Windows 8.1 seems to have broke almost all remote desktop apps

[lparsons21]

But, MS came to the rescue!

MS quietly released a new set of Remote Desktop applications very recently. All work very well, though it you use them on a 10" or smaller screen you get to squint a bit...

Get them for free from here:
iOS = iTunes App Store
OSX = OSX App Store
Android = Google Play Store

 

[lparsons21]

After playing around with remote access from my iPad Mini, Nook HD+ and MacBook Pro, I can say that using it with the MacBook Pro is pretty darned seamless and very responsive. Very useable.

On the iPad Mini it is useable, but because of the screen size not as much with normal Windows applications as it is at the 'modern UI' apps.

On the Nook HD+ 9" Android tablet, the scaling is a bit different making the icons and tiles a little on the smallish side, which makes it less appealing to use. It is also a bit slower in operation, but that is mostly because the Nook HD+ isn't a powerhouse Android device.

I suspect that it would be fine on other more powerful Android tablets.

I also tried it on the iPhone 5. Works just fine, but that small screen makes it not so good to actually use it for anything.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yet they didn't create a Remote Desktop client for their own Windows Phone 8. Whats up with that?

 

[king3pj]

Does this mean I will no longer be able to access my clients PCs through gotomypc and VPN if they upgrade to Windows 8.1? We run an accounting firm and have to access our client's quickbooks and other bookkeeping software on a daily basis. All of our office PCs run Windows 7 professional but many clients are now on PCs that came with Windows 8 installed. If they killed this functionality it will make things much harder for us.

 

[Broe67]

The only software that I use for remote access on client's computers, and my own family systems, is Teamviewer. I have found that Remote Desktop for Windows leaves a lot to be desired, and is not cross-platform compatible, when you are working especially with Linux & iOS systems.

 

[lparsons21]

Yet they didn't create a Remote Desktop client for their own Windows Phone 8. Whats up with that?

Did you check the Windows app store for the phone? I know there is a 'modern' UI version in the app store for Windows 8.1

 

[lparsons21]

Does this mean I will no longer be able to access my clients PCs through gotomypc and VPN if they upgrade to Windows 8.1? We run an accounting firm and have to access our client's quickbooks and other bookkeeping software on a daily basis. All of our office PCs run Windows 7 professional but many clients are now on PCs that came with Windows 8 installed. If they killed this functionality it will make things much harder for us.

Very good questions.

After I upgraded to Win8.1, I was still able to mount the Windows drives on my MacBook Pro, but neither MS's RDP app (which was broke long ago for OSX), or Cord (which was working fine) wouldn't work at all. At first I dug around in Win8.1 and found that despite the claim that the upgrade wouldn't change settings, it did change them and turned off sharing. Turned that on, and still no go.

Digging around I found the MS' new RDP and it works just fine on OSX (including Mavericks), iOS and Android.

For my needs, that is more than good enough, but it is only for remotely accessing the Win8.1 computer. I don't know what it would do, if anything, if you have more needs than that.