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TUAW Sneak Peek: Avatron's supercool Air Login remote computer access
One of the great joys of blogging happens when developers give you an early peek at products under development. Steven Sande and I were lucky enough to join Avatron's beta test for their upcoming Air Login app. A direct competitor to LogMeIn Ignition, TeamViewer and other remote desktop apps, Air Login promises a thoughtful, well-designed take on the field. Like its competition, you install a server app on your home system. This app runs in the background, letting you connect remotely to home. Basically, you install the Air Connect software on your computer, the Air Login on your iPad or iPhone, and then connect from your iOS device back home. The service is account-based. You establish your credentials with Avatron using Air Connect, and then add systems to your account to tie them together. Once installed, I had no problem calling back home to my Mac. Air Login easily handled my rather extensive dual-monitor install. Built-in help introduced the features of the onscreen toolbar. Some of these features are just outstanding. Take the Exposé-style app view for example. It allows you to switch from app-to-app, previewing the activity in each of the open windows. Here, you can see that I'm running Mail, Xcode, Colloquy, Safari and so forth. Air Login also provides a custom menu bar outside the networked screen, letting you access features of the active program, no matter what you're looking at on the screen itself. So if you scroll to your other screen to view a window, the menu bar is still exactly right where you need it. The builds Steve and I tested were, of course, early beta. We ran (not unexpectedly) into a fair number of bugs -- the kind you see well before a product launches. Even in this rough state, Air Login impressed. Pricing and availability dates have yet to be finalized. Feel free to drop Avatron a note if you're available to test on Win 8 at notify-win8@avatron.com. The thoughtfulness of the features, the care in the design and the overall understanding of how people want and need to do work convince me that this is a product worth watching out for. It's on its way and it's going to kick ass. Preview video follows:
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help! I bought my dad an iPad!
Dear Aunt TUAW, I wish I had never given my Dad that iPad. When he and my Mom were going on a driving trip, I asked if he wanted 3G service. He says "Sure", so I set it up. Now he's complaining about shelling out $30 a month to AT&T, so I'm telling him to cancel the service. Except he doesn't know what his password is and I think he's putting in the wrong email address (HE ONLY HAS TWO). And he doesn't read my emails explaining all this. I thought about installing 1Password, but my dad would forget that the application is on the iPad (or his Mac for that matter). Is there a way to do LogMeIn sessions to an iPad (controlling the iPad)? Without jailbreaking? Auntie needs to write an app: "Control Dad's/Mom's iPad." Help! Your loving nephew, Peter Dear Peter, In this world, there are things you can control (what's for dinner, what to watch on Netflix, what to wear for that hot date) and things you cannot (your dad, your cat, and your dad's iPad). This is, as you have probably already guessed, a human and not a technological problem. If you can, try calling instead of emailing. You might want to plan a trip out to visit your Dad (and fix up his iPad in person) or surrender to the knowledge that even if you call, the chances are slim that he will follow your directions or listen to your advice. There are things in life that cannot be fixed with technology. Unfortunately, Apple does not (yet) offer any remote administration tools for iPad. Their configuration tools for on-site administration provide a way to mass-configure large groups of iPads and iPhones, but there's no Apple Remote Desktop-like tool available for iOS devices. One of the members of Auntie's bridge club suggested using a combination of Skype, Reflector, mirroring and screen sharing to walk him through the problem, but if dear old Dad is having issues getting other things working, it's unlikely that he'd be able to get this setup without assistance. Your options might expand with jailbreaking and VNC, but it sounds like you've ruled that out completely. Do Auntie's other nieces and nephews have advice for Peter? Jump into the comments and share your thoughts. Hugs, Auntie T.
RealVNC teams up with Sony to bring Android apps to the dashboard
Sony and RealVNC have announced a partnership that aims to liberate your smartphone's applications and content, bringing the wares to your car's dashboard. Once a VNC-enabled vehicle and Android handset are paired, users can access and manipulate the device's applications, music library and stream web content directly to the car's infotainment system. In order to preserve public safety, and meet "regulatory requirements," the system can detect vehicle velocity and will revoke the proverbial keys to your mobile kingdom while you're in motion. The RealVNC code will be bundled with "all new 2012 Xperia handsets" and the accompanying VNC Automotive software has -- according to the press release, anyway -- "been widely adopted by the automotive industry." What's more, the VNC goodies will allow Sony support specialists to troubleshoot your Xperia handset remotely, should you request such assistance. Mosey on past the break for a look at the full announcement.
TeamViewer enhances Remote Control for Macs
TeamViewer is offering a new OS X version of its remote control and online presentation software with some significant feature updates. TeamViewer now starts automatically with system boot and runs in the background. Once connected, the computer or server can be controlled as if the user was seated right in front of it. In contrast to the TeamViewer Host module, TeamViewer for Mac full version allows not only incoming connections, but also outgoing connections to other systems. Other features include a revised and friendlier interface, as well as enhanced security options including up to 10 digit session passwords. The update offers fresh connection possibilities for online presentations. The update also allows Mac users to connect directly to the presenter, rather than having the presenter individually enter the ID and password of each viewer. Thanks to a customized invitation feature, presenters can easily increase the number of concurrent viewers, and start the presentation as soon as they see all viewers are connected. Teamviewer is free for non-commercial private use. Commercial users are offered a variety of pricing options. Teamviewer also offers software for iOS devices so they can be used as remote screens for Macs or PCs. The current Mac update is version number 6.0.10543 and is available on the TeamViewer download page.
RealVNC demos BIOS-based server at IDF 2011 (video)
VNC (Virtual Network Computing) is one of the of oldest remote desktop solutions around, and while its RFB (remote framebuffer) protocol can require a little more bandwidth than the competition, it's long been praised for its broad cross-platform support and elegant simplicity. Last year, RealVNC teamed up with Intel to incorporate a bona fide VNC server (using hardware encryption native to vPro chipsets) into the oldest bit of PC firmware -- the BIOS. As such, you can securely control a remote computer's BIOS, mount a disk image, and install an OS from the comfort of your living room halfway across the globe. The future is now -- you're welcome. Take a look at RealVNC's IDF 2011 demo in the gallery below and our hand-on video after the break. %Gallery-134215% Dante Cesa contributed to this report.
Nokia announces Car Mode with MirrorLink support for Symbian Belle and N9 smartphones (video)
It's about time some fruit emerged from the Car Connectivity Consortium, and Nokia is here to show other manufacturers how it's done -- and perhaps more importantly, why it's significant. The company has introduced Car Mode for Symbian Belle and N9 smartphones, which is an application that interfaces with MirrorLink (previously known as Terminal Mode), to provide a seamless and attractive connection between your smartphone and stereo head unit. Like we've previously seen, the system essentially works by mirroring your phone's display onto the vehicle's in-dash touchscreen. From there, you're given full access to navigation, music, contacts and videos without the need to fumble with your handset. Coinciding with this announcement, Alpine has introduced an aftermarket head unit known as the ICS-X8 that supports MirrorLink, which is expected to go on sale in November. We're loving the functionality here, but are still wondering when Android, Windows Phone and iOS will get their share of due diligence. Follow the break for video demos from Nokia and Alpine, along with the full PR.
Dear Aunt TUAW: What's wrong with Lion VNC?
Dear Aunt TUAW, I recently upgraded to Lion 10.7 and have found that VNC (I use iteleport) on Lion has not been working. I have searched far and wide across the jungles and valleys of the interweb to no avail. I did find that I am not the only one having this problem. Any help you could provide would be much appreciated Thanks, Niko Dear Niko, Apple's Screen Sharing / Remote Desktop Server appears to have a bug related to mouse movement feedback. Auntie contacted iTeleport Mobile, who helpfully pointed her to this page. Apple says they're working on a fix. In the meantime, iTeleport offers a workaround by suggesting you adjust your primary display so it lies to the left of all other displays. What's more, Jahanzeb Sherwani of iTeleport promised to get in touch with you directly to help you work through your current problems. Expect a letter in your in-box. Thank you, Jahanzeb! Hugs, Auntie T.
Wyse PocketCloud aims to get your desktop anywhere you are
If the name Wyse sounds familiar, it's probably because the company has been doing remote access since the days of acoustic couplers and 300-baud modems. Founded in 1981, it has evolved from its early days of creating 'dumb terminals' to become an industry leader in virtual desktops, giving users access to servers or virtualized PCs through protocols like VNC, RDP or VMware View. Expanding the Wyse offerings to the smartphone and tablet space wasn't that big a leap, and it's been pretty successful. Last week the company announced that its PocketCloud products for iOS and Android have been downloaded over a million times. The current version of PocketCloud Pro for iPhone and iPad (US$14.99) delivers both local connectivity and a handy Google App Engine locator service for remote machines. You can install the desktop client on your Mac or PC, authenticate with your Google account, and immediately operate all your active computers as though you were sitting in front of them. With a $0.99 monthly in-app purchase, you can also get file browser/file transfer access to your PCs, AirPrint printing, video streaming from the remote RDP server or VMware View service, slimmed-down browser mode (including Flash and audio) and more. (Compare to the $29.99 LogMeIn Ignition app, which I'm also quite fond of.) PocketCloud also comes in an ad-supported free version, which only allows you to keep one computer in your destinations list among other limitations; for everything except VMware View, however, it's a good way to test out the app and see if it suits you. The PocketCloud UI is about as friendly as I've seen in remote access apps, with a clever 'smart pointer' tool that gives you precise mouse positioning, left/right click and rapid keyboard access. Like all the apps in this category, it takes a while to configure it and get comfortable with operating the remote machine, but once you get your legs (or fingers) under you, it becomes second nature. Obviously, remote access tools are vital to system administrators or IT support folk -- even for supporting family and friends -- but Wyse is interested in expanding that audience. I spoke to David Nagy last week, Wyse's mobile unit director of product marketing, and he pointed out that mobile businesspeople and small business owners don't really want to bring their laptops everywhere when they can manage with an iPad. Still, there are moments when they need access to specific desktop apps or files, and tools like PocketCloud (combined with file storage options like Dropbox) can make that happen. There's also a growing market for virtual desktops provisioned for business, student or home users; Nagy suggested that the long-anticipated rental market for desktop applications ("Need Excel for the day? That'll be $2, thanks!") could be kickstarted by ubiquitous, inexpensive remote access on devices like the iPad. That'd certainly bring new meaning to the term 'thin client.' There's a brief PocketCloud overview video below.
Jaguar XJ with BlackBerry integration hands-on (video)
This week at BlackBerry World 2011, Jaguar is showcasing one of its lovely XJ sedans outfitted with a prototype of its upcoming Connect and View technology which the car manufacturer is developing together with RIM, Denso, and RealVNC. Like Terminal Mode, the system allows a client running on the vehicle's head unit to connect to a server installed on a BlackBerry smartphone. Communication is handled by VNC -- a platform-independent remote framebuffer protocol, which mirrors the handset's display on the car's infotainment screen and maps the device's physical buttons to softkeys. This provides control of the phone directly from the center stack of the XJ sedan but lets the company block potentially distracting apps. Audio is piped via Bluetooth while VNC traffic is routed over USB, thus also keeping the BlackBerry conveniently charged. Jaguar hopes to have Connect and View in its vehicles by late 2012. Until then, check out our hands-on video (above) and the press release after the break.
VMware brings virtual machines to iPad
Earlier today, VMware, Inc. announced the availability of VMware View Client for iPad on Apple's App Store. The free app enables enterprise and government users to securely access their virtual desktops, applications and data from anywhere with wireless internet access. Unlike VNC clients that allow iPad users to remotely control a personal computer, VMware's solution displays the desktop of a virtual machine hosted online. VMware View Client for iPad uses a combination of on-screen input devices and multi-touch gestures to offer precise, intuitive controls for interacting with a PC interface on the iPad. The app fully supports Wi-Fi or 3G connections. VMware View allows IT departments to centrally host virtual machines that can be accessed from a variety of computing devices. VMware's press release cites Children's Hospital Central California's use of VMware View as an example. "Recently, the Hospital has deployed VMware View to provide secure, 'Follow-me Desktops,' that move from room-to-room with clinicians and staff as they treat their patients." VMware View Client for iPad simply and securely connects users to their virtual machines centrally hosted with the VMware View solution. The iPad app is offered as a free companion to VMware's enterprise-class virtual computing platform. "Now all of us iPad aficionados can use our iPads to access our desktops and get an awesome user experience without giving IT a heart attack about security," says VMware's official blog.
Jungo and RealVNC partner up, aim to marry phones and infotainment systems
Quietly, in-car infotainment systems have progressed greatly here at CES 2011. What started a few years back with the integration of SYNC into Ford vehicles has blossomed into an industry-wide obsession, and now two of the biggest names that work behind the scenes are joining up to better integrate mobiles (and applications) with vehicle entertainment systems. Jungo and RealVNC's newfound bond has resulted in a CEA-approved solution to make that kind of magic happen, and it's one that just so happens to support Terminal Mode. The combined Automotive Connectivity middleware will enable a car's head unit to automatically detect, access and control mobile devices in the vehicle and display their content on the screen in the dashboard. The design combines VNC (remote access and control) technology from RealVNC with Jungo's tech, featuring device connectivity, media and network management, USB and Bluetooth protocol stacks. Hard to say when automakers will grab hold of this stuff and start offering it from the factory, but if we know anything about progress in the automotive industry, we'd say we're still a year or so out.
Screens: an easy and elegant VNC app for iOS
VNC (virtual network computing) has been around for a long time, but lately there seems to be more and more interest in it, perhaps because of all the iPad and iPhone owners who want to connect to their computers back home or at the office. Screens, from Edovia, is a new entrant in the VNC app race. It is on sale at US$14.99 for a limited time, after which the price will go up to $24.99. The app is universal, so your purchase allows you to install it on both an iPad and iPhone, or an iPod touch. Like many other similar apps, Screens has support for many multi-touch gestures, as well as squeeze motions to enlarge or shrink the screen back down. The main difference is that with the other apps, you use those gestures to move a cursor around the screen or, in some cases, move the screen around a stationary cursor. Screens allows you to control the remote computer using your finger as a virtual mouse or trackpad. Of course, you have to run a VNC server app on the machine you want to connect to, and you can find those for Windows and Linux. OS X has VNC built in; you just activate screen sharing in the Mac Sharing preference pane. If you have multiple PCs set up to connect to, you flick between those screens on your iPad, iPod touch or iPhone. I've tried it at home, and I was easily able to connect to my desktop Mac and a Windows XP PC. Using the app was a pleasure, and because of the way touch is integrated, it felt like a pure multi-touch app rather than a screen emulator. There is a dedicated keyboard, and a second one with keys that relate to the type of computer you are connecting to. For example, you can invoke a Spotlight search with a tap when connected to a Mac. %Gallery-111639%
RealVNC adds "iPod Out" so cars can display iOS device screen data
RealVNC, the company behind the original VNC remote computing protocol, has added iOS to the list of devices that are supported by its VNC Mobile Solution for Automotive. In general, VNC (virtual network computing) allows users to see the display output from another computer over a network. It's commonly used to manage servers that are running without an attached monitor. While a number of automakers have integrated iPod/iPhone control functionality, many of them have implemented rather clunky user interfaces. VNC Mobile will allow the actual iOS interface, including Cover Flow or even Google Maps, to be displayed directly on the larger in-dash touchscreen in the car. This way, a user could just use the larger display to manage what they are listening to without fumbling with the iPod or iPhone. The new version uses the "iPod Out" feature that Apple has built into the latest versions of iOS to provide this capability. Check out the video in the second half of the post. The demo video actually shows the capability of the VNC software to display the output of a smartphone using a Nokia N900. RealVNC is utilizing the newly implemented capabilities in iOO 4.1 to do the same thing. [Via Macnn]
Apple TV hacking update: Bluetooth, white lists, ports, cables
We continue to keep track of Apple TV's hacking potential; here's another quick update of the new hardware. iFixit confirms that there's an on-board Bluetooth chip: "The Broadcom BCM4329XKUBG 802.11n Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM chip on the Panasonic board is exactly the same as the one we found on the iPad." iOS developer Matthias Ringwald tells TUAW that it shouldn't be hard to get his custom Bluetooth stack running on Apple TV once it's openly jailbroken. "I managed to hook the communication between BlueTool and BT chipset before, so I can record that exchange on iPad which sets up the Bluetooth chipset and just do a playback. Chances are good." Read on...
Apple TV hacking update: PhoneView, ping, VNC support
Veni vidi hacki. Just picked up an Apple TV this afternoon at the Cherry Creek Apple Store (shout out to the guys there!) and while I haven't had a long time to play around with it -- hence the brevity of this post -- I have had a few moments of hands-on testing to share with you. Here are the basic highlights.
Exclusive: VW's Terminal Mode prototype with a Nokia N97 at the helm, we go hands-on
What if you could plug any smartphone into your car and control your GPS, music and apps with large, vehicular controls? That's the entire idea behind Nokia's Terminal Mode. We trekked over to Volkswagen's research laboratories in Palo Alto, California to test the first working prototype actually integrated into a car -- a VW Passat, to be precise -- and got to put some German pedal to the metal with Ovi Maps guiding our every move. What did we think? Not bad for a product that's nearly two years away. Find out why (and get a video tour!) right after after the break. %Gallery-103637%
Sharing screens with TeamViewer for iPad and Mac
Here at TUAW, we love enthusiastic readers. They tell us what they like and what they don't like, and nothing could be more passionate than the recommendations for TeamViewer that appeared in the comments on a post I recently wrote about using iTeleport and LogMeIn to provide remote support. Given the enthusiasm, I decided to give TeamViewer a try. Like most other remote computing solutions, TeamViewer is made up of two parts. There's a computer-based server, available for both Windows and Macintosh, and clients including an iPad application. How much you spend on your setup depends on how you plan to use the application.
DeviceVM unleashing MeeGo on Splashtop PCs, flexes MeeGo netbook muscle to remote control Windows machines (video)
Got "Smart On," "Quick Start," "Express Gate," "QuickWeb," "Latitude ON" or even the plain vanilla Splashtop instant-on OS embedded in your PC? Chances are, sometime next year, you'll be getting a MeeGo app-capable upgrade. Splashtop manufacturer DeviceVM has just promised a MeeGo-based version of Splashtop to all current OEM partners for distribution in the first half of next year, and you should be able to simply upgrade the instant-on client in your existing PC. We spoke to DeviceVM in person at IDF 2010, and were told it's not quite as easy as it sounds -- for one thing, the Splashtop MeeGo Remix, as it's called, is still in the early stages, and it's going to be up to the ASUS, Acers and Dells of the world to actually roll it out. HP's committed to delivering an free, transitional version of Splashtop for its machines that will allow end-users to easily upgrade, however. What you're looking at above on this Lenovo S10-3t is the first step in the process -- MeeGo with Splashtop branding and some simple touchscreen drivers. To make up for the relative boredom, DeviceVM showed off something else moderately neat -- a port of its Splashtop Remote app to MeeGo that allows a tiny HP Mini to seamlessly remote into a Windows PC. Imagine the potential for covert fun with our video after the break! %Gallery-102255%
Dear Aunt TUAW: dock my iPhone to my iPad
Dear Aunt TUAW, I wish I could dock my iPhone right into the side or back of a large iPad screen. And then have the iPad run off my phone. That way I could have a large screen when I need it. But when I leave the house for a walk, I could take the smaller device (the iPhone) out and carry it in my pocket. Love and snuggles, Your nephew Gary
Hands-on with iPad VNC clients
iTeleport lets you connect to your computer remotely using free software provided by iTeleport LLC When you look at VNC clients for the iPad, there are really two uses you have to take into account. First, can the software connect locally, allowing you to screen share your desktop computer? Second, can it connect remotely, providing off-site access to your computer? With these two issues in mind, TUAW recently took a look at several iPad VNC clients. Read on to discover how they stood up to real world testing.
