WinRemote's on-screen buttons can all be disabled for clean, one-click control.
Some of the most intriguing apps are ones that turn the iPhone into something unexpected. WinRemote does just that, although some may find it indispensible, it's a version or two short of prime time. The concept is simple: WinRemote turns the iPhone screen into an external trackpad for a Windows PC. For anyone using a PC as the hub of an entertainment center, it's a powerful tool, and a potential boon to PowerPoint presenters.
Setup is surprisingly easy. Just run a server application on the Windows machine, take note of the displayed IP address, and punch it into the app. Voila -- instant control of the PC cursor. Tap on the screen to left-click, and optional toggles add additional mouse buttons, a scroll bar, and a keyboard.
But it's here that WinRemote stumbles badly. The keyboard is exceptionally buggy in its current version (1.2), with the program transposing some keys and completely failing to pass others to the host. The most significant omission is the @ symbol, severely crippling the app's potential as a browser remote. Add in the occasional loss of sync with the host, and it's clear that WinRemote is a promising idea in need of a bit more developer attention.
Though it has the potential to be extremely useful for a niche market
of home-theater PC owners, WinRemote's bugs reduce it to little more
than an intriguing proof-of-concept.
WinRemote
COMPANY: Jens Henneber
CONTACT: http://iphone.logiqu.com/WinRemote/
PRICE: $1.99
REQUIREMENTS: iPhone or iPod touch with 2.0 Software Update; PC running Windows 95 or
newer on a local wireless network; WinRemote Server (free download).
Simple, clever way to easily control PCs remotely. PC application runs without extensive installation process.
Significant keyboard issues in current version. Occasional loss of synchronization.
