Remote Jr.

Remote Jr. (version 2.0) [Appstore link] is a native iPhone App and falls somewhere between categories b) and c) as defined below. A free desktop based server program must be installed and running in order to pair with the iPhone counterpart.

Remote Jr. runs in portrait and landscape modes. In portrait the screen looks very much like an Apple IR remote and has one menu button, 4 cursor buttons and a play/stop/enter button in the center. The currently running program on the desktop can be controlled with this rather small and limited set of buttons. This works fine with typical media programs like Quicktime, Frontrow or iTunes, but does not work with Powerpoint, for example. In particular, it is not possible to switch PowerPoint from and to presentation mode, navigate to certain slides etc.

There is also a task switcher, a dock icon display and an applauncher which is supposed to search the Applications folder on the desktop. While the first two worked at least to some extent as advertised (switch to or launch selected application), only a few icons in the dock are found, and the app launcher does not work and finds no applications at all. This may be an issue on non-english OS versions (e.g. in German the Applications folder is called "Programme"), but I am speculating here.

In landscape mode Remote Jr. shows a live view of the desktop's screen. The view can be panned and zoomed, and mouse clicks can be triggered by a tap. It is also possible to overlay the screen with a semi-transparent remote similar to that from the portrait mode. A keyboard and special keys like option, shift and command can be activated in order to send keystrokes to the desktop. The screen refresh rate is low, and the resolution is intermediate (a lot worse than Jaadu but better then Remote Tap). No mouse pointer is shown, which makes it very difficult to tap at the right location in order to click a button or menu on the desktop.

I had lots of problems in landscape navigation mode: the app seems to block or deactivate the desktop's keyboard and mouse: no input from desktop possible until the screen is tapped again. Pinching often does not work: though two fingers are used, the screen image is only moved around.

Overall the app looks very nice but its functionality is rather limited (e.g. no support for programs or program functions that can not be triggered by the 6-button apple remote layout, unless you want to use the full keyboard plus option/control/command and you perfectly remember all those keyboard shortcuts). Seeing and controlling a live screen from the desktop is a nice feature, but only, if it works reasonably fast, reasonably well resolved, and with an intuitive and precise mouse motion. Jaadu (review will follow soon) is an excellent example that this is possible with the iPhone.

Furthermore, there are still a few issues to be solved and bugs to be eliminated. Therefore, I find Remote Jr. currently not very useful for me. Once the bugs are ironed out, it may become a nice and well thought out app, though: a place to watch.