VNC

Aug 20 2010

Xtand and LogMeIn Ignition

I give credit to my buddy Brent Flink ( @indivisual ) for showing me LogMeIn and it’s super cool (and somewhat overpriced at $29.99 US) iPhone/iPad app LogMeIn Ignition.

LogMeIn is a web-based VNC service that allows you to install its free software on your Mac (or PC) and not only access, but control that computer from a supported web browser. Unfortunately, though Mobile Safari on the iPad and iPhone is one of those supported browsers, when you try to control the cursor within LogMeIn’s web-based VNC, you only end up controlling the view of the screen in the browser.

So, in order to control your Mac at home from your iPad in a coffee shop, you first need to have signed up for a FREE LogMeIn account, installed and activated the software on your Mac. Then you can share your Mac through LogMeIn. Now, when you launch LogMeIn Ignition on your iPad or iPhone, you can control your home computer from the road.

My favorite thing I’ve done with LogMeIn is use it to help me send files to clients that I couldn’t keep with me on my iPhone or iPad. While controlling my home Mac, I save the file to my Dropbox folder. This sets Dropbox to work making that file available to me online via the FREE Dropbox App on my iPad or iPhone. I still don’t actually have the file on those devices, but I can get a link to where it has been stored online by Dropbox that I can paste in an email on my iPhone and send it to my client. Problem solved.

No Flash? No problem—click here!»

My little joke at the start of the video below made use of a very cool iPhone stand called the Xtand.1 It’s a nice iMac-like stand that will hold the iPhone 3G, 3GS or 4. It sells for about $39.99 US2

As I mentioned at the end of the video, there is another service called TeamViewer that offers many of the same features of LogMeIn but offers FREE lite versions of its apps for iPhone and iPad …though its full-featured apps sell for $99.99 US for the iPhone version and $139.99 US for the iPad version. Suddenly, $29.99 US doesn’t seem so bad to me.

  1. I’m actually not sure if I’m supposed to pronounce it “EKS-tand” or “ztand”…clearly I chose “EKS-tand” [↩]
  2. the one I used in the video is available for $35.99 CDN if you can get to MacStation in Abbotsford before they sell it icon biggrin Xtand and LogMeIn Ignition [↩]

By RickMacMerc • apps, Featured, gadgets, iPad, iPhone, MacMerc.TV, Mini Video, News • 3 • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Apr 27 2009

Making Connections

This week I have some useful freeware for connecting to others browsing the web, controlling computers on a network and using OS X’s powerful SSH with a GUI

blue Making ConnectionsJybe

This Firefox extension is only a beta release, but the premise of “co-browsing” is interesting.

jybemac Making Connections

Install the extension, create a session and others can join for a group “surf”. Anyone in the session can click on links and page loads for all of the participants. The extension supports Firefox/Mac/Win and IE/Win.

mu Making ConnectionsOSXvnc

VNC is a well supported, free protocol for observing/controlling computers on a network. While it is a bandwidth hog, it will put you in control of remote machines running the VNC background application,

mu Making ConnectionsFugu

We have the University of Michigan to thank for this GUI for OS X’s command line SSH.

fugu Making Connections

This file transfer method is superior to the less secure FTP we’re used to.

mu Making ConnectionsDropCopy

This Panther-only utility lets you easily send files and folders and swipe text clipboard contents from Rendezvous connected Macs. It runs out of your way on the menu bar.

I hope you all find someone special to connect with using this week’s picks. If that special someone happens to be a Windows machine, then better luck next time.

Brian

mu Making ConnectionsDownloads provided by MacUpdate

blue Making ConnectionsA MacMerc Exclusive

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Apr 27 2009

Handheld Goodies

This week we have more fun tricks you can try at home with your handheld. And, to be sure everyone can play, we’ve widened the definition of handheld.

mu Handheld GoodiesSoybo

Rather than connecting to your desktop with VNC or another traditional remote client, this application lets you use powerful Open Source technologies to provide web-based control of your desktop to your web-enabled phone or PDA. Installation requires you to have or install PHP, MySQL and some scripting additions.

iPod

We won’t argue whether or not the iPod is a handheld. It certainly does manage personal info. This week I have two different ways of getting text files from your desktop to your ‘Pod.

mu Handheld Goodiesbooks2burn

Before you would-be book arsonists get too excited, you should probably know that this application converts text files into AIFF audio files, fit to burn to CD or sync to iPod. Put your matches away.

mu Handheld GoodiesBook2Pod

If you aren’t interested in burning or converting your text, you can use this free program to sync, organize and manage text files saved on your iPod as notes.

Palm

Our friends at Queuesoft are busy as always, firing out useful and new Palm related software.

mu Handheld GoodiesiPalm Photo

Use this new app (still in beta) to manage photos on your Palm device. This application reveals goodies like category, size and date taken.

mu Handheld GoodiesiPalmMemo Widget

This Widget you access your Palm notes from Dashboard. Uses the iPalmMemo app ($9).

Thanks for joining me this week. I wish you all happy syncing.

Brian

mu Handheld GoodiesDownloads provided by MacUpdate

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