For those who don’t know, I’m a gadget geek. That’s my sweet spot. I love bright, shiny objects. If I could have bluetooth installed somewhere on my person, I would. What? Who said that?

I’ve been on a quest to create the perfect work environment both in the office and when I’m mobile. In my line of work having dual monitors is essential (and not just because it looks cool). Setting up a dual screen in the office is no problem. In fact, I’ve had many (MANY) dual screen set ups and they’ve all functioned well. But, it’s not a set up I can pick up and easily move. That means when I’m outside the office (which is a lot), I feel like I’ve lost my best friend.

No more sad trombones for this gal. I have discovered the perfect set up (for me). It works in the office and I can take it with me wherever I go. What is this magical dual screen recipe of goodness you ask? I’ll share it with you, my fabulous faves readers.

Here’s what you need:

• Laptop or desktop (if you want to be mobile, go for the laptop)
• iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch
• If you’re using an iPad, I highly recommend the Twelve South Hover Bar ($79.99) for display. If you’re using an iPhone or iPod Touch, get a stand to put next to your computer.
• Air Display for Mac or Windows
• Air Display for iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch ($9.99) NOTE: You can also use Air Display to connect two Macs or one Mac and one PC.
• Wireless access

My current setup looks like the photo above. My MacBook Pro is set up next to my iPad which is attached to the side of a desk (but it could attach to any table, really) via the Hover Bar. It took all of five minutes to set up. If I need to get up and go, takedown is about 10 minutes, but only because I need to pack my preciouses in protective gear. (You may notice an Apple bluetooth keyboard near the iPad, but it’s not in use during this set up.)

Using the iPad as my second screen I typically keep my email, calendar and Tweetdeck open at any given time. I also use my second screen it if I need to Skype and want to keep my main desktop free to use. I can easily drag and drop between screens, making my workflow more efficient. Oh yah!

By the way, if your office workstation includes an iMac you can actually attach the Hover Bar to the side of the iMac, making your second screen extremely easy to maneuver and use.

 FYI: I am in now way compensated or affiliated with Twelve South or the makers of Air Display. I’m merely an excited geek who wants to share her gadgetry with the masses.