Windows and Mac users may already be familiar with Splashtop's Streamer remote desktop software, but until just recently Linux users didn't have that option for accessing their PCs from a mobile device.

Instead, Virtual Network Computing (VNC) has long been the primary solution for Linux users.

On Wednesday, however, Splashtop announced the release of its remote desktop Streamer software for Ubuntu, giving users of Android and iOS Splashtop 2 client devices the ability to connect to a remote computer running Ubuntu to use Linux applications and access their data.

"For a while now Linux users have been clamoring for a version of Splashtop that supports Ubuntu,” said Mark Lee, founder and CEO of Splashtop. "We're giving the user a few ways to tweak the configuration files to stream at different frame rates, which we think Linux folks will appreciate."

A 10x performance boost

Indeed, the Ubuntu version of Splashtop Streamer goes beyond what's offered in the Mac and Windows versions by allowing users to fine-tune the video frame rate and set port numbers by manually editing a configuration file.

Perhaps even more notable, Splashtop has also been shown to deliver up to 15x higher video frame rates and up to 10x lower latency times than its competition in performance benchmarks, the company says.

With the new version of Splashtop Streamer, users can remotely connect from an Android or iOS device to an Ubuntu server or desktop to view and edit files remotely; run their favorite Linux programs; stream their music collections; watch videos at up to 30 frames per second with low latency; play graphics-intensive games; and perform on-the-fly trans-coding of various video and audio formats, for example.

A secure pipe

Splashtop sessions are secured with SSL and 256-bit AES encryption, allowing it to serve as a secure pipe between devices; in some cases, in fact, it allows users to eliminate the need for separate VPN solutions altogether, Splashtop says.

Potential users of the new Splashtop for Linux include Linux systems administrators--many of whom use Ubuntu to manage their networks--as well as Linux gamers and Ubuntu users in general.

Coming soon from Splashtop is one-to-many streaming technology that will enable a Linux PC to stream 40 or more concurrent Ubuntu desktop sessions to mobile devices. The video below offers a sneak peek.

A Linux client is in the works

Together, the Splashtop for Business product line and the Splashtop 2 consumer product line claim more than 10 million users, Splashtop says. With the addition of Linux support, that figure may well get a significant boost in the near future.

This new version of the Splashtop Streamer supports Ubuntu 12.04; a Linux client is in the works. Ready to try it out? It's available as a free download from the Splashtop site.