Right now, it’s easy enough to store all of your commonly used documents and files on the Web so you have access to them wherever you go, right? But what about the rest of your settings – all the tweaks and settings that make your computer yours? What if you could take those with you wherever you went?
According to Mac-centric blog Cult of Mac, that’s exactly what may be coming with the iPhone 5 – “Remote Computing”.
Earlier this year, Apple hired a Near Fields Communications expert and the blogosphere was abuzz with the potential. NFC is a short-range, high-frequency wireless technology that allows the exchange of data between two devices. NFC is one of the primary technologies being used in early mobile payment solutions. In addition to mobile payments, however, there are some interesting applications for NFC and “remote computing” is one of them.
According to Cult of Mac, which cites an anonymous source, an NFC-enabled iPhone 5 will have the ability to carry all of your desktop settings with you, wherever you go.
“The Mac authenticates with the iPhone, which contains a lot of the information the computer needs, such as bookmarks, passwords and other data,” said our source, who asked to remain anonymous. “The system would essentially turn any Apple computer into your own — like you’re actually working on your own computer. Same settings, look, bookmarks, preferences. It would all be invisible. Your iPhone would be all you needed to unlock your Mac.” [..] “I don’t know if this information will be stored on the cloud or not, but I do know that smaller bits such as preference files, system settings, documents, keychain passwords, and other items would be stored on the iPhone for fast retrieval,” they said.
According to the article, the NFC technology would likely be used for quick authentication, while other data – such as files and documents – could be transferred from the cloud. With this technology, Apple could also allow a number of other aspects of your digital, online persona to be carried around with you, for quick access, on your iPhone. How about media subscriptions through iTunes? Apple TV settings?
