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LogMeIn App for iOS Set Free and Gains Pro Upgrade

Remote-access apps for iOS let you control your desktop computer’s screen, keyboard, and mouse (and sometimes transfer files and engage in other activities) over 3G and Wi-Fi. LogMeIn has pupped a new version of its LogMeIn Ignition app with a new name, just plain LogMeIn, and a new price: $0.00. The free app works with both the free and paid desktop versions of LogMeIn’s screen-sharing and remote-control software. LogMeIn is the most reliable way I remotely access my systems through firewalls, NAT, and other network obstacles.

In making the app free, LogMeIn pulled one feature from the formerly $29.99 Ignition: file transfer. That option is available only with a $39.99-per-year upgrade to LogMeIn Pro. That seems a fair tradeoff, based on my usage. (I use Dropbox for files I might need to reach via iOS if I’m not in front of one of my computers.)

The LogMeIn Pro upgrade includes, in addition to file transfer, integration with Dropbox and Google Docs, access to WebDAV servers, remote AirPrint printing, and tools to manage photos in the iOS Photos app. The Pro upgrade also works with a new feature in the subscription-based LogMeIn Pro for desktop software to stream HD video and high-quality audio to an iOS device. Streaming is available in the Windows desktop version, and the Mac version is coming “soon.” (LogMeIn has a strong history in supporting Mac OS X, so I believe “soon” really will be soon.)

LogMeIn also made a very nice and smart move for previous buyers of the Ignition app, which remains for sale at a higher price. First, it will continue to be upgraded. Second, you receive an automatic lifetime-of-the-app upgrade to LogMeIn Pro app features. The new price for Ignition is $99.99, which includes the same lifetime license granted to existing owners. The company tells me that someone might pay $100 for Ignition instead of ponying up for the yearly Pro upgrade with the LogMeIn app — you break even after 2.5 years.

Both LogMeIn and Ignition are universal apps that work on both the iPhone and iPad.

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