Two-port USB KVM switches are the most popular kind available today. Keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) boxes are designed specifically to let you toggle between computers without switching out all the peripherals. Because most people have one or two computers at most, these smaller versions are the fastest sellers.

Why use a KVM switch? If you ever find yourself frustrated to discover a needed file is on an entirely different machine, you know the anguish of crawling around in the dark as you switch everything out. Our televisions now have built-in switching capacity that lets them slide seamlessly from DVD to satellite and so on. Wouldn't it be nice if you could do the same with more than one computer on the same monitor?

It's About Time

For many, this advance in technology has come not a moment too soon. Computers are robust, versatile machines, but the one thing they have never learned to do very well is share. If you have ever tried to set up a home intranet in order to promote file sharing, you know how difficult it is to get two machines to communicate properly with the same piece of hardware.

KVM switches make life simple again by shunting numerous jacks through your favorite three I/O devices. If you are frustrated by all the setup time it takes to run a home with multiple machines, you may find great benefits in these clever devices. The best of them can even switch between Macs and PCs so you can span platforms with ease.