Bains Software has released a new version of its remote control app, ShareTool. Currently at version 1.2, the application now offers better support for iPhoto, a tweaked up UI, an option to switch automatic port mapping on or off, and automatic compression of network traffic.

Developed for Bonjour users looking to access all of the Bonjour services on their home network from anywhere in the world, ShareTool includes iTunes music sharing, screen sharing, file sharing, and more. The software allows Mac owners to control the screen of any of their home computers, listen to their entire iTunes music library at work or simply share files between them.

ShareTool automatically configures routers supporting NAT-PMP or UpnP; remote services automatically appear in Finder, iTunes, and other applications; the app enables remote access for any application or service that advertises itself using Bonjour and runs over TCP/IP; all network traffic is strongly encrypted while access to your services requires your Mac OS X username and password, to name a few key features of this useful piece of software from Bains.

There's also a demo version that you can download and try out right now for free. The unregistered version will only allow you to access your services for fifteen minutes at a time.

Version 1.2 brings the following enhancements:

- Automatic port mapping is now optional.
- Better support for iPhoto.
- Network traffic can now be automatically compressed.
- Interface improvements.

Several bugs have also been squashed in this version, Bains Software claims.

The full version of ShareTool costs 20 bucks to buy. The application is a Universal Binary, which means both Intel and PPC-based Macs can run it just as well. Even users of Mac OS X 10.3.9 (Panther) can run the software on their computers.

For more programs developed by Bains Software, see this page here.