How To Access Your PC From a Mobile Phone

Take valuable information stored on your PC's hard drive with you wherever you go.

by Jeffrey L. Wilson on March 5, 2008

As more people become entrenched in the mobile lifestyle, it's critical that valuable information stays AccessYourPCViaCellPhone_sh with us and isn't left behind on our PCs' hard drives. SoonR (www.soonr.com) is a free, PC- and Mac-compatible download that enables users to access desktop applications and files through mobile phones (and from other computers). All you need to do is launch the SoonR Desktop Agent, which runs on your computer, and define which folders you want to access from your phone. You can even use applications installed on your computer (such as Outlook or Desktop Search), and SoonR optimizes that data for your cell phone's display.

When changes are made on the remote computer, the SoonR Desktop Agent program will update the information, so it will be immediately available on your mobile. SoonR's AnyTime Access enables information sharing (up to 100MB free) via a link in an e-mail or SMS when the remote computer is offline. Upcoming premium services will see the addition of encrypted backup of your data, and low-cost international calling is already available via Skype. For this How To, we used the Samsung A900M, but any cell phone that accepts text messages is compatible with the service (non-smart phones have the option to view Word and PDF files as plain text). Here's how to access your computer through your cell phone.

Step-by-Step Directions

Access Your Files
1. Download and install SoonR Desktop.

2. Create an account. Click Next.

3. Select which folders you'd like to remotely access. Click Next.

4. You'll arrive at a screen that enables you to use SoonR from your cell phone. Check the box marked "Send by SMS," and then click Finish.

5. Launch the SoonR Desktop Agent on your PC. The agent will show the number of folders and files that are able to be remotely accessed.

6. To add more folders, click the Folders button on the SoonR Desktop Agent, then Add Folders. When a window opens for you to browse, select a folder and click OK.

7. Go to your mobile phone and look for a text message from SoonR. Inside will be a link to www.soonr.com. Click the link and log in.

8. Click Desktop to see a list of all of your folders.

9. Select a folder to access your content.

Share Your Files
1. Select a file or folder.

2. Click Share.

3. Enter the recipient's cell phone number or e-mail address in the "Share With" field.

4. Click "Allow Users to Reshare with Other Users" if you'll allow them to forward the file to others. Otherwise, leave the box unchecked.

5. Click "Send the Share Alert as an SMS" to send the file via a text message.

6. Click Share.

Access Outlook E-mail & Calendar
7. From the SoonR homepage on your phone, click Organizer.

8. Click Inbox or Calendar.

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