14 DAY TRIAL // A new function may be added to your cell phone. With a piece of software from Toshiba, you can use your cell phone as a remote controller to access your PC.
The software provides access to Windows computers and includes functionality for the Microsoft Office suite, e-mail, browse, and other PC applications via mobile phones, Toshiba said. A PC desktop will be displayed on the handset, allowing users to access the Internet and e-mail.
What about the security of the connection between this devices ? No need to worry because Ubiquitous Viewer uses advanced data compression technology for transfer of information between PC and phone and employs secure socket layer (SSL) encryption and one-time password
The concept is not very new and there are already similar solutions as Netopia's Timbuktu, but they are reserved especially for enterprise clients because issues of cost and access fees from service providers are still constraints. Toshiba is targeting the same clients and Ubiquitous Viewer will debut on mobile phones with Japanese carrier KDDI's mobile service by the end of March.
The software will work with code division multiple access (CDMA1x) mobile phones that will reportedly include buttons configured for conversion to a QWERTY keyboard, providing cursor, shortcuts and other functionality from the phone. Even the mobile device analysts indicated that the technical capabilities of mobile phones and increased bandwidth of mobile services is maturing to a point that such applications are possible, they are not very enthusiastic about this kind of solutions because the Toshiba software and similar solutions center on user experience, which is still better on desktop and notebook PCs, devices that are also becoming increasingly mobile.
Toshiba did not indicate the price of the software, which will be installed on both PCs and mobile phones to allow remote access.