Splashtop Pro: Remote Desktop Management for SMBs?

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For its part, Spashtop says early customer trials are going well. Instead of promoting Spashtop for remote PC management, it sounds like company officials see an opportunity to focus on mobile application access. “We have interest from healthcare clients who want to do bedside consultations through wireless devices, and others in the restaurant industry who want to use the solution to take orders and make reservations,” Miller said.

Splashtop apparently did its homework before hitting the SMB market. Miller spoke with SMB analysts to gauge potential interest in the remote desktop management solution. Splashtop has also been running pilot project through which companies have been using Splashtop Pro and giving feedback. “By far, the most useful input has come from pilot projects,” Miller noted.

The difference between the original Splashtop solution for consumers and the Pro edition is that Splashtop Pro has a web-based administration console that allows IT admins to monitor and manage individual users and view server connection strength. Splashtop will use its staff at its headquarters in San Jose, Calif. and 200-employee staff in Asia to provide online troubleshooting support. Miller said Splashtop won’t provide 24/7 customer support with the initial Splashtop Pro release, but he did say it’s possibility in the future.

Splashtop Pro targets SMBs with five to 25 seats.  Miller says Splashtop also is “very interested in the enterprise, but that’s something we’ll need preparation for.”

A venture into the enterprise space sounds like a long time away. The real question is whether Splashtop can find a niche in a remote desktop management market that already has established players like LogMeIn and Citrix Systems.

Splashtop Pro costs $14.99/month or $149.99/year for a minimum of five seats.