Touchpad Pro

Touchpad Pro > Overview

2008-04-30T08:35:00.008-04:00

New in v4.0: View your computer screen with Touchpad Pro!

Touchpad Pro lets you wirelessly control your PC or Mac through your iPhone or iPod Touch. You can use it to advance slides in a presentation, control your media center, check e-mail -- whatever a regular touchpad and keyboard can do. It's got various features that you really have to see to believe. With ScreenView, you can now see what's happening on your screen and control your computer even if you're miles away. Watch the video to learn more!

[YouTube link]

Touchpad Pro with ScreenView is currently the only native VNC client for the iPhone / iPod Touch that supports large resolution displays. If you need to be able to access your computer from anywhere in the world using just your phone / mp3 player -- Touchpad Pro is all you need.

Touchpad Media Server > Web Access

2008-04-27T19:18:00.009-04:00

Most of the media functionality of Touchpad Media Server can be accessed using any modern web browser, such as Safari on the iPhone / iPod Touch. Additionally, you can also use the web browser to:

Control and present PowerPoint slides from your computer
Control your media center
Scroll through web pages or documents

Here's a video of Touchpad Media Server accessed through Safari on iPhone:

[YouTube link]

New: Here's a video of Touchpad Media Server accessed through Windows Mobile:

[YouTube link]

Want to learn how to do this? Read on.

Here's a screenshot of Touchpad Media Server on Safari:

You can also scroll to the right to reveal another set of buttons:

Use these buttons to control PowerPoint, your media center, and much more.

To set this up, follow the setup instructions for Touchpad Media Server. Then point your web browser to the URL shown on the Touchpad Media Server application.

Touchpad Media Server > Features

2008-04-27T18:37:00.006-04:00

Touchpad Media Server lets you control any media player on Windows using Touchpad Pro.
Watch the video!

[YouTube link]

Supported media players include:

iTunes
Winamp
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Center Edition
Vista Media Center
Media Player Classic
Any media player that accepts media keys (almost all media players!)

Here's a screenshot -- notice how new buttons are revealed on the remote when you connect to Touchpad Media Server:

Using Touchpad Media Server, you can do the following with any media player:

Play / Pause / Stop the current song
Move to the next or previous track
Change the volume

You can also use a mobile web browser, such as Safari on the iPhone or iPod Touch, or Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile devices, to access all the above features and more! Read on about Touchpad Media Server's web access features.

If you control iTunes or Winamp, in addition you'll be able to:

Forward / Rewind
Current track information
Drag the track position slider to seek within the track
Drag the volume slider to set volume instantly

These features are not available using the web interface at this time.

Touchpad Pro > Features

2008-04-27T08:49:00.006-04:00

Supports iPhone & iPod Touch
Connects with Windows, Mac, and anything running a VNC server
Control your computer's mouse and keyboard wirelessly using your iPhone / iPod Touch
View your computer's screen on your iPhone / iPod Touch using ScreenView
Natural Touchpad interface for mouse controls
Supports multi-display, high resolution desktops
Remote Control provides access to numeric keypad, arrow keys, and function keys
Fine-grained control of media player using Touchpad Media Server

Touchpad Pro > ScreenView > Details

2008-04-25T22:16:00.005-04:00

Here are two videos showing ScreenView in action. The first shows ScreenView's support for large monitors. Note how smooth the visuals on the iPhone are.

[YouTube link]

The second video shows how you could use ScreenView to connect to a desktop and attach a file from the hard drive and send it to your iPhone via email. This was done using a WiFi connection, but it is even possible to do this using Edge (with some advanced set up procedure).

[YouTube link]

Touchpad Pro > Setup > Advanced

2008-04-25T21:57:00.007-04:00

Connecting to your laptop without a wireless access point

You might want to control PowerPoint for a presentation, and you may not have access to a wireless network. Don't worry -- you can configure Touchpad Pro and Mac / Windows laptops to work without needing an access point. You have to set up what's known as a peer-to-peer wireless network.

~~If you're interested, post a comment.~~ I'll put up a step-by-step guide for this over the next few days -- please keep checking back.

Connecting to your home computer when you're not at home

This is actually a somewhat lengthy process. Most home computers have an IP address that is local to the wireless network, and cannot automatically be accessed through the Internet. Remember, in some ways this is a good thing, because by opening up your computer to the outside world, you're making it a little less secure -- so please make sure your VNC password isn't easy to guess.

To do this, you'll need to first set up an account at a site like No-IP.com. You'll also need to download their dynamic update client (DUC) software. You'll also have to configure your router to forward incoming connections to your computer. Here are some excellent instructions on how to do this.

I realize that these instructions may not be very helpful -- and will try to make a guide for this over the next few days -- please keep checking back.

Touchpad Media Server > FAQ

2008-04-25T13:31:00.007-04:00

No questions yet.

If you have a question not covered on the site, post it here as a comment. If enough people ask it, it'll end up in the post above (FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions).

Touchpad Media Server > Try & Buy

2008-04-25T13:16:00.019-04:00

Windows users can download the trial version and then follow these setup instructions. The trial has a one-minute time limit, and is identical to the full version in every other way.

Once you are sure that Touchpad Media Server works on your computer, and if you want to remove the one minute limit on server connections, you can buy the full version here. Please make sure that you've tried the trial version, and have successfully connected to the server before buying. Please note that there is absolutely no difference between the trial and the full version beyond the one minute server-stopping limit.

Once you've made the purchase, you'll be emailed a download link -- check your spam folder if you don't get it within a few minutes.

If you've bought a version (e.g. 1.0) and there's a minor version update (e.g. 1.0 to 1.5), you should receive a new download link. If you do not, please email support [at] touchpadpro.com, including your e-junkie.com transaction ID and you'll get a download link to the new version.

Mac support is currently under development.

Touchpad Media Server > Setup

2008-04-25T13:05:00.021-04:00

Download the trial edition of Touchpad Media Server and run it.
- If your computer doesn't recognize .msi files, follow these steps.
- If you get a message saying that you need to install the .NET framework, download and install this first, and then go back to step 1.
Once you've got everything installed, go to the Start Menu, then click on Programs > Touchpad Pro > Touchpad Media Server Trial. You should now see this (although you'll currently be running the trial version):
There's one final option you'll need to set -- choose the player your want to control: iTunes, Winamp, Generic and Windows Media Player.
- iTunes or Winamp: These will give you the best user experience for the time being. These players support all the 9 buttons on the media remote, as well as graphical updates of the currently playing song, and you can even drag the knob to skip around in a song. Even if the player isn't currently open, it will automatically be launched -- and even if it isn't the currently highlighted window, it will still respond to the media remote.
- Generic: Use this setting to control ANY media player (such as Media Center, Windows Media Player, etc.). This will make the media remote buttons act like the media buttons on your regular keyboard / laptop. Play/pause, next track, previous track, stop, and the volume buttons will all control whatever media player is currently in focus. Fast forward and rewind will trigger the left and right arrow keys, while the rest of the buttons act as regular media buttons. There is no visual feedback on your device's screen, which makes the media remote act purely as an input device (unless you activate ScreenView). Depending on your media player, the volume buttons will either control the global volume on your computer or the volume of the media player.
- Windows Media Player: With this option selected, your media remote will control Windows Media Player -- if it hasn't currently started, it will be automatically launched, and if it's not the currently focused window, it will still respond to the media remote. However, I haven't gotten it working to the point where you can seek around in a song, or even get the current track name or volume setting. Because of this, there is no visual feedback on your screen -- the media remote will act purely as an input device (unless you activate ScreenView). You can use the Play/Pause, Stop, Next/Previous Track buttons as well as the volume buttons -- note that the volume will only be set in Windows Media Player.
You now have two options to connect: you can either use Touchpad Pro, or you can use any web browser.

Using Touchpad Pro

To connect with Touchpad Pro, follow these instructions. If you've already set up a server, go to the server settings page by clicking on the blue arrow next to your computer name (e.g., mediapc), and enable Media Server (this is the default value). When you connect, you'll have the extra media functionality enabled. Tap the remote button to get access to the media controls.

Using a Web Browser

This is useful if you don't want to jailbreak your device, or if you have a different smartphone with a web browser. The web location is indicated by "Touchpad Web Access" on the screen. In the example shown above, you would point your device's (iPhone / iTouch / Windows Mobile) browser to http://192.168.3.33:6000

Touchpad Media Server > Overview

2008-04-25T13:01:00.009-04:00

Touchpad Media Server lets you control any media player using Touchpad Pro with more features than a regular remote. It's great for watching movies or playing music on a media center. Learn more about extending Touchpad Pro with Touchpad Media Server.

Touchpad Media Server also works on the mobile Safari web browser, and on Windows Mobile Internet Explorer web browser as a web application, so you don't have to jailbreak your iPhone or iPod Touch to use it! There's no installation required on your mobile device whatsoever. You can use it to control your media player, and present PowerPoint as well as other applications. Learn more about using your web browser with Touchpad Media Server.

Supported devices:

iPhone
iPod Touch
Windows Mobile 6
Windows Mobile 5
Windows Mobile 2003SE

Touchpad Pro > ScreenView > Activation

2008-04-25T11:18:00.010-04:00

To enable ScreenView, you need to activate your copy of Touchpad Pro. To do this, tap the Activate button in the main Touchpad Pro screen, and then tap Buy Activation. You'll be asked to enter your payment details, and once the payment is successful, your device's serial number will be recorded in the Touchpad Pro activation server.

To complete the activation process, tap Activate and then Check Activation. ScreenView will then be unlocked on your device.

Since your serial number is recorded, even if you restore or update your device's firmware to a new release, whenever you install Touchpad Pro on your device, you'll only need to tap Check Activation to re-activate it! No registration keys, no payment, no download links, just one button and you're done.

Please note that each activation is only valid for one device, so if you get a new iPhone or iPod Touch, and want to activate Touchpad Pro on it, you'll need to go through the payment process again.

Also, if you're running Apple Desktop Sharing, you will need to install Vine Server to get ScreenView to work. Screen Sharing works perfectly, but Apple Desktop Sharing is incompatible with ScreenView at this time.

Touchpad Pro > ScreenView

2008-04-25T11:09:00.014-04:00

ScreenView is a feature in Touchpad Pro that enables you to see what's on your computer's screen when you connect to it. This means that you don't have to be at your computer to use Touchpad Pro -- you could be in a different room, or even in a different country. You can control the mouse and keyboard and immediately see the changes on the screen -- all using just your iPhone or iPod Touch. ScreenView works with Windows, Mac and Linux. Watch the video below to see it in action!

[YouTube link]

Touchpad Pro with ScreenView is currently the only native VNC client for the iPhone / iPod Touch that supports large resolution displays. If you need to be able to access your computer from anywhere in the world using just your phone / mp3 player -- Touchpad Pro is all you need.

To use ScreenView, you need to first get Touchpad Pro. Then activate your copy of Touchpad Pro, and you're done! Here are some details about ScreenView.

Touchpad Media Server > Requests

2008-04-25T11:08:00.017-04:00

Want a feature that's not currently there yet? Here's your chance to make your vote count. You can vote on existing features, or add a new feature if it's not there yet.

Your votes do make a difference. The top two feature requests from a previous poll are the two main features added since v2.0.

Touchpad Pro > Requests

2008-04-25T10:49:00.012-04:00

Touchpad Pro > Controls

2008-04-25T10:41:00.007-04:00

If you've made it this far, you've managed to get everything running. Congratulations :)

Here's some useful information on how to use Touchpad Pro v4:

Click with a quick tap
Right-click with a quick two fingered tap
Scroll with two fingered vertical swipes
Present PowerPoint with two fingered horizontal swipes
Zoom by pinching with two fingers
Type by clicking on the keyboard icon

Want to control your Media Center? Use the Remote Control button. With Touchpad Media Server, you can control iTunes or Media Player even if it's not currently the top window. If you don't have Touchpad Media Server, you'll be able to control media players with reduced functionality.

You can scroll the remote horizontally to reveal extra buttons -- such as the function keys, and a numeric keypad. In an upcoming release, you'll be able to customize these buttons yourself!

There's now a Windows button which requires Touchpad Media Server to work. You can use it in conjunction with the keyboard for standard shortcuts -- for instance, Windows-D will display the desktop.

The modifiers (e.g., Shift / Control / etc.) work like the Caps key on the iPhone keyboard. If you press the button once, it will glow -- meaning that it's only going to be on for the next single keypress. So if you press Control and then C, it'll fire Ctrl-C, and then Control will go off. If you want to keep a modifier on, double click it -- that'll make it blue, which means that it's on until you click it again to turn it off.

Details

Here's what each of the advanced gestures / buttons result in:

Scroll: Mousewheel Up / Down
Zoom: Ctrl-Plus / Ctrl-Minus
Horizontal Swipe: Left/Right Arrow Keys
Arrows: Arrow Keys
OK: Enter

In Mac Mode, there are some major differences:

Right-click: Command-Click.
Zoom: Cmd-Opt-Equals / Cmd-Opt-Minus -- does Universal Zoom!

For regular zoom, just press the Cmd button before zooming -- this will result in Cmd-Equals and Cmd-Minus.

Remember, you can combine Shift/Ctrl/Alt with each command. For example:

To navigate your browser history, you can enable Alt, and then use horizontal swipes or the arrow keys (Alt-Left / Alt-Right)
To press Ctrl-C, enable Ctrl, and then press C on the on-screen keyboard
To press Alt-F4, enable Alt, and then F4 on the Remote Control function keypad
To launch Windows Task Manager, enable Ctrl and Shift, and then press Esc on the Remote Control
To press Ctrl-Alt-Del, enable Ctrl and Alt, and then Del on the Remote Control numeric keypad

Touchpad Pro > Setup > Mac > Troubleshoot

2008-04-25T10:15:00.008-04:00

If you're running Apple Remote Desktop, and ScreenView is not working even after activation, you will need to follow these instructions to install Vine Server instead.

If you're having trouble with Screen Sharing, you should also try installing Vine Server.

Finally, if you're unable to connect to your Mac, in Touchpad Pro go to the server settings, and type in the your computer's IP address instead of its host name in the address field.

If that doesn't help you, please post a comment here describing the problem in detail.

Touchpad Pro > Setup > Windows > Firewall

2008-04-25T10:01:00.003-04:00

Configuring the Firewall

This sounds scarier than it is :) Just follow these simple steps:

Click on the Start Menu, and click on Control Panel
In Control Panel, click on Network and Internet Connections:
Then, click on Change Windows Firewall Settings:
Now check to see if your firewall is on. If the firewall is off, STOP here -- you don't need to change anything. However, if it's on, then you need to keep reading.
Make sure the exceptions button is not checked:
Next click on the Exceptions tab at the top:
In the Exceptions view, click on the Add Port button:
Set the name to "VNC Server", and set the port to 5900. Press OK.
Click on Add Port again. This time, set the name to "Touchpad Media Server", and set the port to 6000. Press OK.
Click OK on the Windows Firewall page and pat yourself on the back -- you just configured the firewall settings to allow TightVNC and Touchpad Media Server to work with your firewall. Remember, if your firewall was off to begin with, you don't need to do any of this.

Touchpad Pro > Setup > Windows > Troubleshoot

2008-04-25T09:58:00.010-04:00

If you're having trouble connecting to either TightVNC or Touchpad Media Server, go through the following checklist:

Make sure that your device is on the same network as your PC -- for instance, if your computer is connected to your DSL connection, but your iPhone is on your neighbor's wifi, it's very likely none of this will work.
Uninstall your existing VNC server and install TightVNC. This sounds like an unlikely solution, but it's helped a surprisingly high number of people.
Double-click the TightVNC icon in the status bar, and see what the main port number is set to.

If it's anything other than 5900, for instance 5901, you'll need to go to the Edit Server screen in Touchpad Pro, and add :5901 to your address as shown below:
Configure your firewall. If your port number is not 5900, make sure that you use your actual port number (e.g. 5901) in step 8.

If you've tried each of these steps and you're still stuck, post a comment here describing exactly what the error message is, and what VNC server you're running, as well as what the port is set to on your VNC server and whether you've tried setting the port in Touchpad Pro as shown above.

Touchpad Pro > FAQ

2008-04-25T09:57:00.015-04:00

I'm having trouble connecting. What should I do?

Follow the instructions troubleshooting guides for Windows and Mac.

What is the Limit Mac CPU option for?

This option is designed for use with Leopard's Screen Sharing. When connecting to a Mac running Screen Sharing using MacMode, keep this option enabled for optimal performance. Screen Sharing has a few different requirements than a regular VNC server, and this option ensures that those requirements are met. [One difference is that screen refresh requests are continually sent to the server even when with ScreenView switched off, to ensure that your Mac's CPU load remains low. The next difference is that when ScreenView is turned on, instead of an 8-bit pixel depth, it's set to 16-bit, as that is what Screen Sharing requires.]

Can I use Touchpad Pro with my laptop without a wireless router? Also, can I use Touchpad Pro's ScreenView to connect to my home computer from work? From my friend's place? From a different city or country?

Yes you can! Here's how to set this up.

When using ScreenView, what's the difference between On and Hi-Def?

Setting ScreenView On makes it connect at the highest speed possible, with the lowest picture quality. Hi-Def mode boosts the color quality, but at the cost of a slower connection. Depending on your need, you can choose between either one -- or make two server entries so that you can have both options available whenever you need them.

I sometimes see multiple cursors in ScreenView which aren't there on my desktop. Why is this?

You can also notice these ghost cursors in the videos. The reason they appear is simple. To give you the fastest response time when you move the mouse in Touchpad Pro, no screen refresh requests are made while you're moving the mouse. Screen refreshes take a lot of wireless bandwidth (and battery), and if these refreshes were happening while your mouse was moving, the cursor on your computer screen might not move as smoothly as you're used to with Touchpad Pro. When you stop moving the cursor, the screen immediately updates, showing you where the mouse actually is. So the 'ghost' cursor is just where your mouse was when you started moving -- and it's not a bug, it's a feature.

This is open source software -- how can you charge for it?

Selling open source software is encouraged. By 'free', it means that it has freedom, not that it's without charge. All the source code for Touchpad Pro is available for download and can be changed and redistributed by anyone as long as they also distribute the source code. Also, most of the functionality of Touchpad Pro is available for free -- only a few features are locked. If you don't want to pay for it -- continue using the free version as much as you'd like.

I don't have a credit card / I don't have a PayPal account / I'm thirteen and I can't buy anything. I still want the stuff that costs money. What are my options?

Find a friend or relative, and ask them nicely if they'll make the payment on your behalf. Mow your neighbor's lawn in exchange for it. If you're really motivated, you can find a legal way to do it. Do not hack someone else's PayPal account to make a payment! This is really unacceptable (and it's happened once).

Who made the awesome graphics for Touchpad Pro?

All the credit for the graphic design work goes to David van Ballegooijen. If you're looking for a web/graphic designer, look no further! Check out his awesome web site. Thanks also to Ross Waycaster for the new Touchpad Pro icon.

This is open source software -- so where's the source?

Glad you asked! Yes, this is open source software, and it's built on another open source project called VNsea by Chris Reed and Glenn Kreisel. Here's the source for Touchpad Pro.

If you have a question not covered on the site, post it here as a comment. If enough people ask it, it'll end up in the post above (FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions).

Touchpad Pro > Setup > Windows

2008-04-25T09:09:00.012-04:00

Installing VNC

To connect Touchpad Pro v4 with a Windows machine, you first need to have VNC installed. If you've never heard of VNC, follow these steps. Even if you have VNC installed, I highly recommend uninstalling your current version, and following these steps, as older versions of VNC have some problems (e.g. dual monitor support is missing from earlier versions).

Go to the TightVNC download page. Donate to them if you can -- they're doing great work. Then download the latest version, as shown here:
Run the installer, clicking through all the steps. Be sure to choose the following options when installing:
Once TightVNC is installed, hover your mouse over the TightVNC icon at the bottom left corner of your Windows screen and write down the IP address that comes up (four numbers separated by dots):
(Optional) Install Touchpad Media Server.

Setting up Touchpad Pro
- On the VNC servers page, click the + icon:
- Then follow these instructions:
- Click the Save button.
The session name (e.g. mediapc) will now be added to the list of VNC servers. Tap it to connect.

If you are unable to connect, it's most likely your firewall, or your iPhone is on a different network than your computer. Solutions can be found in the Windows Troubleshooting Guide.

If you successfully connect, you're good to go! You can now try ScreenView to see your computer's screen on Touchpad Pro. Also, learn the controls to use Touchpad Pro to its full potential.

Touchpad Pro > Setup > Mac

2008-04-25T09:01:00.015-04:00

Setting up your Mac

Go to System Preferences, and then Sharing:
Enable Screen Sharing (it's called Apple Remote Desktop on older Macs).
You'll be shown a host name to connect to (e.g., homemac.lan, or 192.168.0.1)
Click on the Options button, and enable the VNC password, and type in a password
Click OK, and then click Show All to return to the System Preferences page. From here, click on Universal Access
Enable Zoom, and then click on the Zoom Options button
Enter the setting shown below
Click OK -- you've now set up your Mac.

Setting up Touchpad Pro

On the VNC servers page, click the + icon:
Then follow these instructions:
Click the Save button.

The session name (e.g. homemac) will now be added to the list of VNC servers. Tap it to connect.

It is strongly recommended that you replace Screen Sharing / Apple Remote Desktop with Vine Server. Vine Server is faster, has better support for ScreenView, and uses less power on your Mac and on your iPhone / iPod Touch.

If you have any problems, read the Mac Troubleshooting Guide.

If you successfully connect, you're good to go! You can now try ScreenView to see your computer's screen on Touchpad Pro. Also, learn the controls to use Touchpad Pro to its full potential.

Touchpad Pro > Setup

2008-04-25T08:52:00.012-04:00

Setting up Touchpad Pro involves a number of simple steps -- it might look long, but it's really quite easy:

You need a jailbroken iPhone/iPod Touch with Installer. Jailbreaking is safe and easily reversible. All you need to do is download and run ZiPhone and follow the on-screen instructions.
Start Installer and click on the Install button. Go to Utilities. Touchpad Pro should already be there.

If it isn't, go to Sources, and then add Community Sources. Touchpad Pro should definitely be there now. Make sure you're installing Touchpad Pro version 4.0, from BigBoss' source. If it's not there yet, give it a few hours -- he'll be putting it in soon!

Follow the Windows setup or Mac setup instructions.
(Optional) If you want, you can follow these advanced setup steps if you want to access your computer from anywhere in the world, or if you want to control your laptop without a wireless access point.

Touchpad Pro > Setup > Mac > Vine Server

2008-04-25T05:34:00.006-04:00

Apple Remote Desktop is bundled with older Macs (Tiger), and does not support ScreenView. To make ScreenView work on your Mac, you will need to install Vine Server.

Even if you are using Screen Sharing, which is on newer Macs (Leopard), it's still a good idea to install Vine Server. Vine Server is much faster than Screen Sharing and also uses less power on both your Mac and your iPhone / iPod Touch.

Here are the steps you need to follow to install Vine Server:

Disable Apple Remote Desktop or Screen Sharing if they are enabled.
Download Vine Server.
Mount the image you downloaded and run it.
Click on the Run Server button.
In Touchpad Pro, first go to Preferences, and turn off the Limit Mac CPU Fix option and tap Save.
You're done!

Introducing Touchpad Media Server

2008-03-29T04:04:00.016-04:00

Summary: Touchpad Media Server lets you control any media player using any web browser on any device, or using Touchpad Pro v3. Windows users: try first. Mac users read on. [Store currently down]

Touchpad Media Server enables you to send various special media keys using Touchpad, or through a limited web-interface. Currently, Touchpad Media Server only supports Windows -- Mac support will begin soon. The media players supported include:

iTunes
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Center Edition
Vista Media Center
WinAmp
Media Player Classic
Any media player that accepts media keys (almost all media players!)

Here's what Touchpad Media Server looks like via Touchpad Pro:

And here's what it looks like through Safari:

Admittedly, it's a lot more minimalist. You can also scroll to reveal other buttons that you can use to present PowerPoint among other things.

Touchpad Media Server Installation:

Download the trial edition of Touchpad Media Server and run it.
- If your computer doesn't recognize .msi files, follow these steps.
- If you get a message saying that you need to install the .NET framework, download and install this first, and then go back to step 1.
Once you've got everything installed, go to the Start Menu, then click on Programs > Touchpad Pro > Touchpad Media Server Trial. You should now see this (although you'll currently be running the trial version):
There's one final option you'll need to set -- choose the player your want to control: iTunes, Generic and Windows Media Player.
- iTunes: This will give you the best user experience for the time being. This option supports all the 9 buttons on the media remote, as well as graphical updates of the currently playing song, and you can even drag the knob to skip around in a song. Even if iTunes isn't currently open, it will automatically be launched -- and even if it isn't the currently highlighted window, it will still respond to the media remote. Note that the volume buttons will only set the volume in iTunes.
- Generic: Use this setting to control ANY media player (such as Media Center, Winamp, etc.). This will make the media remote buttons act like the media buttons on your regular keyboard / laptop. Play/pause, next track, previous track, stop, and the volume buttons will all control whatever media player is currently in focus. Fast forward and rewind will trigger the left and right arrow keys, while the rest of the buttons act as regular media buttons. There is no visual feedback on your device's screen, which makes the media remote act purely as an input device. Depending on your media player, the volume buttons will either control the global volume on your computer or the volume of the media player.
- Windows Media Player: With this option selected, your media remote will control Windows Media Player -- if it hasn't currently started, it will be automatically launched, and if it's not the currently focused window, it will still respond to the media remote. However, I haven't gotten it working to the point where you can seek around in a song, or even get the current track name or volume setting. Because of this, there is no visual feedback on your screen -- the media remote will act purely as an input device. You can use the Play/Pause, Stop, Next/Previous Track buttons as well as the volume buttons -- note that the volume will only be set in Windows Media Player.
You now have two options to connect: you can either use Touchpad Pro, or you can use any web browser.

Using Touchpad Pro

To connect with Touchpad Pro, follow these instructions. If you've already set up a server, go to the server settings page by clicking on the blue arrow next to your computer name (e.g., mediapc), and enable Media Server (this is the default value). When you connect, you'll have the extra media functionality enabled. Tap the remote button to get access to the media controls.

Using a Web Browser

This is useful if you don't want to jailbreak your device, or if you have a different smartphone with a web browser. The web location is indicated by "Touchpad Web Access" on the screen. In the example shown above, you would point your device's (iPhone / iTouch / smartphone) browser to http://192.168.3.33:6000

Whichever way you connect to Touchpad Media Server, once you're connected, your media remote will control whatever player you've selected. Since this is a trial, the Media Server stops after a minute and will need to be manually restarted -- click "Show Options" and then "Start Server" to do this.

If you have connection issues, go through the steps in the Windows Connection Troubleshooter.

Once you are sure that Touchpad Media Server works on your computer, and if you want to remove the one minute limit on server connections, you can buy the full version. Please make sure that you've tried the trial version, and have successfully connected to the server before buying. Understand that there is absolutely no difference between the trial and the full version beyond the one minute server-stopping limit -- if the trial does not work for you, neither will the full version!

Once you've bought it, you'll be emailed a download link -- check your spam folder if you think you haven't gotten it. Buying the full version will give you access to all the incremental updates -- which means any and all bug fixes, as well as any improvements to the controls to the settings for Windows Media Player and Generic. If there's substantially new functionality (like customizable buttons), that probably won't be covered.

If you have any questions, please post and read the comments.

JS

Touchpad Pro with Media Controls!

2008-03-29T02:25:00.001-04:00

Touchpad Media Server is now ready for download!

You asked for media controls -- and you now have them! Using Touchpad Media Server on the PC, you can now control iTunes and other media players using Touchpad Pro. Afraid to jailbreak your iPhone? Touchpad Media Server also works with reduced functionality as a web-app! Learn more about Touchpad Media Server here.

A very special thanks to David van Ballegooijen [david at candykitchen.nl] for all the graphic design in this release. David's graphics add a much-needed professional touch to the app. Check out his awesome site at http://www.candykitchen.nl/. Thanks also to Ross Waycaster [rosswaycaster at gmail.com] for the new SpringBoard (and blog) icon.

New features in Touchpad Pro v3.0:

Touchpad Media Server (with web-based access)
See what's playing on your iTunes
Better Mac compatibility (less connection errors, support for universal zoom)
Mac mode setting per connection
Redesigned graphics
Scrollable remote control with many pages
Function keypad
Numeric keypad

Installation instructions:

You need a jailbroken iPhone/iPod Touch with Installer.app on it. Here are some great instructions on how to do this.
Start Installer and click on the Install button. Go to Utilities. Touchpad Pro should already be there.

If it isn't, go to Sources, and then add Community Sources. Touchpad Pro should definitely be there now.

Follow these instructions on how to set up the computer you want to control.

Here's some history (and source code).

Please digg this so that others can learn about it too. I'd really appreciate it if you do!

JS