Logitech app turns your iPhone into wireless trackpad or keyboard
By Darren Murph 
posted February 1st 2010 1:36PM
posted February 1st 2010 1:36PM
It ain't the first company to do it, but Logitech's new iPhone app is certainly one of the easiest to get into. Oh, and did we mention that it's completely free to download? Available now in the App Store, Touch Mouse transforms your handset into a wireless trackpad or keyboard, and thanks to its reliance on vanilla WiFi signals, you won't need any proprietary equipment to get it up and running. It's fully compatible with both Mac and PC platforms, and it's obviously a pretty fantastic way to control your HTPC without dragging a full-fledged keyboard / mouse into the living room. Hit the source link for more details, and be sure to let us know how it goes in comments once you give it a roll. [Thanks, Wulf]
Swwet!
@Emitor
sweet* -.-
But it's nothing until you can start editing photo's in Photoshop or Pixelmator on the iPad while working with your mac.
@Emitor
Now if it only worked with my PS3.. sigh!
@sharms thats what I jus thunk
thunk
I am partial to TouchPad, which is the most beautifully implemented app for that purpose. Check it out, it does more stuff than Logitech's, yet manage to be as simple and in fact more beautiful. Not free but I lie to help small, high quality developers.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/touchpad/id297623931?mt=8
@sharms
TBH.. you better off getting a diNovo keyboard for the PS3... in the long run its cheeper than an iPhone... and it works RIGHT NOW.
but i agree it would be nice to see this work on the PS3...
works great for me. i just wish they had somewhere in the app to have a media center remote so i could control that stuff stuff works freaking great
For Android users, try http://www.gmote.org . Acts as a mouse/keyboard (both virtual and hardware keyboards supported). It also can act as a media remote, PowerPoint presenter, and it will even stream music and movies from a computer. It is quite the app!
@ridestp nice. i gotta try and find something like this for my BlackBerry. if there is such a thing
@ridestp
I was just about to post this, why does an iPhone app get coverage like this when an application available from almost day 1 on Android get's nothing?
@ridestp You forgot to mention that it is free too!
@Lubing The Tube : Because the Apple iPhone has a much stronger branding than Android which is brand-diluted across multiple vendors.
@Lubing The Tube And was originally developed for WindowsMobile... Remember I used some early builds. Sounds cool as a concept, but not really that useful in real life. A remote is not a mouse and vice versa.
@ridestp thanks for the tip - great little app :)
@ridestp
Couldn't agree more, not only is Gmote a top notch touchpad and keyboard, it even lets you browse your media from your phone, amazingly polished for a free app.
@ridestp Thanks - gotta try it on my droid.
@ridestp
WinMo has had GRemote for ages now, I use it with my HTPC. But it also acts as a wifi remote, mouse and loads of other things.
iGadget never bother to make it a news article either.
@Lubing The Tube
Theres been apps to do this on the iphone since before android even existed.. nice try tho.. the reason its getting coverage is cause its logitech.. nothing to do with the iphone, the fact that this comment is highest ranked shows how many people have no idea what their talking about
@Lubing The Tube
Logitech comes up with an app. It's a Logitech news.
And stop complaining about Apple coverage already. For every Apple news, there are 10X more repetitive whining about Apple news. Tell me which is more annoying. It's very easy to skip news posts, but it's very tedious to skip pass whining comments as there's no subject title to warn the readers.
@ridestp My GOD you people are the fucking WORST. The FIRST line of the article says that THIS ISN'T THE FIRST APP ON THE IPHONE TO DO THIS!!!! This article isn't here because an app has been created that lets you use your iPhone as a keyboard/mouse, it's here because #1 Logitech, a huge company, has created it and #2 unlike EVERY other product they've created, it's free. Now try and get your face through that screen in front of you (take pictures).
nice Logitech
@ango I miss multitouch
Awesome! definitively gonna download this!
WOW so theres finally an app that lets you do something with the iphone other than fart? that 100,001 app finally paid off.
@thetoad
seriously, apple hating is old-school...
@thetoad
The T-Pain App was the worst I've seen.
-.-
@Emitor
Agreed.
Though his parody with lonley island was freeking awesome (youtube for "on a boat")
@Emitor
Oh come on, it's just meant for fun :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btN5yuVcRes
Nice! I'm surprised Logitech released this considering they have their own mini keyboard with touchpad aimed at the HTPC market.
@Eminemdrdre00 Because there are already similar apps available, so instead of buying their dedicated touch remote, many iphone users will opt for the app. Also note this app only works with HTPC due to the lack of CIR emitter, so it's not likely to hurt Harmony sales at all.
Old news... RemotePad has been out for a long time in the app store.
I've used it for about a year now...
@Setheck
Yeah I've tried it's not that good though :/
Air Mouse is a fantastic, seasoned app that does the same thing. I can't imagine controlling my HTPC without it. Note that a Logitech diNovo Mini keyboard/trackpad sits on my side table, unused. Air Mouse is an order of magnitude better.
@ablock
air mouse is amazing, ill give this a try, but logitech will be hard pressed to replace it
@ablock AirMouse is pretty good, too: it relies on WiFi and requires a 'server' be installed on the computer. Is this the same? If so, as an AirMouse owner, I'm not sure of the benefit to switching... but if it will work via BlueTooth without running a server (where the iPod Touch would be detected as a Bluetooth mouse) then it's got an advantage over AirMouse.
@ablock posting via airmouse its an awesome app
@ablock Fancy selling you Logitech diNovo Mini then?
@lorax1284: As the iPhone doesn't support the BT HID profile as either client or server I don't see how the Logitech app could work without some sort of app running on the computer.
@graemac: sure, buymydinovomini@gmail.com
@ablock
+1, Air mouse is definitely worth your money, it is by far the best application for controlling your computer using your iphone/touch.
WOW! welcome to last year. Android has had this in the form of Gmote for quite awhile, but with file browsing and multimedia control as well as remote media streaming to the phone.
@WUSS
It's "welcome to last year" on the iPhone as well. Even so, it's cool that Logitech has a free app out for those that haven't tried something like this.
@WUSS
Congrats - i've been doing the same thing on my iPhone for over 2 years now!
F***!! I just bought Air Mouse for $2
Oh well, maybe this one will work better in Windows :)
@Bratan
Air Mouse is great! Your $2 has been well spent on a polished, mature, and frequently updated app.
@ebgolfin Air Mouse blows. I struggled to find a situation where It was actually useful. I abandoned that quest and removed airmouse from my phone and the bloatware it used with from my PC. I suggest you do the same.
@ebgolfin
Air mouse is a very good app, but it just doesn't work right in Windows 7 :( You can't login or unlock system, can't do 3 finger salute, it stops responding when certain system programs open, and what's the most annoying freaking Windows button doesn't work! :)
Windows mobile have had an app for this for at least 1.5 years...
@Skinksallad
Window's has an app store? HA! Windows and Android's app stores can't sniff Apple's ass! I'm still confused why dumbasses comment on stories that are not even related to their mobile device!?! I mean, I don't waste my time reading about Android and WinMo 7. I guess it's their inferiority complexes!
@StickyD
You wasted your time reading a comment not related to your mobile device...you confuse me.
Also, what does "Windows and Android's app stores can't sniff Apple's ass!" even mean?