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I don't care what anyone says...iPad + Full OS = Awesome

H

HXGuy

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 25, 2010
1,679
0
I discovered an app called SplashTop last night which brings your desktop's OS to your iPad and its just freaking awesome. (Its similar to other remote desktop apps like LogmeIn except it only works via your local wifi which means its a TON faster...fast enough that you can actually use it as the iPad's OS)

Its just awesome actually having multiple windows open on the iPad. In use Spaces in OSX so I have my email program in one Space and browser in another and iTunes in another. You can switch between them all instantly which is great.

The browser works insanely well, much faster than any browser from the App Store, pages load just as fast as on your desktop. Yes, even Flash works as does Hulu (though its not 100% smooth, Id say about 95% but very watchable)

A few items are taking a little getting used to like not having the auto correct when typing and two finger scroll isnt nearly as smooth within the browser but moving the cursor around is very accurate so Im using the side scroll bar just fine. Highlighting next also works very well and the keyboard has arrows which is great.

You guys have to try this out and see how a full OS works on the iPad. App,e has always said that you can just take a non-touch OS and just add touch to it, that it wouldn't work but after using this, I couldnt agree with them any less. You basically have a touch screen keyboardless notebook and its awesome.
 
I would guess flash works, though I would guess quite a few flash things wont because they are hard-coded for keyboards only from certain address spaces, and or other inputs the iPad can't produce. But I guess some flash that isn't too demanding on what you're controlling it with, would work.
 
I did something like this once using Air Display on my iPad and Rowmote on my iPhone.
Set up Air Display on my iPad and MacBook and set my iPad as my main display, then used Rowmote on my iPhone for the mouse/keyboard.

My brother actually thought I was running OS X on my iPad...but to be fair he doesn't know much when it comes to computers :p
 
couldnt agree more, what an app.!

this post from it.!

excel and firefox on an ipad.....awesome indeed!
 
Thanks for the headsup on this. I just downloaded the free version and it is pretty cool. I am going to buy the full version (for a mere $1.99) notwithstanding the fact that I am not really certain when I would use it. I think mostly to play Sesame Street videos to my son in his room since the SS site is flash. The video I tried to run using this app worked pretty well I must say. I also created a test Word document that I saved right to my computer and I could see using this as well. However, I think for most browsing I will use the native Safari app.
 
i thought this might be a weird kind of ad thread, but ive tried it and it works a lot better than the other vnc style apps- i even prefer it to remotehd which i have used for a while now. Much faster, even video is watchable over the link. guess it must depend what hardware you have at the other end, but I was well impressed. my tip is set it to 800x600 mode to make osX a bit more finger friendly!

Highly recommended.
 
One thing that is reall annoying me with this is that is chugs the resolution on the linked computer and resized all my windows. It's not the app's fault but annoying nonetheless since I have a 27" iMac and have several windows open a specific sizes make a sort of collage on the screen.
 
I agree. I have played with my daughter's a little bit since the update and it is very much improved. It does seem to be a little glitchy at times though, almost like the update was not quite ready yet. But it is still a big improvement from the last update. I think it will continue to get better. I think I am going to end up buying one, my daughter is kind of stingy with hers.
 
Well...WOW. This app is amazing. Feels like I am literally running OSX on my iPad. Fantastic stuff. And the price, what a bargain!
This would work great along with a bluetooth keyboard.

EDIT: One issue I'm having...I have the box checked to send audio to the connected device but it stills plays from my MacBook and not my iPad.
 
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Dumbledorelives said:
I can't stand it. Use your iPad the way it was meant to be used, or you're going to run into bugs.
Click to expand...

I don't get this statement :confused: it's a vnc-like program which is basically giving young window into your computer for you to control. How does it possibly introduce bugs? Do you even know what you are talking about? :rolleyes: I purchased it awhile back, and while I don't use very often, it is very cool. Not as rock solid as Jumpdesktop, but it serves a different purpose. It isn't for remote use. It's for use within your own network and is good for video.
 
And there I was, saying "damn, another app I can't use due to having an unjailbroken product", but I just did a quick search and It's an app in the app store! I'm super excited now! Do you have to buy a program on the computer as well as the app? If so, how much is that?
 
HXGuy said:
I discovered an app called SplashTop last night which brings your desktop's OS to your iPad and its just freaking awesome. (Its similar to other remote desktop apps like LogmeIn except it only works via your local wifi which means its a TON faster...fast enough that you can actually use it as the iPad's OS)

Its just awesome actually having multiple windows open on the iPad. In use Spaces in OSX so I have my email program in one Space and browser in another and iTunes in another. You can switch between them all instantly which is great.

The browser works insanely well, much faster than any browser from the App Store, pages load just as fast as on your desktop. Yes, even Flash works as does Hulu (though its not 100% smooth, Id say about 95% but very watchable)

A few items are taking a little getting used to like not having the auto correct when typing and two finger scroll isnt nearly as smooth within the browser but moving the cursor around is very accurate so Im using the side scroll bar just fine. Highlighting next also works very well and the keyboard has arrows which is great.

You guys have to try this out and see how a full OS works on the iPad. App,e has always said that you can just take a non-touch OS and just add touch to it, that it wouldn't work but after using this, I couldnt agree with them any less. You basically have a touch screen keyboardless notebook and its awesome.
Click to expand...
I also use this app, and whilst it may be amazing, the experience will not be the same if it was actually running Windows... and it's the hardwares fault.

You've got a reasonably powerful computer running Windows, so everything that is done is reasonably snappy, on a slate that isn't so, it's more to the sluggish and slow side of things. You also end up with a device with really low battery life, and it produces much more heat.

I'd love Windows 7 on a slate, but the hardware isn't here. And when the hardware's here, iOS will probably that advanced you won't care anymore.

mikelegacy said:
And there I was, saying "damn, another app I can't use due to having an unjailbroken product", but I just did a quick search and It's an app in the app store! I'm super excited now! Do you have to buy a program on the computer as well as the app? If so, how much is that?
Click to expand...
The desktop app for SplashTop is free for Windows, and in beta for Mac.
 
I was BLOWN AWAY by this app. I did the free version, and was just astounded at how i was able to control my iMac. Was it perfect? No. Did Hulu and other video stutter just a bit to make you second guess if you'd use this app a lot? Yes.

Another complaint is that windows are resized on the iMac, and then not restored to their previous state when exiting the app. Hopefully they find a way to address this in a future update, but overall an incredible app.

I don't think this will come close to replacing AirVideo as my primary app to play video, but for 2 dollars, I may take the plunge. At the very least, it will be a great way to listen to my whole iTunes library, initiate downloads in firefox, and in the rare instance i need to watch flash content, it will be there.

Walter Bell said:
Has anyone been able to get this app to work over 3G or connect from an external network?
Click to expand...

Reading the developers website, i don't think that's the intention of this app... but i could be wrong.
 
Is anybody else having issues with this on OSX?

Audio still plays from my MacBook even though I have the option selected to stream all sound to the iPad.
Also, I changed selected to NOT change the resolution and to use the MacBook native resolution (1280x800) but it still resizes it to 1024x768.

Other than that, it's brilliant.
 
installed and running windows (xp at work, vista at home)

the vista system is faster on the iPad. XP is much slower (older computer).

This is very cool. Thanks to the OP for the heads up.
 
I can't even make this app work. Says "Splashtop Remote. Unable to connect."

Server is running just fine. Lost connection. Cannot connect.

Waste of time, for me at least.

The host computer says the iPad is connected, but the iPad doesn't actually ever connect. Boo.
 
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So exactly what are people using this app for? Most usage examples mentioned seems to be watching videos and flash. Anyone try using it to do anything else?
 
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