Why can’t you plug a USB cable between two computers, drag the mouse cursor between their screens, and drop files between them, as if they were one computer? Good, You can It’s been going on for years — but Intel may be about to advance that idea with Thunderbolt Share.
It’s an app for that Intel will license To laptop, desktop and accessory manufacturers to assemble new devices. Install it on two Thunderbolt 4 or 5 computers, connect them with a Thunderbolt cable, and you should be able to share your mouse, keyboard, monitors, storage, and other USB peripherals; Drag and drop files at Thunderbolt speeds; And synchronize data between them. However, it will not allow you to share an internet connection.
Intel says you can also mirror one computer’s display to another at 1080p, 60fps with low latency and no compression — and the computers can connect via a Thunderbolt dock or display if that’s more convenient than a direct link.
no Strictly It requires a Thunderbolt certified computer, mind you, or even necessarily an Intel processor. “USB 4 and Thunderbolt 3 connections may work, but we can’t really guarantee it, nor will we support it,” says Jason Zeller, head of Intel Thunderbolt.
But it requires implementation, as Intel will charge OEMs an additional licensing fee to exclusively supply the new hardware. Having to purchase a subset of a Thunderbolt computer or some type of Thunderbolt accessory limits the environments in which this can be useful! Intel says you get a second license with any Thunderbolt Share PC you buy, or two licenses with any accessory.
The app represents a sales boost because PC manufacturers are interested in it, and Intel wants to fully test and certify it with them “to make sure it’s a great experience,” Zeller says.
It’s also for Windows at the moment: “We’re exploring other opportunities for the OS but at the moment it won’t work connected to a Mac.”
Acer, Lenovo, MSI and Razer are the first PC partners, along with accessory vendors Belkin, Kensington, Plugable and Promise Technology. Some of those companies have previously sold “Easy to move” cables. Designed to move from one computer to another; Plugable already sells a Thunderbolt cable It is equipped with the Bravura Easy Computer Sync application that provides drag-and-drop capabilities and remote computer control as well. I wonder how Thunderbolt Share will compare.