Its existing Sky+ iPad app already let its 4.3 million Sky+HD subscribers schedule set top box recordings over the cloud from any location via its on-screen EPG.

Now an updated version of the app released on Wednesday adds same-room TV control including pause, rewind and fast-forward of the Sky+HD set top box; channel changing and recording management.

This is just an increment in Sky’s second-screen developments. In a few months’ time, the app will be injected with social TV functionality from Zeebox, the promising startup in which BSkyB invested this January.

The interesting remote UI introduction today is that the majority of those new features involve not on-screen virtual buttons or sliders but simple finger swiping across an otherwise blank iPad screen.

This may make it easier for some folk who don’t comprehend a wealth of interface options, but the lack of interaction prompts may also pose a challenge.

The main technical challenge, however, is that both the iPad and the Sky+HD box must be on the same broadband network. Sky’s TV boxes are Ethernet- but not WiFi-enabled. Marrying the devices requires an additional £60 Wireless Connector bridge to the TV box, or some homeplugs.

BSkyB rival Virgin Media has taken almost two years so far in developing the iPad remote control app for its TiVo set top box. paidContent reported in March that the app was essentially ready but Virgin feared consumer network confusion – its TiVo boxes also do not have the necessary WiFi functionality.

Announcement.

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These policies are created and controlled through a new cloud-based service that allows IT managers to provide secure access to corporate computers from employees’ mobile devices. The service is now available as a preview for iOS; other platforms, including desktop computers and Android, are in development.

Policies can be created to grant or restrict user access to individual computers, authorize specific iOS devices for users or groups, and block or discontinue access from any user or device. Specifically, organizations will be able to:

• Enroll individually-owned or company-procured iOS devices into an organization’s mobile inventory.
• Authorize individual iOS devices for remote access to one or more company computers, including access to corporate applications and files.
• Manage remote access rights and permissions by user, computer, and mobile device.
• Control whether files can be remotely transferred from remote computers to individual mobile devices.
• Handle lost or stolen devices by remotely wiping stored credentials.

Individuals interested in trying the preview of the access control service for iOS can sign up at the company’s website. Pricing depends on the number of devices to be controlled.

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Dijit isn’t the first app to bring Roku remote control functionality to iOS devices. In fact, we recently reviewed the Peel app and IR blaster on our weekly Cord Cutters web series (check out the video below) that can also be used to control a Roku. However, Dijit promises its users some neat features that set it apart from the Peel app, including customizable gestures, an on-screen keyboard and the ability to manage a user’s Netflix Instant queue on the handset.

Much like Peel, Dijit wants to become the default universal remote control in a user’s home. The San Francisco-based startup has partnered with Griffin Technology achieve this goal, and the Dijit app will be the default interface for Griffin’s upcoming Beacon IR blaster. The combination of IR blaster and iOS or Android handset will allow users to also change live TV channels and control other devices that aren’t yet connected to the home network.

Check out a review of the Peel below:

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Since its launch just over a year ago, HomePipe has been primarily focused on the consumer market, but the service has announced several features that will make it more attractive for business collaboration:

• Enhanced security. It’s now possible to specify who has access to shared files, and to require secure logins by users. All content access is authenticated and encrypted using TLS/SSL over what is essentially a VPN, thus making the system able to traverse firewalls.
• In-app editing. Users may now edit shared files directly, using whatever tools are available on their remote or mobile devices. Saved files are automatically re-uploaded to the server. In-app editing will need to be used carefully, as it doesn’t appear HomePipe provides automatic backups or version control.
• Audio streaming. HomePipe also supports audio streaming, and now includes systems for managing playlists and streaming audio in the background. HomePipe has included content acceleration for quick response. This feature may be of less utility in business environments, but could be helpful for presentations.

The basic operation of HomePipe is similar to services like Pogoplug and Buffalo CloudStor, which we’ve written about before, in that you don’t copy your content to the cloud. Rather, you can specify which content from your own hard drives and networks is to be shared, and with whom, through an unobtrusive “agent” app that can run on any Windows, Mac, or (in beta) Linux machine. The agent can also be run through an add-on for Google Chrome.

However, unlike Pogoplug, HomePipe requires no special hardware. In that regard, it’s more like such remote control solutions as Hamachi, LogMeIn, and TeamViewer, as well as cloud-based content-sharing services like Google Docs, Dropbox, and Docstoc.

HomePipe CEO Chris Hopen said the company envisions HomePipe as a private collaboration tool for groups of up to 15-20 people, or as a way of sharing content with similar-sized groups of family and friends. He also told me the service is making available an API, and will shortly provide connectivity to other cloud vendors.

If you’re looking for ways to share content without paying for cloud storage, HomePipe may be a useful option. It’s available in a free, ad-supported version that is limited to 10 remote access sessions per month, and in an ad-free “standard” version for $23.99/year. Group and enterprise plans are also available.

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Like a lot of my WWD colleagues, I’ve been a big Dropbox user. But the new version of the SugarSync app adds some unique and attractive features, including:

• The ability to copy, move and delete files on a remote computer, and to copy files from one computer to another.
• The ability to grab a public link to any file in your SugarSync account and email it. The recipient doesn’t need to be a SugarSync user to download the file.
• The ability to add images from remote computers to the image gallery on your iOS device.

The SugarSync (iTunes link) is free for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; it requires iOS 3 or later. SugarSync has a free 5GB plan (as opposed to Dropbox’s 2GB), as well as personal and business plans with a variety of storage levels and numbers of users. According to the SugarSync blog, there’s an Android app update in the works. Apps are available for other platforms, and there’s a mobile website as well.

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The new file manager tools means that in addition to being able to remotely control any connected computer using their iPhone or iPad over 3G or Wi-Fi, users can now:

• View files and folders on one or more computers
• Copy and move files or folders from remote computers directly onto the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch for local viewing
• Save PC and Mac files directly on an iOS device for offline viewing
• Create a local folder and filing system within Ignition on the iOS device
• Open and edit files locally using file editing apps
• Transfer files between remote computers
• Update locally saved files in Ignition with updates from remote computers
• Wake a sleeping computer using Wake-On-LAN

While you probably could have replicated many of these features previously using the old LogMeIn Ignition in tandem with one of the file sync services (like Dropbox or Box.net), having a file manager integrated into the remote control app itself is a much more elegant and streamlined way to do it.

Here’s a short video showing how the new file manager works:

LogMeIn Ignition is available from the iTunes App Store; it costs $29.99. Existing LogMeIn Ignition users can update the app to get the new features.

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Right out of the box, the iPad includes email, contact, notes and calendar apps that will be more than adequate for many workers. If your team is already collaborating in the cloud, there are iPad apps for just about every cloud service, including WWD favorites such as Google Apps, Dropbox, Egnyte, Evernote, Simplenote, Toodledo, and SugarSync. And connections to Apple’s own MobileMe sync service are built into iOS.

As Darrell wrote recently, there are a number of useful productivity apps that make the iPad surprisingly useful. I’m not saying that an iPad can replace a fully-equipped laptop, but with a foldable Bluetooth keyboard, it can be a lightweight way to get a little work done in a pinch, especially as you can use one of the many remote control and screen sharing apps available for the iPad to remotely access and control an office computer. Here are a few options.

Proprietary Solutions

These apps connect to proprietary client software running on the computer in your office, and generally have the advantage that they can operate through firewalls and tend to be easy to set up.

• GoToMyPC. This is an app that I wrote about  recently. Note the developer no longer requires a credit card to create a trial account if you sign up from within the iPad app.
• LogMeIn Ignition is available for iPad and iPhone. Sam reviewed it here.
• RDM+, an app that I wrote about a while back.
• TeamViewer’s iPad app is available in free (non-commercial) and Pro versions. I reviewed it here.

VNC and RDP Solutions

These solutions require a VNC or RDP server to be running on your office computer. As I recently wrote, there are a number of VNC server options available. Macs have VNC capabilities built in, and some editions of WindowsWindows XP Professional, Vista, and Windows 7 come with RDP. Both VNC and RDP require configuring firewall rules and ports, which can be tricky.

• iTap RDP.
• iTap VNC.
• iTeleport uses VNC, but offers an option that claims “to leverage Google’s infrastructure to simplify the connection setup for you” by authenticating through Gmail. I haven’t tested it, so I don’t know how well it works.
• Jump Desktop supports VNC and RDP.
• Mocha Remote Desktop supports only RDP.
• Mocha VNC
• PocketCloud supports VNC and RDP; available in Standard and Pro versions.
• Screens, a VNC app that Darrell recently reviewed.
• Splashtop Remote supports VNC.
• VNC Viewer for iOS. I reviewed the Andorid version of the app here.

Do you use an iPad for teamwork? How do you connect to your office?

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As with other remote access products TeamViewer and LogMeIn, GoToMyPC works through firewalls, and requires little configuration other than installing the GoToMyPC software on the computer you wish to connect with. GoToMyPC for iPad can remotely connect via 3G or Wi-Fi networks. It includes multi-touch and gesture-based controls for zooming and panning It can emulate keyboard and mouse movements, and features auto-correction for spelling and capitalization. Data transfers use 128-bit AES encryption.

In putting together this post, I’ve relied on the developer’s press release, website and video demo. I haven’t actually tried the app myself, because in order to sign up for the trial of the service, one is required to provide credit card information. Annoyingly, this isn’t made clear until one has completed the first part of the sign-up process, and provided Citrix with one’s email address. The sign-up form says users will be notified before the trial expires, and their cards won’t be charged until the 30-day trial period has expired. However, I won’t provide credit card information under such circumstances, and I think many others will feel the same way. Frankly, I think Citrix has made a big mistake here. There are too many competing solutions to put people off with such antiquated requirements. And what about workers who might want to try out the program but don’t have access to company credit cards?

The iPad version of GoToMyPC is available from the iTunes App Store. Pricing for the service starts at $9.95 per month per computer, with annual and multiple-computer plans available.

Have you used GoToMyPC? Would you use an iPad to connect to your work computer?

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TeamViewer can be set up in different ways. If you want to share your screen for presentations or training, you can install the software on your machine, and then share your ID with your audience, who can view your desktop in a web browser. The software is not intended to support large numbers of viewers, so it would not be suitable for webinars.

TeamViewer can also be used for troubleshooting remote computers, similar to CrossLoop, LogMeIn Rescue, or the “remote assistance” functions built into Windows and Mac OS X. In this configuration, you ask the client to download and run the TeamViewer QuickSupport module (it doesn’t need to be installed). The client gives you the ID and password that the QuickSupport module creates, which you can enter into your copy of the software or use the web version.

The TeamViewer software, which is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, can also be used to connect remotely to unattended computers. It’s also possible to connect on the go via iOS and Android apps.

One nice feature of TeamViewer is that (as with LogMeIn and similar products) it can create connections behind firewalls, meaning that it doesn’t take the sort of setup that VNC does. A chat and file transfer system is included.

All in all, TeamViewer is a well-developed product that can be used for many needs faced by those of us with remote workforces. I confess, though, that I got a bit of sticker shock from TeamViewer’s pricing structure, which starts at $729 for one workstation. But since TeamViewer is priced as a one-time payment with no monthly subscription fees, it may be a good buy for some organizations. Note that TeamViewer is free for non-commercial use, and also offers free trials.

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The latest indication of this trend came as Google announced a new remote app for its Google TV interface that will work on Android devices. The app, which will become available Wednesday on the Android market, will allow users to control their program guides, access their DVRs and send content from the mobile device directly to the TV. Google even provided a demo video to show off all the new features:

The new Google TV Android app isn’t the first remote control built for a mobile device. In fact, it’s not even the first mobile app built for controlling Google TV devices. Logitech, which makes the Google TV-powered Revue set-top box, introduced its Harmony remote control app in October. But it is part of a growing trend toward mobile devices for TV navigation.

Frustrated with the traditional “grid” guides for displaying programming lineups and video available on their TVs, consumers are seeking new ways to search and discover content. But today’s standard remote controls typically aren’t smart enough for much more than up-down-left-right browsing and navigation. While companies like Logitech have been trying for years to solve the problem with ever-more sophisticated universal remotes, many are either too big or too complicated for the average user. One need only look at the remote control for Sony devices running Google TV to realize there’s a real problem with remote control design for next-generation connected devices.

Tapping into the so-called second screen for navigation is intuitive, not just because today’s generation of mobile phones is smart and fast enough to conduct search, or because touchscreen keyboards provide a perfect input device for the task, but because today’s TV viewers are using them in the living room anyway. A growing number of users are increasingly accessing the web, texting with friends or chatting on the phone while watching TV today, so extending navigation to those devices just makes sense.

It’s not just technology companies and device manufacturers picking up on the trend, either. Pay TV distributors — many of which are typically slow to adopt new technology when it becomes available — have jumped at the opportunity to bring navigation to second-screen devices. Comcast, Time Warner Cable, AT&T, Dish Network, Verizon and others have all launched or announced new applications for the iPad, iPhone or Android devices as a way to browse and search their linear and on-demand TV content.

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