How many times has this happened to you? You are driving to work and remember that the really important file that you needed for your presentation is still on your home computer. There is no way to access it without turning back, going home, and being late to work. It is arguably one of the most horrifying feelings in the world. Forgetting a flash drive. Leaving something un-transferred from your home computer. Thankfully, Google has come to the rescue this morning. Nothing says “that was close” like remote access to your home PC. That’s right, now Google is offering remote access to your computer via a special application.

The new app from Google is called “Chrome Remote Desktop App for Android” and does exactly what the name describes. You are granted remote access to your PC or Mac via any Android device, whether it be your mobile phone or tablet, it doesn’t matter.

Google recently launched an app like this, Chrome Remote Desktop, which was essentially a screen sharing service. It gave access to your desktop via other Chrome browsers not on your personal computer and other Chromebook users. This new mobile version is basically an extension of the main version.

The new mobile version, much like its big brother, needs a companion app to be installed on your desktop or laptop. You can find both the helper app and the mobile app within the Chrome Web Store. The apps work with Windows XP or higher, Linux computers, and even Apple OSX 10.6 or higher. When you’re installing the helper app, you’re installing it as an extension to Google Chrome and any other Chrome-based OS. Once you have your app installed, it’s all smooth sailing from there. You can open the app and get access to any computer you may need, as long as there is Google Chrome installed on the computer as well. Manage your computers, search for files, send files. Literally whatever you may need, your home desktop will be right there on your mobile device.

This usable Android app was bound to come sometime, as there was a working version of it out this past January. The only downside of the app usage back then was that it HAD to be compiled via source in order for it to work. Don’t worry iOS users, our version is coming soon as well. Mind you though, it’s a little bit further back than this app obviously, but it is coming.

This new app service is essentially a more consumer-focused version of Amazon’s Workspaces software. Unfamiliar with this? It’s basically the same thing as the new Remote Desktop app from Google. The Workspaces software is geared more for business though. It grants access for any employee needing access to their work computers. The software also isn’t device sensitive. Should you be on your iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac computer, Andriod Tablet, Kindle Fire, or whatever, you can access your work computer. There were obviously specific goals in mind for Amazon upon implementing this software, mainly to make their tablets seem a bit more suitable for business use.

This new app is perfect for any kind of disaster you may have involving leaving files at home. It doesn’t even need to be just for the common businessman. Say your child left a file on the home computer. They can get access to it via their Android mobile device and then send it off to themselves. The fact that it is only Android device limited is a bit disheartening, but again, the iOS version is coming. Hopefully it will allow access via Apple mobile devices when it comes out as well.