14 DAY TRIAL // Air Mouse instantly transforms your iPhone or iPod touch into a wireless mouse for your computer. The newly-updated app should make a great companion for Apple's fresh Mac mini, which can serve as the perfect living room media center. The solution allows you to sit back and surf the web, browse your photo library or control iTunes, or stream videos right from the comfort of your own couch. There's a catch, though. You also need an iPhone, or iPod touch.
Air Mouse uses the iPhone's built-in accelerometer to translate your hand motions into mouse movements on your screen. It can also operate as a touchpad, allowing you to control your computer through the iPhone's touchscreen. If you have never used an in air mouse before, the first thing to keep in mind is that it can take time to get used to the movement and get good at controlling your mouse, says RPA Technology, the developer of Air Mouse.
If you have used an in air mouse before, you will notice that the Air Mouse app works a little different from what you might be accustomed to. The iPhone's accelerometer can only track the pitch and roll of the device. Because of that, moving the iPhone from side to side will do very little in terms of moving the mouse horizontally. Instead, you must tilt the phone over the horizontal axis to move the mouse left and right.
Air Mouse is a two-piece solution. Interested parties must download Air Mouse Server OS X or Windows for their computer, and the Air Mouse iPhone app from the iTunes App Store. While the desktop part is free of charge, the iPhone app costs $5.99. The latest version available (1.5.2) improves Wi-Fi network stability and adds repeat key to arrow keys.
Download Air Mouse Server OS X (Free)
Download Air Mouse iPhone App via iTunes App Store ($5.99)
Instructions on how to set up an ad hoc network can be found here. By setting up an ad hoc network, you will be able to connect Air Mouse to your computer directly – without the need for a Wi-Fi router. According to the makers of the app, “this is the next best thing to using Bluetooth.”