TeamViewer 9 review: Remote control software adds several very handy new features

TeamViewer 9 The latest version of TeamViewer's remote control software implements sessions in tabs, transfers all kinds of data via the clipboard, has two-factor mobile authentication and wakes-on-LAN.

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TeamViewer has saved my family and friends a lot of grief, and saved me a lot of gasoline. I just tell them to download and run (or install it), give me the code and password and voilà! Their desktop pops up in a window on mine so I can fix what ails it.

The TeamViewer console (shown with a remote session in the background) is largely the same, but has adopted with Windows 8 2D look.

TeamViewer 9 offers some very welcome improvements. My personal favorite is the ability to cut-and-paste or drag-and-drop files from the host desktop (the computer doing the controlling) to the client (the computer being controlled) and cut-and-paste from the client. It's much handier than opening the file transfer dialog as was required formerly, though that function still exists for working with older TeamViewer clients.

Multiple sessions now show in tabs instead of in separate windows, making things much neater. If a session needs your attention, the tab will light up. Also, you have the option of using secondary authentication (with an authenticator such as Google's) when you're connecting from a mobile device. Another improvement is the ability to send the Wake-on-LAN signal to remote computers so they don't have to be left on all the time. That can save a huge amount of power over time.

TeamViewer 9's appearance is now flattened to match Windows 8, though it maintains TeamViewer's signature color scheme. The other changes are largely for paid Business ($750) and Premium ($1500) subscribers. These include a new API with reporting and user management features, plus custom looks for modules that don't have to be redone with each iteration.

The options dialog shows the breadth of features TeamViewer offers.

The beta version of TeamViewer 9 that I tested seemed as stable and robust as version 8, meaning I had no problems with it. The only issues I've ever experienced with TeamViewer were several versions back and FTP-related. Other than that, it's been a rock.

I love the tabs, drag and drop, and wake-on-LAN. You should upgrade, as it remains free for personal use. Keep the new features coming, Teamviewer!

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Review: Handy Backup is plain, powerful, and easy to use

Handy Backup is utilitarian in the best sense; it's a backup program with a no-nonsense interface and a boatload of features. Despite its plain countenance, one of its iterations is sure to appeal to IT types and smart consumers. I looked at Handy Backup Free, which is... free.

1. There's not a lot to look at, but there's power behind the Handy Backup grille.

Handy Backup Free is easy to use and lets you select files as well as repositories for backing up. Repositories are folders or accounts such as My Documents, an FTP, WebDav, Amazon S3, etc. It's a little odd to see the latter items listed under a backup list, but it's also nice. You can back up to and restore data from local drives, CD/DVD/BD, FTP, and across a network.

You create a backup, restore, or synch task in Handy Backup Home using step-by-step wizards. These are easy to use, and once a task has been defined you can edit all the options directly from a multiple-paned dialog. To skip the wizard, you can simply duplicate a task and edit the pertinent options. Said options include full, incremental, differential backups; compressing the backup to encrypted zip files; scheduling; and running tasks before or after a job.

Handy Backup also comes in $39 Home, $99 Professional, $199 Small Server, and $599 Server editions. Home is the latest 7.x version, while Pro adds disk imaging, backing up to SFTP servers, and ODBC database backup. The Small Server edition backs up numerous business and enterprise-level databases such as Microsoft Exchange data, Oracle, and more. The full Server version has all that plus the ability to back up multiple PCs to a central location.

Handy Backup's step-by-step wizard helps you through jobs.

About the only thing missing that I'd like to see in Handy Backup is support for Rsync, a backup and synchronization protocol used by many servers and NAS boxes. Aside from that, one or the other editions of the program should have all the features you need. I had an easy time with the program; it's lightweight it does the job, and it stays out of the way. What else could you ask for?

Note: The Download button on the Product Information page downloads the software from the vendor's site. The Handy Backup website can make downloading the proper version confusing. You need a serial to use the free version, which you can obtain from the developer. Also, the message to upgrade is for a trial of the home version. Ignore that message to continue using the free version.

Jon L. Jacobi has worked with computers since you flipped switches and punched cards to program them. He studied music at Julliard, and now he power mods his car for kicks.
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Review: Multiplicity 2.0 handy in a multi-computer, multi-monitor setup

Jon L. Jacobi has worked with computers since you flipped switches and punched cards to program them, studied music at Julliard, and power mods his car for kicks.
More by Jon L. Jacobi

If you run multiple computers and monitors in close proximity to each other, Stardock's Multiplicity 2.0 (free and $40 premium editions) is a cheap and effective alternative to a physical KM switch. It allows you to share a mouse and keyboard with multiple computers.

Multiplicity is free for non-commercial use with two networked computers. More PCs than that and you'll need the $40 version that provides support for up to 9 computers, as well as nice touches such as cut and paste between PCs, centralized audio, and sending keystrokes to all PCs simultaneously.

The latter two features are new for version 2.0, as is the AES-256 bit encrypted connection.

Multiplicity's grid defines which way you scroll the mouse to transfer control to secondary PCs.

Installing Multiplicity is easy, though there's a very subtly placed option for AVG Security Toolbar that's selected by default. Install it if you want it, otherwise, deselect it and follow the prompts.

Eventually the setup will ask you if you want to be a primary or secondary user. Select primary for the PC whose mouse and keyboard you want to use, and secondary for the PCs that you want to control with them. In the latter case, you're given a passcode to enter in on the primary machine to enable remote typing and mouse control.

About the only technical stipulation for using Multiplicity is that the network must be defined on each machine as home or business, not public. Once you've installed Multiplicity on each computer and connected, you drag the secondary computers around a 9-slot grid in the Multiplicity control panel. If a computer is on top of the primary computer, you scroll with the mouse off the top of the primary PC's screen and you see it off on the secondary. Scroll it off the bottom of the secondary screen and you're again using your primary PC.

In my tests, I found the Multiplicity handiest for using my keyboard and mouse to control the laptops I review and network lag was minimal. Beyond keyboard and mouse control, the handiest feature of the pay version of Multiplicity for me was copying files between computers. Alas, while I had no problems cutting and pasting in either direction, for some reason I could only drag items from secondary PCs to the primary PC.

Multiplicity is very handy in a multi-computer, multi-monitor setup where the units are close together. It's more versatile, more convenient, and less expensive than a KVM or KM switch. Give it a shot if you have the need.

Note: The "Try it for free" button on the Product Information page will download the software to your system.

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