GoToMyPC Review

WHAT IS IT?

Web-based remote access to your PC.


OVERVIEW

The nightmare scenario looms in your imagination: you’re about to give a big presentation and you forget to copy that one critical file to your laptop. Let’s face it: reliable, speedy access to files on your home or office desktop is vital for the travelling professional. Mobile business professionals have countless options when it comes to remote desktop solutions. The remote access field is crowded with contenders vying for your business. Top concerns for users include security and reliability, so finding the right product is essential for piece of mind.

LIKES

Having been in business for a while, we’ve tried a few remote desktop solutions, but the real standout winner is GoToMyPC. GoToMyPC offers something its competitors cannot boast: ease of use. Since those competitors are site software-based, the setup and use can be confusing and complicated. GoToMyPC’s web-based approach is easy enough for the non-technical user to configure. The setup routine is extremely intuitive, making it possible to complete the process without even consulting a user guide.

Installation is a snap. All you have to do is create an account on the GoToMyPC website, and you’ll be prompted to install their remote-control software. Once you complete the process, you can access the machine from any web-enabled computer. It’s a pretty simple idea, actually. GoToMyPC rises above the rest of the pack because it doesn’t require hours with a manual, or hiring an IT professional to deal with network protocols, dynamic IP addresses, name servers and all the rest of that confusing stuff. We all log into one web service or another these days, and GoToMyPC offers remote access within a context with which we’re already familiar.

From a security standpoint, GoToMyPC inspires confidence. Regardless of where you make your connection, it must be routed through Expertcity’s servers. Considering this, you might think the connection is draggy and slow. Not the case, though, the control is responsive and quick. You can print with ease, as well. Add to those features multiple monitor support and the ability to disable features to optimize connection speed.

For companies with an IT department or help desk, the corporate option includes administration tools for your host machines. Extras like the Draw tool lets administrators draw on the host machine screen – I’ll leave you to imagine various uses for that feature! Combine that with the ability to alter server settings perform reboots, and log back on to host machines, and you’ve got quite a bit of power in one package.


DISLIKES

The transfer interface is somewhat narrow in scope; if you want to synchronize or clone files, you’re out of luck. Organizing regular batch transfers and delta file transfers are also beyond the program’s capabilities. For those who need to do regular file transfers of this nature, they should explore other options.

GoToMyPC is a web-based service, so a reliable Internet connection is a must.

  



"... fast, secure, and easy to use."
Cnet

"... as feature-rich and reliable as they come."
Laptop Magazine

For remote access, GoToMyPC is far out."
Fortune

"I am an independent consultant, and am on the road 85% of the time. I signed up for GoToMyPC a few years back, the day after I first heard about it, and it has been indispensable."
Dan Safford, PS Associates, Inc.

"It allows me to spend more time with my family, and it lets me keep my sanity by working without the early morning commute.",br> Mike Edmunds, CALY Networks

"As a busy trial lawyer, I often find myself needing to get work done while away from the office. Thanks to GoToMyPC, that challenge has become less daunting. Airports, hotels, courtrooms — if they have Internet access, they can now serve as my virtual office."
John E. Harding, J.D., Harding & Associates