LogMeIn announces Mac compatibility for Macs in its IT support tools

LogMeIn has added Mac compatibility to its remote control and IT support tools, aiding firms that have a mixed environment of Windows PCs and Apple systems.

Available immediately, LogMeIn Free for Mac is a version of the firm's remote control service that already enables Windows users to access their computer from elsewhere via a browser. However, while LogMeIn also offers a Pro subscription service that lets Windows users transfer files and print to a local printer, these facilities will not be available in the Mac version until sometime next year.

"It's a genuinely free and easy way to access your computer from anywhere using a browser, and now that computer can be a PC or a Mac, and you can access it from any PC or Mac," said LogMeIn chief technology officer Marton Anka.

New today is a beta version of LogMeIn Rescue for Mac, the firm's support tool that lets support staff remote control a worker's PC in order to fix problems. The new element is a Mac-compatible applet that the helpdesk operator directs a caller to download before they can access the computer.

"This applet and the console were both Windows only before. The console will remain Windows-only, but the applet will now allow a technician to support Mac or PC users," said Anka.

The features are identical, according to LogMeIn. "The number one use for this service is the ability to see what's happening on the users' screen," Anka said.

LogMeIn Free for Mac and LogMeIn Rescue for Mac are both compatible with OS X 10.4 (Tiger), and OS X 10.5 (Leopard), and run on both Power PC and Intel-based Macs.