Actions for iPad Review

Using your iPad as a remote control for a Mac or PC is too good an opportunity to pass up in our opinion, even if it’s only for novelty value. Actions for iPad is pitched at a good price and is flexible, letting you operate your computer for emails and file manipulation, provided the two machines are connected to the same network.

The app itself looks very much like Windows 8, the latest Microsoft operating system, which we have to say is quite perverse when seen on Apple’s iPad. But, it’s a nice interface that makes what could have been something complicated into something easy to get going and use. There are customisable buttons that put tools and commands at your disposal, and you can also set up the iPad to perform repetitive functions in a way which suits you best by sequencing tasks.

What raises this even higher is the ability to use presets for all manner of apps that may reside on your computer. These include Adobe’s suite of programs, Chrome, Evernote, Final Cut Pro X and Finder. Actions syncs too, so the iPad and computer work together.

Creating new buttons, however, is also easy and you can have a page with 15 or 20 of them to produce a fluid way of working. It’s great to assign keyboard strokes, for instance, and there is no doubt your workflow will be greatly eased with a bit of thought.