by There are more than 150 million iPads in use around the globe, but accessing Mac or Windows desktop applications from them can be an exercise in frustration. The folks behind Parallels Desktop have come up with an ingenious solution to this situation, but only for those who can afford the rather daunting per-computer subscription fee.
Together with a Mac or Windows-based agent, Parallels Access “applifies” desktop applications to make them iPad-friendly, complete with audio. Applications (including those from Parallels virtual machines) are presented in an App Launcher modeled after OS X, which can be customized to display favorites while hiding unused apps – not to mention the Finder or Desktop, unless the user specifically switches to that mode.
Tap an app icon and the software opens full-screen, cursor-free, and ready to accept a full range of gesture-based commands, including copy and paste, selection, or drag and drop. Scrolling is done with a finger, and the iPad keyboard is enhanced with additional commands for function keys, arrows, and more. To better maneuver desktop applications, Parallels Access offers a cursor-based tap-and-hold magnifying glass, while holding longer switches to selection tool instead. Coupled with “SmartTap” to make sure taps always execute as intended, Parallels Access deftly overcomes usability issues that have long plagued other remote access solutions.
On the host computer, Access resizes windows on the fly. The Mac agent did a pretty good job of restoring our desktop when finished, although Safari 6.0.5 stubbornly refused to remember its proper height, and failed to restore our third-party audio settings in System Preferences. The app worked quite well via wireless data connection, and also reconnected quickly following an exit.
But for all of its elegance, Parallels Access exacts a steep price from users: Each computer requires a separate $79.99 per year subscription fee following the free 14-day trial period. This heavy-handed, inflexible pricing model was enough to dampen our enthusiasm for an otherwise exceptional iPad app. Impressive as it may be, Parallels Access is simply too expensive for average users.
The bottom line. Without cheaper or more flexible subscription plans, this excellent remote access app will wind up relegated to Parallels’ core enterprise and power user base.
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