VMware and RDP 6 client: Run Windows 7, Flash on iPhone – Wyse PocketCloud

Here is the future of Cloud Computing – Run Windows 7 on  iPhone, run as a thin client.

Wyse released PocketCloud iPhone application that features a RDP 6 client (Windows 7 compatible) for iPhone/iPod Touch with one very unique Feature- VMware View 3.1 support, making it a perfect Thin-OS.

Till this app was released, I used iRdesktop for RDP, which is a capable and free RDP client that has done everything one needs. The problem with most RDP clients is that the mouse is very hard and cumbersome to use. Common iPhone gestures (pinch to zoom, for instance) make it a bit easier to navigate, but that alone makes it only barely useable.

Thanks toWyse, this problem is solved. They have developed a new interface for the mouse pointer that allows users to make it finally do-able from iPhone/iPod Touch.

My first reaction was “Wow… why such a great idea was left un-discovered till now”.

To pretend mouse moves, you have to simple move the large circular cursor around until you get to the area you want, then select the object of interest from the floating icons around the large cursor. And the good part, gestures still work, as does the “exact tapping” method, should you choose to keep it.

The RDP client portion is simple and clean, and let’s come to the interesting part. VMware client

The VMware View is indeed a great value add. It’s easy to use, but one huge feature is missing: TCX rich multimedia support.  The app is branded as being “Certified VMware Ready,” and Wyse is obviously tight with VMware since TCX is built in to View, but they also have a pretty tight relationship with Citrix.

Resolutions and Layout:

The App lets you choose various resolutions both landscape and portrait:

Thin-Browser:

Thin-Browser is a feature that allows server-side web browsing with support for Flash, Java, and Silverlight by presenting what amounts to a seamless Internet Explorer session that has been formatted for the iPhone. Being Internet Explorer, ActiveX is also supported. All you need for enabling this feature is an application called PocketCloud Windows Companion to be installed on the remote machine.

Here is the summary of Features as per the company:

Wyse Proprietary RDP 6.0 Engine (windows 7 compatible)

• Fast: Optimized for the iPhone
• Enterprise grade security: 128-bit encryption and FIPS support
• Microsoft Terminal Services support

3G and Wi-Fi Optimized

• Work smoothly with 3G connections and Wi-Fi

VMware View 3.1 Certified

• Support for:
  • Direct connections and advanced tunneling
  • SSL encryption
  • Experimental support for RSA Two-Factor Authentication

Optimized iPhone GUI

• Fast, interactive, and enjoyable user experience
• Advanced high-accuracy mouse cursor
• Removable toolbars for maximum screen real estate

Free Windows Companion Application

• Thin-Browser™
  • Server-side Web browsing with iPhone GUI
  • Support for rich and interactive content such as Flash, Silverlight, and Java
  • ActiveX and add-ons support
• Automatic keyboard detection:
• Whenever a keyboard is needed, PocketCloud windows companion notifies the PocketCloud on the iPhone to invoke the virtual keyboard

Verdict

The App is priced sky high at $30, which is a bit unjustified considering the lack of TCX support and only experimental RSA SecurID support. Still, I bought it to give it a try, and for me it was worth it. The app is good for Business users and niche enthusiasts who need 24×7 access to servers on remote PCs anytime anywhere, but for others, not worth the price set.