remoteaccess
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Microsoft: OnLive Desktop may violate licensing agreements
Typically, when a product hits the market, you'd hope details like nitty-gritty licensing and IP would have all been worked out prior to going on sale. Of course, things in the real world are never that simple. Take for example, OnLive and Microsoft, which according the latter, says OnLive Desktop isn't exactly in the clear when it comes to its remote Windows 7 slinging abilities. Clarified on Microsoft's Volume Licensing blog, Joe Matz, VP of worldwide licensing, said the company is "actively engaged with OnLive" in the hopes of "bringing them into a properly licensed scenario." When asked, an OnLive representative responded with: "We have never commented on any licensing agreements." Sounds like it'll all get resolved soon, but in the meantime do your homework kids -- lawyers are expensive.
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.
iTwin announces Multi functionality, wants to host USB filesharing collabs
If you jumped on the iTwin bandwagon, you're about to get even more functionality from your filesharing USB. The company has announced Multi, a free upgrade that will allow users to share files stored on a Windows machine or Mac with a few of their cohorts simultaneously. Once you snag the update, plugging multiple iTwins into the same computer will allow remote access for multiple users via an internet connection. This piece of kit allows you to skip the cloud when collaborating on projects as the files never leave the host machine. Existing iTwin users will be prompted for an update when plugging in the device as a whole. All the details on how the tech works are in the PR, just after the break.
PocketCloud Explore arrives for Android, enables file searching and viewing across multiple computers
A new product has hit the Android Market and we think you might find it quite nifty. Known as PocketCloud Explore, the app allows users to search for and view files across their PCs and Macs, all without ever needing to surrender data to the cloud. Simple file management is also part of the game, as users can remotely create, rename and delete both folders and documents, as well as upload files from their smartphone to the remote destination. The basic version of PocketCloud Explore retails for $4.99, which is limited to two associated computers. For users juggling additional boxes and lappies, the developer plans to introduce a premium service that will allow access to a greater number of systems. Even the basic product, however, offers unlimited transfers, which means your files will always be within reach. Curious for more? You'll find the full PR after the break.
my-Ditto lets you access your data from literally anywhere including your iOS devices
There are a lot of solutions to getting your hands on files, video and audio remotely. You can do it on your own configuring firewalls. Apple had iDisk, but that is slowly fading and it's going to be dead next year unless Apple changes its mind. Of the many methods I've seen, Dane-Elec has come up with a product that is both easy and secure. It's called the my-Ditto system. It consists of an external hard drive you attach to your Mac or PC via ethernet. Essentially it's a NAS, or network attached storage. Once it's up and running, you can access your files from any remote computer via a secure USB key. Pop it into any other computer anywhere, enter a password, and the files you have sitting at home are available. Even better, you can see your files from an iOS device running a special my-Ditto app. The my-Ditto hardware offers systems up to 4 terabytes of storage, and there are starter systems of 500 gigabytes, or empty drive casings that let you populate it on your own. The systems also support RAID for data redundancy. I was sent a 500 GB system to try. Setup was pretty easy. Plug the my-Ditto into your router, run the software from the USB key, and register. The USB keys need to be matched to your device with a serialization scheme, and if you need more you can buy them from Dane-Elec or just use a flash drive you buy anywhere and go through the steps to match it securely to your system. You can then copy data to the drive, and set up public and private partitions. The system supports secure AES 256-Bit encrypted login. The software also can be set to back up a Mac, PC or Linux box. The server also allows a USB drive to be plugged in, and those files can also be securely accessed. How did it all work? Quite well. I had one glitch setting my account up. I never received the email that would enable me to fire up the system. That turned out to be a known issue, and it has been fixed. I tried remotely accessing my files from both a Mac and PC laptop. You must have your USB key with you to do this, but it worked fine. The key has both a Mac and PC app on it and that's what you run to access your files. When you run the app remotely you will see 2 windows. Your remote computer and your local one. Files can be dragged and dropped between the 2, or there is a handy search dialogue box that makes finding files easy. If you have media on the my-Ditto, it can be streamed if you have the requisite bandwidth. Photos can be viewed as thumbnails, which makes browsing them easy. Multiple users you authorize can access the files simultaneously, which makes it great for group projects. Up to 30 USB keys can be registered to a my-Ditto server. The iOS app doesn't use a hardware key, but you still get access to your files. You need a password, and all the data is encrypted. If your phone was lost, you simply disable the account and the phone would no longer have access. In practice, the my-Ditto system is very easy to set up, works as expected, and gives you an easy way to pull files from anywhere. The USB keys can be put on a keychain. If it is lost, there is no way for a person to get your files just by having the USB key. If you forget your password you can re-authenticate your key with the my-Ditto server. The system I tested sells for US $149.99 and consists of a 500 GB 2-bay enclosure. The second bay is empty if you want more storage. At the top of the line the company offers a 4 TB 2 driver server for $369.00. The iOS apps are free for the downloading and are universal for iPhone and the iPad. These apps also let you transfer iOS accessible files from your iPhone or iPad to your remote server. The app works on 3G or WiFi. There are also versions for Android phones. The my-Ditto solution is very slick and very easy to use. If you have large amounts of data you want to access from anywhere, I can't think of a competing solution that is as secure and quick to set up. The my-Ditto servers are available direct from Dane-Elec and some retailers. %Gallery-140702%
LaCie's LaPlug turns your USB HDD into a network storage device, for LaPrice of $75 (video)
LaCie has always taken an understated approach to its lineup of boxy network storage devices, and the LaPlug is no different. With this little guy sitting in your living room, you can wirelessly share and access data across your home network, while streaming USB drive-stored multimedia content to any UPnP/DLNA-certified devices, including the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 or any compatible smartphones and tablets. With a quartet of USB 2.0 ports, along with gigabit ethernet and WiFi b/g/n capabilities, the LaPlug also allows you to back up your files in a centralized and remotely accessible location. You can grab one now for $75 at the source link below, or breeze past the break for more details in the full PR and accompanying video.
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.
iTwin's filesharing USB gets official OS X compatibility, still plays nice with Windows too
Sure, iTwin's USB filesharing drive has had Mac OS X (Lion and Snow Leopard) support in beta for some time now, but things just got official. If you'll recall, the iTwin's a double-sided splittable USB plug that allows you to play James Bond and remotely access files over the web under AES encryption of the 256-bit variety. Whether you're moving files between two Windows rigs, OS X devices or Mac to PC while globe-trotting, the iTwin promises to easily let you get your secure share on. As it stands, the iTwin remains priced at $99, and if you need a refresher on how it works, check out the video and PR just past the break.
Pogoplug Mobile hands-on
The cloud is huge (well, infinite, really), and everybody wants their piece. Pogoplug has been a player since the beginning, albeit with a somewhat convoluted setup process, so it's no surprise that the drive-to-web plug appliance company is ready to push out a smartphone-friendly version. Pogoplug Mobile, as it's to be known, brings much of its big brother's functionality (you won't be able to "mount" remote drives) to smartphones, tablets, and dedicated desktop apps. Want to load some photos from your 4 terabyte hard drive in San Fran while you're on the subway in Tokyo? Simply launch an app, sign in with the username and password you registered during the seconds-long setup process, and you're on your way. You can even email photos (links to images on your remote drive -- you won't be using data), post them to social networking sites, or transfer new ones that you shot with the phone. The concept is certainly familiar, but we got to take a look at Pogoplug's interpretation at IFA in Berlin. Jump past the break to see what we thought.%Gallery-132122%
TeamViewer update allows remote file transfer
TeamViewer for the iPhone and TeamViewer HD for the iPad have received new updates that provide support for transferring any file from an iOS mobile device to a computer (and vice versa). Windows PCs as well as Mac OS X Lion and Linux systems are supported. TeamViewer is free for private use, and will allow transfer pictures, videos or documents over a wireless or 3G network. I tried a couple of file transfers using my iPad and a remote Mac and all worked as advertised, although the file transfer screens only worked in portrait mode, which seems an odd oversight. Some other remote access apps have file transfer features as well. LogMeIn Ignition comes to mind. More info on the TeamViewer apps can be found here. TeamViewer for iPhone and iPad are available now in the app store.
Team Viewer rolls out Lion friendly update
I've always liked Team Viewer for quick and easy remote control of Macs and PCs. Today, they've pushed out an updated Mac client that has fixed a few small quirks introduced when Lion arrived. One thing to note. The Mac version of Team Viewer doesn't alert you that there is a new version, and it does not have a 'check for update' option, so just get yourself to the Team Viewer website to download the free update. Team Viewer also has clients for the iPad and iPhone, making it a pretty complete free solution if you are using it in a non-commercial way.
Cloud Engines updates Pogoplug's software-only version with OneView, enhanced iOS support
The smoke from Cloud Engines' Pogoplug Video recall (Pogo-un-plugged?) may still be settling, but on a better note, today the company has announced the first major update to its software-based version. To refresh your memory, it essentially turns any network-connected computer into a Pogoplug, allowing it to be accessed like a NAS drive (think iCloud, but with your drives). The new version's main advantage is OneView, which can display every connected computer's drives separately or compiled together sans duplicates -- iOS devices are also supported in this feature. You'll be pleased to know that the service is free, excluding video and off-LAN music streaming. Those features can be enabled by purchasing the premium version for a one-time fee of 29 bones, and unlike before, a single purchase will take care of your entire stable of devices. You'll find some screenshots of the software below, as well as a PR crash course in 'personal cloud management' just after the break. %Gallery-126839%
Cloud Engines recalls potentially flammable Pogoplug Video (update)
Looks like sharing videos over the cloud may be a risky task -- if you're using the box shown here on the left, that is. The Pogoplug Video hit the retail scene about two months ago, but Cloud Engines has already issued a recall after two devices nearly went up in flames. According to The Official Pogoplug Blog, the internal chip that handles video encoding can experience "thermal runaways" after long periods of use, which could cause the device to reach unsafe temperatures; this despite having a fan to keep things cool. The affected model numbers include Pogo P-11 through 14, and the company asks that owners get in contact to setup a return and refund. In the meantime, it also suggests that the units be unplugged -- a good idea if you want to avoid possibly burning the house down. Update: It appears that Cloud Engines' initial statement has been condensed and slightly modified. Zenverge, the chip's manufacturer, has also informed us that the silicon itself isn't exactly the problem. The end result remains the same, however: this Pogoplug is too hot for video.
Prompt from Panic does SSH on iPad and iPhone
Prompt from Panic is probably not an app you'll download just to muck around with and then forget. An SSH client is one of those things you either need and use a fair bit, or not at all. Described by developer Panic as "a clean, crisp, and cheerful SSH client: it helps you when you need it, and stays out of your way when you don't," early reviewers seem to like it a lot. Panic says the app is "for system administrators, web developers, movie-style hackers ('Let me just TCP/IP into the UNIX port!'), or any person who needs to connect remotely and type some magic." It seems reasonably priced at US$4.99. Let us know if you've tried it. [Via Macgasm]
HP demos Citrix running on Touchpad, tries to make webOS corporation-friendly (video)
Lest you thought HP's Windows 7 slate was for large businesses and its upcoming webOS ones were reserved for consumers, not so fast. In a video (embedded after the break for your viewing pleasure), HP touts Citrix running on its forthcoming Touchpad to show it can play nice with enterprises' IT departments, too. As with Chrome OS, Citrix Receiver runs inside the browser, letting people choose the desktop apps they want. Both platforms, it seems, are capable of running computer-aided design applications in the cloud, with HP showing a 3D model in AutoCAD eDrawings Viewer. The frame rate isn't as fluid as HP would have you believe, but getting started appears idiot-proof, thanks to some large, tap-able icons. In any case, with 80 percent of the Fortune 100 already deploying the iPad, it's wise of HP to woo corporate customers with webOS. Isn't that right, Microsoft?
PogoPlug Video and Buffalo CloudStor now shipping, streaming your stuff all over the place
Yes, you've seen these guys before, and now the latest PogoPlug offspring are ready to ship. Both PogoPlug Video and its storage-sporting cousin, the Buffalo CloudStor, put their own unique twist on the firm's remote access service. As you might recall, PogoPlug Video, which is now available exclusively from Best Buy for $200, allows you to hook up your external hard drives and share streaming video, music, and images to devices anywhere with internet access. Buffalo's CloudStor, on the other hand, provides the same cloud-based access, with a little something extra. It's the first PogoPlug branded gadget to sport integrated storage, and comes in three iterations, ringing in at $150 for 1TB, $210 for 2TB, and $250 for the 2TB Pro version. Now you can share all your favorite kitten clips, without ever uploading them to YouTube. Isn't that precious?
In search of the perfect remote access app: TeamViewer
If you have multiple computers or have to provide support to a remote Mac or PC used by a family member or friend, or if you travel and need to contact your computer at home, you're a customer for some sort of remote access. There are lots of choices, both free and paid. I've tried many, like some of the varieties of VNC, and solutions like LogMeIn Ignition and RDM+. They have all worked, but I was looking for more. After reading a review of TeamViewer by our Erica Sadun last fall, i decided to give it a try. For home/personal use, it's absolutely free. I was only using personally, so free sounded good. I installed it on my Mac, on a Windows laptop, and grabbed the iPhone and iPad clients. Each computer you want to contact needs to run a version of the TeamViewer app appropriate for the computer it's installed on. There are versions for Windows, Macs and Linux. With that done, you run the program and your shared machine is assigned an ID. A password will also be assigned, but you can choose your own. Connecting to a remote computer is as easy as typing in the ID of that computer, and logging in with your password. In a couple of seconds you'll see the remote screen and some extra buttons that allow you to do file transfers, remote reboot a computer, and tune the connection by adjusting the quality and scaling of the remote display. You can also bring up a chat window if you are working with someone on the remote computer. The is no reason to have to fool with firewalls or chase changing IP addresses. TeamViewer just works. Sound is not supported on the Mac side. PC to PC, there is a VoIP chat and video option. These features are coming to the Mac version, but no dates. %Gallery-120241%
Skifta Android app nabs DLNA certification: tablets and smartphones now streaming to STBs and more
Using your Android phone as a remote is hardly new, but using it to actually send content to a TV-connected set-top box? Now that's a novel concept. Skifta for Android has just become the first piece of software to be certified by the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) under its new Software Certification program, enabling any Android-based smartphone or tablet to stream onboard media to any DLNA source, including TVs, stereos, PCs and Sony's PS3. It's hard to say what kind of phone (and what kind of bandwidth) will be needed for this to actually be an enjoyable experience, but those curious to find out can download the app for free in the Android Marketplace... provided you're using a device with Android 2.2 (Froyo) or higher, of course. Head on past the break for a explanatory video.
Cirago launches CMC3200 media player, NUS2000 USB network storage link
The media streamer waters are awfully crowded, but Cirago's paying no mind to that. The company has this month introduced its new CMC3200 media player, hailed as the only 1080p system to offer 2TB of built-in storage, a WiFi adapter and a full year of PlayOn goodness. It's priced at $299.99 with the hard drive included, and it'll sport all of the basic functions already found on the 500GB and 1TB CiragoTV Platinum devices. In related news, the outfit's also dishing out its NUS2000 Link+ adapter, which provides remote access capabilities to up to four USB-connected storage devices. It's a compact device that's obviously set to rival Pogoplug's stable of NAS enablers, boasting a $100 price point and a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets. Moving on, Cirago's also announcing that its NUS1000 USB Network Storage Link features remote access, so there goes your excuse to upgrade. Hit the source link for the whole schpeel.
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).
