SplashtopRemote
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Splashtop Remote Desktop now available for Mac OS X, costs but $10
Not content with creating the possibility of (emulated) Wii gaming on Android tablets, Splashtop continues to spread itself across pretty much anything with a screen, with a Mac-friendly version available now at the Mac App Store. This release allows both Mac OS X 10.6 and Windows to hold hands across the great OS divide -- nice to see Splashtop is still beavering away at its "Bridge to Anywhere." Desktop access to both your most intimate files and programs -- through both local networks and the internet at large -- are but a $9.99 payment away.
MMObility: Staying desktop-free with Splashtop Remote and Warspear Online
Let's face it: If you are frequenting this site and specifically this column, you probably have a soft spot in your heart for gizmos, gadgets, and gear. I know I do. But all that cool stuff costs a lot of money. When I spent the first half of my life as a drummer, I was known as the "duct tape drummer" because I used it for everything from bandages to kick drum holders. I could achieve what I wanted at a fraction of the price mainly because I wasn't worried about how my drum kit looked or how new my gear was. I bring that same mentality to my gaming. This column was born out of the need for gaming-on-the-cheap and more mobility, and today I wanted to give you two examples of how this mentality works in my life. Remember, the ultimate goal here is to have fun, and I have had more fun since I started this column than I have had in a long, long time. Click past the cut and let me show you some new ways to game!
Splashtop Remote for Mac and iOS: An unbeatable combo
I've tried just about every remote control application under the sun. iTeleport, LogMeIn Ignition, Mocha VNC and TeamViewer have all been on my iOS devices at one time or another. When I recently heard about Splashtop Remote, my initial thought was to delete the email about it and move on. Fortunately, my curiosity got the best of me. Like most remote control apps, Splashtop comes in two pieces -- the free Splashtop Remote Server part that runs on the target computer (either Mac or Windows), and a client app for iOS. The Mac server is still in beta, while the Windows piece has been in place for a while. The iOS apps run US$1.99 each for the iPhone and iPad versions, and there is a free time-limited (5 minutes per connect session) version for iPad that is useful for just trying out the app. That's probably my biggest complaint right now -- many of the other remote control apps are available in Universal versions that run on any iOS device. Why am I so smitten with Splashtop Remote? Perhaps my biggest criteria for apps of this type are ease of setup, speed and a way of controlling the Mac or PC that makes the best use of the iOS touch interface. Setup is dead simple on both the desktop and mobile devices, although the Mac installation does require an installation of Soundflower. Since I already use Soundflower, I was able to skip that step. Launching the mobile app displays the computers that are running the server on the local network. A tap on the computer name launches the connection. %Gallery-114916%
Splashtop Remote Desktop adds Android compatibility, opens another avenue for Windows remote access
We aren't quite sure we're on the same page as Splashtop's CEO, who is seemingly on a mission to "build the Bridge to Anywhere," but we're all for a remote access client for Google's mobile OS. Shortly after bringing your Windows PC to the iPhone, iPod and iPad, the aforementioned company has now issued an Android client. As you'd probably guess, it allows anyone with an Android-based smartphone or tablet to tap into their networked Windows PC, with content and applications both accessible. According to the company, it'll allow Android users to "listen to music, access all of their files and applications, and play PC and Flash games remotely." We're a little hesitent to believe all that will be doable on some of the lower-end handsets, but at least it's out there to try (if you're willing to part ways with $4.99).
Splashtop Remote Desktop brings Windows PC access to your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
Oh, sure -- you've got a smorgasbord of virtual machine clients out there for the iDevice in your life, but you haven't had this one. Until today, of course. Splashtop (the former DeviceVM) has just unleashed its Remote Desktop app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, enabling users to funnel Windows PC content onto their handheld. The catch is an obvious one -- you'll need a WiFi connection to make the magic happen, though we're assuming you wouldn't even want to imagine how sluggish the process would be over 3G. The company claims that this app will let users "watch movies, listen to music, or access any other Windows files and programs, including full web browsers with Flash," and you'll need a WiFi-connected Win7, Vista or WinXP machine nearby to take advantage. We've got a feeling this won't work nearly as well as advertised (sorry, it's just the nature of tunneling / emulation), but those willing to take the plunge can tap into the App Store as we speak.
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%
