-> For laptops, does anyone here know the difference between a docking
-> station and a port replicator?

-> So far, I'm guessing that they are very similar, but that the docking
-> station provides for its own drives like CDROM and an "external" HDD
-> while the laptop is docked there.

 I think they are quite often used interchangably. but your Idea of a
Docking Station haveing Drive bays, And in some instances ISA/PCI slots
inside is correct. While the Port repuclator is just that. A device that
plugs into the Bus Port on the back of the computewr into which you plus
the Monitor, Keyboard etc. 
The advantage of the port repulactor is of course that is it typicaly a
quick connect/disconnect item.

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