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Tired of driving 45 minutes up the road to help your in-laws fix their computers? You’ve probably already found a remote desktop solution to use for handling tasks that don’t require your physical presence, but Google is introducing a very compelling one as part of the Google+ Hangouts experience. You’ll now be able to control someone else’s desktop (with permission, of course) while simultaneously video chatting with whoever you’re helping.
It’s the face-to-face tech support you never thought you needed. Well… you probably still don’t need to see each other in order to help each other out, but it’s still cool regardless. The news was broken by Daniel Caiafa, who has confirmed that the tool is using the same technology as the Chrome Remote Desktop tool.
You’ll want to click View More Apps > Add Apps > Hangouts Remote Desktop within a hangout in order to get started. Give it a try and see if a free, lightweight and more social remote desktop tool is something that could add to your day-to-day dealings.
[via Google+]
How about an in depth review of using the service. What can and can’t be accessed?? I’m eager to try this with my folks. However, they really have a hard time getting the camera fired up in the first place to video chat!
Agreed. Just how capable is it?
Personally, I’d never get either set of parents far enough over the phone to get them into Google+.
In any case, I installed the Splashtop Server app on each of their computers. Now I just have to tell them (over the phone) to click that icon and I’m in.
Dan
Good thing there are a lot of people using Google+. Not!!
…and Too bad you’re not in tune with reality. Over 300+ million monthly active users (posting/sharing/commenting/+1’ing) per Global Web Index.
Just because you don’t believe it doesn’t make it so. Not to mention, bashing G+ was funny in what, 2011? Time for some new material.
Well from my point of view, I know of very few people who use G+ on a regular basis. I thought it would be the next Facebook. I even tested the beta version. But for my demographic (16-25 or so) anyways, it hasn’t caught on.
I am 22 and I use it more than Facebook. Again, it isn’t the demographic it is just you.
I’m in college in Wisconsin (I’m assuming Kevin also lives in Wisconsin because of his picture), and I literally do not know a single person who actively uses G+. I have a couple other friends that I’ve talked to about it who have accounts and think it would be cool, but if there are only 10 of us using it, what’s the point?
Who cares if you don’t “know” people using it. That misses the point.
It’s not about meatspace friends and acquaintances (you already have FB for that), it’s an interest network.
+1 for your last sentence, many people overlook this.
It’s extremely laggy compared to TeamViewer, etc.
It’s useless.
The way Google keeps introducing new tools like this just keeps on making Google+ that much more compelling. They aren’t trying to make Google+ be another Facebook anymore….a place to find, meet, and share day-to-day life with your “friends”. They are trying to make it into a useful tool that keeps you connected for just about every OTHER reason. I can’t see many justifications for Facebook in the workplace. I can definitely see a reason for Google+, and this just gave it one more. I could soon see Chromebooks, Google Apps for business, and Google+ being a cost effective way for a small-mid sized company to do business.