How would you turn a tablet into a keyboard + easy-to-reach touchscreen (mirror the desktop) (not a touchpad) for a desktop PC?
Numerous remote touchpads on Android
I asked a question on askubuntu.com (Can you design buttons on a Ubuntu/Android tablet that is to be used as a virtual keyboard for your desktop?), and someone mentioned RemoteDroid.
I haven't used it, but from the videos that I see online, your Android tablet becomes a touchpad.
In a question on superuser.com (Use a touchscreen as a keyboard and mouse for a desktop), and in the answers here, Bob speaks of the “indirect virtual touchpad”, and Lèse majesté notes that “you can only use the touchscreen as a laptop-style touchpad, not as an actual tablet device”.
I want the cursor to move to where I touch.
Best Answer
android-vnc-viewer to mirror the desktop PC screen, and control the desktop
I had another question on android[dot]stackexchange.com: (In using a VNC to control a computer, is it possible to have the cursor go to where you touch? - android[dot]stackexchange[dot]com/questions/34668/in-using-a-vnc-to-control-a-computer-is-it-possible-to-have-the-cursor-go-to-wh)
In the question, I included a video: Remote control of Ubuntu with android-vnc-viewer - www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTKX6QMBgck#t=0m30s
android-vnc-viewer
In the video, I don't know the input mode that is being demonstrated at 0:30, but it looks like the mouse cursor goes to where he touches.
http://code.google.com/p/android-vnc-viewer/
I'm guessing that the input mode in the video was either:
or:
Port forwarding
Hacker's Keyboard - use a full soft keyboard on Android
From what I've read, the stock android keyboard doesn't have buttons such as Ctrl, Alt, Esc, arrow keys, Home, End, and Delete.
You can use the free, open source, app call Hacker's Keyboard to gain access to the buttons of a full keyboard:
http://code[dot]google[dot]com/p/hackerskeyboard/
A patch that allows android-vnc-viewer to recognize all the keys of Hacker's Keyboard
In “Frequently Asked Questions” of Hacker's Keyboard, there's a section called “Android VNC Viewer doesn't recognize the extra keys”.
It directs you to an issue called “Issue 238: Support additional keys, fix modifier handling” (code[dot]google[dot]com/p/android-vnc-viewer/issues/detail?id=238). The patch there will make it so that Android VNC Viewer recognizes buttons of a full keyboard.
Update: bVNC
play[dot]google[dot]com/store/apps/details?id=com.iiordanov.freebVNC&hl=en
github[dot]com/iiordanov/bVNC
Update 2: Jump Desktop VNC
I currently and personally use Jump Desktop VNC because the “bring-out-the-keyboard” is close, and easily reachable. With bVNC, I have to tap near the middle of the screen, and then I press a keyboard button on the right to bring out the keyboard. Jump Desktop VNC also lets you use a Google account, so you don’t have to deal with addresses.