It's been a long time coming, but we think the future might finally be now. Let's all be upstanding, folks, for Gmote, an app that lets you control the mouse, keyboard and files on your PC using your Android mobile phone. No, put the pitchforks down, it's true!
Gmote may be from another time and dimension, but it's available as a free download from the Android Market right now (alternatives are available for the iPhone via iTunes). Once you've installed the app on your handset, run the accompanying server software on your PC and attached both your PC and phone to the same Wi-Fi network, a world of futuristic possibilities awaits.
Some of us at Crave Towers are already using Gmote to enrich our Media Center experiences. We've ditched our slow, clunky Media Center remotes, as we've discovered the slick touchscreen on an HTC Hero or T-Mobile G1 works in the same intuitive way as a laptop trackpad. You can even use their virtual or physical keypads to enter a Web URL and have the pages appear on your computer.
Those who aren't feelin' the mouse-control element should appreciate the file-access side of things. You can use your phone to browse files and folders stored on your your computer and launch them remotely. This works in reverse, too -- it's possible to stream MP3, MP4 and JPEG files from your PC to your phone either via Wi-Fi or over 3G, anywhere in the world you can find a mobile signal.
So what are you waiting for? Get out of your cave, shave your back and quit living in the dark ages. Hook your laptop or mini PC up to your TV and stereo system, invite some friends round and blow their tiny, archaic little minds!