How can I use my computer keyboard to type into my android phone?

How can I use my computer keyboard to type into my android phone? I have a HTC Magic with Cyanogen Mod 6. When I'm at work or at home, I'd like to be able to compose texts or emails on my phoe, but its a pain to type long emails on it using the on screen keyboard. I'd like to be able to plug it in via the USB cable and remote control the phone using my mouse and keyboard. I can't use VNC as at work I can only use the USB cable, not connect to a network ... unless theres a way of getting a pseudo ip address over the USB cable? I can use a bluetooth dongle if needs be if thats an option? Thanks!
Answer:

So I found two things. http://lifehacker.com/5712406/webkey-remotely-accesses-your-rooted-android-phone Works through a middle man over the internet. 2. http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/communication/droid-vnc-server_iwam_screenshots.html which says it will work over USB.

Admira at Ask.Metafilter.Com Visit the source

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Other answers

Sorry this isn't an answer to your question, but if you aren't already using it http://beta.swype.com/. I seriously find myself looking for an excuse to type on my phone now. It's obnoxiously fast. This might be a temporary solution.

therewolf

There might be some other options, but http://code.google.com/p/gtalksms/ allows you to use an IM client to copy anything to your clipboard on the phone... among other things.

disillusioned

Are you using a wired connection for your work and home network connections? If so, if you have wireless on those systems you can setup an ad-hoc network between your phone and computer.

zephyr_words

At work, on wired and no ability to create ad hoc wireless networks. In fact the wireless nic and the wired cannot be enabled at the same time.

Admira

One option is buying a bluetooth keyboard, Android should be able to pair with those quite happily. Another option, although I don't know how well this would work in practice, is to set up chrome to phone (there is also a firefox plugin). Then you can select text in chrome/firefox, then right click and hit "send to phone" and it will show up in your android clipboard ready to be pasted into an email/sms.

markr

One option is buying a bluetooth keyboard, Android should be able to pair with those quite happily. You'd think so, but that's not necessarily the case. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030IT6AO/metafilter-20/ref=nosim/ looks promising, but a note at the http://www.freedominput.com/ mentions problems with HTC phones, and reviews are mixed. I've been wanting a keyboard for my Nexus One, but the iGo bluetooth keyboard I already have flat out doesn't work with it, and I haven't been able to find any solution that more than one person says works well for them. So for the time being, I'm using Swype. I'm hoping that eventually the XDA folks will port the BT HID drivers from one of the tablets where it does work.

hades

WebKey appears to do the job, just tested it out, thanks! I had tried Droid VNC Server, but to get it going over USB requires ADB plus other bits and pieces which I couldn't get going.

Admira

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