Celio add-on allows smartphone to be operated from laptop

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Celio Corporation has developed an add-on for Windows Mobile smartphones, which allows users to send the phone screen to a laptop-like screen and keyboard, via a Bluetooth or USB connection.

The company is unveiling the Redfly Mobile Companion at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, next week.

No synchronisation is necessary to use the device, as all settings and data remain on the phone. There is therefore no danger of data loss from the Redfly Mobile Companion.

Celio provides a software driver which compresses data and manages communication between the phone and the Redfly. Windows Mobile applications scale themselves to the Redfly’s screen.

There is also a VGA port for connecting to video projectors or other external displays.

The Redfly measures 9 x 6 x 1 inches and weighs in at two pounds. It features a touchpad, an 80-key QWERTY keyboard, plus keys for phone functions such as send, end, OK, and escape.

The device also has dual USB ports for connecting to, and charging the smartphone, and for USB devices such as a flash drive or mouse.

The Redfly Mobile Companion should be available from March 2008 and will retail for around $500.