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Great Tool for remote controlling ppcs: VirtualDisp

I just installed VirtualDisp and it's a really kick-ass piece of software. So anyone who does not know it yet, give it a try! (http://world.kyuran.be/) It lets you use your computer's mouse and keyboard to control your ppc. The amazing thing is, its "client"-side only (you don't need any additional software on your mobile device!) - just activesync your device and you are ready to go. It "extends" your desktop in the way modern graphics drivers do when multiple monitors are attached. Just move your mouse out over one edge of your monitor and your cursor will appear on your mobile device's lcd.

Hi Registererer!
This post got me curios so I went and downloaded the demo version.
As I suspected, this functionality cannot be achieved without a server on the device side. They use a DLL which is a RAPI extension. They copy it silently to the device so you don't notice it. I found this out when I tried the free version on a WM5 device. It only comes with the DLL for WM 2003.
Any way, it's not that great since you can't see the PPC screen on the PC. There is a tool from Microsoft (completely free), called Remote Control (something, don't remember) and another tool from some company (not free) that shows you the PPC screen on the PC and lets you use the mouse and keyboard of the PC for input.
So this is a nice little app, but I doubt it will sell.

Levenum don't be so hard on the guy
The thing is Register that SOTI Pocket / Smartphone Controler is a kick ass app that is far more advanced than VirtualDisp... and not much more expensive.
So it needs to have something extra to catch the atention
But its a good start
Cheers,
Raul

Sorry, didn't mean to heart anyone's feelings!
It is a cute app. Perhaps if they add the functionality of using it as a virtual mouse without the PC connection (using the joystick). There was a thread here somewhere of people looking for just such an app.
By the way, have you tried it on WM5? I know from experience that just transferring a DLL won't do so they would have to install a signed cab. Does it connect as smoothly as it does on WM 2003. That is one strong point I noticed: They detect the AS connection immediately, and you don't have to wait before you can use the app.

TP as HID Keyboard

Is there an application for the TP which allows for the device to be used as a HID over Bluetooth to control a desktop PC?

there are programs that let you control your desktop PC in various ways, but nothing specific for TP or the keyboard

Wow great idea, that would be nifty on my CarPC! I'm always looking for a smaller keyboard to fit there...
Can't be that hard, I'm sure someone can do that, with all the specialists we have here in this wonderful community

"can't be that hard"?
How did you come to this conclusion?
Educated guess? Or just guess?

Well it would need to modify a little bit the bluetooth stack and emulate a HID keyboard, I guess.
Tonight I'm the Jeremy Clarkson of the day, with his most famous quote: "how hard can it be?!" when obviously it is very hard to do...
So I absolutely don't mean it is an easy thing to do, but I'm sure some experts in XDA-Dev are skilled enough to do it.
Hey, a man can dream, right?

Another option is to use a program like VNC to pilot your pc from the your raphael.
Used to do it with my old ppc (Toshiba e830). This works only if the computer you want to control is also in the same network (connected either through LAN cable or wifi).

Yes, I'm aware of a number of remote control solutions, but they all require an application to be run on the PC to be controlled. I'm really looking for a solutions which is purely based on HID. Like the Sony Ericsson remote control feature on the new phones. Great for presentations and Media Player. Any ideas?

Not exactly what you were talking about but...
http://www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com/
About the size of a lighter, and you can use it for you phone as well. (Picture attaching your phone to the TV in the back. Using your bluetooth to open a program on it. Then typing away on the scren with this "futuristic keyboard from the stars!!".... or something like that.)

that must be one of the most useless gadgets ever created
huge initial "wow" factor, but that is all

Useless? I don't know... over priced, and unnecessary maybe, but a portable full sized keyboard doesn't seem useless to me.

Have you tried it?
I have. Very stupid to tap a plain table, since you cannot feel anything (even the separation of the buttons) you make 60% mistakes.
Also, it is not even portable! You need a large flat surface to put it and to let it throw its beam.
(and one more thing to recharge)
I stand by my original wording.

nethopper said:
Yes, I'm aware of a number of remote control solutions, but they all require an application to be run on the PC to be controlled. I'm really looking for a solutions which is purely based on HID. Like the Sony Ericsson remote control feature on the new phones. Great for presentations and Media Player. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, HID implementation in Windows also includes programs and services that start with your windows. So if you have to install only 1 program to make it run I don't think it is a big deal.
It's 3 years I use my main computer this way. As I have a projector and don't want to start it every time I installed VNC server in my main computer (freeware) and VNC client in both my laptop and PPC, and it works pretty well (especially with Vista on my laptop, it runs pretty smooth).

@NLS:
Hmm, well from that description I will have to agree with you and add useless to my definition of the product as well.
@nethopper:
Yeah if you were looking for remote solutions I would suggest Logmein.com (the free version because I am cheap). If you want something that purely converts your phones keyboard into a computer keyboard... I found ( http://en.handybyte.com/cat/system-utilities/communications/blueremote/ ) for palm devices, this ( http://en.handybyte.com/cat/system-utilities/enhancements/ppc-tablet-remote-control-suite/ ) for ppc but over TCP/IP instead of bluetooth, and a patent showing that someone *Microsoft* is working/has worked on the idea ( http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2008/0120448.html ) so the search continues

@FlippyTK: I'm aware of the VNC solution, but I'm really looking for something as slim and elegant as the software on the SE phones. There are situations where you don't want or can't install anything on the host PC.
@NetApex: Thanks, for the links. The MS patent is strange, how could they file something as obvious as this? There must be prior art... But the patent might be the reason why such a software does not exist. I guess everybody is afraid of the MS lawyers...
I'll keep searching, please let us know if you have the solution...

I'm not sure a pure HID solution is possible. If the Raphael keyboard is indeed a HID-capable device, then the phone itself is its host. Since you would have to go through the host (in this case, WM) to access the bluetooth stack, the most direct solution is a software "pass-through" program.
[edited]
The SE solution is using bluetooth HID emulation, so I will take a look into that.
For now, the TCP/IP solution shouldn't be a problem: you can setup a bluetooth PAN for TCP/IP connectivity.
For reference, one software that is closest to what you have in mind is Synergy, a similar host/client pass-through program that allows you to use one keyboard/mouse on multiple networked computers (without using hardware KVM switch, etc). It's only Windows/Mac/Unix, no PPC client, but maybe it will help point you in the right direction.

I found the following article which gives a nice overview of remote control solutions:
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/cms/blogs/3/remote_media_controllers_for_windows_mob
The software from Jerom does a nice job (http://www.jaylee.org/RemoteControl/) and I used it on my Prophet for some time. It requires for a small program to be installed on the host and it is easy to set up. But I had it hang a few times (typically in the middle of a management presentation) and therefore I abandoned it. The SE solution I had before was absolutely reliable and that's why I look for something similar for WM.
In principle, the solution is simple: Implement a HID device driver and pass key/touches to it. I did some programming for WM devices but I never tackled the bluetooth stack... there is a significant hurdle - otherwise someone else would have done this app already. ;-)

that would be cool
using the phone to open an app that is named "operate as bluetooth keyboard" and clicking start to take control of a home theater PC using teh TV as your monitor and the desktop media PC as the CPU and just using your phone as nothing more than a keyboard would be pretty slick.

golympio said:
Wow great idea, that would be nifty on my CarPC! I'm always looking for a smaller keyboard to fit there...
Can't be that hard, I'm sure someone can do that, with all the specialists we have here in this wonderful community
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are so much interested in a small portable keyboard, why dont you try diNovo Mini from logitech http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboards/&cl=roeu,en
Quite cool. I use it for my Media Center!

Cyber-mate said:
If you are so much interested in a small portable keyboard, why dont you try diNovo Mini from logitech http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboards/&cl=roeu,en
Quite cool. I use it for my Media Center!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is cool, but also pricey

UP!!!!!

Using HD2 as (native) Bluetooth Mouse

I searched this now for a few days on the web. I found plenty of programs doing lots of things coming close to what I am looking for but nothing exactly what I am looking for that would work.
I am looking for a program that turns my HD2 into a native bluetooth mouse. I don't need any remote control or remote desktop stuff, I want my HD2 to look like a regular mouse connected by bluetooth.
I found plenty of remote control apps, that would require a server installed to the computer I want to control with my HD2, however this is exactly NOT what I am looking for. I want to control any computer that supports generic bluetooth input devices, no matter if Windows, Linux, Mac, whatever without installing any additional software to the computer.
I found two programs, that claim to do that (mobileSRC RemoteMobile and MobileMouse) but neither will function on the HD2. RemoteMobile does not seem to support the Widcomm Bluetooth Stack and MobileMouse is not usable, because it's not designed for WVGA (at minimum, I cannot get past the Licence Disclaimer after starting the app, because I do not reach any controls to do so).
Is there anything out there that would do what I am looking for on a HD2?

+1 Looking for the same

http://gbmsoftware.com/

gdayhtc said:
http://gbmsoftware.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh yeah, this is what I was looking for, thank you very much!

Which irony: I am still looking for what I described in my first post - and while I was searching for a program capable of doing this once again, I stumbled across my own old thread here
Sadly gdayhtc's solution wich seems to make 2 die 4 happy is exaclty what I am *not* looking for. I was aware of GRemote when I wrote this posting in january already. The point is, you need to install a server application on the host you want to use your phone with. The "talking" is done between the application on the phone and the server on the host as regular network traffic. This is not what I am looking for. What I am looking for is an application that basicly says "Hi [whatever operating system you are], I am a regular bluetooth mouse! Go ahead and load your appropriate drivers, so I can talk to you (just as any other bluetooth mouse would do)!" - and if there are Bluetooth touch pads, that the phone could emulate, that would be even better Basicly the phone will promote another bluetooth service to other devices that do a bluetooth service lookup stating that it can be a bluetooth input device. I can't believe nobody did something like that! Besides having to poke around in some bluetooth input device standards it seems like the much cleaner and more appropriate approach to use your phone as an input device over bluetooth compared to what GRemote and the others are doing.

I don't think there is such thing as a 'generic' blue tooth mouse (please correct me if I am wrong).
If you get a logitech one, it still loads its appropriate driver for the operating system you are using. Same for DELL (both use setpoint) and I'm sure Microsoft (and for the different models, there may be different drivers).
What I think you can best hope for is somebody to emulate one of these 'drivers', but at the end of the day, I would assume that some driver will have to be loaded on your pc/server.

OBD

Hello,
I saw that there is no OBD software in the marketplace, so I assume there's no API for the OBD in windows phone 7??
If anyone has informations, I could develop a new obd tool... but I can't find informations about OBD..

If you mean by OBD the On-Board Diagnostics, all handsets already has one (provided by manufacturers). And it's nothing what you can do (if you'll not start manufactoring your own WP7 ) - all native code should be signed.

No, sorry, I meant the automotive diagnostic tool eheh!

It's probably because niether the USB or the BT connection allow to connect OBD interfaces. USB lacks host support and BT lacks virtual com ports support, so you have no way to connect the OBD interface whether it being KKL / ELM or whatever with the phone.

figured it was something like that.. any luck we will have support about this in the future?

There is a device for the iPhone that plugs into the OBD and creates a wifi network. After that it is just sockets. I'm sure you could make a windows phone version of the tool.
Found it: http://www.obdkey.com/wifi/index.asp

my buddy has one for android it communicates via bluetooth and cost like $20. He ran the codes on my caddy, very useful

Hello i am the developer for OBDMobile for windows mobile:
http://www.rklenka.com/software/winmobile/obdmobile/
and Windows:
http://www.rklenka.com/software/obdmobile/
and as soon as its possible there will be a version for Windows Phone 7, but for right now it cant be done. In fact I am trying to work with some OBD Connector manufacturers in order to find a way to get it to work.
Right now there is no Bluetooth API and no Ad-Hoc support which is what OBDKey and KIWI Wifi supports. All the back end code has all ready be done so as soon as there is a way it will be up.

RKlenka said:
Hello i am the developer for OBDMobile for windows mobile:
http://www.rklenka.com/software/winmobile/obdmobile/
and Windows:
http://www.rklenka.com/software/obdmobile/
and as soon as its possible there will be a version for Windows Phone 7, but for right now it cant be done. In fact I am trying to work with some OBD Connector manufacturers in order to find a way to get it to work.
Right now there is no Bluetooth API and no Ad-Hoc support which is what OBDKey and KIWI Wifi supports. All the back end code has all ready be done so as soon as there is a way it will be up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This would be amazing if you could get it to work matey
I use Torque on my Android Tablet and Digimoto on my laptop and connect to my Bluetooth OBD-II Reader, if i was able to use my Windows Phone this would be a GREAT help!

ODB aplication for WP7 would be very good.

I was looking around the internet about 2 months ago and ran across hardware and apps that do this for android,ios,wm, and I think even blackberry...
I remember thinking that would be sweet on my windows phone. Way to show up my boss... Lol
I showed him the website and I think he's gonna look into it when the software on the current scan tool gets outdated since he has an iphone4, I got the hd7, and another kid has an android phone.. Would be sweet to just carry around the little piece that plugs into the port and broadcast the signal to the phones.
Do you think there's gonna be live data support or just a basic tool to pull engine codes. Possible abs, srs scan too?
Sent from my HD7 T9292 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App

Didn't know the USB adapters could be gotten for under $20 never mind software for the PC for fairly cheap. I always thought these adapters could only be gotten for around $300+.
I dont work on cars for a living but, if this could be all gotten and working on my WP7 device for under $30, I'd be all over it. It's always usefull to have one of these type of things around when a code comes up on one of our cars and not have to run to a store that will not reset codes, etc.
I might even grab it for a old WM 6.5 device I keep around for a spare....

any app for OBDII gauges in WP7.5 ????

Bump, it's been a while, anyone find anything for WP7 or 7.5 to do this ?

It's been a while for this thread - any updates on Windows Phone and OBD-II? Wondering because I want to expand into Windows development too, rather than just Android.

Turning your phone into a work computer?

Hi guys!
I was reading recently about Andromium. It's basically an app+hardware that allows you to use your android as a computer. It ports android's UI to a computer-like UI. I read about the above mentioned Andromium, I don't know if there are any similar, better, more popular solutions.
This is what I'm talking about:
http://www.superbcrew.com/andromium-lets-you-turn-your-phone-into-work-computer/
http://interestingengineering.com/turn-your-android-phone-into-a-desktop-computer-with-andromium/
http://androidcommunity.com/andromium-wants-to-turn-your-smartphone-into-a-desktop-20141211/
Thoughts? Have you used it, what's the feedback?
P.S
As I said, I would like to discuss this as a concept. I just mentioned Andromium as an example. Do you see this becoming a thing in the future? Maybe this could replace laptops?

I find the concept very interesting. I put a debian emulator app thingo on my nexus 7 (debian noroot), and use it as a half Linux laptop with Bluetooth keyboard and usb mouse, half android tablet. I'm considering dual booting Ubuntu touch on it too. It has a split personality, like my Windows 8.1 tablet, tablet on its own, mini laptop with keyboard and mouse. I find it the best of both worlds.
Andromium would possibly make this unnecessary as it would work well with keyboard and mouse. I would certainly try this, especially if it would revert between normal android style, and pc style.

Jesse72 said:
I find the concept very interesting. I put a debian emulator app thingo on my nexus 7 (debian noroot), and use it as a half Linux laptop with Bluetooth keyboard and usb mouse, half android tablet. I'm considering dual booting Ubuntu touch on it too. It has a split personality, like my Windows 8.1 tablet, tablet on its own, mini laptop with keyboard and mouse. I find it the best of both worlds.
Andromium would possibly make this unnecessary as it would work well with keyboard and mouse. I would certainly try this, especially if it would revert between normal android style, and pc style.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was really interested with this concept, so i researched a little bit. Seems that Motorola unrolled something similar (Motorola's Lapdock) a few years ago, but it never took of.
Few enthusiasts tried to revive it with raspberry PI, http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/21/3105822/motorola-lapdock-hacked-raspberry-pi-rikomagic
Andromium repacks the idea, as it seems, and I really can't wait to see if something interesting will come from this.

Andromium OS on rooted high end smart phone. Install on smartphone VMLite VNC Server and setup casting screen with remote control. Get cheap Android tablet with kbd/mouse or cheap Android slate with kbd/mouse and install YouMap app. Setup direct WiFi connection between smartphone and tablet / slate.
Good to go.
Let me know what lag times you see. Working on various "tweaks".