Notebook Expansion Dock for XPS M140 and other Dell Laptops

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know if the "Notebook Expansion Dock" on Dell's website is a generic docking station? Or is it specific to Dell computers. The one I'm looking at specifically is for the XPS M140 ( http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=iXM140S1&s=dhs).

The site indicates the following choices:
1. Notebook Expansion Dock [add $79 or $2/month3]
2. Notebook Expansion Dock w/ Stand [add $129 or $4/month3]
3. Universal Notebook Docking Station with Video [add $130 or $4/month3]

No. 3 is definitely generic, but I'm unsure about the first two. Does anyone know? I've heard a lot of bad things about generic docking stations.

I've tried contacting Dell Support but they don't seem to know any better.

Thanks ahead of time for any replies!

 

I think the first two are Kensington's Docking station ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=17210& ). With the other inspirons, the Notebook Expansion Dock is the Kensington USB dock, so that is why I think it is the same for the M140. Only the latitudes have actual docking ports. The inspirons use USB dock stations.

I'm not really sure about the third one.

 

Thanks for the thread/link Southern Girl!

Has anyone ran into problems with using 3rd party docking stations?