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Real-time PC access on your PDA

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the well-isn't-that-nice dept.

Brooks P. writes "As seen in this story on The Register, Sproqit Technologies creates software that allows you to access your desktop apps in real time over the Internet. No more synchronization. This is accomplished with a Desktop Agent that runs on your (Windows for now) PC, and a 200k Companion running on the PDA. The Desktop Agent uses plug-ins to connect to the apps running on the PC, and the SDK used to develop plug-ins is free. Oh, and the whole thing uses 128-bit SSL for security and works over any connection method: 802.11, modem, cell phone, etc."

27 of 145 comments (clear)

  1. thin client? by ergonal · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So basically, a PDA that functions as a wireless thin client?

    1. Re:thin client? by Dylan+Zimmerman · · Score: 3, Informative

      Not quite. If this works anything like Adam Tow's Soybo (www.soybo.com) (which came out a month ago), then it enables apps to have different interfaces depending on what you are using. From a cell phone, it would display simple text. From a PDA, there might be some graphics, but the UI would be set up for pen-based computing.

      Mainly, this kind of virtual computing doesn't require you to use your desktop's UI on whatever client you happen to be using, and therefore, it lets you work more efficently assuming that the client UI is well designed.

      There is nothing new about this particular incarnation of this technology. As I said above, Adam Tow released it a while ago.

  2. Citrix/TS/X/SSH. What's new about this? by PSL · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And this is different from Citrix or Terminal Services or a remote X session or good ole SSH how?

    --

    "Times may change, but standards must remain the same." - George Carlin.
  3. Quick! Post another story! by Foxxz · · Score: 5, Funny

    Taco is all like "oh crap! they found out that the last story was bogus! quick post another and distract them!"

    seriously though, this sounds alot like vnc and the many other various remote desktop programs. In fact, i'm using vnc right now to post this...

    -foxxz

  4. That's great but.... by caffeinex36 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    1. RIM/Blackberry already does this (in a practical way...nothing fancy)

    2. How many people have internet access on thier PDA's. Lets work on this first as I would love to have an easy (small) device thats efficient for PDA/Mobile web use that isn't a million$$

    -Rob

  5. Hey, I *actually* got FP! by numbski · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Woohoo.

    Actually, got thinking about how cool a remote control Kazzaa client might be...

    Think of something you want to download away from home (Linux Distro?)

    Begin the download from your Palm-type device.

    Have the file waiting for you when you return, presuming of course you have a broadband connection at home.

    You'd be that much more of a geek, but then, what are you doing here if you *didn't* want that? :)

    --

    Karma: Chameleon (mostly due to the fact that you come and go).

  6. Already done by sulli · · Score: 3, Funny

    Back Orifice 2k (FAQ here.)

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
  7. I liked it before... by Gudlyf · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...when it was called VNC.

    --
    Trolls lurk everywhere. Mod them down.
    1. Re:I liked it before... by Surak · · Score: 3, Informative

      And it's been available for the PalmOS for sometime from here.

      --
      My journal has hot /. gossip.
  8. Totally superfluous! Sheesh! by alexburke · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is totally and completely unnecessary for PDAs running Pocket PC connecting to Windows 2000 Server/Advanced Server, Windows XP Professional, and Windows Server 2003 systems. Microsoft has a version of their Terminal Services Client for Pocket PC, and here is some Microsoft-funded cheerleading about how easy it is and how well it works.

    There's no need for any proprietary desktop server application to serve the data to you like the one mentioned in this Slashdot story. In fact, the Remote Desktop Protocol is superior in many ways to applications like VNC and this new geegaw because, as far as I know, it doesn't send everything as bitmaps -- it sends GDI commands and the like, so area fills and most window drawing is actually done at the client, saving incredible amounts of bandwidth in the process. It's actually decently usable over dialup, even though it obviously smokes over broadband. RDP 5.2 is the latest, complete with clipboard, audio, and drive letter redirection. (Yes, copy and paste files between machines and they're all sent encrypted over the same port connection.)

    I'm typing this message on my home desktop PC even though I'm at my girlfriend's house at the moment (with a 1Mbit DSL connection), some 5km from home (with a 3Mbit DSL connection), and everything is pretty snappy. It's not quite as quick as sitting at the console, but it isn't much different. I'm quite impressed by just how well it's integrated into the host OS and how well it works.

    Even better yet, you can connect to any PC using the RDP 5.2 client in the form of an ActiveX control from any web browser. I have such a beast on my own website, and it's come in really handy from time to time, such as when I'm trying to connect from my home PC from older Win95/98 machines that don't have the client software installed. Check it out here.

    Okay, so what about PalmOS, you say? As far as I know, no RDP client exists for PalmOS. But this is Slashdot, people. Write one!

    Okay, I'm done raving now. Thanks for listening.

    1. Re:Totally superfluous! Sheesh! by GigsVT · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I think citrix also works on a lower level than bitmaps, I know it's very fast even on a slowish link.

      --
      I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
    2. Re:Totally superfluous! Sheesh! by Rick+the+Red · · Score: 2, Informative
      I have a Pocket PC, and Windows Terminal Services Client for Pocket PC won't work on it. Wrong processor. Wrong OS. OK, so mine is a bit old, but I've learned the hard way that when Microsoft says "Windows" they mean "XP" (for now), and when they say "Pocket PC" they mean "Pocket PC 2002" (again, for now). As far as they're concerned, older versions of their products don't exist. All you Win2K users are history, and all you XP users will soon be history, too. Get used to it. Meanwhile, I'm buying all the XBox games that interest me while the XBox is current, because sure as the Pope's Polish your existing XBox games will play on XBox 2, but XBox 2 games won't play on an XBox.

      Example (while I'm on a rant): Mine came with Pocket Streets, a really cool app. But none of the freely downloadable maps will work with it. I needed to upgrade. OK, fine. So I bought Streets & Trips, not because I wanted it, but because Microsoft told me it was the only way to get the newer Pocket Streets that reads the new maps. After I bought it I learned (MS sure didn't tell me, either on their web site or on the box) that the new Pocket Streets only works with Pocket PC 2002.

      In short, Terminal Services Client will not work with the majority of PDAs in use today.

      --
      If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
  9. Clients already available by charnov · · Score: 5, Interesting

    There are Java, Linux, and Citrix/Terminal Server clients available for many hand held devices already (even the Nokia Communicator phone has Citrix available for it).

    The tail end of the article mentions 18-24 month timeline for "bundled" products and a lot about the desire to license the tech. Sounds like a VC hunt to me.

    Still, I hope they get it to work. The world needs competitors to Citrix/Term Server (could Citrix BE any more expensive???)

    --
    [RIAA] says its concern is artists. That's true, in just the sense that a cattle rancher is concerned about its cattle.
  10. There's VNC for the Palm, too by jdray · · Score: 5, Informative

    As referenced above, there's VNC clients (and servers) for a wide variety of platforms. Here's one for the Palm OS.

    --
    The Spoon
    Updated 6/28/2011
    1. Re:There's VNC for the Palm, too by drunk_as_in_beer · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Because X makes such efficient use of network resources, right?

      No, because remote X allows you to open up only the particular application you want to run. This could be advantageous on a PDA, where it may have a chance of fitting on the screen, whereas, with something like VNC you get the whole desktop which may be difficult to manage on a PDA, even if the desktop is only 640x480.

      --
      --Drunk as in Beer
  11. I'll never understand this by I'm+A+Librarian · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Seems to me that if you have a device with a large enough display that you can effectively use complex applications that it will be big enough that it ought to have plenty of disk, CPU, and memory (like a laptop). Otherwise, it's just a phone or a pager kind of deal and who the hell wants to poke little buttons and look at a postage stamp-sized display when they're authoring a document? The entire industry built around handlheld computers has left me bewildered.

  12. People, please by Hayzeus · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't think we've had nearly enough time to digest and discuss the far more significant time traveller story yet. I mean, how can we be bothered with such trivialities as PDA based app sharing after THAT?

    --

    Roving Web-Teleoperated Robot
  13. remote control by BenTheDewpendent · · Score: 2, Interesting

    id rather have an app that ran on my plam while its in the cradle with popular apps and other info so i can reach over tap IE, or my e-mail client on my palm screen and have it launch it on my system. or have it display the photoshop tools and tap to select them.

  14. Freeware remote access tools. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    There are already several remote access solutions for PDA users. Best of all they're freeware and cross platform.

    Using the VNC graphical protocol (servers for Linux, Solaris, Windows, Mac, Dec Alpha):

    Text remote access using SSH (which may be all you need if you want access to the command line and to, for example, send/read email with something like PINE):

    • Top Gun SSH for Palm OS.
    • SSH (port of BSD SSH) for the PocketPC (aka: Windows CE).

    You should know this before buying an expensive commercial solution that may not be what you really want. The only advantage the article's commercial solution is that I think VNC doesn't include encryption by default (although I bet it wouldn't be difficult to add).

  15. Re:Citrix/TS/X/SSH. What's new about this? by NanoGator · · Score: 4, Informative

    "And this is different from Citrix or Terminal Services or a remote X session or good ole SSH how? "

    You get an interface designed to use with your PDA, instead of trying to cram a 1280 by 1024 image on a 240 by 320 screen. RTFA.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  16. This is not VNC/Remote Desktop/Blah by barnaclebarnes · · Score: 4, Informative

    Did anyone who actually commented that this was 'just like VNC, et' actually look at the website?

    This is not a remote desktop solution in the traditional sense. Applications have to be Sproqit enabled and the conent is repurposed for the mobile device. It is not simply a view of your desktop PC.

    In saying this they are pretty wrong when it comes to a couple of things.

    1. Syncronisation: I can spend an hour a day underground (The Tube) with no network coverage and I bet it does not cahche all the data I might want to look at. You need syncronisation as our networks are a) not good enough and b) super expensive for consitently grabbing data from your PC. They would have been better to integrate their data transfer technology and perform a really good background sync (no sync company does this yet).

    2. The Enterprise: They will not take this on as it means every users PC has to be on to take advantage of this. They need a server based solution that runs on back office equipment that takes away the need for indivdual PC's to be always on.

    A couple of the concepts are nice but for your core PIM applications this is not the way to go. /b

    --
    [Please type your sig here.]
  17. mlDonkey by tsetem · · Score: 3, Informative

    Actually, if you set-up a Linux workstation/firewall running mlDonkey, you can use the web interface to search and initiate the download. Find your ISO's, MP3's, almost anything. It lets you connect to a variety of P2P protocols too.

    1. Re:mlDonkey by deadsaijinx* · · Score: 3, Informative

      I've always used eMule
      ( http://www.emule-project.net/ )
      but mlDonkey might be worth a shot. thanx for the link.

      --
      YOU SUCK BALLS!
  18. Pebbles Project from CMU by admiral2001 · · Score: 2, Informative
    This sounds very similar to the Pebbles Project from CMU. I know because I was one of the chief designers while at school. Granted, I haven't worked on it for awhile.

    The PebblesPC part of the package basically sets up a conduit between a PDA application and PC application. Because the projects goals are more research-oriented, there aren't many commercial applications (that I know of right now). But there definitely was some noise made about SlideShowCommander. SlideShowCommander allows the user to control and communicaate with PowerPoint from the PDA, which is useful while giving a presentation. It was pretty neat. You could navigate through the slides, draw on them, etc. It was picked up by Synergy Solutions and is sold through them. Google provides the link here, but it appears to be down.

    In any case, the Pebbles project is a free download. Or, you can buy the SlideShowCommander from Synergy, and give *me* some (small) amount of money. <<BIG GRINS>>

  19. Re:TermServies? by Dylan+Zimmerman · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This just transmits the data as opposed to entire screen shots. Therefore, it uses MUCH less bandwidth.

    It isn't a remote desktop in any way, shape, or form.

    The reason to use this is that it gives you an interface optomised for the device that you're using instead of a desktop interface.

  20. RTFA: NOT VNC. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Do it. This is not VNC. Not the same idea at all. Yes, VNC is good, this is not VNC... VNC sends each pixel over one way, and the input the other, this sends much less information.

    Each application has have a plugin for it. The plugin takes input from PDA, performs the operation on the PC, returns the DATA, where the PDA renders it in it's "native" view. No scrolling required. It makes it seem like a PDA application, but your PC is doing all the work.

    VNC is totally different, you would have to scroll around to get to everything, since apps you see on VNC are designed for a desktop, not for a PDA... where the resolution is much lower. Not to mention, since it has to send all the data on the screen... it will be a lot slower.

    The article mentions email. Maybe your email app on your PDA isn't as robust as the one on your PC... you have all your filters set up on your PC email app. Well, if there's a plug in for Outlook Express (which I know everyone here uses), you could just have it send "GET ME EMAILS IN INBOX"... it then returns all the emails, but it renders it to make it look like a PDA app.

  21. Wow, and this is news how? by Mac+Degger · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I've done this quite a while back, about a month after the IIIc came out. Used a VNC proggy from Palmgear over my Nokia 7110's IrDA port to phone home.

    The only problem now is that I have broadband, so I can't dial into my PC :) So maybe the article is news :)

    --
    -- Waht? Tehr's a preveiw buottn?