Microsoft Launches a Windows App For iPhones, Macs, and Android Devices (theverge.com) 10
Microsoft has launched a new Windows app that serves as a hub for streaming Windows environments from services like Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop. However, it's limited to Microsoft work and school accounts with "no signs that Microsoft plans to support consumer accounts," notes The Verge's Tom Warren. From the report: This new unified app has been in testing for nearly a year, and includes a customizable home screen, multi-monitor support, and USB redirection so you can use local devices like webcams, storage devices, and printers as if they were plugged directly into a cloud PC. This Windows app is limited to Microsoft work and school accounts, as it's primarily designed for existing users of Remote Desktop clients for Windows and other operating systems to move to. Microsoft has had similar apps for connecting to PCs remotely in Windows for decades, including the Remote Desktop Connection app that still ships as part of Windows 11. These apps, including the new Windows one, are useful for connecting to work PCs from a personal laptop or PC. The Windows app is available from the Microsoft Store and Apple App Store. An Android version enters public preview mode today.
So... (Score:2)
Just vnc with extra steps then?
Re: (Score:2)
Different use cases. VNC tends to be used for remote control or shared control. RDP has individual sessions.
If you dig even deeper, RDP has things like RemoteFX for terminal servers that allow things like video acceleration, etc. Was quite handy on the Citrix environments I managed in the past.
I'd almost say SPICE is closer to Terminal Services RDP than VNC is on account of the acceleration.
I've also found that VNC tends to get more janky the higher the latency gets. YMMV.
Remote Desktop Connection is a little misleading (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Appears the app is just for cloud based connections rather than being able to do both cloud and private. Very few configuration options too.
Microsoft couldn’t even offer up their own 25-year old protocol properly, in their own environment?
Forget “cloud” for a minute. I’d like Microsoft to define “functionally acceptable” for me instead.
Re: Remote Desktop Connection is a little misleadi (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Remote Desktop app has been around for ages in these app stores.
All the more reason to address shortcomings? This wasn’t really a good excuse..
Bing (Score:2)
If the Windows app force-adds a "Bing search" option to my phone's long-press menu system like their other apps do, then I'm not installing it.
Worst. Name. Ever. (Score:1)
I'm surprised no one has commented yet on the name of this new Windows app, which is... wait for it... "Windows App."
It's like they were trying to out-do themselves for "worst MS naming decision ever." And that's saying something.
Re: (Score:2)
Twenty years late, does nothing, ineptly named, probably rife with hacks.
Microsoft.
Nothing to see here. Move along.