Monday, April 11, 2011

Using an iPad with KIP

.
4D has yet you come up with client software for the iPad, but that doesn't mean you have to wait to use your iPad to run KIP.

The solution:

Use a VNC client on the iPad to control another computer that is running KIP.

What is a VNC client?

VNC means Virtual Network Computing. It simply means you use a software program (called a VNC client) to see and control the screen of another computer.

And since Mac OS X has VNC capability built in, all you need to do is download a VNC app for the iPad and you will be able to use the other computer (Mac or PC) for anything, including using KIP.

What VNC apps might be good?
This means there has to be one computer in my network that no one else can use, right?

Well, yes, for now. But the soon to be released Mac OS X Lion (coming this summer), will allow you to be controlling a computer, while, at the same time, another user can be working on the same computer totally oblivious to the fact that you are using it, too.

Is it that easy?

Almost. You will have to turn on VNC on the Mac or PC you want to control and assign it a password.

Then you have to make sure that the iPad and the other computer (the one you are controlling remotely) are on the same network.

If so, then, Screens will easily find the other computer, so all you have to do is enter the VNC password, and the screen of the other computer appears on your iPad, ready for you to start working.

In fact, if you know a little bit about remote computing via the internet (this requires a little more setup), you can control your home computer or work computer from anywhere using the iPad and the internet.

So... YES!

You can use an iPad to run KIP (or any other program) simply by running KIP on another computer and controlling that computer with the iPad using a program like "Screens."