I am a huge fan of the multiple monitor set up. It find the increased productivity to be well worth the cost of the second monitor. Adding a second monitor to a laptop is quite easy, you simply plug it into the monitor port that is present on your laptop.
Adding a second monitor to a desktop is more involved, however. The most cost effective way is to add a second video card. This, however, involves opening the computer case. There are some people who do not feel comfortable doing that.
Tritton Technologies has an easy solution to this problem. The product is See2 USB to VGA Adapter. You simply plug the adapter into a USB port and then plug a monitor into the device. You now have a multiple monitor setup without having to open your desktop case. Buy.com has it for $86.93 with free shipping, and TigerDirect has it for $79.99.
If you have been considering a multiple monitor setup for your desktop, this could be the solution for you.
Brian, this is a great suggestion for those who are afraid to open their computers. Similar products from Kinamax (http://tinyurl.com/2e8mrj)and StarTech (http://tinyurl.com/2bv394) can be found at Newegg.com or by running a search for USB to VGA adapters. But before you run out and buy one of these, let’s not forget that some of the better desktop systems already include a dual output video card so adding a second monitor is as simple as plugging it into the second video port and turning it on. Also, if you’re not afraid of “cracking” the case, you can purchase a dual output video card for under $100.00 and it will generally perform better than the external adapters.