There are plenty of remote desktop apps that enable us to access files on our home computers while on the run, but a free mobile solution coming from Google can only be appreciated.
TeamViewer represented one of the best solutions for remote assistance until Google launched its Chrome Remote Desktop. The personal version of TeamViewer is available for free, not to mention that there also is a mobile app for whoever wants to transfer files or offer remote assistance. So, in this context, why would anyone want to use Google’s product? Well, Chrome Remote Desktop is easier to use than its counterparts, and on top of that, it’s free for private and corporate use.
Husain Bengali, Remotely Controlled Product Manager, explained in a blog post how Chrome Remote Desktop for Android could simplify our lives:
“Have you ever been out and about, and urgently needed to access a file that’s sitting on your home computer? Since 2011, Chrome Remote Desktop has let you remotely access your machine from another laptop or computer in a free, easy and secure way. And now, with the release of the Chrome Remote Desktop app for Android, we’re making it possible for you to do the same thing from your Android device.”
Bengali also provided details on how to run this setup: “If you haven’t used Chrome Remote Desktop in the past, you can get started by enabling your Windows or Mac machine for remote access through the Chrome Web Store app. Next, simply launch the Android app on your phone or tablet, tap on the computer’s name and start using your remote machine as if you were sitting right in front of it.”
Support for Linux users is coming soon, so from this point of view, there’s no difference between the desktop and the mobile apps. Access is gained using the same old method, namely a PIN of at least four numbers. As always, you have to be careful not to write the code down and misplace it, but that somehow goes without saying. After all, someone gaining access to your computer in this manner could provoke a great deal of damage.
At the time being, only an Android version is available, but Bengali reassured the world that an iOS version is on its way.
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