vnc

Simulate Office Presence With Skype And VNC

6:30AM Gina Trapani | Former cubicle jockey Jonathon Wilson now works from home, but it’s almost exactly as if he’s at his desk at the office. In the comments of my recent article on working remotely, Jonathon explains his unconventional setup: More »

Yoics Gadget Connects To Remote Files And Desktops From Gmail

9:00PM Kevin Purdy | Yoics, a remote access app built around VNC tools, offers a Gmail sidebar gadget that makes grabbing files, browsing pictures, or controlling a remote desktop a one-click affair from your inbox. Yoics installs a highly customised version of WinVNC on your Windows, Mac, or Linux system and lets you connect to it over the web with a single login/password. In this case, Yoics’ sidebar gadget simply launches the relevant web link to your documents, pictures, or desktop, if you’ve chosen to share all of them. Installing and setting up Yoics took me about 10 minutes, between the relatively lengthy sign-up forms, system checks, and configuration demands (including a very mandatory changing of your WinVNC default password). Installing the gadget, though, was as simple as any other. Choosing the “My Pictures” link gives you a customised gallery view of your documents: More »

Roll Your Own LogMeIn Pro With Free Apps

12:00AM Kevin Purdy | LogMeIn Pro offers fans of the well-liked remote desktop software some key features over the free version, including file syncing and remote printing. With some free apps, you can cover most of the difference. The Daily Cup of Tech blog recommends a few free apps that boost a free LogMeIn connection to nearly pro-level features. Key among them is the use of Dropbox, the free, multi-platform, password-syncing, Hive-Five-awarded app. The basic idea is that if you need to manipulate a file you’ve got locally with another remote computer, simply drop your file into your Dropbox bin, and it’ll arrive there in a few moments. For printing from one computer to another, Tim Fehlman suggests using a Windows PDF printing solution. Another good pick is the previously mentioned Yuuguu for screen sharing, as its a very simple connection (PIN and username) and works with both Macs and PCs. The only no-go with Cup of Tech’s free substition plan is remote audio streaming—something that only a fraction of the user base would likely want, but still a nifty feature. Any suggestions from our remote-savvy readers on getting all your remote system’s audio through your local speakers? Expanding Your LogMeIn Free’s Abilities [Daily Cup of Tech]

Ammyy Admin Shares Screens In Three Steps

1:30AM Kevin Purdy | Windows only: If you’re eager for a simple, non-browser, quick-starting app that will let you get remote desktop access to your mom’s desktop, your struggling friend’s laptop, or nearly any other machine, Ammyy Admin is just about perfect for your needs. The 128KB, no-install app opens and gives you a dedicated client ID number. To connect as the administrator, you simply enter the client’s ID’s number, choose a connection speed optimiser (if needed), and hit “Connect,” while the client only has to hit “Start.” Unless you use its sister private router product, Ammyy Admin will route its screen-sharing traffic over the developer’s servers, so work that requires privacy shouldn’t rely on Ammyy. Still, for keeping it simple with one-time connections—or even regular hook-ups, through Ammyy’s Windows service option—Ammyy is worth checking out. Ammyy Admin is a free download for Windows systems only. Ammyy Admin [via FreewareGenius.com] More »

Veency Offers Remote Control Of Your Jailbroken iPhone

9:00PM Kevin Purdy | On its face, a tool that gives you remote control over your jailbroken iPhone or iPod touch seems kind of pointless. If you’re sitting at a computer already, why would you need to use your tiny touch screen computer? But take a moment to think of the things you could save time typing out—like built-up text messages and frustratingly non-syncing notes—as well as the ability to charge or play music while still using the software. Now it’s a safer bet that some curious hackers will want to tunnel into their gadgets. Let’s take a look at how to set up Veency, along with a few good uses for it. More »

Share Files And Remote Control Desktops With Gbridge

3:15AM Kevin Purdy | More than a few commenters had questions about the Gbridge tool for Windows we featured last week, which works on top of your Google account to provide file sharing and remote desktop capabilities. Why does it bother using Google accounts? Is it any better or different than LogMeIn or Techinline? Is it secure? We spent some time checking out Gbridge, and came away impressed with its ease of use and nifty features, along with a few answers to your questions and screenshots. More »

Mocha VNC Lite is Simple Remote Control for iPhones

10:00PM Kevin Purdy | iPhone/iPod touch only: Mocha VNC Lite, the latest free utility added to the iTunes App Store, is one of those great programs that jailbreak enthusiasts probably thought would never appear in official form. Having arrived, however, it’s a simple, easy to use tool for remote-controlling a Windows, Mac, or Linux system from your palm, with full keyboard access, double-click abilities, and support for 32-bit colours. You can flip your phone to landscape for widescreen desktops, and zoom in and scroll just like you would with a Safari web page. The only apparent restrictions on this “Lite” version are a lack of support for right clicks, a QWERTY-only keyboard, and no macros, but for controlling your media centre or desktop from another room, Mocha should work just fine. Mocha VNC Lite is a free download for 2.0 iPhones and iPod touches only. Mocha VNC Lite [iTunes Store via Just Another iPhone Blog] More »