Disqus
Today Shape Services has launched an Android version of their iOS app, iDisplay, which turns Android handsets and tablets into secondary monitors for computers. I’m not sure how useful this would be for smartphones, but for tablets, especially big ones like the Motorola Xoom that just came out today, it would be perfect.
iDisplay needs an app on the desktop to work (either Mac or Windows), and once set up, just punch in your computer’s I.P. address on your phone or tablet, and you’re good to go. Given that arrangement, I’m curious to know how much lag is involved, which could be a deal-breaker if you’re the kind of frantic multitasker that needs another monitor.
Personally, I run on two monitors right now (17 and 21 inch) and would love to have a third, mostly just so whatever tablet I end up buying isn’t left out of the bulk of my daily routine. Tablets as secondary monitors is an awesome use case for folks who spend a lot of time in front of their computers and have no real need for the extra computing power the devices provide.
You can find iDisplay in the Android Market here for a mere $4.99, or below in the iPhone App Store.
About The Author
Simon Sage
Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.
