Control Your PC from Your iPad

Those of you who use or support the iPad, either personally or on the job, know that as a tablet it’s limited in functionality compared with a full-blown PC. Although the mobility a tablet gives you can be a benefit, sometimes you do need to access a regular PC to run certain applications, check documents, print files, or just work on specific projects.

Well, by using remote desktop software, you can access your PC directly from your iPad, giving you the mobility of the tablet and the capability of your PC.

Apple’s (News - Alert) App Store offers a variety of remote desktop tools for the iPad, both free and paid, including iRemoteDesktop Free, Remote Desktop Lite, LogMeIn Ignition, and GoToMyPC. Though some of the free apps are surprisingly good, many are lacking in certain functionality. And the more advanced remote desktop tools can be expensive. LogMeIn (News - Alert) Ignition costs $30, while GoToMyPC, though free, requires a monthly subscription.

One app that isn’t expensive and is still quite effective is Splashtop. Though this app normally sells for $9.99, it’s been on sale lately for just $2.99, definitely a good bargain.

Like other remote desktop apps, Splashtop lets you access and control your PC directly from your iPad. You can launch applications, open files, browse the Web (including Flash-enabled sites), print documents, and perform a variety of other tasks just as if you were in front of your computer. The iPad’s virtual keyboard lets you type on your computer to take the place of a physical keyboard. And tapping and moving your fingers around the screen of the tablet fills in for your trusty mouse.

To get started with Splashtop, you’ll first want to download the app from the App Store and install it on your iPad. You’ll then need to install the free client streamer software on your PC, which allows the iPad to connect. The client software is available in both Windows and Mac versions.

After you install the client software, you’ll be prompted to create a password that you’ll use to connect from your iPad. From there, you just open Splashtop on your iPad, and it should automatically see your PC and display its name. Tap on the name, enter the password, and the connection should kick in.

The first time you run Splashtop, it displays a helpful list of hints on the screen, explaining how to move your fingers around the screen to simulate different mouse movements. For example, a single finger tap simulates a single mouse click, a double-finger tap simulates a mouseover movement, and a two-finger drags lets you scroll up and down in a window.

You can hold your iPad in portrait or landscape mode, but landscape mode provides the largest and best view of your PC’s screen. From here you can now access your desktop, run apps, open documents, print files, and do just about anything else you’d normally do on a PC. When you’d done, simply shut down Splashtop on your iPad, and the connection with your PC will automatically break.

Though performing certain tasks via the smaller screen and virtual keyboard of the iPad isn’t as user friendly as performing them on a full PC, the overall experience still works well.

Beyond the iPad, Splashtop also offers remote desktop apps for the iPhone, the iPod Touch, and Android (News - Alert) devices. If you’re looking for a reliable but reasonably priced remote desktop app for your phone or tablet, Splashtop should fit your needs quite nicely.

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