Are you using a Remote Desktop app on your iPad? Which one?

[johnredcorn]

I own iTeleport, iTap VNC and RDP, Wyse Pocketcloud, Jump, and Desktop Connect. Each have pros and cons, and some are better than others, but all of them are solid apps and worth the money. For those that just want one good app for controlling other computers remotely or over a local network, I will list the pros and cons, and how they compare to each other.

iTeleport is the most expensive, packs the most features, and was the easiest to setup. iTeleport is VNC only, which means it will work well running with native screen sharing on the mac, but will need a VNC server to be installed on the PC (ultravnc is my favorite). If you enable screen sharing on your mac, the setup will be idiot proof, as it will auto discover your mac for use on your local network. Connecting to your mac or PC remotely will require you to setup a google account and use iTeleport's software that syncs with google cloud. The best option, though, is to just obtain your external ip and forward a port for each computer.

Pros:
iTeleport supports ssh tunneling, multiple mouse control options, the ability to hide screen contents on ipad, a full array of misc keys, and the best implementation of gestures (not to mention the most gestures of any of the clients). Gestures include 3 finger swipes up and down to hide and show the keyboard and taskbar, 3 finger tap to zoom, 3 finger side swipes for task manager, 4 finger swipes for expose, and of course two finger tap to right click, pinch to zoom, and drag to scroll.

Cons:
For a 25 dollar app, it lacks the polish of some of the cheaper apps. The modifier keys are unattractive and hover separate from the keyboard at the top of the screen when activated. The media control keys only work with vine server installed on the mac (will not work with screen sharing). The biggest issue I have with iTeleport is that it feels sluggish. Screen refresh is on par with the other vnc apps, or better, but the redraw on the ipad is the worst of any of the apps. Pinch to zoom is very slow and only zooms in on the mouse. Single finger drag to pan is slow for the screen to update and reposition. This is on local or remote networks, and the color quality doesnt seem to make much of a difference.

iTap VNC and RDP are both pretty much the same, they just use different protocols. iTap packs solid features (not as many as iTeleport), good performance, and the most polished UI (or rather lack of a UI) of any of the remote apps. iTap will be a little tricky to setup for remote access unless you know how to do port forwarding. The documentation is all included in the app. The RDP client will run natively with remote desktop included in the upper versions of windows (check their list of compatible OS's in the app store or their web site), and the VNC client will of course run natively in OSX with screen sharing.

Pros:
Ill say this again, this app is polished. All the keys, menus, and animations are excellent. 3 finger down swipe will activate the keyboard with a nice animation. All the necessary modifier keys are right there attached to the standard keyboard, with a separate button to activate the misc keys and numpad. The interface is touch only, and is the best touch interface of any of the remote apps. You can tap and hold for accurate controls via a scoping system (basically a magnifying glass pops up at your finger tip) that will allow you to drag the mouse. There is no taskbar so none of the screen is obstructed during normal use. The speed of the VNC client is on par with iTeleport, except the ipad redraw rate is much better. Pinch to zoom is smooth and accurate, and panning works perfectly. The speed of the RDP client is also on par with the others. Both iTap clients use the same gestures. These include the aforementioned 3 finger swipe for keyboard and pinch to zoom, but also include 3 finger right swipe to end session, 2 finger tap to right click, and drag to zoom.

Cons:
There aren't that many. The VNC client lacks some of the features of iTeleport like the ability to hide screen contents and some of the advanced gestures. The biggest issue with the iTap client is its sole reliance on touch mode. All of my other remote apps offer multiple options for controlling the mouse. I also had a few issues with some of the misc keys not working under OSX. I have spoken to the developer (who was very quick to respond) and was told that they will look into fixes for the misc keys under OSX, and that they will be including additional mouse control options in a future update. Lastly, unlike like iTeleport, I notice the mouse will stop responding on occasion (usually for a few seconds at a time). Hopefully this will also be fixed in a future update.

Wyse Pockeycloud is a good all-around RDP client with solid performance, a polished UI, and the best mouse control of any of the remote clients. Setup is similar to all of the other apps, and the ability to do port forwarding will make it very easy.

Pros:
It's all about the mouse controls. A single tap of the mouse icon brings up a (nicely animated) mouse icon with a group of buttons attached. These buttons are always fixed to the mouse so they can be activated quickly from your fingertip. These options include a right click, a scrollbar, and keyboard activation button. These controls are necessary as Wyse supports almost no gestures (except pinch to zoom and single finger panning). Everything is run from mouse or the taskbar (which can be hidden). Performance is good, and audio streaming works well (audio streaming quality can be set in options). Lastly, like iTap and Jump, the pinch to zoom and panning speeds are excellent.

Cons:
Already mentioned the big one. Complete lack of gesture support. No two finger tap to right click or drag to scroll. No gestures to bring up keyboard, hide taskbar, or zoom. Another issue (purely cosmetic), is the login screen. Wyse has, by far, the ugliest login screen. the huge bold font and over shadowing looks like it came straight from a free app. Also, when launching the app in landscape mode, the login screen will start in portrait before adjusting. If Wyse fixes the login screen and adds full gesture support this will be a real winner.

Jump went from average to great with its latest update. Like the other RDP clients, setup was straight forward and performance was excellent. This app is now fully featured and packs a fairly polished UI.

Pros:
Offers a ton of features for the price. Multiple mouse controls, gestures, and a clean look make this one of my favorites. The UI has gotten sooo much better in the latest update. The taskbar is much nicer and can now be hidden. The mouse control is very similar to Wyse but also offers a full array of gestures. Pinch to zoom and panning are quick and responsive.

Cons:
Despite great strides in the last update, I would like to see even more attention given to polishing the UI. The fixed circle for controlling the mouse (which can now be hidden) is ugly compared to the one used in Wyse. The full array of misc keys is great, but like the mouse circle, is ugly and takes up way too much screen real estate. Either make the vast space between the keys transparent, or fit them closer together like the misc keys in iTap. Since the developer is here on these forums, I would like to throw in a few other requests. Please add gesture support for zooming. Pinch is easy, but a 3 finger tap to instant zoom and unzoom would be nice. I have been spoiled by the fingertip controls of Wyse, so similar additions to the Jump mouse controller would be great.

Desktop Connect is solid, but lacks the polish of all the other apps. I will keep this short because I dont use it very often. The biggest reason to get this app is price. If you are on a budget and need RDP and VNC support, this is a really good deal. Also, it has great auto discovery of both windows and mac machines on your local network. The login screen is gorgeous, but the rest of the app was hit with the ugly stick. Almost all of the features of the other apps are present, but the presentation is sloppy. If they can overhaul and clean up the UI, this will be on par with the others.

 

[danpass]

................

Awesome, great post, thanks.

I went with Wyse soley because of the mouse pointer and the wrapped functions, very handy.


Now if only you had only come 180ish responses sooner for the other folks. I'll copy your post into the OP actually.

 

[jumpdesktop]

Hi,

Thank you for the excellent writeup. I'll respond to Jump Desktop related topics only:

>> Jump went from average to great with its latest update.

Thank you. We're trying to improve with every iteration.

>> Like the other RDP clients, setup was straight forward and performance was excellent. This app is now fully featured and packs a fairly polished UI.

I also want to point out that Jump Desktop has an easy to use setup and connectivity utility for the PC which syncs to the Google cloud. You can get up and running with your gmail account quite quickly. You'll have full remote desktop access (not just on your LAN, but over the internet too) without messing around with Windows settings, firewalls or router port forwarding. We think is quite convenient, even for advanced users.

>> The fixed circle for controlling the mouse (which can now be hidden) is ugly

We'll try to fix this.

>> The full array of misc keys is great.. either make the vast space between the keys transparent, or fit them closer

Excellent suggestion. We'll look into reclaiming the dead space.

>> Please add gesture support for zooming. Pinch is easy, but a 3 finger tap to instant zoom and unzoom would be nice.

3 finger tap is now keyboard recall and hide (starting from v2.0). But I hear you - we'll add a gesture for zoom/unzoom in the next release (something other than three finger tap).

>> so similar additions to the jump mouse controller would be great.

Is there anything specific you'd like to see added here?

-------------------------------------------------

Also, since we are on this topic - I'd like to know what people think is the best way to control the mouse on the screen. Some VNC apps have Trackpad-like behavior where single finger gestures moves the mouse around on the screen instead of panning the screen like you'd normally expect with touch screens. Is this something people really like? What (if any) is your preference on this?

 

[johnredcorn]

It is really nice to see a developer active in the continuing improvement of their product. I would like to go a bit further on some of the points I originally discussed.

In no particular order...

In regards to the mouse circle - Ugly may have been a bit harsh. Plain is probably a better word to describe it. Normally I would be all for simplicity, but if you take a look at the first page of this thread, the OP has a screenshot of the Wyse app showing their mouse pointer. It is simple, elegant, and functional. There are situations when having the primary functions at the tip of your finger is preferable to gesturing. Wyse even includes the ability to hide and show the advanced functions on their mouse pointer. Ultimately, Wyse uses a mouse control system that is very similar to yours (Jump), it is just taken a bit further with additional features. Both apps definitely have the right idea when it comes to mouse control (control of the mouse via a fixed point that still allows for correct screen panning and touch pointing), which I prefer over the controls used by iteleport (using the whole ipad as a giant touchpad to move the mouse resulting in inverted panning), or itap (touch mode only).

It may not be worthwhile to devote resources to correcting some of the little things that are mostly cosmetic, but I am sure there are many (like myself) that like to see attention paid to the little details. Refining the mouse circle, modifier keys, and misc keys would give the app a better overall feel and presentation. I understand the term "refining" is a bit vague. The best way I can describe it would be the proper integration with the look and feel of the iphone/ipad OS, like you have recently done with the improvements to the look and feel of the taskbar. Visual improvments to icons, keys, and animations are always appreciated as long as they dont impair the apps use and function.

The new gestures are great, and I may be in a minority, but I personally prefer the layout of the gestures used in iTeleport. Specifically, 3 finger swipe up to show keyboard, 3 finger swipe down to hide keyboard, and 3 finger tap to zoom in and out. Another good layout is 3 finger swipe down to show and hide keyboard (like iTap), and 3 finger swipe up to show and hide taskbar. Jump's use of 3 finger tap to show and hide isn't bad, and perhaps I am just not yet used to it, but I tend to prefer the swiping gestures for hiding and showing elements of the UI. If you intend to keep 3 finger tap for keyboard, then 4 finger tap to zoom would be the next logical choice. Speaking of 4 finger gestures, if you are planning on adding them, I would like to suggest 4 finger side swipe gestures to activate alt+tab program management with continued swiping for selection.

Lastly, on a completely unrelated note, are there any plans to add NLA support in a future update? I would like to be able to leave this enabled on my home PC, but currently iTap is the only RDP app to support it.

Thanks!

 

[gillybean]

Also, since we are on this topic - I'd like to know what people think is the best way to control the mouse on the screen. Some VNC apps have Trackpad-like behavior where single finger gestures moves the mouse around on the screen instead of panning the screen like you'd normally expect with touch screens. Is this something people really like? What (if any) is your preference on this?

I use both LogMeIn Ignition (where you move a mouse like a trackpad) and WinAdmin (where the mouse goes wherever you touch). Initially I didn't like the trackpad style, but after using it for a while, I now think that it lets you be much more precise in your clicks. For example I'm always trying to hit the "window minimize" and "window maximize" buttons on the top right corner of my windows - when using my fingers (in the WinAdmin style) it always feels like my fingers are too fat to correctly get those buttons without having to zoom in every time, but with the trackpad style I can easily move the cursor over those buttons and get them. Also, the trackpad style allows much easier right click (right click by tapping with both fingers) compared to the WinAdmin style (where you have to use some variation on tapping twice with 1 finger which doesn't always work). So, overall I think I like the trackpad style more now. Both are okay though - if you're developing an App maybe you could just implement both and let the user choose which to use.

 

[danpass]

Not sure about the others but with Wyse you can tap with your finger or with the mouse cursor thing, even when it's active onscreen.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I've downloaded Mocha VNC Lite to get a general idea of how this works from the iPad. One thing I'd like to know is are there any apps that will wake my Mini (being used as a HTPC) from the iPad?

 

[jumpdesktop]

In regards to the mouse circle - Ugly may have been a bit harsh. Plain is probably a better word to describe it. ....There are situations when having the primary functions at the tip of your finger is preferable to gesturing.

Thanks for the feeback - these are excellent points. One of our goals while designing the circle was to keep it small and simple the user can use the maximum area on the screen for gestures. For example, with Jump, you don't need an explicit button for right mouse click since it's very simple to just do a tap-and-hold anywhere on the screen. That said, we're still debating this internally and although we're not planning on adding everything into the circle, having the ability use to the scroll wheel from inside the circle is something that we may add in a future update.

It may not be worthwhile to devote resources to correcting some of the little things that are mostly cosmetic, but I am sure there are many (like myself) that like to see attention paid to the little details. Refining the mouse circle, modifier keys, and misc keys would give the app a better overall feel and presentation.

Making the app visually pleasing is quite important to us too (we actually have some plans already drawn up to make this better) however for the next version (3.0) we're still going to be concentrating more on the core functionality of the app. Anything that makes the app more reliable, performant and easier to use (i.e. increases the user's productivity) is core functionality for us. This doesn't mean you won't see visual improvements in v3.0 though - just that it won't be our main focus.

3 finger swipe up to show keyboard, 3 finger swipe down to hide keyboard, and 3 finger tap to zoom in and out.

Good points. I guess once you're used to certain gestures its hard to shake the habit - just like getting used to trackpad like functionality. We'll see if we can do anything here to help.

Speaking of 4 finger gestures, if you are planning on adding them, I would like to suggest 4 finger side swipe gestures to activate alt+tab program management with continued swiping for selection.

Good idea. I've added this to our feature request list.

Lastly, on a completely unrelated note, are there any plans to add NLA support in a future update?

Yes - NLA will be added along with FIPS and HIGH Encryption support as a free future update (...along with another round of new features).

Also, let me just add something that is unique to Jump Desktop: the ability to utilize most of the functionality of bluetooth keyboards (common shortcuts and arrow keys) and the ability to utilize the iPad VGA out connector (you can use a projector or a LCD monitor if you have this). None of the other apps as far as we know have these ability.

Thanks again guys.

 

[chinatti]

Thanks for the feedback

With Jump Desktop, do I need to use the "Google Cloud" based login method? Or can I use it as a standard RDP client (i.e. on my WiFi network to a local PC, or through a VPN connection)?

EDIT:
Nevermind .... answered my own question here:

http://support.jumpdesktop.com/entr...t-to-use-a-google-account-to-log-into-your-pc

 

[jumpdesktop]

With Jump Desktop, do I need to use the "Google Cloud" based login method? Or can I use it as a standard RDP client (i.e. on my WiFi network to a local PC, or through a VPN connection)?

Its not necessary to use the Google login method - its totally optional.

You can use a regular IP address or host name to connect. VPN connections using the built-in iPad / iPhone VPN are supported too.

Jump Desktop is a regular RDP client. We offer the Google login method for people who don't want to setup and manage dynamic dns / port forwarding.

 

[chinatti]

We offer the Google login method for people who don't want to setup and manage dynamic dns / port forwarding.

Can you point me to any more technical details about how exactly your google login method works? Just trying to understand how it's set up from a security perspective...

 

[appleecosys]

Jump Desktop - Use screen as trackpad (FEEDBACK)

Also, since we are on this topic - I'd like to know what people think is the best way to control the mouse on the screen. Some VNC apps have Trackpad-like behavior where single finger gestures moves the mouse around on the screen instead of panning the screen like you'd normally expect with touch screens. Is this something people really like? What (if any) is your preference on this?

I just wanted to say I really like Jump. I have used Jaadu RDP on the iphone for a very long time, and I have used others. I would like to say that using the screen as a trackpad is VERY important. It provides a much more precise selection and allows you to comfortably hold the device. I use my thumbs while holding the ipad with Jaadu VNC, and it's easier to hold for a long duration of time.

I think Jump is a GREAT product and would like a setting that would allow me switch to a mouse trackpad style control this way you have the best of both worlds and people can choose.

Thanks.

 

[Skrip]

First off, I consider Jump Desktop to be the best RDP client out there today. The keypad alone is a huge winner for a guy like me who uses Excel like nobody's business.

That said, I do have some suggestions. First off, the keypad could be better if you shrunk the plus key to only one key in height and make the subtraction key right above it. Then along the top row, make the keys go in this order (left to right):

Backspace
Equals
Backslash (divide)
Star (multiply)

This is like the setup on the USB Apple Keyboards. Also, another row with parenthesis's keys, carrot key (^), and comma key would greatly help with inputting formulas into Excel.

Another suggestion is to have the mouse immediately click where I touch, instead of the current behavior where the mouse moves then clicks. This would speed up my workflow greatly.

You have a great product and these two suggestions would make it absolutely perfect for me.

JB

P.S. I wrote this using Jump Desktop on my iPad.

Thanks for the feeback - these are excellent points. One of our goals while designing the circle was to keep it small and simple the user can use the maximum area on the screen for gestures. For example, with Jump, you don't need an explicit button for right mouse click since it's very simple to just do a tap-and-hold anywhere on the screen. That said, we're still debating this internally and although we're not planning on adding everything into the circle, having the ability use to the scroll wheel from inside the circle is something that we may add in a future update.

Good points. I guess once you're used to certain gestures its hard to shake the habit - just like getting used to trackpad like functionality. We'll see if we can do anything here to help.

Yes - NLA will be added along with FIPS and HIGH Encryption support as a free future update (...along with another round of new features).

Also, let me just add something that is unique to Jump Desktop: the ability to utilize most of the functionality of bluetooth keyboards (common shortcuts and arrow keys) and the ability to utilize the iPad VGA out connector (you can use a projector or a LCD monitor if you have this). None of the other apps as far as we know have these ability.

Thanks again guys.

 

[reiichiroh]

Can't find the thread but someone here or some other forum (LOL been reading too many iPad threads late at night on it) was looking for a "video out" on the iPad and I thought I'd mention RDP client JumpDesktop ($9.99) does this.

No, not affiliated with the dev.

 

[dsampley]

I'm using teamviewer. Has worked fine for me on Mac, pc, iPhone and iPad.

 

[spinedoc77]

Gotta jump in here and say after trying out most of the RDP solutions I absolutely love Jump. I know they frequent these boards because I was complaining about a couple of things I hated about all the rdp programs (namely that you couldn't lock the screen from floating around and also being able to use the mouse like it was native to the controlled desktop) and lo and behold this latest update fixes both of those issues.

Jump is quite seamless in its experience and you can almost forget you are RDPing into your PC. The desktop solution is also awesome as I cannot futz with port remapping my rdp port on my work PC's.

 

[danpass]

Another screenshot (using Wyse Pocketcloud)

 

[peapody]

So after reading this entire thread... I am not sure..I can't use JUMP for my mac? Is that right?

 

[PoisonScorpion]

I'm using iTeleport like I do on my iPod touch. I like how they didn't charge you again for the iPad version.

It is a bit underpolished but I've had it for a while now.

 

[vartanu]

Is any of these apps able to bring a MacBook pro back to life from sleep?

 

[Katilea]

control iPhone from an iPad??

Hi

I got a 32GB Wi-fi iPad recently. The texting apps don't tend to work for UK numbers and I don't have 3G to be able to access a connection from anywhere, if I was outdoors and needed to send a text message.

I saw remote apps like hippo and jaadu VNC to control your mac from your iPad and wondered if there was an app that would allow me to remotely access an iPhone via my iPad?

I currently have Blackberry Storm but I struggle with texting on small screen (I have co-ordination problems) and can type better on iPad in landscape mode. I thought if I could find an app that I could remotely access an iPhone with to send SMS messages I would try and buy a second hand one just for texting.

Or if you know of an app that would allow me to remotely control my Blackberry Storm from an iPad that be great as save me buying another phone, but I thought I'd have more chance of it working with another apple device!

Thanks

Kati
(UK)

 

[Cagle]

Is any of these apps able to bring a MacBook pro back to life from sleep?

Yes, I'd like to know too. I just shelled out $30 for ignition and would like to be able to wake my Mac up so i can actually use it.

Does anyone know of a remote desktop app that supports mouse drag? I was trying to do some basic stuff in PS but couldn't work out how to drag a selection with the mouse, using Logmein.

 

[danpass]

.............

Does anyone know of a remote desktop app that supports mouse drag? I was trying to do some basic stuff in PS but couldn't work out how to drag a selection with the mouse, using Logmein.

Wyse does mouse drag and it can be done with the mouse pointer or the finger.

I believe I mentioned that in the op

 

[Cagle]

Wyse does mouse drag and it can be done with the mouse pointer or the finger.

I believe I mentioned that in the op

For shame, Wyse only supports Windows. Any mouse dragging action available for Mac OSX?

 

[johnredcorn]

iTap recently updated its VNC app, which works with native screen sharing in OSX, and it is my new favorite. They added several new features, but my favorites are the new mouse controls and the newly added three finger double tap gesture to hide and show the toolbar. One of the new mouse controls functions exactly as you are requesting, in that tapping the screen is a click, and tap + hold is the same as holding the mouse button. They also have the standard touch mode with scope and the newly added mousepad control which allows you to move a visibile mouse pointer around on screen. The new toolbar gives quick access to screen locking, logging out, showing keyboards, VGA out, and changing between the new mouse functions.

If you are comfortable setting up VNC clients manually (iTap has no auto setup or Google cloud sync), than iTap would be my number one recommendation for remote access on the Mac.

If you need automated setup or Google sync you can try Iteleport. Iteleport is more expensive but much easier to configure. Unfortunately, it is not as quick or a polished as the new iTap, and to perform mouse dragging you will need to doubletap to activate dragging.

Edit: Several corrections.