LogMeIn Ignition review « The BEST Apple Hardware and Software Reviews

Written By Editor March 28th, 2010

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Today we review the remote login app for the iPhone – LogMeIn Ignition, available now on the App store and connecting you to your mac anywhere.

With all the technology that whizzes around today pretty much anything is possible. Take a look at the App Store and you’ll see some pretty exciting things happening with the iPhone.

There’s apps that solve Rubik’s cubes and apps that will even unlock a hire car. No, this isn’t turning into the latest Apple ad, rather, we’re looking at a very unique and clever app for your iPhone, LogMeIn Ignition.

So, picture the scenario. You’re meeting a client. The client wants to see your latest design mock-up, but shock-horror, you forget to save it to your presentation macbook. It’s on your design machine in the office. Do you:

A. Cry, apologize profusely and re-arrange a meeting with the appropriate design in tail.

B. Pull out you iPhone, email the design to your laptop, save the day and win the client?

You’ll always pick option B, and Log Me In Ignition will hook you up with one of the coolest and most useful apps on the App Store going.

LogMeIn Ignition is impressively simple to set-up. Most other apps I’ve tried force you to play with endless Virtual server settings and lots of other stuff that goes right over my head.

All you need to get going is LogMeIn Ignition for the iPhone and your choice of a free client (or paid with additional features) for your chosen Mac (or PC) to control.

Install

All that’s needed to be done is sign-up for a LogMeIn account and download the client and we can get reviewing the app itself. After signing up for an account we can add the computers we wish to control. Obviously you or someone else will need to access these machines in the first place to install the aforementioned client.

The is a lightweight .pkg installer and the only input required is to name your computer, set the install location and type in your Admin password. Simples!

Once installed, you just go ahead an sign in on the iPhone using your previously set-up registration details and….. you’re logged into your own Mac or PC.

This is possibly the most simple set-up compared to functionality and usefulness ever.

Now, let’s moving onto talking about the app.

Features (of Desktop Client FREE)

Access from any Internet-connected web browser

Access to a Windows PC or Mac

Remote control and desktop viewing

Copy and paste between computers

Wake on LAN

Reboot/reconnect (including safe mode)

Basic reports (remote access sessions and user access)

Chat

AES 256-bit encryption

SSL/TLS intrusion detection

IP address lockout

No need for firewall, router or proxy configuration

No requirement for remote PC admin rights

The paid version offers u:

File Transfer

Remote-to-Local Printing

Desktop Sharing

LogMeIn Ignition features (iPhone app / client)

Remote control.

Use files and programs on your remote Internet-connected computer as if you were sitting in front of it. LogMeIn Ignition for iPhone and iPod touch is compatible with Windows PCs running LogMeIn Pro² or LogMeIn Free and Mac OS X running LogMeIn Free.

Saved passwords.

With LogMeIn Ignition’s secure password storage , your remote computers are only one click away. Avoid the hassle of memorizing multiple passwords or access codes.

My computers.

View a list of all your LogMeIn-connected computers, as well as their online/offline status and the groups they are associated with.

Touch screen navigation & full keyboard.

Zoom, scroll and select all with just a flick of your fingertips. And when you need to type, activate a full on-screen QWERTY keyboard, or use any of the special keyboards, including function keys, tab, ESC and navigation arrows.

Computer-specific option settings

Optimize your remote control experience by locking the remote computer’s keyboard, blanking the remote screen, adjusting screen resolution and more.

Fast & secure

LogMeIn Ignition for the iPhone and iPod touch provides always-on security and uses the same AES 256-bit encryption as LogMeIn Pro² and Free to encrypt and protect your remote connection over public networks. Combined with patent-pending technology for direct, point-to-point connections for optimal speed and performance, LogMeIn provides the security you need when accessing your information remotely.

Easy setup

Unlike other remote access applications, LogMeIn Ignition is easy to set up, even for the non-technical user. There are no firewall settings to be updated, no router configuration, no ports to be opened up or re-routed and no need for static IP addresses

As you can see the apps are pretty feature-ful. The paid versions of the desktop clients do offer up some additional / premium features. But the 100% free desktop client works fine when used in tandem with the Ignition app for the iPhone.

Test

So now it’s down to the bit you all want to see, the test. I wasn’t sure to expect really from the app. I’m writing this review on a 27″ iMac. Logically I thought that working on such a small screen as the iPhone would render the app unusable. Oh how wrong I was. The app works great, just as any other application – you can make use of the iPhone keyboard (with CMD and ALT buttons) as well as tracking around the screen with one finger or pinching to zoom in and out. This makes the experience of using the app a breeze.

Starting up the app

You’d think this app would be liking talking to someone through a satellite. However you’re wrong. I tested the app over 3G and Wifi networks and the speed is acceptable. Yes, there is a little lag, but nothing that intrudes so much as to make this app frustrating to use of incredibly annoying.

Navigating around the screen and using the app controls is very easy, suprisingly so as mentioned above in reference to the small iPhone / big iMac screen correspondence.

All in all, this is a great app. It’s not your average 99 cents app, but then it doesn’t cost 99 cents. It offers up serious functionality for those who ever need to access their work or home machine whilst on the move. Highly recommended, and the first app to receive an Apple Reviews Highly Recommended seal to boot.

Log Me In Ignition is available for £17.99 ($29.99) from the App Store