Sunday evening. You're comfortably lying down on the sofa, reading a book, when the phone rings. "Hey, could you come over to my place and have a look at my laptop? It's not working properly and I'm sure you'll be able to fix it!"

If you work in anything remotely related to computers, I'm sure you've experienced a situation like this: a friend calls you and asks you for tech assistance, taking for granted that you'll be able to solve whatever is wrong with their computer - be it a simple Windows configuration issue or a more serious virus problem. You have then two main options: either you refuse to help (which is always a harsh decision) or you comply with the request… but who would like to leave home on a relaxing Sunday evening just to fix a laptop?

There's a third option, which is probably the best one: using remote assistance programs that have been especially developed for that purpose. Techinline Remote Desktop is one of those apps: a remote support tool that works as a Firefox plug-in (which makes it a breeze to install and use) and provides you with access to the remote computer in a few seconds.

To use Techinline Remote Desktop you have to fill in a form on the developer's website to obtain a password, and then download the 'Expert' Firefox plug-in. In turn, your friend – or customer – must download and install the 'Client' plug-in, which will generate a unique session ID. Now start session in the Techinline website, enter that session ID and you'll gain immediate access to the remote PC.

Unlike other downloadable desktop sharing tools - such as LogMeIn, CrossLoop or TeamViewer - Techinline Remote Desktop works inside Firefox, just like one more website on another tab, and lets you view desktops in both ways (from Expert to Client and viceversa) with the option to share control of the keyboard and mouse as well. It can be a bit clunky sometimes, especially when opening and closing apps in the remote computer, but it's definitely better than having to go over to your friend's and fix their laptop on the spot.