Google Launches Chrome Remote Desktop App for iOS

[GoCubsGo]

Apple doesn't need to.
Google does.

No, Google does not. I'm not sold on Apple not collecting data either.

If you block the ads - why do you care?

Further - if you didn't block ads - wouldn't it be better to see ads you're interested in or have some connection with vs random ads that have no relevancy?

Personally, if I am going to see ads, I prefer they are targeted.

I too prefer that they're targeted, but unfortunately I search for some random things for myself and others often. It really skews the ads for me. Not to mention, apparently mentioning a funny ass dating site on Facebook has gotten me enrolled in the slew of ads for all kinds of dating sites. That's always entertaining.

 

[realph]

Anyone got this work on a 5K iMac? I haven't been able to get a picture up on my iPad (black screen). Think it has something to do with the retina display's resolution.

 

[Apple_Robert]

For grins and giggles (as a test) I did a install and set up. Very easy process. Very fast connection from the iPad Air or iPhone 6 to the MBP (locally). Haven't had a chance to test when I am out and about.

 

[arkmannj]

This should be a feature built into iOS. At the very least, it should be available on iPad. Right now we have to use clunky 3rd party apps. Apple could nicely integrate it and it would (hopefully) work flawlessly.

Not to mention Apple should be more than 1/2 way there already with ?Back to My Mac" we can already remotely access our Macs from another Mac, Access from iOS should just be an easy, natural extension to the Apple ecosystem I would think.

 

[TruthWatcher412]

Teamviewer works well enough for me

 

[8281]

The fact that a Chrome Webstore App allows someone to reach into and control my computer through only a browser is a bit scary. That is not an App I want installed.

You have to install a helper app and you have to give someone a unique access code for them to actually remote into your machine.

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iChat used to let you set up remote desktop. I don't understand why we can't have that feature without going through third party software. Or if there's someway to setup the "share screen" feature so it acts like RealVNC, Teamviewer, etc.

 

[oneMadRssn]

There's already a whole bunch of iPhone apps to remotely control your Mac. How is this any different?

It's different because this one is through the most popular browser of today. After Windows in first place, I bet Google Chrome is the most coveted and sought-after hack.

For something as sensitive as remote access, I'd rather use a smaller utility that fewer people are interested in compromising.

I know many many people here will disagree, but I believe there is something to be said for security through obscurity. You don't have to have the strongest locks on the door, they just have to be less convenient to pick than your neighbor's locks.

 

[2457282]

The fact that apple doesnt have this built in to any iOS device is behind me.

There are literally hundreds of apps in app store for remoting in from one device to another. Sure, it would be nice to have apple build it in, but with so many free and paid apps available, I am not sure that there is any major benefit. And when going through those apps, I think there are many there that I would try before giving all my data to Google.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Not to mention Apple should be more than 1/2 way there already with ?Back to My Mac" we can already remotely access our Macs from another Mac, Access from iOS should just be an easy, natural extension to the Apple ecosystem I would think.

It's been built in to OS X for even longer than Back To My Mac has been around. Apple Remote Desktop has been around since 2002 when it replaced Apple Network Assistant which did much the same thing.

I use Apple Remote Desktop daily and really wish they'd release an iOS version to control remote devices.

 

[arkmannj]

It's been built in to OS X for even longer than Back To My Mac has been around. Apple Remote Desktop has been around since 2002 when it replaced Apple Network Assistant which did much the same thing.

I use Apple Remote Desktop daily and really wish they'd release an iOS version to control remote devices.

You're right, and I've been using Apple remote desktop for about as long. but I was thinking specifically that this could/would piggy back off of Back to My Mac.
But really today just from Apple we have Remote Desktop, Back to my mac, and the built in remote desktop done through iChat/Messages. My point is simply that the experience, and structure to support all kinds of helpful tools through iOS is already in place.

 

[Renzatic]

Install Chrome Remote Desktop so that Google can spy on everything I do on my Mac?

Err, no thanks!

Yeah. Like Google is going to hire a bunch of guys who's only job is to sit around all day and remote into peoples computers so they can manually catalog all your music, pictures, and documents.

Comeon, people. Seriously?

 

[Reason077]

Yeah. Like Google is going to hire a bunch of guys who's only job is to sit around all day and remote into peoples computers so they can manually catalog all your music, pictures, and documents.

Err, obviously they're not hiring people to do that stuff. That would be expensive, pointless, and probably illegal.

Why would they bother when they have software to do it automatically?

 

[AlecZ]

If you block the ads - why do you care?

Further - if you didn't block ads - wouldn't it be better to see ads you're interested in or have some connection with vs random ads that have no relevancy?

Personally, if I am going to see ads, I prefer they are targeted.

It's always best to have my data in as few places as possible. I don't need Google to see any of it. What if they leak it? Only a minor concern, but still.

I hardly care if Google has my data except in cases where Google makes the data collection bothersome. Like YouTube asking for my real name every day, Google Maps requiring that I sign in to get recent destinations, and Gmail trying to get me to use the Gmail app instead of Mail. This whole Google+ thing has made me switch to alternative services.

 

[Renzatic]

Err, obviously they're not hiring people to do that stuff. That would be expensive, pointless, and probably illegal.

Why would they bother when they have software to do it automatically?

But do we have any reason to believe they're using this remote desktop client as another, more invasive arm of their analytics program?

I can understand some people taking issues with Google's business model. But let's not be absolutely paranoid about it.

 

[odedia]

There are literally hundreds of apps in app store for remoting in from one device to another. Sure, it would be nice to have apple build it in, but with so many free and paid apps available, I am not sure that there is any major benefit. And when going through those apps, I think there are many there that I would try before giving all my data to Google.

Still, there's something different when Apple does it. No one really needs iMessage, right? We have whatsapp. But it has its special benefits like SMS integration. Same can and should be done for remoting. The free apps are usually good but not great. Logmein free was excellent but was discontinued.

We'll see.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Has anyone figured out how to right click in the program via iPhone or iPad? If so, how? lol I can't seem to do it.

 

[AlecZ]

Edit: Misread, removed.

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... that you know of.

VNC has either no or poor security. Use VNC, and who knows who's been watching or even controlling your Mac when you're not looking.

Maybe this Chrome Remote Desktop protocol is more secure?

Watching, not controlling, and it would take a targeted attack to do this. There are ways to secure VNC. I typically use my VPN.

 

[macbookonthego]

Hmmm - what happens with VPN? #

 

[rhoydotp]

Maybe this Chrome Remote Desktop protocol is more secure?

i'm interested to know what security measures they put on the clients (iOS/PC/Mac)

... and how much info it sends back to Google

 

[iamgalt]

To all of those peeps looking for something like this, but don't trust Google (I don't blame you for that), I've been using Team Viewer for years. I'm able to control my windows pc and mac from my ipad, or any other computer with the software installed without a problem. It's a free program and there are no ads. Connections have always been good for me, very little to no lag. TightVNC works well for connecting to computers on the same network, but i've had troubles to connecting to computers on a different network.

 

[farewelwilliams]

No, Google does not. I'm not sold on Apple not collecting data either.

i'm done with you. you're not seeing this objectively.

 

[kwikdeth]

They put effort probably worth more than the GDP of a small country into researching ways to show me ads... that I block anyway

This thing is useless though. There's already VNC.

vnc, while easy to use, is heinously full of holes in its OSX system-level implementation and is easy to break into. if you're serious at all about data security VNC is a non-starter on OSX. it does NOT employ the same level of security that standard Apple Remote Desktop protocol employs.

I have little snitch running on my mac. for giggles, i implemented VNC connections for a short amount of time. the amount of pings you will get on port 5900 for access is astounding. there are people out there just bulk-scanning ranges for a response on 5900 at which point they just start trying to brute force because of the weak auth mechanism. i would never, ever, ever allow Apple's stock VNC implementation to have open access to the internet. never if, always when, the point at which your machine will get compromised.

 

[AlecZ]

vnc, while easy to use, is heinously full of holes in its OSX system-level implementation and is easy to break into. if you're serious at all about data security VNC is a non-starter on OSX. it does NOT employ the same level of security that standard Apple Remote Desktop protocol employs.

I have little snitch running on my mac. for giggles, i implemented VNC connections for a short amount of time. the amount of pings you will get on port 5900 for access is astounding. there are people out there just bulk-scanning ranges for a response on 5900 at which point they just start trying to brute force because of the weak auth mechanism. i would never, ever, ever allow Apple's stock VNC implementation to have open access to the internet. never if, always when, the point at which your machine will get compromised.

Is it that much of a problem if you have a strong password? By the way, for SSH and such, I use non-default ports just because I get annoyed by all these servers in China trying to get in with blank passwords. I used to have port 22 open, and LittleSnitch was giving me tons of notifications.

 

[GoCubsGo]

i'm done with you. you're not seeing this objectively.

Well dang, I was unaware that you were ever not done with me.

Objectively, I don't think that word means what you think it means. When I say that I am not convinced that Apple doesn't do what Google does then that is an absolute show of being objective. It directly implies that I don't disagree that Google collects data, I do disagree that they need to, but it also states that I believe Apple does to. I see no reason why Google needs to do what they do, but they do it. Whether Apple uses collected data like Google or not is not the case I was remotely attempting to make. I simply believe Apple in some way does collect data. Why wouldn't they?

So you can be done with me. Your loss really.

 

[kwikdeth]

Is it that much of a problem if you have a strong password? By the way, for SSH and such, I use non-default ports just because I get annoyed by all these servers in China trying to get in with blank passwords. I used to have port 22 open, and LittleSnitch was giving me tons of notifications.

apple's VNC implementation limits the amount of characters you can use for the password (8 characters i believe). I suppose you could use that if you feel your password is secure enough, but 8 character password could be brute forced with relative ease for a determined hacker.

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And feel free to back up your belief that Apple doesn't spy on you at all. Oh, apple.com isn't a valid source.

to think that any company *isnt* spying on you in some way is utterly naive. its the internet, get yourself a helmet, you're gonna need it.

but to think Apple is engaging in google-level tracking of your data is equally naive. google does so because its a core component of their business. Apple has no need for that because reselling customer metrics is not a core component for them.