Review of Laplink Everywhere 4

Review of Laplink Everywhere 4
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Usability

Telecommuters who are given the opportunity to work from home will find web-based remote access applications for their computers an invaluable tool. These applications allow you to access your computer as it sits in your office at work from a computer at your home. It can even remotely connect through handheld units such as a Palm or a wireless mobile phone. When you work from home, this allows you to access files and data that you need without having to transfer files via a USB flash drive.

The downfalls of Laplink Everywhere 4 include the speed and control. It is not as fast as I had hoped and there is some lack of control over resizing of the image on the screen. The main remote-control engine only works with Microsoft Windows. If you choose to use the program on a Mac, you need to download the VNC client that was used with previous versions.

Laplink Everywhere will operate on the Pocket PC, Palm, Symbian, and CE handheld systems making it even more useful for remote accessibility. Often logging on with a handheld is a bit slower than when on another computer. It does work though and can prove to be a huge asset if you are in a situation where you only have your phone available and must access files or date on your PC. You also have the option to specify the files that guests may access on your PC, allowing for co-workers to work with only the files you deem necessary.

Laplink Everywhere, like its predecessors, is well suited to operate over a low-bandwidth connection. It allows you to transfer files, view Internet favorites, and you can also access Microsoft Outlook. As mentioned above, it does allow access to Google’s Desktop Search, and this feature allows you to search for emails, files, and other forms of data. It also offers Firewall Connect Technology, allowing you to connect to your PC securely without having to reconfigure personal firewalls.

Costs

Laplink Everywhere is a viable alternative to its competitor, GoToMyPC. This newest version of Laplink Everywhere offers you full remote control over your PC, just as if you were sitting in front it. The speed of Laplink is not quite comparable with GoToMyPC, but it does offer a connection to Google’s Desktop Search application, which is not found with many other services. The monthly fee is $8.95 for one-hour of access per month, or for just $2 more you can have unlimited access. Comparatively, GoToMyPC’s subscription is $19.95 per month.

System Requirements

Required on the PC you wish to access remotely:

  • installed and registered Laplink Everywhere software
  • Windows 98/Me/2000/XP (Home and Professional)/2003
  • 16MB RAM
  • 6MB of free hard disk space
  • Internet Connection

Required on the PC you will use to access your remote PC:

  • Internet Explorer 5.1 or higher
  • Internet Connection

Required on the web-enabled handheld device you will use to access your remote PC:

  • Internet connected web browser
  • Windows mobile, Pocket PC, or CE
  • Palm OS
  • Symbian OS

For more more on telecommuting, read “Telecommuting - Setting up for Success”.