LogMeIn debuts completed Pro2 for Mac
updated 03:30 pm EST, Mon March 8, 2010
Formerly Windows-only service makes transition
Following a considerable beta period, LogMeIn says it has launched the completed version of Pro2 for Mac. The service lets users remotely access a Mac or Windows system from either operating system, or else an iPhone. Until recently, Pro2 was only available to Windows users.
Distinguishing Pro2 from the basic Free service are features such as file transfer, and the ability to print remote content on a local printer. Free has itself been improved in terms of speed, easier access to remote control settings, and wider browser support including 64-bit Safari. Pro2 costs $70 a year; the price increases with the number of computers used, although bulk discounts are available.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2005
Really New Review
I just started using this service yesterday to do personal work on my at-home mac during lunch at work on a PC. If you don't mind keeping your host and remote machines separate and leave printed documents at home, the free side is all you really need.
That being said, I'm really dying without being able to use the 'command' key via my PC remote. If they could get that worked out, then there would be some serious viability. Also, a slow internet connection on either end does kill productivity, but that's going to be up to the user to fix.
Their resolution changing function is useful when you've got a 1920X1080 screen up at home, and 1280x1076 screen at work, but the fact that it's in a webpage and there's always a browser bar, tools etc. above and to the sides it makes the usual Mac OS supported resolutions useless. You can't easily pick a resolution to switch to that actually fits. The scaled version of a larger screen resolution are remarkably clear when it comes to windows graphics scaling. Almost all of the text is easy to read (probably thanks to OS X's superior font smoothing) and you can work in such an environment, but the extremely clean look of an actual-size screen (without having to pan around) looks so much better than it's a shame they haven't gotten it quite right yet.
The fact that I'm able to work on my at-home documents and use my Mac-specific apps is a very happy revelation. If you work at a place like me, you can even surf websites (like "apple.com" and all of its derivations) that are blocked by a filter, since you can just surf them on your at-home machine and the video is fed straight to your remote.
I'm very happy with the free service, but to start paying for the additional functions, I'd have to wait until they got the UI to a seamless level. Just my 2 cents.