GoToMyPC Pocket PC Client Reviewed by PDA Avenue

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pdaavenue.com/forum/displayarticle.php?s=&threadid=3785' target='_blank'>http://www.pdaavenue.com/forum/disp...=&threadid=3785</a><br /><br /></div>"For several years now Expertcity's GoToMyPC.com (<a href="http://www.gotomypc.com/">http://www.gotomypc.com/</a>) has provided an over-the-internet PC remote control service for Windows desktops. If you've surfed the web even a little over the last few years you've probably seen their banner ads, or received their promotional e-mails. I've actually never been all that intrigued with the service before. I have never really been all that interested in connecting to my home PC from a remote location before - when it is not being used, our home PC is generally switched off, and I am the one who uses it the most - and I've always avoided trying it at work, as I'm a bit paranoid about letting unknown services through our firewall.<br /><br />However, when he heard that GoToMyPC.com had developed a Pocket PC client that worked over the internet with Pocket Internet Explorer, our Senior Editor Alan thought that I might be interested in taking a look at this product. If you've read my articles about taking my Pocket PC on vacation this summer, you may remember that I was using my Pocket PC to connect using the open source VNC viewer Pocket PC client to some servers at work through a slow dialup RAS server connection. Perhaps GoToMyPC.com through a faster, public internet connection would be an intriguing possibility for me."<br /><br />Has anyone used this service before? I've tried the desktop to desktop client and found it painfully slow, and almost a year ago I tried their "mobile" portal version and found it to be very lacking. Now they have a Pocket PC-specific version - comments?

[Gator5000e]

I am a Go To My Pc subscriber and I use the Pocket PC version often with my Axim X5 (upgraded to WM 2003). It works really well. Very happy with it.

[Marcel_Proust]

I've been using it with pocketpc and wifi and it works amazingly well. I am not sure when you tried it, but on a desktop, it's quite an incredible program. Not as good on the pocketpc, but still very good, and makes going back to using VNC impossible.

[tospappy]

I recently started using the service as I received an offer for an unlimited 30 day trial. What I find interesting, is that using my PPC and my verizon express network through my cell phone, it is faster to check my email and surf the net by connecting to my home computer which is connected to the net via a cable modem. Surfing via the express network is pretty slow, but if I connect to my home computer then the only data being transferred is the screen refresh and the strokes. There are some situtations where the UI on the PPC is a bit cumbersome like cascading menus on the desktop that go off the screen of the PPC and scrolling webpages. If you down size the image to fit the PPC screen, then it is difficult to read the page. All and All it isn't too bad, but I have not decided that it is worth the $15.00 per month for the little bit I would use it.

On the desktop/laptop version you can transfer files, but on the PPC version you cannot. This would be a nice addtion.

[Marcel_Proust]

ditto

On the desktop/laptop version you can transfer files, but on the PPC version you cannot. This would be a nice addtion.[/quote]

[doogald]

I was honestly not expecting to like this as much as I did. Response was faster over a public internet connection using GoToMyPC.com than it was using VNC to a locally connected server. I had never tried the PC version of this client, though I have seen others use it.

Anyway, if somebody wants to e-mail Rob from the Washington Post with an example of what a Pocket PC can do that a Palm cannot, this is one more example. Oh, and you can minimize it and do other things at the same time.

[beq]

It works thru normal firewalls w/o configuration, which could be the deciding factor if you can't control that aspect. As well as needing no dedicated remote client (just any Java-capable browser). It's $15/mo for 2 accounts ($7.50 per account)...

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156758#156758

I wonder if LapLink Everywhere works in the same way or different?

[Jer]

If your dealing with Windows servers, why not use Terminal Service? It's built into ppc and is fast. I use it at home to access my WinXP box and it's free.

[doogald]

If your dealing with Windows servers, why not use Terminal Service? It's built into ppc and is fast. I use it at home to access my WinXP box and it's free.

Because in my experience Terminal Service logs out the current user on the machine. With GTMPC or VNC, for example, you can interact with a user on the PC as you use it remotely, you can see any error messages that have popped up on the screen, etc.

Also, when you log in with TS on XP from a Pocket PC it changes the size of all of the Explorer Windows to something tiny when you go to use your PC again

[SuperPaqMan]

I use gotomypc on my ipaq with my Sprint Yiso CF. I was also bummed that you cant use file transfer with the pocket pc client. So I installed pocket host on my Ipaq then entered the IP address of my desktop host into pocket host. Then I went into my routers config and opened the port that activesync uses to remote sync (which is port 5590). Now I can use gotoympc with my ipaq and sprint card and if I need to get files from my desktop host all I do is use the explore option in activesync. When Im not at home, I also download PPC programs directly to my Ipaq then transfer them to my desktop using remote activesync. Then I use gotomypc to initiate the install program from my desktop. Works like a charm!!

[Marcel_Proust]

It works thru normal firewalls w/o configuration, which could be the deciding factor if you can't control that aspect. As well as needing no dedicated remote client (just any Java-capable browser). It's $15/mo for 2 accounts ($7.50 per account)...

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=156758#156758

I wonder if LapLink Everywhere works in the same way or different?

I've tried the MyLaplink VNC viewer service. It doesn't really compare as a viewer on a desktop, not nearly as fast. I didn't get it work on my PocketPC - you can't use the usual VNC Conduits client, as this is an upgraded one, but have to use their Java. My Java on the pocketpc wasn't strong enough to do it, although I wonder if Netfront could carry it. I still think it would be much more memory hungry and slower.
Where mylaplink has potential is that you can directly access all outlook functions and your files, (and do files transfers) from the web browser. It's flaky, but does mean you can do direct file transfers. Withou gotomypc pocketpc client, right now you have to email them to yourself.
There are other choices that I've tried, but had trouble with my router firewall.

[jaybird]

I'm debating on giving this a try.

I love playing poker online (for real money) on Party Poker or Paradise Poker. I have not found any Poker sites that offer a PocketPC client, so I was thinking that I could use GoToMyPC to play remotely.

Two questions:

1. Would the connection be fast enough so that I am not significantly slowing down play at the table?

2. Does anyone know of a PocketPC Poker client?

Thanks!

[Marcel_Proust]

also I should mention Netop as a good alternative for some people. I found it much faster than VNC, not as fast as GOTOMYPC. Very difficult to set up with a router, and I gave up as I couldn't do it without creating a security hole. Unlike the others, it's a program, not a service with fees.

[ctmagnus]

I use the Pocket PC VNC viewer available from www.allware.com.mx in conjunction with TightVNC (www.tightvnc.org) on the desktop. Speedier than previous combinations I've tried.

[beq]

I've tried the MyLaplink VNC viewer service. It doesn't really compare as a viewer on a desktop, not nearly as fast. I didn't get it work on my PocketPC - you can't use the usual VNC Conduits client, as this is an upgraded one, but have to use their Java. My Java on the pocketpc wasn't strong enough to do it, although I wonder if Netfront could carry it. I still think it would be much more memory hungry and slower.
Where mylaplink has potential is that you can directly access all outlook functions and your files, (and do files transfers) from the web browser. It's flaky, but does mean you can do direct file transfers. Withou gotomypc pocketpc client, right now you have to email them to yourself.
There are other choices that I've tried, but had trouble with my router firewall.
Thanks for the info Marcel. Yeah I'd read that about LapLink's app on PCMag's review IIRC, supposedly two separate component programs that LapLink cobbled together.

BTW for some reason trying on Mozilla on Linux doesn't seem to work w/ GoToMyPC's Java applet... Anyways, it's good and all, but I pay the service fees because it's the only choice in my situation for the travelling laptop...