The Intel Compute Stick is a remarkably small computer that can turn just about any display into a full-fledged computer. Just connect it to the HDMI port, plug in a power cable, and you can run Windows or Ubuntu on your TV.

But the Compute Stick is tiny… and there’s not a lot of room on tiny computers for things like USB ports. So the Compute Stick has just one full-sized USB port. You could use that for a mouse or keyboard. Or you could use a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to keep the USB port free for a flash drive or other accessories.

Now Intel has another way to keep that USB port free: you can use Intel’s Remote Keyboard app to turn your Android phone or tablet as a wireless keyboard for your Compute Stick.

intel remote keyboard

In fact, the Remote Keyboard app should work with any computer running Windows 8.1. But the free app really comes in handy on small systems like the Intel Compute Stick or Intel NUC mini-computers.

That’s especially true if you’re using your tiny PC as a media center, since it means you won’t need to run cables across your living room to control the computer.

Of course, a USB or wireless mouse or keyboard would also do the trick. But if you’ve already got an Android phone or tablet, it’s nice to know that you don’t need to buy any new hardware.

To use the Intel Remote Keyboard, just download and install the free Android app on your mobile device and install the Keyboard Host app on your Windows computer.

When you first run the app, you’ll be asked to authenticate your device by scanning a QR code with the camera on your Android device. Then you can use the QWERTY keyboard with arrow keys, a Windows button, and an Esc key, among other things, to control your PC from your phone or tablet.

You can also use the area above the keyboard as a touchpad with support for mouse gestures. A single-finger tap counts as a mouse click. You can tap with two fingers for a right-click. And you can scroll by swiping your finger up or down.

Note that the Intel Remote Keyboard app is only designed to work with Windows. While the company has an Intel Compute Stick with Ubuntu Linux, this app isn’t designed to work with that model.

via Android Police

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9 replies on “Use an Android phone as a Compute Stick keyboard with Intel’s Remote Keyboard app”

  1. an absolutely horrible keyboard layout – a totally dysfunctional quirk. another industry fail

  2. I’m gonna try this out on my HTPC. I’ve tried using a few other apps like this, but unfortunately things like the ESC, or Function keys never work.

    1. No, as the article states “app is only designed to work with Windows” There is no keyboard host app for Linux. There are too many variants in Linux and too few users to make it worthwhile.

    2. For Linux you want to use KDE Connect if you use KDE desktop or QRemoteControl for any other. Both are Open Source and qremote works with Linux, Apple, Windows as well as many mobile OS’s.

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