About half a year ago, a PR firm sent me out what I thought would be a very good device to have in my tool chest. This was a device designed to facilitate connecting, viewing and sharing data and desktops between Windows PC all via a USB connection. The device, the IOGEAR “USB Laptop KVM Switch with File Transfer,” (Product #GCS661U) looks like a long USB cable with a small dongle in the middle. You simply plug it in between two Windows machines and the magic happens after that, or so I expected.
IOGEAR, as the name implies (I/O=Input/Output), has been a long-time provider of connectivity devices including KVM, networking and A/V solutions where data of different types can be transmitted between multiple devices using different protocols. Their products include wireless, Bluetooth and network-connected gadgets that enable you to fully extend the range and functionality of your gear.
I must admit I really liked the concept of being able to control two computers at the same time on one screen. Not only do you get a “remote desktop” type of implementation very quickly and easily, you also have an extremely handy file transfer utility that facilitates the moving and copying of files and data back and forth between computers.
I received this device when I was writing up my “Buyer’s Guild” for Netbooks. The PR firm thought that this device might be good for people purchasing notebooks and who run them side by side at their office (full disclosure: this device was provided to me free of charge by the PR firm). I agree with this concept. You can use the larger monitor and keyboard to manage your netbook, which is a lot easier on your eyes and hands.
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