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'Alfred Remote' Turns iOS Devices Into Remote Controls for Macs

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Apr 12, 2001
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Running with Crayons today announced Alfred Remote, an iOS app that turns an iPhone or iPad into a remote control for various tasks on a user's Mac, from controlling a screensaver to launching apps (via The Verge).

Designed with parity of the Alfred app on the Mac App Store in mind, Alfred for iOS also allows users to expand into systemwide interactions with their desktop computers. Users with a Powerpack addition to their Alfred 2 experience, which costs about $25, can then use the Remote to control Powerpack-exclusive features via iOS.

applications-800x600.jpg
These include iTunes playback, copying and pasting from iOS to OS X, running user-defined scripts, AppleScripts, and terminal commands, and creating and controlling custom Workflows for enhanced productivity. Normal features like opening websites and setting a screensaver are available to all users.
With a single touch on your iOS device, you can control many Alfred 2 actions on your Mac, including:
- Show Alfred 2 on your Mac
- System Commands: Lock, restart, shut down, log out or sleep your Mac, eject all devices, quit all apps and empty trash
- Launch Applications and System Preferences on your Mac
- Open files and folders you've defined on your Mac
- Open websites and bookmarks, or pop up Alfred with a custom search filled in
- Replace hard to remember hotkey combinations and keywords with icons on iOS
Click to expand...
To be able to fully use the features of each app, users will need both Alfred 2 for Mac and Alfred Remote for iOS, and have both of them running on the same Wi-Fi connection.

Alfred Remote can be purchased from the App Store for $4.99. [Direct Link]

Alfred 2 for Mac is a free download, with an option to upgrade with the Powerpack options.

Article Link: 'Alfred Remote' Turns iOS Devices Into Remote Controls for Macs
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/01/27/alfred-remote-ios/
This would be really useful for restarting iTunes from the couch when it quits responding.
 
I'm not sure what the point of this is. Does it replace a trackpad or mouse? If it's just a launcher, I don't see how it saves me much work over simply launching apps the normal way on my Mac. I have a hotkey for Spotlight. I type the first two letters of the app and hit return, and the app launches. That seems quicker than what I can accomplish with Alfred.

As far as iTunes control goes, I have iTunes Match and can access all my media on my iPhone anyway. So controlling iTunes on my Mac would be redundant.
 
AlecZ said:
Maybe you were half-kidding, but it's true. :D Since iTunes 11, I've had random crashes.
Click to expand...

Nope. I was totally serious.

I can't count how many times I've had to trot upstairs to restart iTunes when the Apple TV starts acting up.
 
Apple TV

Does anyone know if there is an iPad app that provides control of Apple TV. Tis would be useful for doing Apple TV searches.
 
I don't see the point in this. If you want to launch an app, just go to your mac?
 
I don't want to jump on a hater's bandwagon, but I'm not seeing this as particularly useful (to me).
Does anyone have some experience with Alfred or maybe some ideas on ways it could prove useful or timesaving?
 
"running on the same Wi-Fi connection"

fail.

If I'm on the same WIFI connection, I'd just do it on the Mac directly.

If this could do it from anywhere with an internet connection, then I might be interested.
 
Brian Y said:
I don't see the point in this. If you want to launch an app, just go to your mac?
Click to expand...

Maybe you Mac is a remote theater or music player and you want to remotely control that, pause music, etc. Maybe your Mac is running headless. Maybe you want to access a file on your Mac and send it to what you're working with on the iPad.

I dunno whether you can use this away from a LAN over the internet, or if multiple users can access the same Mac, but that would open even more possibilities.
 
ATV Remote

camnchar said:
Mmmmaybe.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Found this app this morning. Downloaded and set it up. Frustarted that it doesn't come with a keyboard. When searching for a title, all it allows you to do is use your finger to drag on the ATV screen to select letters. A keyboard would be useful.
 
The other day I was trying to separate my iCloud Drive to where I had my app folders grouped in one section, and then my documents that I've dragged in there as another. I tried doing this first with tags, but they don't stick on the app folders and it got too ugly with aliases. Smart Folders were a no go because the OS just sees the folders as "Documents" with all the different names. So while I still have to manually deal with them in Alfred, this works very well.

Will be handy to pull up templates too.
 
markgpearse said:
Thanks. Found this app this morning. Downloaded and set it up. Frustarted that it doesn't come with a keyboard. When searching for a title, all it allows you to do is use your finger to drag on the ATV screen to select letters. A keyboard would be useful.
Click to expand...

I haven't used it in a while, but it had a keyboard when I used it last. I think it required selecting the text box with the remote and then the keyboard should pop up automatically (it's one of the benefits of using the app instead of the Apple remote). I'll try it again when I get home tonight.
 
iVoid said:
"running on the same Wi-Fi connection"

fail.

If I'm on the same WIFI connection, I'd just do it on the Mac directly.
Click to expand...

The point of Alfred Remote AFAIK is not so much to control the Mac instead of using it, as it is meant to be a complement to the Mac.

Like using your iPad as a second screen to your Mac, dedicated for direct launching of applications, workflows, scripts with a quick touch.

I don't think it is for everyone, a lot of people using Alfred right now are the ones that prefer to keep their hand on the keyboard all the time. But that does not automatically mean it's a worthless app for all users.

There are probably others who would find it useful and boosting productivity when using their Mac. Especially if you have an old iPhone or iPad lying around collecting dust.

I don't know if Alfred Remote is for me, but I do know that I still miss some of the extra buttons on my previous keyboard that I used as dedicated launchers, when I got used to them they where very handy.
 
critter13 said:
google chrome remote desktop works pretty well and is free.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I thought.

This is just an unnecessary /limited remote desktop that if you want normal functionality of a remote desktop application , then you will have to pay more!
 
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