Studies have shown that when you add a second monitor to your computer, which can easily be done with a laptop, you increase your productivity by 30%. Adding a second monitor to a laptop is as simple as plugging another monitor into the external monitor port on the back or side of the laptop. It will require a bit of finesse on your part to make sure you have your display settings configured properly, but once you are able to extend your desktop to another monitor, it will feel as though you are using two computers and you will be more productive.
Modes
There are a few different ways to configure a second monitor once it is connected. You have the option to duplicate your desktop, which is useful for presentations, point of sale, and projection. You can also extend the desktop which will duplicate only your wallpaper, allowing you to drag windows from one monitor to the next. Double your real estate today. If you don’t have a second monitor, contact me directly and I can provide you with one at a reasonable price. A second monitor will cost you in the neighborhood of $200.00.
Pilot Program
Our North Scottsdale office now has 3 open monitors at the resource center that are designed specifically for this purpose. If you have a laptop and you wish to try running a dual monitor setup, simply plug the resource laptop station monitor into your laptop display port. After you connect, you’ll need to adjust your display settings:
1. Right Click your desktop.
2. In Vista, click Personalize. In Windows XP, click Properties.
3. In the bottom of the Personalize window (Vista Only) there is a Display Properties link. Click this link and adjust your display settings according to your liking.
4. In Windows XP, after clicking Properties in step 2, you will be able to adjust your settings using the tabs on the resulting window.
Remember, for this scenario, you aren’t duplicating your desktop, rather, you are extending your desktop.