Do you duplicate your laptop input devices?

Edwin · Sep 4, 2022

barman58 said:
... it's just like switching to the conventional second screen...

easy peasy

hdmi · Sep 4, 2022

barman58 said:
Logi flow makes the KVM concept redundant as it's built in the hardware and works seamlessly

my laptop sits to the right of my desktop, if the mouse pointer reaches the left edge of the laptop screen or the right edge of the desktop screen then the mouse switches to the other screen and the keyboard follows it - it's just like switching to the conventional second screen on the left of the Desktop

Neither my Logitech G402 mouse nor my Logitech K800 keyboard can support this feature. But the free Input Director also does the trick nicely, I have been using it for more than 12 years now─it's been a real lifesaver to me on many occasions.

Bree · Sep 4, 2022

barman58 said:
I have a touchscreen on my XPS17, but although tempting to use I try not to because I end up spending loads of time cleaning the fingermarks from the screen

Been there, done that. Sometimes the finger marks are so bad they behave as phantom touches. That stops me using the touchsreen or touchpad until they've been cleaned :weary:

I have two laptops with touchscreens, a Dell and a Lenovo. Only the Dell suffers from this. I only ever have to clean the Lenovo's screen when I can no longer read it clearly :ROFLMAO:

hdmi · Sep 4, 2022

My Huawei phone spies on me enough that it knows to predict my touch before it happens so I never need to clean my screen.

dlross · Sep 4, 2022

The touchpad on the Type Cover that came with my Surface Pro 7 is so good that that's the only input device I use when the PC is not on a dock. On dock I use a RFI Logitech keyboard/mouse combo. The touchscreen works well, but the touchpad is so good that I very rarely use the screen for input.

Wynona · Sep 4, 2022

Dch48 said:
Touchscreens I do not like. I have no issues with touchpads except for gaming where they are usually useless. A mouse is much better there.

Several of my students have touchscreens, and when I'm required to help one, the touchscreen is rather convenient. My lappy doesn't have one.

barman58 · Sep 4, 2022

For those who would like to try out the concept of Logi Flow, without the ,[considerable] outlay required to obtain the hardware there are a number of alternatives that can work with existing hardware

https://alternativeto.net/software/logitech-options/

GCG1000 · Sep 4, 2022

TheMystic said:
This post is specifically about using an external device when the built-in device is in a proper working state.

I prefer using the laptop's own keyboard and trackpad all the time. If often find many people using external (wireless) keyboard and mouse.

Don't see the point of adding unnecessary clutter to the desk.

What do you prefer and why?

Actually, I use a USB 3.0 Switch to bank switch all of my peripherals between my desktop and my laptop. See: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PNDWGD5?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details .

jvickers · Sep 4, 2022

GCG1000 said:
Actually, I use a USB 3.0 Switch to bank switch all of my peripherals between my desktop and my laptop. See: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PNDWGD5?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details .

Pretty nifty.

hdmi · Sep 5, 2022

barman58 said:
For those who would like to try out the concept of Logi Flow, without the ,[considerable] outlay required to obtain the hardware there are a number of alternatives that can work with existing hardware

https://alternativeto.net/software/logitech-options/

Good site, but you can save yourself a lot of valuable time and effort by skipping all the useless options listed there─just move right to this page instead:

https://alternativeto.net/software/input-director/about/

hdmi · Sep 5, 2022

jvickers said:
Pretty nifty.

Having to physically walk up to the device to press the button is called nifty? 30 years ago that would've been the case maybe. lol

EDIT: I clicked the name of the brand at the top of description and found a nifty zweihander, but it says it's currently unavailable.

jvickers · Sep 5, 2022

hdmi said:
Having to physically walk up to the device to press the button is called nifty? 30 years ago that would've been the case maybe. lol

EDIT: I clicked the name of the brand at the top of description and found a nifty zweihander, but it says it's currently unavailable.

So, I take it you won't be getting one?

hdmi · Sep 5, 2022

jvickers said:
So, I take it you won't be getting one?

I don't actually need it, so no. Still nevertheless, I suppose it isn't necessarily always a bad solution for those who only need it for when they are sitting at a desk and who don't mind pressing the clicky button (I wouldn't). It also is cheaper than the "USB over IP" type of software solutions (excepting only the one that is free, but then, that one isn't perfect). See:

Best 6 USB over IP tools | Share USB over IP | USB device over IP

The list of 6 best USB over IP software tools available today. Check out this article to find out more on how to share USB over IP network.

www.eltima.com

Personally, I, am not sitting at a desk because I vastly prefer to lie down with my 55 inch TV at ~10 ft. viewing distance, my Logitech K800 on my lap and (via a USB extension cord) my Logitech G402 right next to me. My laptop is standing on the same table as the TV. That is, standing against the opposite wall behind the TV so that the cooling fan stays completely inaudible to me even when it spins at lowest rpm. (Big floorstanding loudspeakers with a beefy separate stereo power amplifier hooked up to an audiophile grade USB DAC are why.) To share input devices with a 2nd Windows laptop that is (very occasionally) standing closeby next to me where its screen is clearly visible, the free Input Director is all I ever need to get the job done perfect. I don't actually even use the USB ports on my Asus RT-AX92U 2 Pack AiMesh 2.0 to share USB printers/scanners and storage devices. I know that I could, but there's quite simply no need for what I do, for how I use my stuff. The Asus RT-AX92U 2 Pack uses The Force.

bikemanI7 · Sep 7, 2022

Never used a wireless mouse, but do use a wired external mouse when gaming on my gaming HP Omen Laptop, or sometimes just the trackpad depends on what doing on it that day

Someday will buy a wireless G502 Gaming Mouse for Laptop, and try the first ever wireless mouse ever for gaming

Wynona · Sep 7, 2022

bikemanI7 said:
Never used a wireless mouse, but do use a wired external mouse when gaming on my gaming HP Omen Laptop, or sometimes just the trackpad depends on what doing on it that day

Someday will buy a wireless G502 Gaming Mouse for Laptop, and try the first ever wireless mouse ever for gaming

Mice with a wire attached aren't nearly as fast as a wireless mouse. Even the lowly M705.

hdmi · Sep 8, 2022

Wynona said:
Mice with a wire attached aren't nearly as fast as a wireless mouse. Even the lowly M705.

The vast majority of wireless mice are still slower in comparison, not faster, and in fact those few wireless ones that ARE faster are not THAT much faster than the fastest of USB corded mice so, basically, the description of "aren't nearly as fast" is CPH (Certified Pure Hogwash).