Remote desktop clients are great for those one-in-a-million scenarios when your computer is working well enough to connect to the internet and run a remote desktop app, but still requires technical assistance. In contrast, IOGEAR gives IT types full control from boot with the spendy-but-useful PCPortal GCN1000. The internet-connected KVM switch is completely hardware-based, meaning the computer you're controlling needs no working operating system to be taken control of, and IT people have about as much control over the remote PC as they would if sitting directly in front of it. You can also plug the GCN1000 into regular KVM switches to manage multiple computers remotely, as well as use the Virtual Media port to give remote users data straight from whatever's plugged into the USB port. Unfortunately, all this hotness comes at a cost: the GCN1000 is available now for $500.

[Via Blast]

Just when you think you've seen the iPhone perform its last magic trick (making you eggs benedict, solving the inverse Galois problem, a brief appearance on Dancing With the Stars) something like this comes along to make your jaw drop just a little bit more. Touchpad for the iPhone is built on top of VNsea, but instead of allowing you to navigate your desktop on the device, it becomes what is essentially a wireless, remote trackpad, which gives you direct access to your system as if you were using a mouse or touch device for input. It sounds interesting in description, but looks amazing in execution -- check the video after the break to see what it does, then go get the app loaded up and try it yourself.

Granted, Telekinesis is fine and all if you're dealing with a Mac at home, but for those trying to get a little remote access to their PCs through the iPhone, this solution ought to do the trick. Natetrue -- who was apparently frustrated by the mobile's inability to talk to his Wintel remotely from day one -- has taken the TightVNC client and apparently modified the application to play fairly nicely with Apple's handset. More specifically, you can use the iPhone's zooming and panning capabilities to move around your desktop, and all the clicking, typing, and drag 'n drop actions you'd expect from such a program are all being reported as fully functional. Best of all, all the code and insight you need are available gratis, so be sure and hit the read link to get your download on. Oh, and do share how things work out, wouldya?

[Via The Boy Genius Report]