Slashtop has released a $25 remote desktop client that brings the Windows 8 experience to the iPad. Aimed squarely at developers, the Win 8 Metro Testbed app offers support for Windows 8 Metro UI gestures in what appears to be a fast, low latency environment.

It all looks very convincing, but this isn't the real deal by any means. Remote desktop software requires a constant web connection to a running host computer, so you won't necessarily be taking Windows 8 on the go just yet.

That said, this will be a boon for developers who couldn't make it to Microsoft's BUILD conference last year, and lack access to a Windows 8 development tablet to test the software they're creating. Windows 8 is likely to drop sometime before the end of the year, so having some idea of how applications will perform on a tablet — even if it isn't an actual Windows 8 machine — will be helpful.

To get up and running, you'll need to grab the Win8 Metro Testbed app from the iOS App Store, and install the Slashstop streamer on a PC running the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. That $25 price tag is a special launch promotion price - if you don't act fast, it'll scale up to $50. If you'd rather just see the app in action, Splashtop has provided a neat video demonstrating their wares.