Intel has released a new software keyboard for Android devices that will make it easier for people to control mini PCs running on USB sticks or its own NUC devices. PC hardware continues to shrink, making it increasingly impractical to plug in a USB keyboard or mouse. The Intel Remote Keyboard saves the need to invest in separate wireless hardware.

Once users have downloaded the Android app, they also need to install the client software on their Windows 7/8 PC and ensure both the smartphone and computer are connected to the same wireless network. Users are asked to scan a QR code that appears on the PC's display during set-up to ensure they are authorised to control that PC.

The keyboard includes the regular QWERTY and number keys, as well as offering special controls such as the Windows key and cursor arrows. The app also offers a range of gesture controls: a two-fingered tap is the equivalent of a right click, for instance.

The keyboard is designed to work with USB-based Windows systems, such as the Intel Compute Stick, which squeezes a fully fledged Atom-based PC into a plug-in dongle. It could also be used with the Intel NUC - a tiny desktop chassis that's about the same size as a Mac Mini - which the chip giant has been gently pushing for the past few years.

The remote control allows such devices to be plugged into a living room television set, for example, and used for media playback or web browsing. The app is currently only available for Android.