External HD Hub

[Better2bRed]

Do you know if there is such a thing as an external HD that can double has a hub. I have a MBP and MB and I sometimes need to use a large monitor and keyboard. It seems to me that I could kill two birds with one stone by backing up my laptops at the same time.

Any ideas?

 

[janey]

I think you want a NAS and KVM solution (two completely separate things).

As in, I have NO idea what you're going on about, but judging from your post, I will assume you want to use one monitor, keyboard and mouse with both computers, and you also want to share the same hard drive with both computers.

 

[rockstarjoe]

Do you mean a docking station?

 

[janey]

Do you mean a docking station?

No, I don't. In fact, I'm not entirely sure what your original post was about. Like I said, I believed you had two things you wanted to do: 1. use monitor with both computers, and 2. use the same hard drive with both computers. the first can be solved with a kvm that lets you switch between computers while sharing the same keyboard/mouse/display, and the second can be solved with a NAS, where you can have the same hard drive on both computers and do whatever you want...

edit: Crud, I didn't even notice you weren't the OP *blush*

 

[scaredpoet]

To the OP: the bottom line is that no, there is as yet no single device that does all of the things you ask. If you really want do all three functions (external display, external keybaord/mouse, external HD), then you need to buy all three discrete components separately.

FWIW, I have a similar setup. When I'm at my desk, I have an Apple Keyboard and Mighty mouse, that I plug into one USB port on my MBP. I did this primarily because, to be honest, I don't trust the on-board keyboard to last very long. It feels incredibly flimsy and I just get the impression I have to baby it and use it as little as possible (though when I'm out and about, I of course have no choice but the use it).

On the FireWire 800 port, I have one of these bad boys hooked up, so that when I'm at my desk, I can do some heavy lifting in terms of video editing and work with high res images and other large files. Though usually when i'm on the road, the 200GB internal drive is plenty good.

I do, however, use the built-in display regardless of where I am. It's a good enough display, no need to duplicate its functions.