techpaedia

Use your mobile as a Remote Control for your PC/Mac

April 26th, 2006

Ever wished you had a remote control for your computer to control your music, videos etc? Well now you do with Apple’s new range of Intel Processor Macs.

However for those of us that are not fortunate enough to own one of the new Macs yet, there is a very cool application that enables you to use your bluetooth (or wi-fi) enabled phone (or PDA) as a remote control: Salling Clicker!

It is available for both Mac and Windows. So whether you have a bluetooth enabled Mac or PC, you’re in for the fun! If not, don’t despair, you can always bluetooth-enable your machine by using a bluetooth dongle.

Using a Nokia N70 as a remote control for iTunes
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Over 100 different phones/PDAs are supported over Windows and Mac. Check the table on this page for your phone brand/model (for Windows). Mac Users click here.

Applications that can be controlled with Salling Clicker include:

• Windows Media Player
• Power DVD
• Winamp
• iTunes

- includes full library access, including podcasts, radio and album art (support varies on phone brand/model)

• Power Point

- Give your presentation in style and change slides using your phone
- Includes a preview thumbnail image of slides on the phone’s screen

• Your computer

- Salling Clicker allows you to move the mouse pointer and to click remotely using your phone

When you are on the phone
- Automatically pause iTunes/Windows Media Player
- Automatically mute the volume on the computer

When you move out of bluetooth range (more than 10m away from your computer)
- Automatically pause iTunes/Windows Media Player
- Automatically lock the computer
(Leaves all programs running but shows the login screen)

N70 being used as a remote for iTunes and Power Point
Note the Album Art in the background! Very Cool!
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Computer Display: Changing Tracks from the N70, using Salling Clicker
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Computer Display: Changing Volume from the N70, using Salling Clicker
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Note: You may have to enable ‘Software Installation’ on your phone. This setting should be set to ‘On’ and not ‘Signed Only’ for Salling Clicker to install. It can be set back to your own preference after the installation is complete on your phone.

Salling Clicker retails for $23.95. A demo/trial version is available for free download. The limitation of the demo/trial version is that the bluetooth connection will be reset after every 30 clicks.

Although you may use the same lisence on up to 3 of your own computers, you will need one lisence for a Mac and another one for Windows.

Note: In contrast to traditional remote controls, Salling Clicker operates over Bluetooth and/or wi-fi. Therefore your phone/PDA does not need to be pointed directly at (or be in line of sight of) your computer. The only restriction is that your phone/PDA is within the bluetooth range (<10m) from your computer.

Entry Filed under: Computing, Gadgets, Ideas