Jaadu VNC

Jaadu VNC [Appstore link] does not quite fit into the competitor's field of this series of reviews: it is not a typical remote control with buttons, meant to control one or the other application on the desktop computer while sitting in front of it. It is rather a VNC or Apple  Remote client which can connect to a correctly configured computer by WIFI as well as over 3G - no need to have both iPhone and desktop in the same WLAN. Setting up the desktop is reasonably easy, and the company's website explains all steps very well and detailed. Jaadu VNC  keeps a list of servers with their special setup, and is able to detect servers in the local WLAN.

Once a connection is established, a live screen of the desktop is sent to Jaadu. It can switch automatically between landscape and portrait, but this behaviour can also be switched of on a per-server-basis. The refresh rate and the resolution is superior to RemoteTap or Remote Jr., and sufficient to make use of it. The screen can be zoomed by pinching. A keyboard, a few sets of dedicated smaller key sets and the "special" keys cmd, ctrl, option and shift can be invoked and overlay the screen while needed. The movement of the mouse or screen is - when first used - surprising and counter-intuitive, because the finger does not move the mouse cursor but rather the screen below the mouse pointer. This may sound odd, but feels perfectly right after 10 seconds, and has the advantage that the finger does not block the view of the screen portion below the mouse: this is essential when mouse clicks should be safely placed where intended. This behaviour can be switched off as well, but I like it a lot and works much better for me because of the reasons just mentioned.

 Jaadu also supports scrolling with two fingers, and a right-click to invoke local menu by tapping with both fingers - just as with the normal trackpad on a Macbook.
I have been using Jaadu VNC very often since it was released, and never had a single issue to complain about. The price is high compared to the usual "fart engines" and "tip splitters", but still less than a decent pizza with a beer.

Jaadu is NOT well suited for an efficient, safe on-the-fly control of a particular application, e.g. PowerPoint or FrontRow. For these purposes, I recommend one of the other apps mentioned in this blog, especially Wifi Remote.