Remote Desktop (including Control) for iPhone?

[forceten]

I bought an iPhone on Friday but have yet to open it. It doesn't do a few of the things I use on my Treo 700P:

- Remote Desktop (which is unusable on the small treo screen)
- Telnet/SSH
- Sling Player
- Real Estate eKey (infrared)

The first two are useful because I manage a few UNIX and one Win server on the 'net. The primary method for maintaining them is my KVM over IP, but its a Java Applet-based web program. iPhone Safari for some reason doesn't support Java. Go figure.

The third is useful when you're stuck somewhere and need entertainment (for example, you're at a stupid christening and you want to watch the Devils on TV!)

The fourth is a great feature but I can live without it as I have a separate Supra eKey device.

The first three could be solved, actually, through a remote desktop solution.. but iPhone doesn't support ActiveX (MS' Web RDC) or Java Applet (KVM over IP, other Applet based VNC/RDP implementations). A guy created a RD Viewer in Java that runs on a box and runs a web server providing 100% web/ajax RD, but its a viewer only.. and there is no indication that a control one would work, since there'd be no way to tell the iPhone to present the keyboard for typing, or to click/doubleclick.

Any ideas?

Otherwise this phone that I really want to use might have to go back.

 

[easoto]

Maybe when JAVA is enabled

Hi,

I am in the same situation you are. I have been using a Treo700P for Remote Desktop (in emergencies). Anyhow, JAVA has NOT been enabled in iPhone so any hope of a "thin client" RDP is lost for now. There are many hackers out there tinkering around to see how they can "compile" real applications for iPhone but we are some time away from that. Given that apple has not release plans for an iPhone SDK, the outlook is bleak on that side as well.

Anyhow, before RDP or any other serious 3rd party apps exist for iPhone, one of the following must happen:

1. Apple must enable JAVA to run on iPhone. This opens the door for applets that could run via web pages (at least) - maybe even a way for one to "load" java apps via iTunes into the iPhone. Interestingly, there is at least one article (click here for it) that presents an interesting tidbit about this "possible" support - hardware wise, the iPhone is ready. Come on Apple!! Open iPhone up to Java.

2. Apple must release an SDK for application development for the iPhone. This is the only way that applications could be written to take full advantage of the phone, it's data, etc. For instance, for the PALM, there are tens of phone book managers - all with access to the phone book records. Definitely iPhone Safari apps, although cool, will never have access to "local" iPhone data (nor should they - to keep in line with the browser security concepts). An SDK has to be in the works. Clearly, they developed the iPhone apps somehow... there may be a solid SDK already... but they need to release something! I read a blog (can't remember where now) that speculated that Apple had not released an SDK because it allowed them more time to tweak it and document it whilst still making a JUNE date for release of the phone. Let's hope this is true!

Overall, this is a "wait and see" game - I've committed to switching, so I can't go back, but without an SDK and/or support for JAVA, I am afraid we are stuck with real pretty "web 2.0 safari" apps that don't really "get at" the power of the phone.

Right now, I HATE the fact that I cannot install a better ALERT manager. I need, for instance, SMS messages to be LOUD and the phone to keep beeping for a long time when SMS arrive (to ensure I see them). No such app exists (nor could be created) right now.

Eric.

 

[hamedatl]

The first two are useful because I manage a few UNIX and one Win server on the 'net. The primary method for maintaining them is my KVM over IP, but its a Java Applet-based web program. iPhone Safari for some reason doesn't support Java. Go figure.

See, I do a lot of AJAX websites and I can see the power and the reasoning why Apple wants developers to go this route. But your examples are great ones that just simply won't work unless it is a native app. I do hope that the iPhone supports Java before they support stupid/useless Flash, but I really doubt it..

The third is useful when you're stuck somewhere and need entertainment (for example, you're at a stupid christening and you want to watch the Devils on TV!)

I'm not even sure if you want this on your iPhone unless you are on WiFi instead of EDGE. I know now that one reason why Apple did not enable streaming for Quicktime is because it disables incoming calls while you're using EDGE. I guess the same would be true for an app that is connecting to your SlingPlayer.

 

[benny105]

Java

i no this is a bit off topic, but i have an LG and i downloaded some java apps, and you can delete them in the games and apps folder, but you cant delete them out of my bluetooth files, it just says "launch" or "Cancel"

does anyone no how i can delete these ?
thanks
ben

 

[markgamber]

...
- Remote Desktop (which is unusable on the small treo screen)
- Telnet/SSH
- Sling Player
- Real Estate eKey (infrared)
...

1. There is Mocha VNC. There's a free version you can try and a $6 version that includes an extra keyboard, if nothing else. I have VNC on my Windows boxes and it works just fine. Even scales like Safari. Against the Macbook it doesn't seem to update as nicely but that's probably the implementation of the server on the Mac, not the client. At any rate, it's not RDP, but it's as good as it gets right now and the app runs well.

2. I haven't actually done it but my understanding is that a jailbroken phone includes SSH. Don't know about Telnet, per se, but there is a 5250 terminal available from the App Store now.

3. Patience is a virtue. I *REALLY* miss Slingplayer from my Sprint Touch but I knew there would be no Slingplayer going into this. Sling is working on one, from what I hear it's close to done, but getting it approved and so on will probably hold things up as Apple and AT&T figure out how to best exploit it. Patience, it'll get there. Or Orb will. Whatever.

4. You're on your own there.

 

[cualexander]

i no this is a bit off topic, but i have an LG and i downloaded some java apps, and you can delete them in the games and apps folder, but you cant delete them out of my bluetooth files, it just says "launch" or "Cancel"

does anyone no how i can delete these ?
thanks
ben

Hahahaha..... A bit off topic?? You are asking about a LG phone in an iphone forum! Your question doesn't even relate to the original topic, you don't have an iphone and this thread is a over a YEAR old!!