IOGear USB Laptop KVM Loads Everything on a USB Cable

KVM switches traditionally take multiple USB and DVI/VGA cables and connect them to the PCs which you can control from a single set of keyword, video monitor and mouse (hence the acronym KVM). Therefore, for every additional PC sharing on the KVM, there are two additional cables (USB & video). IOGear's new USB Laptop KVM Switch however goes with a different approach in that the same USB cable is used to carry video data as well, saving you from lugging a VGA cable around. It does seem like it's more of a software-driven product, like PCAnywhere, except the IOGear runs over a USB connection and displays the controlled PC's desktop in a temporary window on a laptop. Resolution scaling is available if needed for fitting the PC's desktop on a notebook's screen.

In addition to soft-KVM, the IOGear will double as a data cable allowing you to transfer files between two computers. A new drive letter will appear on your laptop for convenient drag an drops. The controlling notebook will also have direct access to the integrated USB port on the IOGear for printer, external hard drive or speaker connectivity. IOGear USB Laptop KVM Switch stretches a total of nine feet. For $130, it isn't cheap when the cable isn't yet cross-platform supported.