No Mouse available? Control your computer with your smartphone

Martin Brinkmann
Jan 23, 2015
Software
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You may have a hard time adjusting to other input types if you are used to work with a mouse and keyboard on desktop PCs.

Switching to touch input or a touch pad on a laptop may slow you down a lot because of it. While you will get better over time, you may prefer to use a mouse and keyboard even in situations where none are connected to the device you are using.

Remote Mouse is a free mobile application that turns your smartphone into a mouse and keyboard that you can use for that.

While not identical to a physical mouse and keyboard, it works surprisingly well.

The app is available for all major mobile operating systems (Windows Phone, iOS and Android), and requires that you install a program on your Windows or MAC device as well to link it to the smartphone.

You can then use your finger on the smartphone screen to move the mouse cursor on the screen of the linked device, tap once or twice to perform a left and right-click, move windows, or scroll using two fingers.

That's not all though. A tap on the keyboard icon on the smartphone allows you to type using your phone's keyboard, and another tap on the program icon lists installed programs that you can run right from your phone.

You can start Steam, Thunderbird, the Firefox web browser or the password manager KeePass right from the phone.  It seems that all programs that are pinned to the taskbar or open on the system are picked up by Remote Mouse on Windows.

Some extra features, such as media and spotify remote control options or function keyboard and touchpad need to be purchased before they become available.

Once you have both installed you may notice that the smartphone picks up the Windows or Mac computer automatically. This happens if both are connected to the same wireless network.

If that is not the case, for instance if the PC has no wireless adapter, you can still force a connection manually by generating a QR code on the device to scan it with the app on the smartphone.

You don't see what is going on when you are using the smartphone which means that you need the screen in view to control the computer.

Verdict

Remote Mouse turns your smartphone into a mouse and if you pay a couple of Dollars, into a remote control for media on your PC or Mac as well.

The app and client software work extremely well together and while it does not replicate mouse and keyboard 100%, it does a very good job at emulating these two input devices.

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Remote Mouse
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Comments

  1. Vince said on February 20, 2015 at 8:12 am
    Reply

    Telepad on Android is pretty cool too, I think it has a better keyboard support.
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pinchtools.telepad

  2. Purplemaizenjm said on January 25, 2015 at 2:30 am
    Reply

    Thanks I already do use my iPhone as my mouse for my Mac and Windows computer. I take the sim card out and it does not effect Data usage nor does it get confused of which type of computer was used last. Good to have developer tools in computer to do simulation first before you try. It works for me on both Yosemite and Windows 8.1

  3. Uhtred said on January 24, 2015 at 10:29 pm
    Reply

    sounds like it could be handy for when out and about on train etc, be nice to leave my mouse at home.
    I wonder how much power drain it would be on the phone though, for about say 2 hours of use?

  4. Kalama said on January 24, 2015 at 9:20 pm
    Reply

    Using a Nintendo Wiimote as a mouse can be nice too, but only if you have good dexterity.

  5. anon said on January 24, 2015 at 2:58 am
    Reply

    Conversely, I love using wifi keyboard for my phone when I’m near my laptop.

  6. 1 said on January 23, 2015 at 9:10 pm
    Reply

    I prefer http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/38050888/ because it does not need any software installed on the computer (as long as it is compatible with bluetooth mice/keyboards).
    There must be an equivalent app for Android/iOS?

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