Check Android SMS on your desktop computer
I sometimes do not have my mobile phone in reach when I'm working on my desktop PC. This can be because it is charging in another room or because I forgot to take it out of my coat when I got home. But even if it is in reach, I sometimes can't be bothered to check the latest SMS notifications I have received. My phone is encrypted which means that I have to type in a lengthy key to decrypt it before I can access the apps installed on it.
I discovered Mightytext some time ago, an application for Android that brings part of Android's messaging capabilities to the desktop computer. What's interesting here is that you not only get to see new SMS or MMS messages when they arrive, but also options to reply right from the interface.
Installation
There are two steps that need to be completed to install Mighttext on your devices
- Install the application by heading over to Google Play or using the built-in store of your phone. Note that it requires many permissions.
- Once installed open the web app of the service. First time you do that you are asked to sign in to your Google account and allow the app to access account related data.
- Extensions are available for several web browsers, Chrome and Firefox for instance, that add notification options to the service. This basically means that you will see a desktop notification when you receive new messages even if the browser is not in front at that time.
Use
Open the web app and click on the Preview link at the bottom to open the new interface which offers better functionality. Here you get a sidebar on the left, your contacts that you have communicated with recently next to it, and once you select a contact, the conversation on the right.
The application lets you switch views which may be interesting if you are a power user. If you select Power View, you get multiple interfaces for all of your contacts you have exchanged messages with. Here you see current conversation and get options to send new messages to contacts in a heart beat.
About that: The desktop application receives instant notifications whenever new messages arrive so that you can check them out the second they arrive on your phone.
The sidebar highlights the phone's battery status as well which can be helpful to find out whether it is best to charge the phone right then.
Verdict
If you work on your desktop PC, laptop or tablet most of the day you may like what Mightytext has to offer. One application that is really interesting besides the obvious, is to leave the phone in an area with reception while you are working on your laptop or computer somewhere else where reception is flaky at best.
The rights that you have to give on the other hand may keep security conscious users away from the application, especially if the phone is being used for security verifications.
This looks good.
I use Airdroid too.. but if I leave my phone at home then can’t use Airdroid cos the phone needs to be on the same network as your PC.
And I do leave it at home a lot.. sheesh.. just not organised.. heh..
So, really, what I’m interested in is seeing what SMS’s arrive if I have left the phone at home.
I get notified of missed calls via HulloMail… but it doesn’t do SMS.
So, this might be a good solution…
Vida
Gods this is driving me nuts. I use pdanet which tethers my android phone to my pc via a usb cable. Pdanet used to come with what it calls an sms agent. When I used it I could send and receive texts messages through my android phone, on my computer desktop, with my qwerty keyboard, OFF the internet. It came with its own simple desktop interface. I DIDNT have to be connected to the internet to use it. With mightytext you have to get to the internet or be on the internet to use it. Its like a cloud thing. Mightytext doesnt work nearly as well or reliably as Pdanets sms agent.
Ive been searching for a pc desktop texting application that routes texts through my android phone and doesnt use email, browsers, websites or the internet to send a text.
Another app which I would like to mention is MobiTexter. I have been using for about 3 months now, and it works pretty well.
I would highly recommend DeskSMS which instead of trying to reinvent the wheel it just routes sms’s through chrome/gtalk/Gmail. it is really awesome (I only integrate it with my gtalk though)
This looks really handy but, for me, the permissions are a bit scary and I’m no privacy nut. I would STRONGLY urge anyone thinking about using the app check out the permissions tab on the Google Play page.
i use airdroid…..
I hadn’t realized you could use AirDroid for this purpose. Thanks for mentioning it!