Parallels, makers of the popular Parallels Desktop virtual machine software that allows users to run Windows, Linux, and various other operating systems as virtual machines on your Mac, has launched a brand new iPad app called Parallels Access. The app, which requires am $80 per year subscription service, might be one of the most unique new apps we’ve seen in a while, allowing iPad users to run Mac or Windows apps on their device almost as if the apps were native.
From the official Parallels Access website:
It’s your Software. Use it Anywhere.
- Aug 28, 2013 Parallels Access lets you run any app from your Mac or Windows PC on your iPad. More than just a window back to your computer, it integrates native iPad functions like copy-and-paste.
- Parallels Access 2.0 is a remote-access app that lets you view and control your Mac or Windows machine from any iOS device. You can connect either over a local network, or (as long as both.
- Jul 21, 2016 If there is no Parallels Access icon, drag and drop it from Applications. Then check the checkbox to allow Parallels Access control. Then check the checkbox to allow Parallels Access control. Please make sure the following network port is not blocked on both remote computer and Parallels Access.
While Parallels Access does indeed provide a nice, smooth iOS interface to Mac programs, that’s not to say the app does so uniquely enough to clearly distinguish itself from the other iPad apps. Manage and access all your files in the cloud, on remote computers, and on local devices with Parallels Access Universal File Manager. Copy and paste to your mobile device—or open cloud files on a remote desktop—with a single click. Aug 29, 2013 Parallels, makers of the popular Parallels Desktop virtual machine software, has launched a brand new iPad app called Parallels Access. The app, which requires am $80 per year subscription service, might be one of the most unique new apps we've seen in a while, allowing iPad users to run Mac or Windows apps on their device almost as if the apps were native. Parallels Access is a new iPad app launching tonight – that promises to let you experience Mac and Windows applications as is they were made for the iPad. It ‘applifies’ your Windows and Mac apps to make them feel as it they’re native iPad apps. The app is published by Parellels, the makers of the excellent Parallels Desktop application for running virtual machines on a Mac.
Parallels Access ‘applifies’ your Windows and Mac applications, letting you remotely access and experiencethem as if they were made for iPad. Tap, swipe, pinch and scroll any Mac or PC software application – even if they were not optimized for the iPad – and get more done on-the-go!
Low-bandwidth connections no longer have the power to stop you. Parallels Access holds your connection so you can keep on working with fewer interruptions. Business applications, games, and even streaming video – we keep you connected to your universe.
It’s your mobile experience the way it should be.
What separates Parallels Access from being just another remote access app is that it focuses on individual Mac or PC applications rather than fussing with the Windows or Mac OS interface at all. The result is the ability to use your Mac and PC apps in a way that is custom tailored to your iPad – almost as if they were native apps. It even features full support for streaming video and audio, file uploading and downloading, and so forth.
In essence, Parallels Access allows you to interact with and use your desktop apps in the exact same way you would interact with a native app from the App Store. What’s more. the ability to use the iPad’s gestures with some of these apps unlocks a level of usefulness you may otherwise never have realized using a given app on your desktop by itself.
We’ve had the opportunity to use Parallels Access for a few days now – and despite being priced a bit steeply at $79.99 per year, I can report that I’ve found no real flaws with it. It works beautifully. It will enable me to do far more work using my iPad that I’d normally use my Mac for. Indeed, I can really see this changing the way I use my personal technology as a whole – and that is something truly magical indeed.
The service requires you down download the free Parallels Accessapp from the App Store, sign up for the service through the app (everyone gets a 30-day free trial), then simply install the desktop client on your Mac. A beta version of the Windows-based client is also available. For more information, or to get started, check out the official Parallels Access website – and check out the clip below to see it in action!
The iPad is the most popular tablet in the world by far, but it still can't do everything a PC or Mac can. There are countless apps that only work on 'proper' computers — from the full version of Microsoft Office to Final Cut Pro. Is there a way to bring those apps to the iPad without compromising the experience too much?
With today's launch of Parallels Access, the answer is most definitely yes. The iPad app lets you run apps from your PC or Mac almost as if they were native to the iPad. There may be no iPad version of Word, for example, but with Parallels' app, you can run it off your computer and 'stream' it to the tablet.
See also: 10 Apps You Need to Dominate Your Work Day
Parallels has a lot of experience with that kind of virtualization software — the company's desktop app lets users run PC apps on Macs. Parallels took a previous stab at the iPad with Parallels Mobile in 2011. Although the app garnered generally positive reviews, it was discontinued a few weeks ago to make way for the new app.
Parallels Access takes the virtual-computer experience to the next level. The new app goes beyond simply providing a window back to the other machine, taking into account things like screen resolution (the apps are resized for the iPad's aspect ratio) and user experience (PC and Mac apps can use iPad copy-and-paste). Parallels calls the iPad-tailoring 'applification.'
All this power and convenience comes with a cost, however. Although the app is technically free, you'll need to subscribe to the service for the hefty price of $79.99 a year per machine. There are trial periods, of course, but it's a tall order for appcess … er, access to apps you already have, many of which probably have iPad versions.
So is it worth it? Parallels gave me a sneak peek at the new app to find out.
Doorway to Your Mac
Setting up Parallels Access is an involved process. You not only need to download the app and register an account, but you also have to download and install the agent for the Mac or PC you want to access. The Mac version has a 14-day trial, versus 90 days on Windows — presumably because the Windows version is labeled 'beta.'
When you first install the app on your machine, Parallels will ask if you want to set the computer to never go to sleep. If it ever does, it'll fall off the grid, and the app won't be able to access it. Of course, it's a given that the machine must be connected to a Wi-Fi network. But it can be any Wi-Fi network, meaning it can be anywhere in the world and you can access it via the app.
Once you're done all the installations and setup, actually using the app is a breeze. Fire it up, and you'll see all the computers you've set up to work with Parallels. Tap one, and you're immediately taken to an app launcher, more or less modeled after Apple's Launchpad. If it's a Windows machine, you'll see the old Windows logo blurred behind the icons; on Mac, it's the galaxy image that's the default desktop background.
The app is intuitive to the extreme. Once you've launched one of your computer's apps, you can always return to the launcher via a small nav menu on the bottom right. You can also cycle through active apps without closing the current one, and even choose specific windows. Settings are just a tap away.
You can tell Parallels Access was designed with Microsoft Office in mind. The app works gloriously with Word and Excel, with copy-and-paste functionality that seems native to the iPad. Even the magnifying glass works as expected.
Most other apps work fine — my IM client (Adium), Safari and Chrome browsers and TweetDeck all performed great on the iPad, with minimal issues translating clicks to touch. Photoshop Elements, however didn't work as well. Although I could see the row of drop-down menus, photos themselves sometimes weren't visible, replaced with a generic 'Parallels' label.
Fogged-Up Windows
While Parallels Access was virtually hitch-free on the Mac, the Windows experience is more glitchy — you can see why it carries the 'beta' label. Although most apps from my Surface Pro would run, usability was more of a challenge. Even simple things like scrolling were problematic; when scrolling horizontally, I needed to put my finger in the top third of the screen, for example.
Parallels For Mac Help
Copy and paste was also challenged. After launching the Windows 8 Mail app on my iPad, I tried to copy part of an email. However, even though the native iPad magnifying glass appeared, once I selected something there was no way to alter the selection, leaving me able to copy only a single word.
Drawing programs were completely out of luck. I tried FreshPaint, Paint and Autodesk Sketchbook, and none of them would translate my finger swipes into markings. Clearly, the PC experience needs polish.
Generally, though, I could launch and use any Windows app (7 or 8) as if it were made for the iPad. I've always found the CNN app for iPad to be lacking, but with Parallels the great horizontal-scrolling Windows 8 version was just a few taps away.
Compromises and Strength
Parallels Access is well thought-out, but it isn't magic. With every app, you'll notice a slight but perceptible reduction in responsiveness compared to the native app experience. The onscreen keyboard doesn't always appear when it should either (although it's easy enough to call up).
Also, if your machine is typically hooked up to a second screen, you may notice some flakiness with screen resolution after you disconnect. For the workstation my MacBook Pro is usually hooked up to, I needed to pull out and reattach the monitor cord to reset everything.
Parallels Access Client For Mac
That's on top of the previously stated issues with Windows and not being able to use sleep mode on your computer. Are all these compromises enough to justify getting Parallels Access?
A thousand times yes. When you look at the big picture of what Parallels Access does, it doesn't just run your computer's apps on the iPad — it lets you run them wherever you are. For when you need to see that PowerPoint deck from two years ago that's on your home machine, or the situations when you could use an iPad browser that runs Adobe Flash, or the time you really, really don't want to get out of bed and go downstairs to perform a simple revision to a Word doc, this app opens up all those doors and more.
If those things never happen to you, then you can skip Parallels' new app and its eyebrow-raising subscriber fee. But for those whose eyes brighten a little bit at the prospect of turning an iPad into a full-fledged computer, even for a little while, Parallels Access is must-get. After all, there's nothing that power users like better than more power.
The Lowdown
The Good
Run Mac and Windows apps on iPad.
Native iPad copy-and-paste makes experience feel natural.
Incredibly intuitive.
The Bad
Pricey: $79.99 a year per machine.
Windows version needs polish.
Experience not a fluid as native iPad apps.
Bottom Line: Although it's pricey and imperfect, Parallels Access is a godsend for iPad power users who want access to their computer's apps from anywhere.
Homepage image: Mashable; screencaps, Parallels