Uses clever 'virtual trackpad' for better control

RafSoftware has updated its Remoter VNC app for iOS devices to control Macs, Windows and Linux computers to version 2.4, adding support for the Mac's native Screen Sharing authentication, macros, support for the latest version of UltraVNC (which supports MSLogon and Multi-Monitor for Windows and Linux machines), more localizations, many SSH improvements and more.

Remoter has garnered a reputation as being one of the easier and least expensive iOS VNC apps on the market, featuring Bonjour and NetBIOS setup and a "virtual trackpad" with three different modes for better control, along with dynamically-generated toolbars that only display active buttons for each OS (i.e., no Windows key on a Mac connection, or Command key on a Windows connection). Remoter features a fast VNC connection, and through in-app purchases can also support SSH and Telnet (including arbitrary SSH port tunnels). External keyboards (USB or Bluetooth) are also supported.

The program offers full support for special keys such as Esc, Tab, Alt/Option, arrow keys, function keys, PageUp/Down and Command (as well as control-alt-delete and the Windows key on Windows/Linux connections), and supports 8-, 16- and 32-bit color depths. Users can command remote screens in both orientations, using the intuitive pinch-to-zoom and drag-to-scroll gestures common to tablets, and the program also supports Wake-on-LAN so that users can make connections without having to keep the target computer awake at all times.

The new macros support maintains separate macros for VNC, SSH and Telnet sessions, and the added support for the Mac's native screen-sharing means user can connect simply by typing in their username and password. Fullscreen mode can now more easily be gotten out of, and keyboard keys are now semi-transparent. Localizations have been expanded to include Spanish, Italian and German, along with a new Danish keyboard mapping, and the program features a new background and icon along with other updated icons and glyphs.

A number of changes and improvements have been made to the SSH add-on (which sells for $1), including better memory management for VNC over SSH, an SSH key manager that allows for RSA generation and other operations for SSH keys, support for SSH key passphrases, support for SSHv1 connections, and enabling or disabling SSH compression. The SSH add-on now supports up to five TCP tunnels, and background connections can stay active for up to ten minutes.

Both the SSH and Telnet add-ons (the latter sells for $2) now offer control over terminal sizes, support for selecting text regions in terminal sessions, and a change that makes the SSH/Telnet cursor semi-transparent so that the character behind it can be seen. Pasteboard support has also been improved, along with many other minor or "under the hood" improvements.

Remoter VNC is currently on sale for $1 (for a limited time) with free lifetime upgrades (add-on upgrades are handled separately). The Remoter Complete add-on, which combines the SSH and Telnet add-ons and also offers free lifetime upgrades to future add-ons, sells for $4. The program requires an iOS device running 3.1.2 or later.

by MacNN Staff