access to all current features which include asset management, hot-desk booking and unlimited API usage. Future analytics enhancements are already planned.
