When you need more than one PC on your desk, it is hard to find space for all the extra kit.

Now a new and surprisingly uncomplicated device called a SwitchView allows a user to connect up to four PCs to a single monitor, keyboard and mouse.

The SwitchView is small, about the size of a fat paperback book, and very neat.

All the user has to do is to connect the various bits of desktop kit to the back of the SwitchView box and then link the box to the PCs with standard cables.

There is no software to install or boards to configure and the whole process takes just a few minutes.

The unit works by gently pressing a silver button on the front of the unit, which then switches the monitor from one PC to the next.

Button pressing can be replaced by a short sequence of key presses if preferred.

SwitchView works with IBM PC/AT and PS/2 systems with support for VGA and SVGA video and PS/2 keyboard and PS/2 mouse peripherals.

Keyboard errors on boot-up are eliminated and PCs can be powered up one at a time or all at once.

The SwitchView unit worked very well indeed and would be useful to anyone needing to access more than one PC.

Price: £129
Contact: 01483 740713
Feelgood factor: 8 out of 10