How can I use my computer keyboard to type into my android phone?
January 19, 2011 8:52 PM   Subscribe

How can I use my computer keyboard to type into my android phone?

I have a HTC Magic with Cyanogen Mod 6. When I'm at work or at home, I'd like to be able to compose texts or emails on my phoe, but its a pain to type long emails on it using the on screen keyboard.

I'd like to be able to plug it in via the USB cable and remote control the phone using my mouse and keyboard. I can't use VNC as at work I can only use the USB cable, not connect to a network ... unless theres a way of getting a pseudo ip address over the USB cable?

I can use a bluetooth dongle if needs be if thats an option?

Thanks!
posted by Admira to Technology (7 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
There might be some other options, but GTalkSMS allows you to use an IM client to copy anything to your clipboard on the phone... among other things.
posted by disillusioned at 9:31 PM on January 19, 2011


Are you using a wired connection for your work and home network connections? If so, if you have wireless on those systems you can setup an ad-hoc network between your phone and computer.
posted by zephyr_words at 9:36 PM on January 19, 2011


Response by poster: At work, on wired and no ability to create ad hoc wireless networks. In fact the wireless nic and the wired cannot be enabled at the same time.
posted by Admira at 9:38 PM on January 19, 2011


Sorry this isn't an answer to your question, but if you aren't already using it Swype reopened its beta. I seriously find myself looking for an excuse to type on my phone now. It's obnoxiously fast. This might be a temporary solution.
posted by therewolf at 9:39 PM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]


Best answer: So I found two things.

1. Works through a middle man over the internet.

2. Droid VNC Server which says it will work over USB.
posted by zephyr_words at 10:07 PM on January 19, 2011


One option is buying a bluetooth keyboard, Android should be able to pair with those quite happily.

Another option, although I don't know how well this would work in practice, is to set up chrome to phone (there is also a firefox plugin). Then you can select text in chrome/firefox, then right click and hit "send to phone" and it will show up in your android clipboard ready to be pasted into an email/sms.
posted by markr at 10:20 PM on January 19, 2011


Response by poster: WebKey appears to do the job, just tested it out, thanks! I had tried Droid VNC Server, but to get it going over USB requires ADB plus other bits and pieces which I couldn't get going.
posted by Admira at 1:35 AM on January 20, 2011


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