Free remote access to your PC from iPhone or iPad
Have you ever gotten all the way into the office only to realize that you left an important file on the desktop of your home PC? There's probably not much you can do about it with the exception of turning the car around. If you had remote access software running, though, this would be no problem at all -- you could just log into your home PC remotely, grab the file you need, and get on with your day.
Even better than accessing your PC from a different PC are solutions that let you log into your computer from an iPhone. I've always thought that LogMeIn was one of the better options out there, but until recently, it cost $30. Now it's free.
LogMeIn is now a free download for your iPhone and your PC -- and there's an optimized version for the iPad, as well. Just install the app on your iOS device and any PCs you want to access (it works with an unlimited number of computers), and sign up for the free account. Then it's crazy simple to log in (of course, your computer must be turned on in order to access it remotely.)
LogMeIn is perfectly serviceable on the small iPhone screen. The pointer stays in the center of the display as you pan the screen around with your fingers. A small toolbar lets you access a keyboard, left/right mouse buttons, and the PC's lock screen. You can zoom the screen for a better view, and the entire app is quite responsive (although that depends upon your network speed).
LogMeIn is even better on the iPad -- the much larger screen makes it easy to see your PC's display, and you can move the mouse pointer around, rather than leaving it fixed in the center of the display.
The beauty of LogMeIn is that you can use all of your usual desktop programs and access your data from anywhere, right on your iPhone or iPad. I was even able to stream music and video remotely.
Naturally, LogMeIn also offers a Pro version, which has some extended features, like the ability to save files to your iOS device and print remotely. It costs $70 for a single PC, and the price drops on bundles (for example, $250 a year for five PCs). But I suspect that most folks would be perfectly happy with the free version and never really need the premium features.
LogMeIn is a great way to stay connected to your apps and data from anywhere, and the new free offer makes it an irresistible bargain. Grab a copy today.
