# What's this icon on my Laptop. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473 "2009-11-13T20:14:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/1 "2009-11-13T20:14:22Z")
Just got a new laptop, and learning what a i.LINK port is, and I’m new to express cards too. The manual and Wiki have answered all but one question I have. On the side of my computer there’s something that’s not in any of the illustrations. It looks like it’s a USB port, but there’s only an outline, and if there’s any port there at all it’s got plastic occupying it. Above it is a little “D” Shaped icon. I wish I could draw it, the “D” doesn’t quite attach at the bottom, and it’s got a half circle filling in the middle. …:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/2 "2009-11-13T20:22:14Z")
And the make and model number of this new laptop is …? ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/3 "2009-11-13T20:29:44Z")
Sorry. Toshiba Satellite P500 series P505-S890. I couldn’t find it online, I’m still trying. I just looked at the p500, didn’t think their would be a picture of mine specificly. I’ll check. It’s on the left between a USB por and a HDMI port. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/4 "2009-11-13T20:29:59Z")
That’s the flux capacitor. Trying taking it up to 88mph and see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/5 "2009-11-13T20:35:35Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > That’s the flux capacitor. Trying taking it up to 88mph and see what happens. Ok, well there’s no time for a test drive… the Libyans are not too happy with me right now. I’m looking it up now… I didn’t mean to waist time on something I could have found myself, but I didn’t think the consult the back of my box for a model number because at the time I thought it was P500, and that’s it. oops, “P505-S8980” ---
**Author:** ![pan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@pan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pan1)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/6 "2009-11-13T20:38:01Z")
Sounds like an 1394 port that isn’t actually on that model, but would be on other models that use that moulding - and they’d punch it out. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/7 "2009-11-13T20:38:13Z")
Hmm it’s mysterious. [http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/satellite/P500](http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/satellite/P500) has a image showing what all the ports are at the bottom (you can pick left and right side views) but it doesn’t say anything for what I’m guessing is the port you’re referring to (it looks like a D). ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/8 "2009-11-13T20:41:49Z")
iLink is Sony’s name for ieee1394 or FireWire. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/9 "2009-11-13T20:43:44Z")
Still doesn’t show up on the pics I’ve seen… > [@beowulff](#): > > iLink is Sony’s name for ieee1394 or FireWire. Yeah, I know, read up on it on Wiki… not trying to waist peoples times Not trying to be snide, edit window closing. ---
**Author:** ![pan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@pan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pan1)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/10 "2009-11-13T20:47:19Z")
does it look like this? I cant see that clearly. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort) In any case its not used on that model. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/11 "2009-11-13T20:51:27Z")
Ð best I could do… but it looks nothing like it, it’s like an outline of a “D” that’s not concted at the very bottom, and a “bowl” or another “D” shape with NO outline, all black it the “D’s” empty space, > [@pan1](#): > > does it look like this? I cant see that clearly. > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort) > > In any case its not used on that model. \*\*pan1 \*\*for the win!! Yes… why doesn’t it show up in it’s booklets and online? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/12 "2009-11-13T20:55:09Z")
_Waste_. Not _waist_. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/13 "2009-11-13T20:58:48Z")
cool, my “waist”… is big. (good think I used the right word in that sentence). It’s not really \*that \*big… gotta cut out the Pop. Ok, now I’ll read about what a DisplayPort does… ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/14 "2009-11-13T21:22:18Z")
It’s basically an alternative to HDMI, a high-def digital output that supplements your VGA or DVI port. ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-icon-on-my-laptop/517473/15 "2009-11-13T21:33:04Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > \*\*pan1 \*\*for the win!! Yes… why doesn’t it show up in it’s booklets and online? It doesn’t show up because you don’t actually have one on your computer. Basically, they use the same case for various different models of the same computer, and just punch out the holes for the ports each computer actually has.