Android App for Remote Assistance (something similar to Windows Quick Assist for Android)

[britechguy]

Does anyone have suggestions?

I seldom have need to do this, but would really like to be able to assist someone remotely who recently lost her husband. This is a "not for pay" situation so it's not commercial use.

If anyone has recommendations for Android-to-Android (or even PC-to-Android, I'd be the PC end) remote support solutions, preferably free for non-commercial use, I'd love to hear them.

 

[GTP]

I use Teamviewer.
I have license but they do have a free version.
Its fast and works from PC to Android, iPhone etc no problem.

 

[Markverhyden]

It's been sometime since I looked but the last time it wasn't pretty. I just checked Anydesk on my iMac and Samsung S10 and it was great. Appeared to have full control. Checked iOS and it looks like view only with AD. But Apple's been like that from the beginning. I've got a a SimpleHelp server setup so I'll have to check and see

 

[britechguy]

But Apple's been like that from the beginning. I've got a a SimpleHelp server setup so I'll have to check and see

Apple has always had a very tall walled garden.

I very much appreciate your checking this.

 

[tek9]

Anydesk worked for me on Android.

 

[NviGate Systems]

As long as the other end is ok and knows how to approve the connection, you should be good.

If you needed unattended access, that's not possible anymore.

 

[HCHTech]

We use Splashtop and it works ok for android phones, but the end user has to download the app...which, depending on the user, can be a 5-minute thing, or a 35 minute thing...or a give up and go find a bottle thing - haha. You can send a link by email to help ease that process some.

 

[nlinecomputers]

We use Splashtop and it works ok for android phones, but the end user has to download the app...which, depending on the user, can be a 5-minute thing, or a 35 minute thing...or a give up and go find a bottle thing - haha. You can send a link by email to help ease that process some.

This. It also works on iOS but only to view. iOS doesn’t allow remote control.

 

[Markverhyden]

Apple has always had a very tall walled garden.

I very much appreciate your checking this.

Your welcome. I used to chafe at Apple and that walled garden stuff for mobile devices. Back when they started I had envisioned getting an iPad setup to replace my laptop. Of course that would require all kinds of things like wired NIC, serial port, etc, etc. People eventually came up with many of the pieces and parts. Another important part, R&M, just stayed really bad. Basically it was and still is a disposable device as far as I'm concerned. So for work it's just a documentation provider.

 

[Markverhyden]

We use Splashtop and it works ok for android phones, but the end user has to download the app...which, depending on the user, can be a 5-minute thing, or a 35 minute thing...or a give up and go find a bottle thing - haha. You can send a link by email to help ease that process some.

Tell me about it. Wish I had known about Anydesk giving video on an iPhone. The other day a customer had a new email address added to their domain. Simple to add to her computer. Figured I'd create a profile for her to add to her iPhone, it's like 3 screen screen taps starting with taping the file on the text on her iphone. "This screen comes up and I can't do anything". 20 minutes to get her to take a picture on the phone and msg it to me. She did it on her computer. Start on the phone, 20 minutes to do a screen shot, another 40 minutes to try to msg it. My bottle's empty and I have no others, LOL, so I told her she'd have to go to the VZ store with her email address and password. And this is Exchange which is about as easy as it gets.

 

[britechguy]

Tell me about it. Wish I had known about Anydesk giving video on an iPhone. The other day a customer had a new email address added to their domain. Simple to add to her computer. Figured I'd create a profile for her to add to her iPhone, it's like 3 screen screen taps starting with taping the file on the text on her iphone. "This screen comes up and I can't do anything". 20 minutes to get her to take a picture on the phone and msg it to me. She did it on her computer. Start on the phone, 20 minutes to do a screen shot, another 40 minutes to try to msg it. My bottle's empty and I have no others, LOL, so I told her she'd have to go to the VZ store with her email address and password. And this is Exchange which is about as easy as it gets.

Depending on the basic skills of the client, it's often much easier to have a video chat with them so that you can play, "Now show me the phone screen, now you have to tap . . . {lather rinse repeat}," for a few short minutes. No screen shots, no long delays, and less need for that bottle!

 

[HCHTech]

Depending on the basic skills of the client, it's often much easier to have a video chat with them

Assuming you can talk them through a video chat! But in all fairness, that does seem easier than getting them to download an app. Maybe.

 

[britechguy]

Many more people than was once the case are now very familiar with one or more video call/chat apps. COVID being a strong impetus to learn them.

But if you have to teach them the juice may not be worth the squeeze!

 

[Markverhyden]

But if you have to teach them the juice may not be worth the squeeze!

LOL!!! Reminds me of the Apple Rep at the CompUSA I worked at. Someone asked him why people would buy the iSight, Apple's first computer connected digital camera. "To make iPorn!"

 

[britechguy]

"To make iPorn!"

Wasn't thinking along those lines. However . . .

 

[britechguy]

@Markverhyden

A big thanks for the recommendation of Anydesk for Android. I installed it on my own phone (strictly as a controller, without the plugin to allow it to be controlled remotely) about a week ago and was today assisting someone (in person) who I know will eventually need more support and where her skills in describing are, to put it kindly, weak. Being able to see her phone's screen mirrored on mine, even without full control, so that I can guide her, is just a huge help.

 

[Markverhyden]

Being able to see her phone's screen mirrored on mine, even without full control, so that I can guide her, is just a huge help.

You're welcome. Yep, that's a huge improvement just being able to see what they are doing.

 

[britechguy]

Yep, that's a huge improvement just being able to see what they are doing.

I have found this to be the case regardless of the platform. Even if I don't have true remote control, I have remote cooperation where the person I'm assisting generally does only what I tell them to.

Being able to see what's happening takes all of the "I don't know what I'm seeing and I really don't know how to describe it accurately" factor out, which is more than 90% of the problem with remote assistance in my experience.

Screen sharing is a real boon to those of us supporting less sophisticated users (and even really sophisticated ones, at times).