iPadParallels has long made it easy for Mac users to run PC programs (and more) within OS X. Now, they’re letting you run Windows and Mac apps within iOS via the newly announced Parallels Access for iPad. With Parallels Access, you can remotely access your Mac and PC and run the programs as if they were made for iPad. Mac support is available now, with Windows access available as a free beta.

Support of additional tablet devices is also in development, but the press release doesn’t state if this means iPhones or Android devices in general.

Now, we don’t need to explain the need for such an app, but we will anyway:

Carrying an iPad around is almost always preferable to lugging around a laptop, but you lose a lot of functionality that way. With Parallels Access for iPad, you’ll get plenty of that functionality back.

A recently released report by analyst firm Enterprise Management Associates(1) that looked at enterprise adoption of PC and mobile devices found that the majority of business users are supplementing their desktop computers with at least one mobile device. With Parallels Access, anyone can increase productivity by enjoying a seamless and integrated experience and accessing computers and desktop applications from anywhere. Additionally, customers are able to access not just their professional business applications but also their games and entertainment – including streaming video – from their Mac or PC directly on their iPad.

Key features and capabilities of Parallels Access include:

 App Launcher: Start any desktop application, Windows or Mac, as if it were made for an iPad

• App Switcher: Switch between desktop applications with ease, literally going from app-to-app in a tap

• iPad native select and drag: Select words and graphics with one finger, on Mac or Windows applications, then drag, drop and go

• iPad native copy and paste: Select and copy from your desktop and paste it anywhere – between iPad apps, or even from desktop to desktop

• SmartTap and magnifying glass: Tap with precision inside your desktop applications, so you never miss a thing

• iPad native scroll for desktop applications: It’s scrolling that just works

• Desktop keyboard on iPad: Shows up just when you need it, contains Windows and Command keys too

• Full screen for desktop applications: Maximize your screen real estate on the iPad, use every inch of your Retina display

• Unmatched access: Even with low bandwidth, Parallels Access makes it work

The functionality doesn’t come cheap, but anyone who has lugged a laptop on a business trip to access a specific program or two will immediately understand the value of annual subscription at $79.99 for each computer being accessed. If you want access to an additional Mac or PC, you’ll need to purchase a separate subscription.

The Mac Agent is available now at this price, and comes with a 14-day free trial. The PC Agent is free until the beta period ends.

You’ll need an iPad 2/3 or iPad mini and a Mac running OS X (Mountain Lion 10.8, Lion 10.7 or the upcoming Mavericks 10.9 after it launches) to run Parallels Access. Windows users will need a PC running Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Oh, and it’s worth noting that if you already use Parallels Desktop 8 on your Mac, then Parallels Access will also “applify” all of its Windows virtual machines and apps so they work like they were made for iPad.

I’m tempted to run game emulation software on Windows through Parallels on my Mac via Parallels Access on the iPad just to see how far removed from the actual software I can get.

For more information, visit parallels.com.

This post originally appeared on AppleTell.

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  1. It’s an interesting idea. But not new conceptually. And not much use without a network connection.

    I was playing with it on Friday ( got a 6 month free subscription with an upgrade to Parallels Desktop 9 on Friday). My MacBook Air was doing wifi (802.11n) and my iPad was doing (slowly) LTE and I didn’t notice much lag. Need to play with it some more. Not sure it’s worth the yearly subscription.

    A couple Mac applications I accessed via it changed their default window size to fit the iPad resolution and stayed that way afterward ( yes, I can change it back to fit the MacBook screen size but it should have changed back on its own, like Parallels does itself. Hopefully it’s a setting somewhere.

    Accessing Visual Studio 2012 on my iPad was slightly amusing, if hard to use because of the screen size. I’ve attempted to use Remote Desktop on similar size screens to access “real” PCs and screen sizes like this/that don’t make for the best usability experience.

  2. Increased productivity? Somehow I doubt running an app whose UI is designed for a mouse/keyboard interface with a much clumsier touch UI will make for more productivity. Selecting text with a mouse is easy. Selecting it with my fat, clumsy finger isn’t. Complex menus work well in a mouse UI. They’re so impossible in a touch UI no one tries to create one,

    Far more sensible are what we’re seeing more of–apps that have PC/Mac versions and an iPad version, each designed for its platform.

  3. A HUGE drawback is needing to keep the computer you are accessing awake. My main computer is a Macbook Pro and I would not only need to keep the lid open at all times but also change the settings to never sleep. This does not sound practical to me. What about a desktop computer at your office? Do you really want it open and vulnerable to anyone who walks by?

  4. “What about a desktop computer at your office? Do you really want it open and vulnerable to anyone who walks by?”

    There’s a setting for this (at least in the Mac version)
    – Lock this computer when working remotely

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