Qotd

When you are working diligently on your desktop computer, the last thing you want to do is pause to respond to a text message, find a saved photo or otherwise interact with your phone. To help you avoid this situation, you can turn to apps such as AirDroid, MightyText, and Pushbullet. Though different, these apps serve to link your mobile device to your desktop so you can keep your focus on the big screen,

AirDroid

If you are looking for a solution that lets you remotely control your Android device, and then look no further than AirDroid. AirDroid allows you to view your phone through a web browser. Not only can you see text message notifications, you also can browse through existing messages and create new text right from your desktop browser. The service also lets you launch apps, browse through files, look through your photos and even shared content, such as notes, between the desktop and mobile phone. AirDroid works best when the smartphone and desktop are on the same WiFi connection, but it will work over a cellular connection if you are away from your home or work network.

AirDroid is available for free, but the free version includes a 100MB data cap as well as advertisements and “recommendations.” You can remove the promotional content and the data cap by purchasing a premium account for $1.99 monthly, $19.99 yearly or $38.99 for two years.

MightyText

MightyText has a text messaging focus, but the app does so much more, allowing you to control many of the core functions of your phone from a desktop PC via web browser interface. Instead of a using a separate account, MightyText uses your Google account as the hub that ties the mobile and desktop components together.

To get the service to work, you must install the MightyText app on your Android device and then either install a browser extension or login to the MightyText website. You use your Google account to login into both the mobile app and the desktop conduit to bridge the gap between the two devices. Not only does MightyText route your incoming calls and texts to the browser. The app also allows you to sift through your contacts, thumb through your photos and ring your phone so you can find it.

MightyText is available for free with ads, but you can pay for a Pro version that removes the ads and includes templates, scheduling and more. The Pro version costs $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year.

Pushbullet

Pushbullet is a mobile and desktop platform that pushes content between your phone and your computer. It can send links, images, locations and more. It also shares notifications, allowing you to view an incoming message. You can’t respond through Pushbullet, but at least you will know whether you have to pick up your phone or note. As a bonus, the sharing features of the Pushbullet app make it easy to craft a response to a critical incoming text. Just compose a note with your message and then use Pushbullet to send it to your phone, where you can copy and paste the text into a new text message. Installation of Pushbullet is easy — just install the mobile app, add the browser extension and install the desktop app.

Pushbullet is available for free with no monthly or yearly fees.