prev next

6 Android Apps to control your PC and Mac

Posted on 5/18/2010 by A.A.I





I don't know about you. But my idea of the perfect gadget consists of a piece of tech that works together seamlessly with all my other gadgets. Maybe I was ruined after years of Star Trek. Either way, one of the first things I did when I joined team android; was look for ways to connect my android phone to my PC. Right on the tail of our 13 Must Have Apps - Essential Android Apps List comes our list of apps that let you control your PC and Mac.







Gmote 2.0 - I had a lot of use with this one personally in the past. It was my original Android - PC remote. This one is pretty simple to setup and use. Though it's worth noting that I often had to completely restart my PC when I decided to run Gmote to get it running. This may just be my system. Download the app and then follow the directions to head over to the website and download the gmote server. *Stream music from your PC to your device, control the screen on your pc, launch and navigate webpages, built-in file browser, standard play - pause - rewind controls and virtual keyboard to type on your PC from across the room. This app works with Macs as well and Gmote is free on the Android market. http://www.gmote.org/





PhoneMyPC - I recently checked out PhoneMyPC to review it. And it ended up being one of those apps that I just had to hang on to. It is currently the only remote app I use. With PhoneMyPC you can actually see the desktop on your device. You can access all your files at home while at work or in class. You can check out the review for details but I'll give you the run down. *control the mouse and keys, view a snapshot of your desktop, control processes, see a live view of your desktop. (devs working on sound) PhoneMyPC is a bit on the pricey side at $9.99 (price may be going up in the future) But it is the hands down best remote app I've used on android!  http://www.softwareforme.com/






VLC Remote - I tried VLC remote out not long ago. As I've been using VLC almost exclusively for my media playback lately. The rundown: Automatic configuration is very helpful, Full browsing control (play any file from your computer), Full DVD controls, control volume, position and track, fullscreen on and off, control subtitles, aspect ratio, audio track, access external drives. This app is very snappy and quick to respond. Works on both Mac and PC. Free on the market but full features will cost you £0.60 - $0.97 http://www.HobbyistSoftware.com







RemoteDroid - I tried a while back and it was a pretty solid app. Like others on this list you'll need to download the app from the market along with a server application to your PC. RemoteDroid turns your phone into a wireless keyboard and mouse with touchpad, using your own wireless network. Updates have seen an improved keyboard and integration of multi-touch gestures. This one is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux systems. Free on the market.






GRemotePro - This one was actually recommended by a friend. And it didn't disappoint. The UI looks great, the layout is easy to navigate and overall is smooth and responsive. There has been confusion however because the app is listed as "Free" but users should be aware that while the 'app' is free, the server client you need to download is listed at $15. (Currently $9.95 for April 2010) GRemotePro turns your PDA into wireless keyboard, mouse, touchpad and analogue game controller to PC. Play favorite racing games with your phone.Control any application you want. This one is only for Windows users unfortunately.  Works via WiFi or Bluetooth .


Click to download on device.


Andremote - Last and maybe kind of least is AndRemote. This one isn't the best of the bunch for certain. Getting the PC server up and running is a task for a lot of people, myself included. The UI is decent but buggy and the application was pretty laggy itself at times.  The cool thing is that you can download different layouts to support the different apps you want to control or create your own. The app is really simple and works despite having a few bugs. It's worth checking out for sure if you have a particular app that doesn't work well with other remote apps.
http://andremote.anddev.org/

Know of a good remote app that I missed? Let me know in the comments.
If you've used any of these apps or try them out be sure to let me know what you think!

Join us on your favorite social networks.
A.A.I on Twitter
A.A.I on Facebook

10 comments:

  1. I am continually astonished that the best option is never mentioned in any web reviews of mobile to pc control. TeamViewer is hands down the best option.

    ReplyDelete
  2. There is another app released called AndroG Controller which has touchpad, D-Pad and 5 button , motion sensor & multi-touch support.

    Check it out here:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFqEClRF6iI

    Download : http://getjar.com/AndroG-Controller

    ReplyDelete
  3. You missed Splashtop, it's a great free app with a real simple setup. There's also 2X witch is also good.

    ReplyDelete
  4. also there is pc monitor which thus far has worked good for me but the ones above to sound as if they would give you more control over your pc versus just a monitoring option

    ReplyDelete
  5. Apart from above mentioned apps, you may have a look at R-HUB remote support android app for controlling your desktops, laptops, MAC, Windows etc.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails