Logitech Flow Lets You Control Three Computers with One Mouse

Megalith

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Logitech is announcing a new feature that will let owners of select versions of its mice work across multiple computers using the same mouse and keyboard. YouTube’s peanut gallery told me that this is nothing to get excited about, as it has been done for some time by others, but I suppose this is a cool perk for those of you who are eyeing their newest MX mice. Actually, I am really confused now…isn’t there something called remote desktop…

…when it comes to working with the same mouse and keyboard across computers, things are not so simple. Also, moving files, text or images between those two computers, more often than not involved sending emails with attachments to yourself. Logitech has solved these issues with release of Logitech Flow, groundbreaking new software that lets you seamlessly control up to three computers with one mouse. With Logitech Flow, available on select Logitech mice as a free download as part of Logitech OptionsTM software, you can not only use the same mouse and keyboard but also, copy and paste content, images and documents between up to three computers.
 
So basically recreating mouse without borders? I mean that's only been around for at least 5 years.
 
No this is different than remote desktop.. well I dunno THIS might not be.. but what Synergy is is.. I've used it on 5 computers no problem, and for business purposes you really can't even tell. When I say 5 computers I mean 5 computers side by side with their own monitors, but I use one keyboard and mouse to control them all.
 
Unless this allows them to be on separate networks (I doubt it), it's nothing new.
 
This feature is easy for us to shit on, but I bet most consumers have not even heard of Synergy or considered doing something like this before! They might think it useful!

We are all too [H]ard!
 
Meh - I used Input Director for years for this very purpose. Much easier to set up than Synergy, but limited to Windows only (which is why I stopped using it).
 
Synergy? Released 16 years ago and works across all OS at the same time. I've been using it across Windows and Linux.

Yep, used it back in the day when I had a linux vm box running next to my mac mini i was using for work. Set the server on the mini, and organized the screens and it never failed me at all!
 
Another vote for synergy, osx, windows and *nix for long enough I can't remember exactly when I switched to it. I do remember having to maintain my own ssh tunnel scheme to keep everything encrypted for at least a decade.
 
You can't argue this isn't useful, and I don't think the Synergy team has quite the marketing arm Logitech does. So there you go. They'll make money.
 
Yeah, +1 to all the Synergy peeps out there. Has anyone tipped off the Synergy folks by chance? I'm not a big fan of large corps stealing intellectual property/bullying existing businesses. We've had way too many products that marketing made the standard, not the underlying tech.
 
...Logitech Flow, groundbreaking new software that lets you seamlessly control up to three computers with one mouse...

I'm a little curious at the exclusion of "keyboard" in that blurb. Looking at the rest of the release, it does go on to say one keyboard and mouse, but the emphasis on the mouse is confusing at best. If I hadn't decided to be an informed ranter, I would have discounted the product immediately based on that oversight.
 
I'm a little curious at the exclusion of "keyboard" in that blurb. Looking at the rest of the release, it does go on to say one keyboard and mouse, but the emphasis on the mouse is confusing at best. If I hadn't decided to be an informed ranter, I would have discounted the product immediately based on that oversight.

Read the last line:

"With Logitech Flow, available on select Logitech mice as a free download as part of Logitech OptionsTM software, you can not only use the same mouse and keyboard but also, copy and paste content, images and documents between up to three computers."
 
Are the clickers still total shit in these new mice? Thats the #1 thing keeping me away from Logitech.

The best clickers I've felt in years are on this new Anker Vertical Mouse I bought for $15 from Amazon last week or so.
 
Oh, and I wonder if this will get through on corporate COE loads. I never could get Synergy to work.
 
Yeah, +1 to all the Synergy peeps out there. Has anyone tipped off the Synergy folks by chance? I'm not a big fan of large corps stealing intellectual property/bullying existing businesses. We've had way too many products that marketing made the standard, not the underlying tech.
There are several others out their that do what Synergy does...I believe others do more. Then again, I've never used the pay version of Synergy (which is the only supported version), so I don't know if it's outclassed by other commercial tools.These days, I mostly use a remote desktop into my server, because that allows me to use my other monitor for something other than looking at my server (and it means I don't have to have a GPU in it :) )
 
Why do people on H put so much weight into if its already been done. Most companies especially big ones do not ever come up with novel ideas, but when they use something it can really help a lot of people be more efficient. I think the bigger thing that people forget is something like synergy the bigger crime is them not doing more to bring their technology to the masses. In an ideal world this would be a function of all computers, but just like remote desktop it seems OS makers just don't get how to make it perhaps because they have a conflict of interest.

Maybe Logitech will finally be the company to break virtual KVM into mainstream.

That said I understand why they may have not done this before afterall why sell 1 mouse to control 3 computers when you could sell 3 mice =} but maybe they are hurting enough now that so many people only use built in trackpads that they realize they need to do something to encourage people to use mice.
 
Because Logitech is trying to take credit for inventing it - if Logitech had stated the existence of products like Synergy and that they were bringing virtual KVM to the masses by simplifying the software then very little of the criticism above would have been posted.

Basically Logitech had an Al Gore "I invented the Internet" moment :)
 
Read the last line:

"With Logitech Flow, available on select Logitech mice as a free download as part of Logitech OptionsTM software, you can not only use the same mouse and keyboard but also, copy and paste content, images and documents between up to three computers."

Occasionally, my due diligence is thwarted by own lack of reading comprehension. I could swear, when a I read it previously, it didn't mention a keyboard, but it is obviously there :whistle:
 
Occasionally, my due diligence is thwarted by own lack of reading comprehension. I could swear, when a I read it previously, it didn't mention a keyboard, but it is obviously there :whistle:

Are they trying to take credit for it? it looks like good marketing but I don't see where it says they invented the virtual KVM. And its not like we should expect a company to go give a list of competing software in a press release unless they are trying to make a direct comparison.
 
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