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kman42 · Jun 22, 2009, 02:18 PM

I'm looking forward to the new iDisk application. I think it would be great if they added the ability to use Back to My Mac to browse your computer directly from your iPhone. I don't see any indication they will do this in the new app at first, but I would find it very useful. Using your iDisk is great, but you have to think about it first. I frequently want to access my computer to look at a file that I forgot to take with me, so being able to use Back to My Mac on my iPhone would solve this problem.

I'm sure some will raise security concerns, and they are valid, but I think manageable. They could require that you enter your account password for your Mac, just as they do now when you are accessing it remotely. Also, if you lose your phone, then all you have to do is turn off Back to My Mac until you get things resolved. That's probably enough to mitigate most security concerns.

::maroma:: · Jun 22, 2009, 03:04 PM

I believe there is a third party app to do just this, using the Back to my Mac architecture. At least I think there is. I'm not in a place where I can verify that, but its worth a look.

kman42 · Jun 22, 2009, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

I believe there is a third party app to do just this, using the Back to my Mac architecture. At least I think there is. I'm not in a place where I can verify that, but its worth a look.

I was hoping that AirSharing or Briefcase would do this when I tried them out a while back, but neither did. Maybe they have been updated or there is another app with this feature.

turtle777 · Jun 22, 2009, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by kman42

I think it would be great if they added the ability to use Back to My Mac to browse your computer directly from your iPhone. I don't see any indication they will do this in the new app at first, but I would find it very useful. ... I frequently want to access my computer to look at a file that I forgot to take with me, so being able to use Back to My Mac on my iPhone would solve this problem.

Searchlight | Overview FTW

No Back2MyMac needed. However, you do need to set up Port Forwarding on your router, and use a service like Dyndns.org to get a Domain Name that's tied to your IP.

Since DynDNS, you only pay the one-time $ 39 for Searchlight.

-t

kman42 · 04:16 PM

However, you do need to set up Port Forwarding on your router, and use a service like Dyndns.org to get a Domain Name that's tied to your IP.

Since DynDNS, you only pay the one-time $ 39 for Searchlight.

-t

That's the part I don't want to deal with. I did the dyndns thing for a while before Back to My Mac. Having to keep the daemons running and updated was just enough of a nuisance compared to the frequency that I need access to my computer (every couple of weeks), that it was never available when I needed it. Back to My Mac solved that problem once and for all. As with most Apple products, there are alternatives that are probably cheaper, but Apple makes it easy.

turtle777 · Jun 22, 2009, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by kman42

That's the part I don't want to deal with. I did the dyndns thing for a while before Back to My Mac. Having to keep the daemons running and updated was just enough of a nuisance compared to the frequency that I need access to my computer (every couple of weeks), that it was never available when I needed it. Back to My Mac solved that problem once and for all. As with most Apple products, there are alternatives that are probably cheaper, but Apple makes it easy.

My Dyndns daemon has been running reliably for years.

I never personally dealt with Back2MyMac or iDisk, but from all I read about it, it's far from reliable.

The second BIG (HUGE!!!) plus of Searchlight is that you can use it from any internet browser. It even offers a preview-like image of the document.

All in all, it does something that Back2MyMac or iDisk don't do, and for cheaper. Sounds like a winner to me.

-t

kman42 · Jun 22, 2009, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

My Dyndns daemon has been running reliably for years.

I never personally dealt with Back2MyMac or iDisk, but from all I read about it, it's far from reliable.

The second BIG (HUGE!!!) plus of Searchlight is that you can use it from any internet browser. It even offers a preview-like image of the document.

All in all, it does something that Back2MyMac or iDisk don't do, and for cheaper. Sounds like a winner to me.

-t

BTMM was flakey when it first came out, but it has been working reliably non-stop for me for a long time now. The only issue I have is when my wife puts the computer to sleep

This is in stark contrast to my experience with dyndns. I was using it quite a while ago, so maybe the daemons have improved, but I have since moved on and find MobileMe and BTMM to be well worth the expense. I realize that not everyone finds the same value in the service, but that's true with most things.

Searchlight sounds like an interesting program, it just doesn't do what I need it to do. I don't need the hassle of keeping a dyndns account open, setting it up, buying the $39 Searchlight app in order to get what I already have hassle-free with MobileMe and BTMM. Granted, Searchlight offers some additional features, but they don't really meet my particular needs. All I really want is BTMM access with the new iDisk app

I'm glad Searchlight works for you!