HyperLink Review – Your iPad and your Mac can become one

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On August 14, 2012

App Type: Uncategorized

HyperLink Review – Your iPad and your Mac can become one

Our rating:

By: Molten Mango Pty Ltd

Version #: 1.0

Date Released: 2012-07-09

Developer: Molten Mango Pty Ltd

Price: 7.99

User Rating:
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You’ll be forgiven for assuming — incorrectly at that — that HyperLink, a relatively new iPad app, is yet another mobile browser for iOS. After all, isn’t a hyperlink (or two or more) what we’re almost always certain to deal with when using a Web browser? HyperLink is a browser, to some extent, but it is so named because, in my view, it establishes a strong connection, i.e, a “hyper link” between your iPad and your Mac.

That’s right, HyperLink is a remote desktop and file access tool optimized for iPad. But, mind you, it’s not your usual remote desktop and file access tool. HyperLink‘s being equipped with a powerful search function is an exciting feature in and of itself. Even more exciting, though, is its ability to search for files on your Mac even when you’re offline or when your Mac is asleep. Add awesomeness: HyperLink can access all devices attached to your Mac. Yeah, right within HyperLink you can access your Mac’s USB drives, CDs/DVDs and external hard-drives.

How is this possible, you ask? The answer to that is quite simple: indexing.

Indexing is actually one of the first things you have to do in order to properly use HyperLink on your iPad. Once a working connection is made between your iPad and your Mac, the indexing can be performed. The process may take a long while, depending on the size of your Mac’s file system, but you’re good to go with HyperLink as soon as it’s done.

With HyperLink‘s familiar pane- and toolbar-based interface, searching for files is easy. And if you find a file you’re interested in, just double-tap that file’s icon to download it onto your iPad. You can then work on that file in-app or open it with other compatible third-party apps for further actions.

As a file browser, HyperLink offers three types of views, namely icon view, list view, and Cover Flow view à la iTunes. In addition, HyperLink can also serve as a second-screen device for your Mac. As such, it lets you flick files from your iPad to your Mac “automagically.”

HyperLink has a myriad more features, many of which are bound to reveal themselves as you continually use the app. But one particular feature that I deem worth noting is the included option to index mail attachments. By default, this option is disabled. But if enabled, it offers a much quicker alternative to searching for attachments than Apple’s stock Mail app does.

It’s also worth noting that HyperLink has Terminal, too, effectively giving you remote command line control of your Mac. Use it very carefully, though, as working with Terminal is always a tricky affair, whether remotely or not.

HyperLink for iPad is available on the App Store for $7.99. The app’s iPhone version is not yet available, but it’s already in the pipeline. For now, I suggest you download the more than capable iPad version for your remote desktop and file access needs.

Quick Take

Value:High

Would I Buy Again:Yes

Learning Curve:Low to medium

Who Is It For:Frequent remote access users

What I Like:Mail attachment indexing option. Second screen capability.

What I Don't Like:No light theme.

Final Statement:HyperLink is a hyper-functional remote desktop utility.

Read the Developer's Notes:
Raising your expectations…
At last, an app that gives you remote offline search-ability of your Mac’s content from your iPad … HyperLink lets you remotely search for files on your Mac, system-wide - online or offline! Offline? Yes! Offline!

Index, find and use … search, retrieve and share. Remotely access and control your data.
HyperLink empowers you to search your Mac’s content – including email attachments and external storage media – with a familiar and easy to navigate interface, whether you’re online or offline and even if your Mac is asleep or awake. After you have completed the indexing process you can search and view your files, watch movies, look at photos and even browse the Internet on the in-app mini browser. Perfect for accessing information on the fly.

Double-tapping a file’s icon when you’re online copies the file to a storage feature on your iPad. From here you can share the file or launch in 3rd party apps installed on your iPad.
With HyperLink you can view your files and search results as icons, in a list or in an iTunes-like cover flow. When you are at your Mac, HyperLink enables you to use your iPad as a second screen. You can flick files over to your Mac and launch or close Mac applications.
There’s more…
For the more tech savvy users, HyperLink also has Terminal for remote command line control of your Mac. Only use this feature if you know what you’re doing!
We are excited to share HyperLink with you now. It comes to you without the full feature set we have in mind and at a price that won’t stay low for long. So, get involved and get it now, let us know what you think and what features you’d like to see.
For more details, please visit our website and download the Hyperlink User’s Manual.

Systems supported:

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
Mac OS X 10.7 Lion
Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

(iPhone version & Mac Indexing App coming soon)

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aldrin has written 128 awesome app reviews.