I use Splashtop to access my pc, from my iPad , my android phone, and my Kindle Fire. It's a very good app.
I've used Desktop Connect for the past year with great results--even better now with LTE. Just recently reinstalled Splashtop and also seems to be much improved since I tried it a while ago.
You should definitely try out OnLive Desktop. As opposed to remotely controlling a machine of your own, this service allows you to remotely control an instance of Windows 7 that they provide which makes the experience much smoother, mostly because they are employing industrial grade hardware and bandwidth. You can use the free version of this app to gain access to full version MS Office software, and the paid subscription version provides a few extra things that plenty of people still believe they can't do with their iPad. Check it out and let us know what you think.
I use Jump (and have since the original iPad) to access my Macs at home, my PC at home, my PC AT work and various servers at work.
I've loaded Online Desktop and have tried to get it to work - every time I get an error message saying my bandwidth is not adequate - that's at home on wifi connection to my modem on a 100Mbps fibre line. Connectivity requirements are pretty high it seems.
Logmein seems to work real good with my computers (on Bootcamp too).
I just downloaded Splashtop. It's now on sale for $4.99, reg $19.99.
My PC's screen res is 1680x1050, and when I tried Splashtop with the PC, it reduced the screen res, which rearranged my icon layout into a block. I have an iPad 2, so I guess the higher res of the new iPad would be needed to prevent that. Other than that, it's a great app. Next, I'll try it on my 15" MBP, which also has 1680x1050 res.
I'm surprised/bummed to hear about your experience with it. I've only used it on my work connection, and we don't have any greater than 10-15 mbps at best, so I would assume there's an unidentified factor precluding you from the use of the app at that point.
I just downloaded Splashtop. It's now on sale for $4.99, reg $19.99.
My PC's screen res is 1680x1050, and when I tried Splashtop with the PC, it reduced the screen res, which rearranged my icon layout into a block. I have an iPad 2, so I guess the higher res of the new iPad would be needed to prevent that. Other than that, it's a great app. Next, I'll try it on my 15" MBP, which also has 1680x1050 res.
I only watched part of the video before I stopped. Seemed laggy.
I use Splashtop mostly and I also have LogMeIn as well running on both of my laptops in my house. One is hooked up to my LCD TV upstairs and has my printer hooked up to it so I can print from my iPad (it is a non-airprint printer but I have a software fix running on the computer to allow me to airprint to it) and the other laptop is setup in my bedroom running my iTunes library for the three Apple TV2s in my house and 2 iPads. Rarely do I actually go to the actual laptop tops and use them.
----------
You realize that you can change the setting on the ipad 2 to work with three different resolutions, right? I think one is 800x600, the next is 1280x768, and the third option is the computer's native resolution. In this case instead of filling the entire screen of the iPad it will only fit a portion of the screen since it will be using the resolution of the computer, not the ipad. This will keep it from reorganizing your icons. When you bring up Splashtop, touch the arrow on the far right of the line your computer shows up in. In the next screen I think you go to Advanced and in there you will see the three options.
Is Splastop fast without lag?
On my local network splashtop works perfectly.
I've used it while I was away from the house and it works too but that is where I saw some lag. I blame the lag not on the program though but the internet connection and the 3G I was using at the time. I've used it over wifi at someone elses house and I would say the lag would be about a 1 second or so. Maybe not good enough to stream music or video from home, but good enough that if I needed to perform a function on the computer at home or say email myself a document from my home computer to my ipad so I could access it while I am away from home. Or drop it in the dropbox folder so that it would show up in dropbox on my ipad.
LogMeIn I have used as well and I think it is an awesome program. I have both on the same computer and my ipad. I use the free version (not willing to pay $99/year to access my computer when I can do it for free). The nice thing with LogMeIn though is that I can use my Logitech/ZAGG blutooth keyboard with it. With Splashtop I have to turn of the blutooth keyboard or turn off blutooth and use the onscreen keyboard.
So say I have to type something up in a MS Office document, I remote in using LogMeIn and use my BT keyboard to speed up the typing process. If I just need to access my computer to move some files around or download a torrent or something, I typically just use Splashtop.
Sorry, I know this thread said would you use your ipad to access your mac, but I am using my ipad to access my Win7 laptop. Maybe one day I will upgrade to a Mac Mini or an iMac. Not sure at the moment which to go with and money is always a consideration. Willing to spend the money if I have to but would prefer not to if I don't have to. The alternative is a by a tower PC to replace my laptop. I have time though, not looking to do anything until the laptop burns out (which reminds me, I need to run my back up for it)
Splashtop is as good as it gets. It's the only way I can watch Amazon Prime streaming movies.
I've had the opposite experience, though I'm using it on a proper desktop, not a HTPC.splashtop for me was the worst. before the last update it didn't even have scrollable tracking mouse mode which made it useless and cumbersome. its also slow and incredibly cpu intensive on my htpc in comparison to the other vnc servers used by iteleport/teamviewer/etc.
You realize that you can change the setting on the ipad 2 to work with three different resolutions, right? I think one is 800x600, the next is 1280x768, and the third option is the computer's native resolution. In this case instead of filling the entire screen of the iPad it will only fit a portion of the screen since it will be using the resolution of the computer, not the ipad. This will keep it from reorganizing your icons. When you bring up Splashtop, touch the arrow on the far right of the line your computer shows up in. In the next screen I think you go to Advanced and in there you will see the three options.
Thanks. I hadn't gone that far into the settings. I only have an iPad 2, but I'm surprised at how legible the PC's 1680x1050 screen is on the iPad. It's almost impossible to select small items, such as on the taskbar, on the PC with a finger, but a stylus solves that.
You realize you can zoom in on the screen, right? just put your fingers together on the screen and then pull them in opposite directs on the screen. ZOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
I use it for those small things on the screen that I need to press.I refuse to get a stylus.
What I'd love at some point is for one of this company's is to reverse their product and allow us to control an ipad or iphone from the computer or web interface.
You have no idea how many times friends and family have had questions with an idevice and I wish I could just take control of it and walk them through it.