Working on a laptop is great. You can kick back on the couch, at your local coffee shop, or just about anywhere else. But the one place laptops can't compete with desktops is with multiple displays. It's amazing how much more productive you can be when you have two displays in front of you.
However, a new product called DUEX aims to bring the experience of working on multiple monitors to laptops---and it aims to do it without adding too much bulk to your portable computer.
DUEX Features
DUEX is a 1920x1080, 12.5-inch display that connects to the back of a portable computer. You place the magnetic adhesives to the back of the laptop, put the screen on those adhesives, plug it in, and slide the screen out. From there, it works like any second screen.
Interestingly, DUEX can slide out to the left or the right side, or it can be turned around and faced outward to be used for presentations.
Because the screen is tucked away inside when not in use, the device promises to be durable. Obviously, if you're going to be carrying DUEX around on your laptop, it runs the risk of taking some hits, so being durable is necessary.
The screen is lighter than you might expect, coming in at 1.5 pounds. To put that into perspective, a 13-inch MacBook Pro weighs in at 3.02 pounds, so you'll be increasing the weight by about 50% if you add a DUEX to a Pro. Additionally, it's 0.48-inches thick, so it won't add too much to the size of your laptop.
The creators of DUEX promise that it'll work with Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS, and Android, so you should be able to use it with your laptop without issue.
One major concern with adding a second display to a laptop is the battery drain. While the creators didn't spell out exactly how much it'll suck down a laptop's juice, they did say that the device is Energy Star rated to minimize the amount that it will drink down battery life.
DUEX Availablity
The creators of DUEX are deep into their funding campaign on Indiegogo. They've already shipped the first batch to backers, and they're shipping the next batch in June. If you're interested in preordering on, you can do so for $222 (the final retail price will be $250).
Even though this project is already in the shipping stage, you do need to be aware that there are some risks involved in backing a crowdfunding project, and it's not necessarily the same as a traditional pre-order.
You may also want to check out how to use an iPad as a second monitor.