Pining for a second display while on the road, but can’t see yourself carrying around a conventional monitor? Well Korea based Nanovision (Seoul, Korea; www.nanovision.com) introduced "MIMO," a 7-inch pint size monitor that connects via USB and is powered by DisplayLink protocol that just might do the trick. The "mini-monitor" unit boasts 800×480 resolution and both landscape and portrait orientation. Images can either be a mirror of the desktop or an extension, for keeping specific display information.

Steve Sechrist
Senior Analyst and Editor

In fact, this is the major selling point of the units. The company is targeting application specific display functionality that offers dedicated workspace for specific tasks, like news and weather monitoring and multimedia playback such as digital TV, Skype video phone or other video conferencing, MP3s, photos or any widget driven task.

"Nanovision gives you what you want, when you want it," said Hamid Farzaneh, president and CEO of DisplayLink. "Fun applications are always within view, while reserving your main screens to the productivity task at hand." Farzaneh adds: By exclusively becoming a USB device, the monitor has been transformed from a PC component to a consumer electronics gadget, and by integrating multi-function features like VoIP, DTV and Touch Panels, the interesting uses for this technology have yet to be fully realized."

He may be right. Dedicating a small specific display for simple widget functionality, videophone or other side application use is a compelling idea. But on the road there may be functionality as well. A small, thin touch screen monitor connected to your laptop, via USB could come in quite handy, (for use in a cramped airplane seat comes to mind). Most power desktop users miss the convenience of two monitors on the road, so a small portable display could give road warriors an efficiency boost as well.

The 700 series starts with the 7-inch UM-710, priced at $129, model UM-730 adds a complete videophone with 1.3M Webcam, MIC and earphone jack, and the UM-750 features a Touch Screen. Nanovision sells direct to consumers and to OEMs. Add this last one with the touch screen to my Christmas list. - Steve Sechrist