It’s not very often that I get extremely excited about an app. Then again, it’s not very often that an app like Reflection is ever released. As TUAW reports, Reflection is a brand new app that allows you to do something that many have been waiting a matter of years for – mirroring your iPhone or iPad’s screen on your Mac.
Reflection lets you view your iPhone 4S or iPad 2’s screen in real time with no prior set up – just launch the app, select your Mac from your iOS device’s AirPlay menu, and you’re streaming. It’s an extremely fast and extremely simple solution.
But why would anybody want to mirror their iOS device on their Mac? There are a plethora of reasons. One example might be screencasting – recording your iPhone or iPad display while using a certain app or performing a certain task. Screencasts can be an extremely useful tool for teaching others how to do things on their devices.
Mirroring also opens up plenty of new entertainment uses – you can stream your favorite HD iPad game (for instance, Infinity Blade II), and play it in high definition on your Mac’s display without having to use a television or an Apple TV. It could also be used for showing an app to a friend, for recording an app demo, or for any number of other business, educational, or entertainment purposes.
I’ve had a chance to go hands-on with the app, and have found it to be remarkably solid – the stream is clear and lag-free, and behaves in the exact same way as it would on a television through HDMI mirroring or AirPlay mirroring. If you fire up Netflix, for instance, your video will display on your Mac’s screen while the playback controls appear on your iPhone or iPad.
The app requires an iPhone 4S or an iPad 2, and you’ll need to be running OS X Lion in order to make everything work. Reflection is available immediately for $15 (or a pack of 5 licenses for $40), and I can highly recommend this app as a very effective and affordable way to stream content from your iOS device to your Mac.
For more information, or to purchase Reflection, head on over to the app’s official website.