Do you have some computers in your home or at work that don’t get used as much as they should? After all, we can only use one computer at a time, and many users have one computer that they have handpicked to answer to their every need.
You might be surprised to find out that you can actually make use of several computers without sacrificing the ease-of-use that you get by keeping everything self contained on one computer. An application by Stardock called Multiplicity will let you share a single mouse and keyboard between several different computers after you complete the brief setup process. Multiplicity will even configure the Windows firewall automatically so that it’s one less thing you have to do.
To use Multiplicity all you have to do is move your mouse from one computer/monitor to another. It will feel like you are using a single computer because of how seamless the transition is, but in reality each monitor is connected to its own computer. There are a lot of reasons that I can think of where this would be useful, such as…
- If you have a laptop and desktop at home. You’ll be able to make use of both computers (maybe just use your laptop for instant messengers and web browsing while you play a game on your desktop).
- If you have multiple desktops at work. You can use each computer for something different, which is really great for processor-intensive applications such as photo and video editing.
What would a utility like this be without being able to share clipboards between the computers? With Multiplicity you can actually copy and paste text or images from one computer, and then go and paste them onto another computer. If you purchase Multiplicity Pro you’ll even be able to copy and paste files and folders from one computer to another!
Multiplicity will let you customize some important aspects of the application, such as hotkeys that can be used to switch between the various machines. If you wish you can also set it up so that the displays not currently in focus will slightly darken, thereby making it easier for you to see which screen your mouse is currently on. Pretty cool, huh?
–The Giveaway–
We have 1 license of Multiplicity Pro (valued at $49.95) to giveaway today! All you have to do is drop a comment below providing both your name and email address in the appropriate fields. We obviously need your email address for contacting you in the event that you should win. Believe it or not we’ve actually had winners in previous giveaways get randomly selected, but since they didn’t provide an email address we had to pick someone else.
Just as with all of our giveaways we will be using a random number generator to determine the winners. For this round here is how we’re going to give out the license:
- 1 winner will be picked from all of the comments submitted.
Entries for the giveaway will be accepted up until December 4th at 5:00PM Central Time.
In, thanks again!
me me me
And another
How do you keep doing it?
Thanks Cybernet!
me too!
I am in!
Count me in!
Wow that looks handy!
in
Very nice
* keeping fingers crossed *
Good choices, wouldn’t expect anything else from CN
I know you’re in full-on contest mode, but a description of this app should at the very least MENTION the free and open source Synergy. While Synergy doesn’t allow image or file copying via a shared clipboard, it does handle just about everything else here, and it’s cross-platform (Win/Linux/Mac).
in
in
Jess C is too fast of a poster!
In
File copying sounds like a nice advantage over Synergy.
me too
I’m all in!
Thanx
I’m In
in.
Just what I need! Please pick me!
I want this!
This would be nice!
Multiplicity is a much better solution for both regular users and users only running Windows computers. It not only has more features, but actually works better… I had almost no issues with mouse wheel scrolling or other things that Synergy doesn’t handle well.
I have mac/win/lin on three machines, so I use Synergy instead… but this really is quality software.
note: I already own a copy of this software, so don’t include me in your contest…
Sounds good. Count me in
Sure
Me, too. Correction: only me.
ghgh greets from Italy! I’m in! :*
I could really use something like this.
yes please! …and thank you!
Oh how I want this one!
Well I do have a laptop or three knocking around.
Count me in, looks like handy software.
I usually resist the temptation of entering these (since I usually have no need for the software), but this one seems pretty interesting. Would come in very handy.
Rotary girder..
Not only do I want this, but I truly need it. You see, terrorists are holding my puppy hostage, and the only way I can save her is to have two computers sharing the same mouse and keyboard combination. It’s all very complicated to explain, so you should just trust me. Also, you owe me for that time I saved you from the burning building. As I restarted your heart with a quick-thinking bone-marrow transplant from my own bones, you told me you owed me one. Then they put you onto the ambulance and I never saw you again. The End.
Woo, I get to type “tree”!
…& I get to type “chair”. Whoo hoo!
i’m in too
“water”
Count me in please!
might as well try
sounds really cool!
Count me in.
Anyone know an EZ way to do the exact opposite? Using multiple keyboards w/ re-assigned independent keys between the two. This would be very useful for emulators. Anyone know of any freeware that can do this?
Nice
one for me please!
Choose me !
How about another?
I’m here. Can I have one please?
my entry for this cool and useful app.
Shamelessly hoping to win.
Count me in! //Steve//
in
Would be cool to use.
count me in on this one too!
This would really help my current setup
Weird… I’m logged in, but on this article I’m not.
What a gread piece of software! this is far more bettern and flexilbe than buying KVM switches
me too!
pick me please.
Have I missed the deadline?
Me Please
would be nice
Looks like a useful app. I want a copy
Great one! Count me in!
Happy Birthday, Cybernet!!!
I’m in.
This would be cool, Happy Birthday!
Oh this looks awesome, I’d never heard of it. Count me in! Thanks and congrats on 2 years!
I want this one!
Sweet! Thank you to all that are involved in this giveaway.
I didn’t know that this product existed. Thanks for the information.
Niceeeeeeee
Nice! I’m wondering if the Pro version crashes in Vista like the trial?
Sounds great!
Count me in too!
Nice piece of software, would love a copy.
Thanks!
Why not.
I’m game.
ooooOOOooooo I need this for all 5 computers in the house
I’m in
//MrIbra
\m/
\m/
Thanks
Looks very handy
Sounds like a must have application to have if you multitask between more then one workstation!
In my case I am multitasking between 3x laptop/desktop configurations: 1x study laptop, 1x work laptop and 1x entertainment laptop/desktop setup. At present I am using one bluetooth keyboard and one bluetooth mouse, which I am pairing with the respective machine I am working on as required.
Well, I missed the 4th December deadline for the free give away, and $49.95 appears too expensive for me that I won’t be able to purchase this software and will keep pairing my bluetooth input devices manually instead….
Of course if Stardock would give out another free Multiplicity licence, I certainly would be loving it!PLEASE!