Best Remote Desktop App

[speedlever]

One thing I like about PocketCloud's mouse over LMI Ignition's is that the PocketCloud mouse stays put on the screen while the expanded host screen is scrolled underneath it. On LMI Ignition, the mouse moves off screen as the expanded screen is scrolled in a similar scenario. So you have to stop the screen, move the mouse farther away from the edge, and then resume scrolling the screen again to get to where you want to position the mouse.

They all have their pros and cons.

 

[info]

One thing I like about PocketCloud's mouse over LMI Ignition's is that the PocketCloud mouse stays put on the screen while the expanded host screen is scrolled underneath it. On LMI Ignition, the mouse moves off screen as the expanded screen is scrolled in a similar scenario. So you have to stop the screen, move the mouse farther away from the edge, and then resume scrolling the screen again to get to where you want to position the mouse.

They all have their pros and cons.

Yes, I do agree that they all seem to have their strengths and weaknesses. I have been testing Logmein Ignition on a LAN and am not surprised to find it very robust and smooth.

Another important consideration is that, unlike Splashtop, Logmein supports multitasking... that's a huge deal to me. On my machines, Pocket Cloud can remain in the background for about 30 seconds, enough to sneak out and do something quickly; but, then it has to go through the login process again which can take up to 45 seconds. Though I've looked, I can't seem to find a setting for this in the program. Splashtop loses the connection immediately after switching to another program, the feature has been on request at their website for quite some time. Don't know how well Screens, GoToMyPC, or Jump do with this aspect yet, although I suspect that they will all incorporate multitasking in due time. These programs do seem to require quite a bit of system resources and that may be one of the reasons why the multitasking feature is not quite there yet.

So far, the "mouse" on Wyse Pocket Cloud is the best, in Logmein it is very good, and in Splashtop it definitely needs work. Somehow I get the feeling that I'm rediscovering the wheel here.

 

[speedlever]

Actually, that's a very good analysis. But RDP programs are used in different ways by different people. Someone here asked me if I needed audio, and I do not for the purposes for which I use RDP software. I have no idea if PocketCloud or Ignition support audio or not, but I know that ST does, just from reading here.

I haven't played with them enough to discover the multitasking differences you noted above either.

 

[guthrien]

I do really like that with Pocket Pro that it multitasks on iPad. That was a big difference I didn't mention. I had shut Splashtop down trying to go back and forth between things before.

 

[NYHorsewoman]

Tries to connect using Splashtop today outside my home network, I had already hooked up Google and logged in , but it said it couldn't find my computer. What am I doing wrong?

 

[info]

I do really like that with Pocket Pro that it multitasks on iPad. That was a big difference I didn't mention. I had shut Splashtop down trying to go back and forth between things before.

Logmein remains running in the background for quite a long time (about 10 minutes) and before it disconnects it notifies that it is about to do so via a pop-up. This allows users to keep it running indefinitely. There are also some settings that control this behavior.

Does Pocket Cloud stay running in the background for you for more than one minute? On my iPad that is the longest it will remain running without disconnecting without notification. Logmein can just keep on going like any other program, it does not disconnect.

Splashtop cannot do this at all *yet.*

 

[info]

Tries to connect using Splashtop today outside my home network, I had already hooked up Google and logged in , but it said it couldn't find my computer. What am I doing wrong?

If you entered your Google address along with your Google password on both sides, it shoud be able to connect. Be sure you have the latest version of the desktop software which was updated recently.

We just went through this last month with SweetPoison and there may be some notes on it earlier in the thread.

 

[guthrien]

Here's another thing and perhaps someone here more knowledgeable can explain the why...I can't connect outside my home network on every wifi network. I think it must be an issue with either my router, or more likely, the router I'm using at the time. When I switch to 3G, I can instantly connect with home.

 

[info]

Here's another thing and perhaps someone here more knowledgeable can explain the why...I can't connect outside my home network on every wifi network. I think it must be an issue with either my router, or more likely, the router I'm using at the time. When I switch to 3G, I can instantly connect with home.

When away from home, you need to use the very convenient "internet discovery" feature which takes a Gmail address on the iPad and the target computer, it is the same as in Splashtop if you have used it there. You only need to enter it once and from then on the two computers can find each other.

 

[info]

Actually, that's a very good analysis. But RDP programs are used in different ways by different people. Someone here asked me if I needed audio, and I do not for the purposes for which I use RDP software. I have no idea if PocketCloud or Ignition support audio or not, but I know that ST does, just from reading here.

I haven't played with them enough to discover the multitasking differences you noted above either.

I don't use the sound feature either... of these three programs it works only on Splashtop . PC and LMI don't seem to support the audio feature.

Also, my first impression is that LMI is a lot faster remotely.

 

[info]

At this point, I'm going to agree with speedlever and the ones that came before us and recommend that those who need this type of functionality just cut to the chase and take advantage of the $14.95 LogMeIn Ignition promo *while it lasts.* Though I'm grateful to the Splashtop folks for several reasons, I don't think you can go wrong with LMI in your toolbox.

P.S. It seems that audio is supported, but it's not on by default ($70.00/year!?). I noticed that here:

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/software/logmein-ignition.aspx

and there is this:

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/software/gotomypc-for-ipad.aspx


Note that GoToMyPC is a subscription app ($10/month). I didn't notice the lag mentioned in the first article and found LMI's proprietary protocol "blazingly fast" myself, although the author's remote computer may have not been Windows. Either that, or the problem may have been corrected. The current version of LMI should be about as good as it gets but, almost nothing surprises me these days.

 

[Beryl]

Just streamed a fearnet.com movie on my computer and watched it flawlessly on my iPad via Splashtop. I'd heard that there was an audio delay but I didn't notice any.

 

[info]

Just streamed a fearnet.com movie on my computer and watched it flawlessly on my iPad via Splashtop. I'd heard that there was an audio delay but I didn't notice any.

That is good to hear.

 

[speedlever]

At this point, I'm going to agree with speedlever and the ones that came before us and recommend that those who need this type of functionality just cut to the chase and take advantage of the $14.95 LogMeIn Ignition promo *while it lasts.* Though I'm grateful to the Splashtop folks for several reasons, I don't think you can go wrong with LMI in your toolbox.

P.S. It seems that audio is supported, but it's not on by default ($70.00/year!?). I noticed that here:

LogMeIn Ignition Review

and there is this:

GoToMyPC for iPad Review


Note that GoToMyPC is a subscription app ($10/month). I didn't notice the lag mentioned in the first article and found LMI's proprietary protocol "blazingly fast" myself, although the author's remote computer may have not been Windows. Either that, or the problem may have been corrected. The current version of LMI should be about as good as it gets but, almost nothing surprises me these days.

I noticed the LMI sound option, but haven't taken time to explore it.

I played a little with both PocketCloud and Ignition today. The Wyse mouse definitely wins over the Ignition mouse for reasons previously discussed. I noticed that the mouse pointer on the remote host (remote controlled my desktop via my iPad while sitting in front of the desktop computer) doesn't move until the button is pressed in Wyse but moves with the mouse in Ignition.

Ignition multi-tasks wonderfully. Wyse did not for me... had to log back in after a brief time away while I tried Ignition. I don't know if Wyse has a time out setting I can modify or if it just doesn't MT.

Wyse does not advertise my remote presence like Ignition does. I like that. Ignition puts up a little alert notification in the host screen. So if I want to do some remote monitoring, Ignition gives away my presence. Wyse does not, or not that I've noticed.

One Wyse negative (albeit not a big one) is that the latest d/l of Pocket Cloud companion includes an old version of TightVNC. So it requires an update right off the bat.

One other thing about Wyse is that you don't need VNC with a pro version of Windows. However, I have been unable to get Pocket Cloud to work on my XP/pro.sp3 laptop without installing VNC.

 

[H.D]

iTeleport (Jaadu VNC) is the best in my honest opinion, after trying several others over the years.

The current version from Jaadu is for the iPhone and they are soon to release the iPad version for free to those who already owned the program prior to April 3rd. You can purchase the iPad version at any time though and be charged $25 app price for it, even if you already bought the previous version on iPhone, or wait for the free upgrade path in app store for existing iPhone version owners.

They also have a Windows RDP version called Jaadu RDP, its also $25 but between these two apps, it's the best $50 I spent on my phones. The Jaadu RDP is still being updated as well but wont release until after they get the VNC version up. This is knowledge after just speaking to them about the updates via e-mail.

Both programs are very robust and still work on the iPad as the iPhone versions. I can't wait to install the iPad version, so tempted to pay the app price again, but will probably wait for the free upgrade which is very soon.

You can't ask for better support either, they are only two Devs on these apps, but are tentative on their forums as well as e-mail.

These two programs are my bread and butter on certain days. $25 a piece is a small price to pay for such good polished apps and I applaud them for their continuous updates as well.


iTeleport (Jaadu VNC) sounds great. Can it also use for logging in a PC with win 7 operation system?

I'm trying to look for a application, which can does following things.

There is a PC with win 7 system, and an instructor(person A)is using it. At the same time, another person B is holding an ipad and want to log in to the PC, but should can only access to one software on the PC. Person A and Person B will work at the same time and don't conflict each other.

Do you think that iTeleport (Jaadu VNC) can do this job, or some other App can do it ? Thanks