On Monday, IOGEAR announced the PCPortal, a remote-access device for PCs that allows a user to remotely log in to and use a PC in another location, whether it is functional or not.

The device, expected to sell for about $499.95, is designed for small-to-medium sized businesses and consulting firms, but could also be used by home-office users who want full control over their PC while on the road, a company spokeswoman said.

For Windows XP Professional users, accessing a PC while on the road can be performed using Remote Desktop, a feature that allows you to "tunnel" into your PC via a remote, secured connection. Once connected, a remote user can move the mouse, use the keyboard, and in general use the PC as he or she normally would.

In the PCPortal's case, that functionality also applies whether or not the PC is up and running, or whether or not the operating system is functional. That's because the PCPortal stores both a Windows client working with DirectX) 7 and a Java client using Java2, the company said. Users can also access the BIOS or use the remote PC in a dual-boot situation. The PCPortal must be installed at the remote client site, through which the remote PC can be accessed by the host (which does not need a PCPortal installed).

The device features a USB 2.0 Virtual Media Port, allowing files to be transferred between the host and client device. One problem: apparently the PCPortal can not be attached to a router or LAN to access all of the devices on the network. However, the PCPortal can be connected to a KVM (keyboard/video/mouse) device, which can then control other devices.

For $499, this seems a little pricey, although it certainly might expedite support calls.