Matrox has just announced an interesting hardware idea called DualHead2Go . According to the press release, it’s:
… a palm-sized box that connects to the existing single monitor output (i.e. external VGA output) of a computer and appears to the system as a single ultra-widescreen monitor with native support for resolutions up to 2560 x 1024, which are twice as wide as standard resolutions.
Clever idea, and Matrox claims it will work with notebooks and desktops alike. Instead of adding a second video card (with the attendant hassles of getting multiple video drivers to play nice with each other), you just plug your current video output into this box and let its embedded graphics hardware do the work.
In my experience, adding a second monitor is one of the best ways to increase your productivity. This seems like a pretty hassle-free way to do it.
I’ll see if I can get a review unit and try it out.
Ed Bott 
“In my experience, adding a second monitor is one of the best ways to increase your productivity.”
I agree. I’ve provided all of my developers with dual monitors and none of us can envision going back to a mono monitor scenario. I’m surprised I don’t see more people using dual monitors.
Ed,
A friend of mine mentioned that most video cards in new machines today have two outlets for multiple monitors, so is this just intended for those with older video cards (like mine)?
Thanks,
Mark
Mark,
I don’t know that I would say “most” of today’s video cards have multiple outputs, but certainly many upgrade cards do. I think the most common use of this product would be for people who have onboard graphics, which is just about anyone with a notebook and most people with budget-class desktop PCs.
Ever tried Maxivista? It is a cool software which allows you to hook a spare laptop to your main pc and use it as an extra monitor.
There is any additional hardware necessary.
Kevin