LogMeIn wants netbook makers to preload remote desktop app

LogMeIn is a remote desktop utility that lets you access your home or work computer when you’re away from the house or office. The company offers a free client that you can install on a Mac or PC that lets you login from almost any web browser. Or you can pay for software that provides additional features like file transfers or lets you login from a desktop app, an iPhone, or other device.

CNet reports that the folks behind LogMeIn are hoping to work out deals with netbook makers and wireless providers to preload the LogMeIn Ignition client on mini-laptops. The idea would be to introduce more users to the software while providing netbook users, many of whom will not be using their netbooks as their primary computers, with a way to access their documents and settings on their other computers.

LogMeIn Ignition is a desktop application that lets users access any computer with LogMeIn installed without launching a web browser. The program usually costs $39.95 per year or $7.95 per month. But I’m guessing that if LogMeIn manages to strike any deals with computer makers you’ll probably be able to use the service for free for some period of time before you have to kick in any cash.

Posted on Wednesday, April 1st, 2009, 4:12 pm by Brad Linder

SBS

Why on earth would someone pay for this when there are a number of freeware/open source VNC programs?

There are some surreal business models out there.
ryuko

And even easier than configuring VNC you can use microsoft live mesh that lets you control windows and mac desktops and share folders.
John Morris

Well the netbook makers need some way to subsidize the cost of Windows licenses in the face of the massive price increase coming with the end of XP. Starter Edition isn't going to fly except on the cheapest of the cheap and those are likely to be ARM by Xmas anyway. So Windows 7 Home (basic/premium) it is and trialware/crapware is the easy way to offset the cost. Yea!
AS147

John makes a good point. However Live Mesh is VERY slow at the moment and not that polished a product and VNC meets the geek market i.e. people who know how to open their firewall ports etc. What this solution may provide is a retail/easy to use version that appeals to the average Joe.

I may be wrong about all of the above as I haven't used the app and it has been a while since trialling Mesh
Bolomkxxviii

Great. One of the things netbooks had over notebooks was they were not filled with all the crapware except for the trial anti-virus. Now it looks like the vendors will be taking the crapware train to higher profit margins. I think all the trial ware should come on a separate disc that the user can (ignore) load if they decide they want it. Netbooks aren't speed demons in the first place and slowing them down with stuff like this will only hurt the netbook market.
Bolomkxxviii

Just to be clear, I am not calling this software crap. I have not used it so I can't judge the quality. It is the craping up of systems with a lot of software most people don't need that gets me angry.
Mikez

I want the Indy-car version, red-lined at 16,000rpm not 8,000rpm.
Mikez

Or the 6,000rpm shown (either I can't read or I can't type).
John Morris

I think you sorta miss the point of why trialware gets preloaded. If it is supplied on a seperate media it would have to actually be useful enough for the oem to bundle it on their dime because the vendor wouldn't be paying to get a trailware disc tossed in the box to be ignored by most customers. Best you could get in that situation is to not actually have to pay extra for it.

What 3rd party software vendors will pay good coin for is to be rammed right in the user's face in the hope they enough will try it and use it enough before the trial expires (half won't realize there is a time limit until it does expire) they will be so hooked they will whip out the credit card.
Sarah

I noticed the rev. counter too and immediately thought “marketing fail”.

I presume they're trying to indicate that they believe their software provides that responsive “like being at your desktop” experience that all of these solutions try to promote themselves as offering.

The dial in the background just makes it look like one of those terrible “speed up the web” or “clean your registry” snake oil solutions. At best, it's incredibly cheesy.

I'm not sure about elsewhere in the world, but here in the UK, Citrix have been running a huge consumer-oriented TV/newspaper/magazine/web marketing campaign recently to promote their GoToMyPC solution. I wonder if they'll approach netbook manufacturers too?

As for me, I'm a perfectly happy VNC over SSH user.
DG

Have used the free edition on many occasions, and it's pretty decent for remote assistance type scenarios (where the official Windows tool often fails due to firewall settings) and one of my clients uses it for remotely reading email etc quite successfully.
Pingback: LogMeIn preinstallato nei futuri netbook? - LogMeIn Ignition, accedere al computer fisso o alla postazione aziendale da remoto, LogMeIn, Sono, Ignition, Liliputing - Netbook News
Mikez

This application is for the World of Windows -
*nix systems (including Linux) have had remote access / control since day #3 -
The major desktop/window managers already have “allow remote” and “attach remote”
buttons or menu entries – I would not be surprised if they could attach to a
remote windows machine also

Since I am not command-line-phobic – - ssh does what I need just fine.
Mikez

There are use cases where this type of application is almost a requirement.

Back in the day (of DOS) -
There was such a remote application that cloned the display/keyboard over
the network – it may have been made by one of the current providers in this field.

For helping a client through a problem with a complex piece of software –
it was worth its weight in gold.
DG

Have used the free edition on many occasions, and it's pretty decent for remote assistance type scenarios (where the official Windows tool often fails due to firewall settings) and one of my clients uses it for remotely reading email etc quite successfully.
Mikez

This application is for the World of Windows -
*nix systems (including Linux) have had remote access / control since day #3 -
The major desktop/window managers already have “allow remote” and “attach remote”
buttons or menu entries – I would not be surprised if they could attach to a
remote windows machine also

Since I am not command-line-phobic – - ssh does what I need just fine.
Mikez

There are use cases where this type of application is almost a requirement.

Back in the day (of DOS) -
There was such a remote application that cloned the display/keyboard over
the network – it may have been made by one of the current providers in this field.

For helping a client through a problem with a complex piece of software –
it was worth its weight in gold.

LogMeIn wants netbook makers to preload remote desktop app

Recent Posts

Latest Products

Popular Discussions

Featured Videos

Latest news from Mobiputing