Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Enterprise, Software, Odds and ends, Internet Tools, Leopard, iPhone, iPod touch, First Look
First Look: LogMeIn Ignition
This post is a first for me in that I'm typing (or tapping) it in on an iPhone using our Blogsmith CMS. No, there's not a Blogsmith iPhone app that I'm aware of, and I'm not using Safari on the iPhone to pull up our web portal. Instead, I'm controlling my office iMac from about 16 miles away using my iPhone and LogMeIn Ignition.LogMeIn is a remote access and control application for Macs and PCs that creates a secure connection between two computers by having each logged into a secure server. LogMeIn Ignition adds the ability to control a Mac or PC from your iPhone. To test Ignition, I set up a LogMeIn Free for Mac account and then loaded the app onto my iPhone 3G. How did it work? Read on for more details.
To start with, I made my connection over Wi-Fi just to make sure that I was seeing LogMeIn Ignition at its best. I had already set up my iMac with the LogMeIn free client, signing in with the free LogMeIn account I had created. Going to the iPhone client, I logged in with the same user ID and password (see screenshot below):
Once the LogMeIn servers had authenticated my account, a list of computers running LogMeIn appeared (below left). Since I had only set up one, the only computer I saw was "Office iMac". Tapping on the Office iMac name in the list of computers brought up the information screen you see at lower right.
In case you're wondering why I don't just use Apple's Back to My Mac to do remote control of Macs, there's a very good reason -- the horrible cable modem Comcast forces me to use doesn't support NAT-PMP or UPnP, so BtMM just doesn't work! That's why products such as Mac HelpMate and LogMeIn are so useful for many Mac users. Apple could fix the issue by making MobileMe the connection server for Back to My Mac, but I'm not sure we're going to see that in the near future.
Upon tapping the Remote Control button on my iPhone, I was almost immediately rewarded with a full-screen view of my office Mac (screenshot below). From the iPhone, I opened up our CMS and tapped out the introduction to this post. LogMeIn Ignition will always start in the full-screen view, at which time you use the standard "reverse pinch" gesture to zoom in to different sections of the Mac screen.
You're not moving the cursor arrow around the virtual Mac screen; instead, you're moving the Mac screen around under the cursor arrow! When you have it lined up with an icon, a button, or an edit point, you simply tap or double-tap as if you were using a mouse (screenshot below).
To start typing, you simply tap on the virtual keyboard icon on the bottom of the screen and a standard iPhone keyboard shows up (see below). Well, almost standard. Things like automatic capitalization of the first words of new paragraphs or double-spacing to enter a period at the end of a sentence do not work. That took a little time to get accustomed to. When using the keyboard, you have Ctrl, Alt, and Cmd keys available at the top of the screen, as well as an icon that switches to function keys and other extended keyboard keys.
There are other icons at the bottom of the control screen as well. A tap on the mouse icon toggles it between right and left clicking, useful when controlling Windows machines. There's also a zoom out icon that brings the entire computer display back into sight, and a "gear" icon for changing a number of settings (see below). You can change the color quality to reduce bandwidth and memory requirements, change the resolution on the remote machine, set the network speed (I use the "Auto" setting), blank the remote screen so users can't see what you're doing, and lock the remote keyboard so users can't start typing to try to work on the machine while you're fixing a problem.
Those last two settings work in theory; I was unable to get screen blanking and keyboard locking to work. There's also a setting to make the mouse move across a static screen in case the moving screen with a static mouse freaks you out just a little too much.
Would I use an iPhone-based remote control tool like LogMeIn Ignition to support clients? It depends. If I am in a social situation and don't happen to have a MacBook Air with me, then I would definitely consider using LogMeIn Ignition to do my job from literally anywhere I have a data connection. Given the small size of the iPhone / iPod touch screen, it's not the best tool for the job but it definitely works in a pinch (no pun intended).
If Apple ever does to come out with a large format iPod touch or "iTablet", it would be the perfect device to use in order to do remote control. Such a device would be small enough to take along in social situations, but large enough to make remote control easy to accomplish.
Some early reviewers of the app complained about low memory warnings. I have seen these warnings only when starting up the application, and they've never caused an issue with connecting or controlling a remote Mac. If you are getting kicked out of a remote control session, simply change the resolution for the connection and you'll be back in business.
The only thing that isn't great about LogMeIn Ignition is the price -- at US$29.99, it's one of the more expensive iPhone applications in the App Store. I would gladly pay US$9.99 to use LogMeIn Ignition, but would not pay three times that amount. LogMeIn must be hoping that the target audience is going to be support professionals, who would gladly expense the US$30 cost to have the ability to support users from anywhere at anytime.
On the other hand, if you only need to control a home machine every once in a while, you should consider that you're getting the Mac or PC software for free (if you're using the LogMeIn Free product), which makes the combined cost of the iPhone/iPod touch and desktop software relatively painless. In my opinion, however, LogMeIn should consider lowering the price of this software.
I'm very impressed with LogMeIn Ignition, since it does a remarkable job of allowing remote control of Macs and Windows PCs from an iPhone or iPod touch. During all of the time I was testing the app, it never crashed, and even using an EDGE connection, LogMeIn Ignition was able to create and hold a solid remote control connection. I would not suggest using the app over EDGE on a regular basis, but it is good to know that you can use slow data connections in a pinch.
How does LogMeIn Ignition compare with other free or low-cost VNC solutions like Mocha VNC? It has one very saving grace, and that is that there is literally no configuration required. You just start up LogMeIn on the Mac or PC, open the app on the iPhone, enter your credentials, and it works. That is not the case with most of the iPhone VNC solutions.
Until Apple decides to make an iPhone version of Back to My Mac that doesn't require changing router settings, solutions such as LogMeIn Ignition are going to be the best bet for many Mac or Windows users who want to remotely control their computers.
Once the LogMeIn servers had authenticated my account, a list of computers running LogMeIn appeared (below left). Since I had only set up one, the only computer I saw was "Office iMac". Tapping on the Office iMac name in the list of computers brought up the information screen you see at lower right.
In case you're wondering why I don't just use Apple's Back to My Mac to do remote control of Macs, there's a very good reason -- the horrible cable modem Comcast forces me to use doesn't support NAT-PMP or UPnP, so BtMM just doesn't work! That's why products such as Mac HelpMate and LogMeIn are so useful for many Mac users. Apple could fix the issue by making MobileMe the connection server for Back to My Mac, but I'm not sure we're going to see that in the near future.
Upon tapping the Remote Control button on my iPhone, I was almost immediately rewarded with a full-screen view of my office Mac (screenshot below). From the iPhone, I opened up our CMS and tapped out the introduction to this post. LogMeIn Ignition will always start in the full-screen view, at which time you use the standard "reverse pinch" gesture to zoom in to different sections of the Mac screen.
You're not moving the cursor arrow around the virtual Mac screen; instead, you're moving the Mac screen around under the cursor arrow! When you have it lined up with an icon, a button, or an edit point, you simply tap or double-tap as if you were using a mouse (screenshot below).
To start typing, you simply tap on the virtual keyboard icon on the bottom of the screen and a standard iPhone keyboard shows up (see below). Well, almost standard. Things like automatic capitalization of the first words of new paragraphs or double-spacing to enter a period at the end of a sentence do not work. That took a little time to get accustomed to. When using the keyboard, you have Ctrl, Alt, and Cmd keys available at the top of the screen, as well as an icon that switches to function keys and other extended keyboard keys.
There are other icons at the bottom of the control screen as well. A tap on the mouse icon toggles it between right and left clicking, useful when controlling Windows machines. There's also a zoom out icon that brings the entire computer display back into sight, and a "gear" icon for changing a number of settings (see below). You can change the color quality to reduce bandwidth and memory requirements, change the resolution on the remote machine, set the network speed (I use the "Auto" setting), blank the remote screen so users can't see what you're doing, and lock the remote keyboard so users can't start typing to try to work on the machine while you're fixing a problem.
Those last two settings work in theory; I was unable to get screen blanking and keyboard locking to work. There's also a setting to make the mouse move across a static screen in case the moving screen with a static mouse freaks you out just a little too much.
Would I use an iPhone-based remote control tool like LogMeIn Ignition to support clients? It depends. If I am in a social situation and don't happen to have a MacBook Air with me, then I would definitely consider using LogMeIn Ignition to do my job from literally anywhere I have a data connection. Given the small size of the iPhone / iPod touch screen, it's not the best tool for the job but it definitely works in a pinch (no pun intended).
If Apple ever does to come out with a large format iPod touch or "iTablet", it would be the perfect device to use in order to do remote control. Such a device would be small enough to take along in social situations, but large enough to make remote control easy to accomplish.
Some early reviewers of the app complained about low memory warnings. I have seen these warnings only when starting up the application, and they've never caused an issue with connecting or controlling a remote Mac. If you are getting kicked out of a remote control session, simply change the resolution for the connection and you'll be back in business.
The only thing that isn't great about LogMeIn Ignition is the price -- at US$29.99, it's one of the more expensive iPhone applications in the App Store. I would gladly pay US$9.99 to use LogMeIn Ignition, but would not pay three times that amount. LogMeIn must be hoping that the target audience is going to be support professionals, who would gladly expense the US$30 cost to have the ability to support users from anywhere at anytime.
On the other hand, if you only need to control a home machine every once in a while, you should consider that you're getting the Mac or PC software for free (if you're using the LogMeIn Free product), which makes the combined cost of the iPhone/iPod touch and desktop software relatively painless. In my opinion, however, LogMeIn should consider lowering the price of this software.
I'm very impressed with LogMeIn Ignition, since it does a remarkable job of allowing remote control of Macs and Windows PCs from an iPhone or iPod touch. During all of the time I was testing the app, it never crashed, and even using an EDGE connection, LogMeIn Ignition was able to create and hold a solid remote control connection. I would not suggest using the app over EDGE on a regular basis, but it is good to know that you can use slow data connections in a pinch.
How does LogMeIn Ignition compare with other free or low-cost VNC solutions like Mocha VNC? It has one very saving grace, and that is that there is literally no configuration required. You just start up LogMeIn on the Mac or PC, open the app on the iPhone, enter your credentials, and it works. That is not the case with most of the iPhone VNC solutions.
Until Apple decides to make an iPhone version of Back to My Mac that doesn't require changing router settings, solutions such as LogMeIn Ignition are going to be the best bet for many Mac or Windows users who want to remotely control their computers.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris said 11:45AM on 1-19-2009
I love this app. My laptop has been broken for quite awhile so I've been stuck with my iMac and I'm always rushing in the mornings and I can't always email my papers to myself so I can print it out at school. So while I'm in the car, I use LogMeIn to control my computer an finish up my presentations and email it to myself so by the time I'm at school, all I have to do is print it out. It just works. I've had it since it first appeared on the App Store a couple months ago and I absolutely love it. I feel it's worth the money since it's actually free to install the desktop software on as many computers as you want.
Reply
NirO Shan Man said 10:46AM on 1-19-2009
this is sweet! thanks for the heads up! now i can check my downloads from on the go! Most of these screen sharing apps only let you use them on the same wifi, but this will help a lot when i'm away from the computer! thanks
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KomputarGuy said 10:51AM on 1-19-2009
I am glad to finally see this, I do wish the price was not so expensive, maybe $15.
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Micromuffin said 4:09PM on 1-19-2009
LogMeIn Ignition is expensive, but it is worth it. I have many of these remote administration apps, and LogMeIn is the most reliable. However, you could just get RemoteTap, as it is the best value.
Johnny said 11:05AM on 1-19-2009
Ugh. My other comment didn't show up. It probably will and this will be a double post, but whatever.
I think it is overpriced for a function that most users can perform for free. This does seem to make it easier to setup than typical free VNC client/server solutions, but I'm concerned about the speed and security of routing through an external server. I'm also not crazy about the idea of having a cursor in an iPhone app. Most VNC clients on the iPhone act like a touchscreen which makes a lot more sense to me.
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David said 11:32AM on 1-19-2009
I hope that teamviewer comes up with an iPhone app soon. Till then Jaadu VNC is my solution of choice. If only the setup would be as easy as with teamviewer.. Even the way logmein works, is one step too much for spontaneous support clients. They don't wanna register, they wanna get help asap.
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Blu-Sam said 11:15AM on 1-19-2009
Sound like awesome but after look up on the feedback, most claim to told that it doesn't work well with Mac.
$30 is pretty expensive.
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samgross144 said 11:31AM on 1-19-2009
I'm actually more interested in the keyboard that it uses. It is, as far as I can tell, the first use of the transparent keyboard outside of the app store, and for that matter, the first landscape use of it. It's a great way to use it, too.
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NirO Shan Man said 11:48AM on 1-19-2009
So i just downloaded LogMeIn, was a bit confusing at first. Their site is horrible and is hard to navigate around to find the right file to install on your Mac. But i got it to work after a few minutes of fiddling. The cursor, as some of you said would be akward, well it kind of is. The center of the screen is basically the cursor, while the desktop screen is the one moving, odd? This is almost like the application Teleport, but teleport actually let you use it as a cursor instead of moving the screen. The refresh rate is rather good, if you aren't opening things that take up the screen, but it was good both on 3G and wifi. One issue is that it says the memory is low on the device and asks to turn the resolution of my MacBook Pro down, which needs to be fixed. Other than that its cool, the price is another thing...
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Jash Sayani said 12:01PM on 1-19-2009
Nice app. But long thing short, 30 bucks for the app is way too much! So, VNC is the best !
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Adam said 12:02PM on 1-19-2009
I used this while I was 2000 miles away from my computer and it worked great... :D. My Mac started up every day to run a live webcam and I used logmein to access the computer if I needed to.
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Jiled said 12:13PM on 1-19-2009
I hope the vnc users that are claiming that it is the best, which its not based on compression to speed ratios's that we have lab tested at our company against all remote solutions, are tunneling it through SSH. If not im drinking your milkshake and reading your packets :)
By the way the information that passes through logmeins gateway is encrypted with SSL, so unless you don't trust SSL you have bigger worries then using logmein.
https://secure.logmein.com/documentation/Security/wp_lmi_security.pdf
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iGO said 12:32PM on 1-19-2009
I've stated it here before and I'll state it again.
Free LogMeIn for Mac or PC is by far the most robust, easy to set up, easy to use, NEVER- fails way to connect to any remote machine.
From anywhere to anywhere. Using Firefox, Safari, IE, Opera, etc. over an HTTPS connection. Slam Dunk!! There is NO comparison. Period.
While $30.00 is steep, it would allow me to support 9 remote machines, both Macs and PC's (all friends and family, .....yes, I'm that guy).
I'll wait a while to see if the price goes down. Only because today, I can log into my account from where ever I am, and provide support via the local machine at my disposal.
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Josh said 12:36PM on 1-19-2009
I subscribe to LogMeIn Rescue and have some IT Reach + Free computers, PC and Macs. There is no other option that gives you the same access. LMI Rescue is more comparable to something like HelpMate (on demand support), whereas IT Reach and Free (unattended solutions) are like AutoHelpMate. There is no plan for an iPhone version of HelpMate (so I was told by the author), so I am thankful for LogMeIn Ignition on the iPhone.
Performance of the protocol is fine; I think where things could be improved is in the iPhone app. The low memory warnings are not excusable; Try using Jaadu with a pair of 24" monitors, it is fast and works beautifully.
I just used the app this morning to support a client while walking down the street. The convenience factor makes it great! Of note, they priced it relative to the Ignition app for Windows ($40 per year). I do agree it should have been $20-25...but I think it was aimed towards professionals, and not the typical end user who can take the time to set up port forwarding on their personal router. I can deploy IT Reach across an entire network through GPO, without opening any ports, and access any computer from my iPhone. Awesome.
(sorry my post isn't formatted more properly, I was skimming through comments while typing)
So in summary, for the professional, there really isn't anything else like it for the iPhone at this time. For the typical end user, if you want a high quality solution, buy Jaadu and do the typical port forwarding to your mac. Jaadu is a wonderful VNC client and you'll be happy.
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Tara Wheeler said 1:04PM on 1-19-2009
I've been using LogMeIn on both my PowerBook and iPhone to control a separate Mac Mini for about a month.
I love it. I've had no problems with it.
I agree $30 for the iPhone app is steep, but it's reliable, so that takes some of the sting out of the price.
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Kevin La said 1:39PM on 1-19-2009
Make sure you use AnchorFree's iPhone VPN settings to establish a secure connection before you use Logmein for that extra layer of security.
I blogged about it here.
http://kevinla.wordpress.com/2008/12/26/how-to-control-remote-pcmac-with-an-iphone/
Enter your settings located here: http://hotspotshield.com/clientless/iphone/
Have fun!
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jason said 2:49PM on 1-19-2009
Why would I want to encapsulate a ssl connection through another layer of VPN encryption. MIM attacks do not effect logmein.
ProfessorDex said 2:56PM on 1-19-2009
I was itching to buy this until I saw the price. $30????
No thanks......I'll buy 3 other $9.99 apps before I even consider buying this.
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Erik said 7:59PM on 1-20-2009
I was at Macworld waiting for the Expo hall to open on Tuesday when a client called and said she was having an issue with Photoshop. I got the details, logged into her machine from 3000 miles away, and fixed the issue in about 15 minutes.
This could cost $99 and I wouldn't care -- I support about 50+ macs and PCs and it's completely worth it to me.
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Kevin said 10:43PM on 1-21-2009
You need to actually try LMI to understand how good it is. The idea to combine the panning of the desktop screen (which is necessary obviously with such a tiny viewport), with the pointing of the pointing device (via the fixed cursor in the middle of the viewport) is simply brilliant. It works much better than it sounds at first. The alternative, having to pan around the screen, then use some kind of different mode to move/poke around the mouse pointer is totally cumbersome in comparison. The precision with which you can "dial into" a pointer location (like the tiny red ball to close a mac window)...using panning....is much better than trying to poke the right spot using a fat finger to tap such a tiny location. The use of multitouch to support panning, scrolling windows, single clicks, double clicks, right button/context menus, etc. is all fantastic. Combine that with one of the better keyword implementations on the iPhone and you get a remote control app that is simply superior. Paying for a single client, and being able to access an unlimited number of free desktop installs makes the $30 seem totally reasonable.
If you are comparing the price to a $2 game, or another novelty app that you will use a few times as a demo then abandon, then don't bother. But if you have a use for remote access, that $30 would be money well spent.
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