Running a Mac from an iPad or iPhone with Remote Control for Mac. By John Voorhees. Evgeny Cherpak’s iOS app, Remote Control for Mac, has been updated with Siri shortcut support, which opens up some interesting ways to control a Mac with shortcuts.
With more than 140,000 apps in the iPhone App Store, finding task-specific apps or utilities for your iPhone or iPod touch (and soon iPad) isn't the hard part. The hard part is finding the best app for the job. That's why we're launching a new series here at Mashable, where we raid the App Store to find the best apps for a specific purpose. First on our docket: Remote Control apps!
The long-promised convergence of television and the Internet is finally coming. More and more consumer electronics devices come with features like WiFi and built-in support for Internet services. Tools like Boxee (even with the Apple TV) and Windows 7 Media Center make it easier than ever to connect your computer to your TV to enjoy online content.
Last summer, my personal project was creating the ultimate Mac mini HTPC, and in the end, it turned out great. However, one of the most frustrating (and potentially costly) factors of the whole project was finding a viable keyboard, mouse and remote setup. Controlling a computer from the couch is different than controlling it from a desk, and even though I found a lot of great software-based remote options (and a few hardware options too), it turned out that the best (and by far, most cost-effective) method for controlling my entire setup was right in my pocket.
There are literally dozens and dozens of iPhone and iPod touch apps that can control your PC (be it Mac, Windows or Linux), but after using and testing the big players in this field (and even the small ones), I've found five of my favorites. Check them out and be sure to leave your own suggestions in the comments.
*A Note: With one exception, all of these apps are multi-purpose, meaning they are designed to control more than one program. For that reason, some of the XBMC or Boxee-specific apps were left off my list.
1. HippoRemote Pro 2.0
Even before HippoRemote Pro 2.0 was released, this app had a permanent spot on my iPhone's home screen. The Pro version of the app is $4.99 and a less-feature rich basic version is available for $0.99 and a new Lite edition is available for free.
What makes this app so great is that it works with Mac, Windows and Linux, and acts not only as a viable trackpad/keyboard combo, but offers all kinds of app profiles (plus you can create your own) to control applications like Boxee, Windows Media Center 7, Hulu Desktop, your web browser, iTunes, and more. Plus, you can create macros, easily switch apps, wake up your device over LAN, and use international keyboards.
The new version of HippoRemote Pro also features an awesome Boxee plugin that adds the same kind of gesture control as the official Boxee iPhone app, as well as a built-in web browser (for checking the web, IMDB or Facebook) and Twitter client that lets you check your timeline, mentions and send tweets all from the remote application.
Check out this video the team made showing off the new HippoRemote 2.0:
At our house we use this on our Macs and Windows PCs and really, really love it.
2. Keymote
Keymote from Iced Cocoa is a Mac-only remote control that works by creating little application-specific keysets to control specific actions. Think of it like those macro-based IR remote controls (like the ones Sony used to sell before the Logitech Harmony series took over the market).
What sets Keymote apart is its built-in Keymote 'store' where you can download keysets from other users to use with your favorite apps. The interface is really nice and for users who really like to have key commands and shortcuts at their fingertips, Keymote is great.
3. Remote Jr.
Remote Jr. comes in two flavors, the full version for $7.99 or the lite version for $1.99. Remote Jr. Lite doesn't support Wake-on-LAN and doesn't have a keyboard or trackpad/airmouse, but will give you a taste of the app itself.
More than other remote control apps, Remote Jr. really is more of a fully-functional VNC (Virtual Network Computing) app. By this I mean you can view your computer's desktop, access specific elements or apps, and interact with them even when you aren't in front of your computer.
Most of the remote control apps just use WiFi to connect to your components or PC, which is great — but Remote Jr. can connect over GPRS/Edge or 3G, meaning you can access and control your Mac or PC even if you aren't at home. That's pretty powerful. There are other VNC apps out there (namely iTeleport: Jaadu VNC) that have more features, but they also cost a lot more ($24.99) and don't have the remote control and application switching interface built into them like Remote Jr.
A new version of Remote Jr. was just submitted to the App Store, and amongst other additions and improvements, it will bring audio streaming and Apple TV support. Apple TV support is a really great addition that I look forward to putting to use!
Check out this video to see Remote Jr. in action:
Remote Jr. is a great app for people that want a cross between a VNC app and a remote control, without having to buy both.
4. EyeTV
Elgato's EyeTV system is an absolutely fantastic way to turn your Mac into a DVR to record, edit and playback HDTV programming from over the air or cable.
The EyeTV iPhone app is a $4.99 companion that not only lets you control your EyeTV system, but lets you set up recording, view your schedule and programming guide, and play back recording from your computer on your iPhone. You can even stream live TV over a 3G connection, a la the SlingPlayer if you use the free EyeTV Live 3G web app (the EyeTV app will let you watch live TV and record over WiFi without a problem).
When you consider the price of a SlingPlayer and the corresponding mobile app, it makes the EyeTV that much more of a bargain.
5. Snatch
Snatch is a $3.99 remote control app that is extremely similar to both HippoRemote and Keymote. You can control your Mac or PC (and Snatch supports all the way back to Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger).
It has a multi-touch trackpad, a keyboard and a remote control editor. You can edit and design the layout of your remote control, adding buttons to specific functions. You can also create a 'dock' of sorts for the applications that you like to frequently access.
One feature I like about Snatch is that you can see what apps are running and easily switch between them.
Snatch has a ton of fans, and while I still defer to HippoRemote or Remote Jr., it is a worthy player in the remote control space. Before buying Snatch, you can download the free Snatch Trackpad Test app to make sure it will work with your configuration.
Your Picks
Did I leave out one of your favorite remotes? How do you control your Mac or Windows PC with your iPhone or iPod touch? What features are you looking for in a remote control app? Let us know!
[Image credit: Tanais Fox]
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You can use iPhone or iPod touch as a remote control to play a presentation on a Mac or on another iOS device. When you use iPhone as a remote control, you can also control a presentation from its companion Apple Watch.
You can use another iOS device as a remote control for a presentation playing on iPhone or iPod touch. You can also use Apple Watch as a remote control for a presentation playing on a companion iPhone. Playing a presentation on iPhone or iPod touch is especially useful when the device is connected to an external display.
Set up iPhone or iPod touch as a remote control for a presentation on a Mac
The Mac and the iPhone or iPod touch need to have Keynote installed and have Wi-Fi turned on.
- Open Keynote on the iPhone or iPod touch that you want to use as a remote.
- In the presentation manager, tap , then tap Continue.The device displays the Set Up Remote screen.
- Open Keynote on the Mac, then choose Keynote > Preferences (from the Keynote menu at the top of your screen).
- Click Remotes at the top of the Preferences window, then select Enable.
- Click Link next to the device you want to use as a remote.A four-digit code appears on the Mac and on the device.
- Verify that the four-digit codes match, click Confirm, then close Keynote preferences.
After the devices are linked, you can control the presentation from the remote device.
Set up iPhone or iPod touch as a remote control for a presentation on another iOS device
The remote control device and the presentation device need to have Keynote installed and have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi turned on.
- Open Keynote on the iPhone or iPod touch.
- In the presentation manager, tap , then tap Continue.The device displays the Set Up Remote screen.
- On the iOS device where the presentation will play, open your presentation.
- Tap , tap Allow Remote Control, then turn on Enable Remotes.
- Tap Link next to the device you want to use as a remote.A four-digit code appears on both devices.
- Verify that the four-digit codes match, then tap Confirm.
After the devices are linked, you can control the presentation from the remote device.
Use iPhone or iPod touch as a remote control
You must first set up iPhone or iPod touch to be a remote control, as described in the previous task.
- Play the presentation on a Mac, iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch.
- Do one of the following:
- Turn iPhone or iPod touch into a remote: Open Keynote on the iPhone or iPod touch that you set up as a remote, tap in the presentation manager, then tap Play.
- Turn iPhone or iPod touch into a remote for a Mac using Handoff: Swipe up on in the bottom-left corner of the Lock screen. Or, double-click the Home button to reveal the multitasking screen, then tap Keynote at the bottom of the screen.Note: Handoff must be set up on the Mac and on the iPhone or iPod touch and the presentation you want to control must be in iCloud Drive.
- To control the presentation, do any of the following:
- Advance to the next slide or build: Tap the slide, or swipe left across the slide.
- Return to the previous slide: Swipe right across the slide.
- Skip to a specific slide: Tap the slide number in the upper-left corner, then tap the slide you want to display.
- Stop playing the presentation: Tap .
- To change what you see on your remote device as you’re presenting, do any of the following:
- View the current slide, next slide, or presenter notes: Tap , then select a layout.
- Switch between a timer or current time display: Tap the time or timer at the top of the screen.
Set up another iOS device as a remote control for iPhone or iPod touch
The remote control device and the presentation device need to have Keynote installed and have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi turned on.
- Open Keynote on the iOS device that you want to use as a remote.
- In the presentation manager, tap , then tap Continue.The device displays the Set Up Remote screen.
- Open a presentation on iPhone or iPod touch, tap , tap Allow Remote Control, then turn on Enable Remotes.
- Tap Link next to the device you want to use as a remote.A four-digit code appears on both devices.
- Verify that the four-digit codes match, tap Confirm, then tap Done.
After the devices are linked, you can control the presentation from the remote.
Use another iOS device as a remote control for iPhone or iPod touch
The other iOS device must be set up as a remote control, as described in the previous task.
- Open your presentation on iPhone or iPod touch.
- Open Keynote on the iOS device that you set up as a remote, tap in the presentation manager, then tap Play.
- To control the presentation, do any of the following:
- Advance to the next slide or build: Tap the slide, or swipe left across the slide.
- Return to the previous slide: Swipe right across the slide.
- Skip to a specific slide: Tap the slide number in the upper-left corner, then tap the slide you want to display.
- Stop playing the presentation: Tap .
- To change what you see on your remote device as you’re presenting, do any of the following:
- View the current slide, next slide, or presenter notes: Tap , then select a layout.
- Switch between a timer or current time display: Tap the time or timer at the top of the screen.
Use Apple Watch as a remote control
Keynote must be installed on Apple Watch and the companion iPhone. To install Keynote on Apple Watch, update the companion iPhone to the latest version of Keynote. Then on Apple Watch, confirm the installation of Keynote.
If you are using iPhone as a remote, you must first set it up to be a remote control for the presentation device, as described above.
Important: For best results, set Apple Watch to wake and display Keynote when you raise your wrist during the presentation. On Apple Watch, go to Settings, tap General, tap Activate on Wrist Raise, and turn on Wrist Raise. Then tap Last Used App (swipe up to see it).
- Do one of the following:
- Play the presentation on iPhone: Open the presentation on iPhone.
- Play a presentation using iPhone as a remote: Open the presentation on the presentation device.
- On Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown, tap to open Keynote, then tap .
- To control the presentation, do any of the following:
- Advance to the next slide or build: Tap .
- Return to the previous slide: Press firmly on the watch display, then tap .The Apple Watch screen updates to display both the Forward and Back buttons. To return to the previous slide when both buttons appear, tap .If you stop and restart the presentation, or if Apple Watch goes to sleep and then wakes up, the Apple Watch screen redisplays only the Forward button. To return to the previous slide on the presentation device and to the two-button screen on Apple Watch, press firmly on the watch display, then tap .
- Stop playing the presentation: Press firmly on the watch display, then tap .
If you followed the directions in the introduction to this task, Keynote appears whenever you raise your wrist to control the presentation from Apple Watch.
To close Keynote on Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown.
Highlight on a slide from a remote control device
When you use Keynote Remote to control a presentation from iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, you can draw on your device to emphasize information on the slide. The drawing appears on the device that’s playing your presentation.
- Set up an iOS device as a remote.
- Play the presentation on a Mac or another iOS device.
- Tap on the device that you’re using as a remote.
- Do any of the following:
- Draw with a color: Tap a color, then draw with your finger on the slide.
- Use the laser pointer: Tap the laser pointer, then move your finger around the slide; the laser pointer follows your movements.
- Erase the last highlight: Tap . Continue tapping to undo all your drawing on the slide.
- Return to the previous slide or advance a slide: Tap the left or right arrow on the slide.
- Hide the drawing tools: Tap Done.
Change the presentation devices linked to a remote control device
- Open Keynote on the iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch you use as a remote.
- In the presentation manager, tap .
- Tap Devices, then do any of the following:
- Add another presentation device: Tap Add a Device, then follow the onscreen instructions.
- Switch to a different presentation device: Tap a different device name, then tap Done.
- Remove a presentation device: Swipe right across the name of the device, then tap Delete.
Unlink a remote control from an iOS presentation device
- Open Keynote on the device you use to show the presentation.
- Tap , tap Allow Remote Control, then tap Unlink next to the device you want to remove.
If you don’t want to use any remote, but you don’t want to unlink devices you already linked, you can turn off Enable Remotes. Turn on Enable Remotes when you want to use a device again.
Unlink a remote control from a Mac
- Open Keynote on your Mac.
- Choose Keynote > Preferences (from the Keynote menu at the top of your screen).
- Click Remotes at the top of the preferences window, then do one of the following:
- Permanently unlink a remote: Click Unlink next to a device.
- Temporarily unlink all linked remote: Deselect Enable so the device remains linked but isn’t functional as a remote. Reselect Enable when you want to use it again.
Keynote Remote uses Multipeer Connectivity, which allows newer iOS devices and Mac computers that have the latest version of Keynote to connect over Wi-Fi whenever they’re in close proximity, even when they aren’t on the same Wi-Fi network. If you have difficulty using Keynote Remote with older devices or Mac computers over Wi-Fi, try adding them to the same Wi-Fi network. See the Apple Support article Use Keynote Remote for more information.
Note: The old Keynote Remote app previously available from the App Store is no longer supported.
See also