Mobile Me an absolute joke [Archive]

tweaks

Sep 7, 2008, 03:56 PM

anti-microsoft

Sep 7, 2008, 04:06 PM

learn how to use it you'll be ok........

Even that doesn't take long!

hexonxonx

Sep 7, 2008, 04:23 PM

I think it works very well. Since June, I think I only experienced one mail outage and that was the one a few weeks ago. Not sure what you are talking about. You may wish to be more descriptive in your posts. Simply saying it is buggy is not helping you.

Macsterguy

Sep 7, 2008, 05:03 PM

This thread is as helpful to others as a cup of cold pee...

Digital Skunk

Sep 7, 2008, 06:21 PM

The web app is such a buggy, antiquated joke that I think I'd rather use Outlook Express 2 to get my mail.

And I really love getting an email from one of my other email addresses that's been forwarded to me.com and then have to go crank up outlook just so I can respond from the appropriate email address. Really state of the art stuff, Apple, way to go.

We can help you solve your problem, we just need to know why you are making it so hard on yourself first, then we can tell you what you are doing wrong, and how to correct all of your mistakes.

TLewis

Sep 8, 2008, 02:26 AM

We can help you solve your problem, we just need to know why you are making it so hard on yourself first, then we can tell you what you are doing wrong, and how to correct all of your mistakes.
He's probably beyond help, as he appears to be complaining about a feature that other email services have, but MM doesn't.

mlemonds

Sep 8, 2008, 02:32 AM

what apple should do in my opinion to fix MobileMe:

slap the word beta at the end of it, and start counting the subscription once they get the bugs worked out.

Saladinos

Sep 8, 2008, 03:21 AM

Seems fine to me. I actually quite like the Web App.

tallyho

Sep 8, 2008, 06:09 AM

TLewis

Sep 8, 2008, 10:08 AM

Bizarre thread. Gmail doesn't let me upload web-galleries from iPhoto, give me a 20GB iDisk accessible right from the Finder, sync my contacts from Address Book and my calendars from iCal. It also doesn't sync all my keychains and Safari bookmarks across all 4 of my Macs and my iPhone. That's what I'm paying for with MobileMe, so all in all I'm just a little puzzled by the original post.
You've got to realize that, for many people, they only have an iPhone and windows (no macs). (Please, no comments about the superiority of the mac -- they serve no useful purpose, here.)

For these people, they probably care mainly about the iPhone services. You may care about iPhoto and iDisk, but many people don't. And the currently sad fact is that MobileMe is severely lacking in iPhone-related features. For example:

The ability to send email as another account. Both the free Google and free Yahoo services have this feature. This is one of the features that the thread starter seems to have complained about. (In all fairness to MobileMe, Google's feature tries to "play nice", but Microsoft's outlook notices this and neuters the feature.)
No server-side filtering. Both the free Google and free Yahoo services have this feature. This feature is incredibly useful for automatic sorting of incoming mail, without resorting to the klunky workaround of leaving a mac/pc turned on, 24x7. Of course, if you don't get much email, this feature is less useful. :D
No secure web email access. Both the free Google and free Yahoo services have this feature.

IgnatiusTheKing

Sep 8, 2008, 10:18 AM

You've got to realize that, for many people, they only have an iPhone and windows (no macs). (Please, no comments about the superiority of the mac -- they serve no useful purpose, here.)

For these people, they probably care mainly about the iPhone services. You may care about iPhoto and iDisk, but many people don't. And the currently sad fact is that MobileMe is severely lacking in iPhone-related features. For example:

The ability to send email as another account. Both the free Google and free Yahoo services have this feature. This is one of the features that the thread starter seems to have complained about. (In all fairness to MobileMe, Google's feature tries to "play nice", but Microsoft's outlook notices this and neuters the feature.)
No server-side filtering. Both the free Google and free Yahoo services have this feature. This feature is incredibly useful for automatic sorting of incoming mail, without resorting to the klunky workaround of leaving a mac/pc turned on, 24x7. Of course, if you don't get much email, this feature is less useful. :D
No secure web email access. Both the free Google and free Yahoo services have this feature.

If you are paying $99/year just to have MobileMe email, you're probably wasting your money.

TLewis

Sep 8, 2008, 10:34 AM

If you are paying $99/year just to have MobileMe email, you're probably wasting your money.
Maybe. Unfortunately, if you want "push" services for email, contacts, and calendar, MM is still the cheapest (reliability issues aside). While there are free services that provide some of these, none currently provide all of them. Nuevasync is probably the closest, though (and Apple should look at their service status blog to see how service status should be communicated).

gazfocus

Sep 8, 2008, 10:40 AM

I think MobileMe is actually quite good...I think there are some aspects that were better in .Mac but others are just as good if not better.

The only gripe I have is sending email to contacts in the Address Book is a bit hit and miss, and sometimes when I click reply to one message, it replies to another

littlewaywelt

Sep 8, 2008, 10:48 AM

learn how to use it you'll be ok........

Learning how to use it is not the issue.
Mobile me offers little email functionality when compared with gmail or yahoo.
And when you add in the bugs, and constant outages, dial up-slow response, etc, it is perfectly reasonable for the op to call it an absolute joke. It is. That this level of service, and seeming incompetence is from Apple is what's really hard to believe. We're almost two months past launch and there are still outages, and no comment from Apple.

IgnatiusTheKing

Sep 8, 2008, 11:28 AM

Learning how to use it is not the issue.
Mobile me offers little email functionality when compared with gmail or yahoo.
And when you add in the bugs, and constant outages, dial up-slow response, etc, it is perfectly reasonable for the op to call it an absolute joke. It is. That this level of service, and seeming incompetence is from Apple is what's really hard to believe. We're almost two months past launch and there are still outages, and no comment from Apple.

Gmail and Yahoo's email functions have been released slowly over a period of YEARS, yet you want Apple to have all of it included at the initial release? I would guess that the webmail is far down the list in terms of importance for Apple and most users, and rightly so. Sure, it's nice to have, but MobileMe is so much more than a Gmail clone. I would like to see a little more advanced functionality, as well, but the mail works as advertised, even if you're only using it with a PC and an iPhone.

I don't know what you would call "constant" but I haven't had an email outage since shortly after the release. Push has worked for me, too. And even though I didn't have any of the big problems others had, Apple still felt compelled to give me three free months of service.

Still, if you hate the service so much, don't use it. Call Apple and ask for a refund. Use Gmail or Yahoo instead, since that service is so obviously superior.

Digital Skunk

Sep 8, 2008, 11:39 AM

Mobile Me is a joke! :mad:

There aren't mass outages anymore... maybe if you are still in that 1% then sure. And even that 1% isn't bad in my opinion. Tuff luck I say, 99% of the MM population is doing just fine.

As far as services go, it can't be beat. It's a far better deal than most of Apple's products, second only to Apple Care (sans the iPhone) and maybe One to One. I had four services totaling $400 a year and now I just pay $99. I may have to deal with crappy HTML sites made in iWeb, but I have a big enough brain and creative muscle to make it work.

Saves me cash and time. And as far as email services go, sure, don't pay $99 if all you want is email. iDisk works with PC users as well, thankfully and about time, so PC users get about 35% of what MM offers without owning a Mac. You still get galleries and the ability to upload images to them from your phone.

It's really better than any other service you can find, and the outages copout is starting to sound like the marketshare one Windows users use.

jc1350

Sep 8, 2008, 12:11 PM

There was a 45-minute outage today (8:45am-9:30am PDT)for at least some:

http://www.apple.com/support/mobileme/system_status_history.html

I didn't notice it myself, but I also strive to not live in email.

paulsalter

Sep 8, 2008, 12:24 PM

Gmail and Yahoo's email functions have been released slowly over a period of YEARS, yet you want Apple to have all of it included at the initial release?

How long have Apple had an online mail service ?, I am sure it is more than just a couple of months

Could they not have learnt from other mail providers over this time and got similar/better features ?

IgnatiusTheKing

Sep 8, 2008, 01:02 PM

How long have Apple had an online mail service ?, I am sure it is more than just a couple of months

No idea, but I'm sure you're right.

Could they not have learnt from other mail providers over this time and got similar/better features ?

If you use Apple Mail, you have pretty much all the functionality of Gmail. The webmail interface is there to help you in case you are away from your computer or iPhone.

What if they had decided not to put any resources toward creating functional webmail? They would likely have far more people upset and demanding some kind--any kind--of web-based email.

Basically, it all boils down to the notion that if you don't like it, you shouldn't use it. You certainly shouldn't pay for something you don't like.

tallyho

Sep 8, 2008, 01:07 PM

You've got to realize that, for many people, they only have an iPhone and windows (no macs). (Please, no comments about the superiority of the mac -- they serve no useful purpose, here.)

Well, I'm not making any comments about the relative merits of Windows or OSX (I mean, after all, it's not like "here" is a website called MacRumors or anything :rolleyes:). However, what you have to realise is that MobileMe is tightly integrated with OSX and with the iLife suite. If you don't use either of those, then why would you buy a MobileMe subscription?

For these people, they probably care mainly about the iPhone services. You may care about iPhoto and iDisk, but many people don't. And the currently sad fact is that MobileMe is severely lacking in iPhone-related features. For example:

The ability to send email as another account. Both the free Google and free Yahoo services have this feature. This is one of the features that the thread starter seems to have complained about. (In all fairness to MobileMe, Google's feature tries to "play nice", but Microsoft's outlook notices this and neuters the feature.)
No server-side filtering. Both the free Google and free Yahoo services have this feature. This feature is incredibly useful for automatic sorting of incoming mail, without resorting to the klunky workaround of leaving a mac/pc turned on, 24x7. Of course, if you don't get much email, this feature is less useful. :D
No secure web email access. Both the free Google and free Yahoo services have this feature.

Those points were raised repeatedly back in July, and I was one of those complaining loudly. Now, having actually used the MobileMe mail service, I'm finding it's working fine for me. I actually don't miss the Gmail implementation of "send from" which results in strange messages for those who read my emails in Outlook. I would imagine more features will make it into the email service eventually, but email is a small part of the MobileMe package - I'm not trying to provoke anyone, just pointing out a simple fact.

paulsalter

Sep 8, 2008, 01:09 PM

If you use Apple Mail, you have pretty much all the functionality of Gmail. The webmail interface is there to help you in case you are away from your computer or iPhone.

And this is my biggest problem with MobileMe, Email is a basic web service, provided by many, unfortunately I cannot use MM email unless I am at my computer due to incompatibilities (discussed to death in other places), so I do use the apps intsead

Basically, it all boils down to the notion that if you don't like it, you shouldn't use it. You certainly shouldn't pay for something you don't like.

If there was another way to sync my contacts/calendar then I would, as far as I know MobileMe is the only way

I am glad some people are having very little issues and like the service, but some of us do have problems and would like things changed

aristobrat

Sep 8, 2008, 01:55 PM

I am glad some people are having very little issues and like the service, but some of us do have problems and would like things changed
As much as I hope things change for people who are trying to use the iPhone+MobileMe combo as an alternative to RIM's BlackBerry Internet Service (which pushes email from any POP3/IMAP email service and allows you to reply back from the email address of any account you've setup to push), I don't think MobileMe was designed for that purpose, and as such, I don't think making those changes is probably high on Apple's MobileMe "must fix" list.

Digital Skunk

Sep 8, 2008, 02:55 PM

As much as I hope things change for people who are trying to use the iPhone+MobileMe combo as an alternative to RIM's BlackBerry Internet Service (which pushes email from any POP3/IMAP email service and allows you to reply back from the email address of any account you've setup to push), I don't think MobileMe was designed for that purpose, and as such, I don't think making those changes is probably high on Apple's MobileMe "must fix" list.

Agreed, and along with that I don't think a lot of people realize where Mobile Me and the features it has have come from. DotMac was borderline terrible, and was about a month or so from becoming a rip-off. iDisk was worthless no matter how much storage space it had.

Mobile Me was a much needed update, and by far the best update to come out of the Apple factory since the Mac Pro.

TLewis

Sep 8, 2008, 03:31 PM

If you don't use either of those, then why would you buy a MobileMe subscription?
To get push email, contacts, and calendar -- that's all. That's why I'm (currently) using MM. AFAIK, there's nothing that provides all three for less than the $100/year.

mogzieee

Sep 8, 2008, 03:38 PM

I'm sorry - don't get me wrong, but there are some people out here, including me, use MobileMe on a day-to-day basis and couldn't live without it. Calling it a joke may be even offensive to some.

queshy

Sep 8, 2008, 03:45 PM

The web app is such a buggy, antiquated joke that I think I'd rather use Outlook Express 2 to get my mail.

And I really love getting an email from one of my other email addresses that's been forwarded to me.com and then have to go crank up outlook just so I can respond from the appropriate email address. Really state of the art stuff, Apple, way to go.

Don't buy it? And if you did buy it - you should have looked into it more first. I don't sympathize with you at all here.

I'm still on trial for MobileMe (until november or something) and I probably won't start to pay for it. The only feature I like is how my iCal and contacts get synced across all my systems, but otherwise I don't need the features it offers.

TLewis

Sep 8, 2008, 03:49 PM

If there was another way to sync my contacts/calendar then I would, as far as I know MobileMe is the only way
If you only need push contacts/calendar, and do not need push email, you might want to look into the beta nuevasync service (note: I haven't really tried this):
https://www.nuevasync.com/
Issues:

Only syncs google calendar, and either google contacts or plaxo contacts.
Supposedly only syncs writable google calendars. Cannot sync other read-only (e.g., public) calendars.
Does not sync/push google mail, although it is supposedly coming.
There used to be an excellent service status blog, which gave useful and detailed information on the current status. Unfortunately, they've deleted most of the status posts, for whatever reason.

Note: switching to nuevasync (or probably any other exchange/push service, for that matter) will delete all contacts and calendars from the iPhone. Save/transfer/backup everything that you want to keep, before switching contacts/calendars.

diappointed

Sep 9, 2008, 05:05 AM

Digital Skunk

Sep 9, 2008, 07:24 AM

More than a joke, why does apple support and offer services on mobileme for outlook pc users and not apple mac (their own users/consumers)- they do not offer entourage 2008 sync on mobileme but outlook 2008 for pc.

That is a disgrace apple!!

Since this is your first post, it isn't looking too good for you. Given your name as well, everyone may take you for a troll. Not calling you one though, just saying.

Either way, Entourage isn't an amazing application for the Mac. And it's not Apple's job to make their services work on 3rd party applications that compete with their own apps. No one is complaining that Motion 2 Projects don't import directly into Avid Media Composer Projects. It reminds me of the people that complain about Apple's One-to-One trainers not being certified in Microsoft Office or other 3rd party apps.

tallyho

Sep 9, 2008, 08:46 AM

paulsalter

Sep 9, 2008, 12:18 PM

If you only need push contacts/calendar, and do not need push email, you might want to look into the beta nuevasync service (note: I haven't really tried this):
https://www.nuevasync.com/
Issues:

Only syncs google calendar, and either google contacts or plaxo contacts.
Supposedly only syncs writable google calendars. Cannot sync other read-only (e.g., public) calendars.
Does not sync/push google mail, although it is supposedly coming.
There used to be an excellent service status blog, which gave useful and detailed information on the current status. Unfortunately, they've deleted most of the status posts, for whatever reason.

Note: switching to nuevasync (or probably any other exchange/push service, for that matter) will delete all contacts and calendars from the iPhone. Save/transfer/backup everything that you want to keep, before switching contacts/calendars.

Cheers for the info, very interesting

I have my own email address now which syncs every 15 mins (this is fine for my personnel use, I have no need to get emails immediately)
The only calendars I am interested in syncing is my personal ones, not bothered about the shared ones

I have just over 3 months to find something else until my subscription runs out

I will stick with using MM for another couple of months to see how things go (always willing to give things a fair chance), but so far for me this is a backward step from .mac

Cheers again for the useful link

TLewis

Sep 9, 2008, 02:03 PM

I have my own email address now which syncs every 15 mins (this is fine for my personnel use, I have no need to get emails immediately)
I know you're not interested in this, but for the other people here:

It actually makes sense to use another, more full-featured email service (such as gmail) with push email. See my previous post on this:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=5985838#post5985838
Although this post talks about using MobileMe, you don't have to use MM. However, the ability to sync between a laptop/desktop, and the fact that syncing means that you can backup your contacts/calendar, can make MM attractive.

chameleon81

Sep 9, 2008, 05:30 PM

Gmail and Yahoo's email functions have been released slowly over a period of YEARS, yet you want Apple to have all of it included at the initial release? I would guess that the webmail is far down the list in terms of importance for Apple and most users, and rightly so. Sure, it's nice to have, but MobileMe is so much more than a Gmail clone. I would like to see a little more advanced functionality, as well, but the mail works as advertised, even if you're only using it with a PC and an iPhone.

I don't know what you would call "constant" but I haven't had an email outage since shortly after the release. Push has worked for me, too. And even though I didn't have any of the big problems others had, Apple still felt compelled to give me three free months of service.

Still, if you hate the service so much, don't use it. Call Apple and ask for a refund. Use Gmail or Yahoo instead, since that service is so obviously superior.

That is a terrible way of thinking. Do you think when a new car company starts its business it will go through the same procedures like Ford did? Starting the engine with magneto, just offering black cars ? Apple has to offer email service at least as good as others.

We can do many things for free what Mobileme offers us . But we need to search the information, install softwares , spend time to work out why it is not fucntining etc. MobileMe offers the service for 100 dolars but also taking the hassle. Which is less than 10 dolars per month. Not very bad in my opinion.

I dont think mobileme is a bad platform but it isn't functioning as it is suppose to right now. It is slow

AND yes google gives you the ability to upload pictures directly from iPhoto.
Check google's mac section.

IgnatiusTheKing

Sep 9, 2008, 06:04 PM

That is a terrible way of thinking. Do you think when a new car company starts its business it will go through the same procedures like Ford did? Starting the engine with magneto, just offering black cars ?

Your argument would make lots more sense if the two were equatable at all. A better analogy would be to complain that Lockheed doesn't make airplanes that have heated leather seats and built-in Sirius. Mercedes has that in their cars, why can't Lockheed get with the program?

Apple has to offer email service at least as good as others.

No, they don't have to do anything of the sort. But, in fact, they have, you just have to use Mail to get that advanced functionality. Webmail is a bonus feature, really, and one that is not ever necessary to have in order to use all of MobileMe's features.

Digital Skunk

Sep 9, 2008, 06:16 PM

....

STOP MAKING SENSE!

IT HURTS! :D

Seriously though, anyone that truly can't see the amount of effort Apple put into making the update to the semi-rip-off of a service .Mac is just not trying to understand.

The webapp has given me nothing but joy to use. Some minor quirks but good things all around. iDisk is amazing, and left out by those trying to find other services (nothing compares, been looking myself).

And not say that other people have problems, or that you can't get a good deal of the same thing with three or four other free services, but bashing it with loose complaints is a bit overkill for a minor gripe.

TLewis

Sep 9, 2008, 07:07 PM

No, they don't have to do anything of the sort. But, in fact, they have, you just have to use Mail to get that advanced functionality. Webmail is a bonus feature, really, and one that is not ever necessary to have in order to use all of MobileMe's features.
There appear to be two main classes of MM users:

People who use much, if not all, of the MM features. This includes iDisk, iPhoto, etc..
People who use MM mainly for the iPhone-related features. This largely includes push email, contacts, and calendar. It often does not include iDisk, iPhoto, etc.

Your arguments are correct for the former, but not for the latter. For the latter, email features are very important, and, for those users, Apple is competing with all of the other free/non-free email services. If google ever comes out with push email, I think that will take a big bite out of the MM subscriber base (the only thing that will cushion this for Apple is the fact that people have to prepay for an entire year).

And, just as a side note, using a desktop application like Mail to provide advanced functionality is not a very good idea. This is because it requires a Mac or PC to be turned on 24x7, and some of us:

Don't want to needlessly waste electricity.
Live in an area with expensive electricity, and don't want to needlessly increase their electric bill.
Would rather be more environmentally-friendly (I probably waste lots of electricity, and would rather not increase this).

IgnatiusTheKing

Sep 9, 2008, 07:28 PM

How does a web app save electricity? Why does a desktop app need to be turned on 24/7 to work? Either way, the computer needs to be on to work.

TLewis

Sep 9, 2008, 07:52 PM

How does a web app save electricity? Why does a desktop app need to be turned on 24/7 to work? Either way, the computer needs to be on to work.
Because, to get MobileMe to emulate the "advanced feature" of server-side mail filtering, you'd have to leave Mail or whatever running 24x7. Right now, MM doesn't have server-side mail filtering, and the only way to get it, is to fake it by leaving Mail running 24x7, and letting the mail filters do stuff.

With google and yahoo mail, their mail servers, which run 24x7, take care of the filtering for you. With MobileMe, you have to fake it using your Mac or PC, and that is what uses the extra electricity.

(Server-side filtering is waaay nice: with it, I can just push only the urgent/important email to the iPhone. This way, my iPhone isn't constantly making noise due to all of the less-important email, which doesn't get pushed.)

Digital Skunk

Sep 9, 2008, 07:59 PM

(Server-side filtering is waaay nice: with it, I can just push only the urgent/important email to the iPhone. This way, my iPhone isn't constantly making noise due to all of the less-important email, which doesn't get pushed.)

I get you, but is this what this thread has gotten to?

Not that filtering isn't a plus, but it's quite a small feature in and of itself when compared to everything else that you get.

And non Mac users can still put their photo galleries to use on their iPhone, and their iDisk to use on their PC.

It seems that people are ignoring the actually useful features of MM in place of the niche ones.

Even if Gmail or Yahoo had push directly to an iPhone or other cell they'd be lacking in a host of others that they would never have unless they built their own OS or partnered with Linux developers.

TLewis

Sep 10, 2008, 12:54 AM

It seems that people are ignoring the actually useful features of MM in place of the niche ones.
Well, no argument there. :D

However, I've got to say that I'm one of the people who use MM because of the iPhone. I don't use iPhoto, because I'm happy with Picasa, and I don't use iDisk because it's not really secure (I'm cursed with Windows XP, which has no reliable way of accessing iDisk securely). I'm only using MM for the push services and the multi-PC sync services.

jc1350

Sep 10, 2008, 07:26 AM

Well, no argument there. :D

{snip}... I don't use iDisk because it's not really secure (I'm cursed with Windows XP, which has no reliable way of accessing iDisk securely). I'm only using MM for the push services and the multi-PC sync services.

What do you mean? You can use "my network places" to create a connection to https://idisk.me.com/your-me-account-name in XP. That's using SSL which is secure enough in my book.

evanrousso

Sep 10, 2008, 08:19 AM

I'm sorry - don't get me wrong, but there are some people out here, including me, use MobileMe on a day-to-day basis and couldn't live without it. Calling it a joke may be even offensive to some.

If any of this is offensive to anyone then they need to lighten up.

TLewis

Sep 10, 2008, 10:15 AM

What do you mean? You can use "my network places" to create a connection to https://idisk.me.com/your-me-account-name in XP. That's using SSL which is secure enough in my book.
To make that work, you need additional software, like Microsoft Office. I'd love to use SSL, but it doesn't work for me (and, yes, I've tried).

Digital Skunk

Sep 10, 2008, 10:23 AM

To make that work, you need additional software, like Microsoft Office. I'd love to use SSL, but it doesn't work for me (and, yes, I've tried).

Accessing iDisk via a PC connection is horrible. Then again, accessing anything from a PC connection is horrible as well. Once connected, never break it since you may never get it again.

Accessing iDisk via the webapp is the next best thing to owning a Mac IMHO.

jc1350

Sep 10, 2008, 11:08 AM

To make that work, you need additional software, like Microsoft Office. I'd love to use SSL, but it doesn't work for me (and, yes, I've tried).

Oh...I didn't realize that. SSL WebDAV is built in to Mac OS, Gnome Desktop, and KDE Desktop. Who would have thought that MS would be lacking some basic Internet standards. :D

TLewis

Sep 10, 2008, 11:17 AM

Accessing iDisk via the webapp is the next best thing to owning a Mac IMHO.
The web interface doesn't use SSL. :(

(OK, there's a mac.com SSL web interface to your iDisk Public directory, but it's buggy. Uploading requires a dialog box, which may or may not be using SSL (I haven't checked), and uploading gives you an error saying that you can't upload now, but the upload appears to take place. I haven't verified that the uploaded file is correct, though.)

Macsterguy

Sep 10, 2008, 11:57 AM

This thread is useless...

As WE ALL KNOW, Apple has admitted that mistakes were made and promised to make it ALL WORK AND BE SOMETHING THEY CAN BE PROUD OF by the end of the year... With 90 days free service.

If you don't like the service, don't use it -OR- WAIT TILL 1/1/09 and try it...
If you do like the service use it till 1/1/09 FOR FREE...

If they don't fix the bugs by 1/1/09 - go else where...

Sheeeesh

paulsalter

Sep 10, 2008, 12:18 PM

STOP MAKING SENSE!

IT HURTS! :D

Seriously though, anyone that truly can't see the amount of effort Apple put into making the update to the semi-rip-off of a service .Mac is just not trying to understand.

The webapp has given me nothing but joy to use. Some minor quirks but good things all around. iDisk is amazing, and left out by those trying to find other services (nothing compares, been looking myself).

You have your opinions, others have theirs on the service, you felt .mac was a rip off others feel that MM is a rip off

Now I am only speaking personally here, not about general opinions

iDisk, had this with.Mac, got it now with MM, still painfully slow, getting double the space is irrelevent so not sure what effort apple put into this side of the system, it looks identical to before
Mail, cannot access now except for at home, now pointless
Contacts, As mail
Calendar, very nice addition but see mail
Syncing of devices, almost very good, minor issues which I am sure will get resolved

If you feel that you can say how great you think the service is and what wonderful work apple have done, then by contrast anyone else has the right to say how poor it is, i agree with your comments if people just come on and say its poor with no reason.

Digital Skunk

Sep 10, 2008, 12:21 PM

......

Not that I feel this way or that, it's just that not everyone is having those issues. I for one haven't had any. It works the way it's supposed to, and iDisk was the biggest improvement of all.

For me, on my DSL connection, iDisk is faster than ever.

paulsalter

Sep 10, 2008, 12:31 PM

Not that I feel this way of that, it's just that not everyone is having those issues. I for one haven't had any. It works the way it's supposed to, and iDisk was the biggest improvement of all.

For me, on my DSL connection, iDisk is faster than ever.

Thats fair enough, I do appreciate that there are many people who are more than happy with it

I can only give my personal experience of it.

.Mac did nearly everything I wanted, MobileMe gives me less

Syncing wise (as I mentioned earlier), MM seems the best thing (and easiest) to use to get data from my Mac to my iPhone, so I cannot really critisize this part as I like it.

This thread is useless...

As WE ALL KNOW, Apple has admitted that mistakes were made and promised to make it ALL WORK AND BE SOMETHING THEY CAN BE PROUD OF by the end of the year... With 90 days free service.

If you don't like the service, don't use it -OR- WAIT TILL 1/1/09 and try it...
If you do like the service use it till 1/1/09 FOR FREE...

If they don't fix the bugs by 1/1/09 - go else where...

Sheeeesh

Sorry but I disagree

If the system has problems/bugs or whatever and people feel they want to complain about some aspect of it they should be free to do so.

just saying apple have said they will fix it so nobody should complain for 90 days is ridiculous

linktojude

Sep 24, 2008, 05:47 PM

Love my mac but .me is making me crazy. It takes a long time to load and then it takes forever to delete, forward, move, etc. I love my .me address better than my .mac or my gmail so I'm trying to make it work. Good thing they moved the subscription date ahead a few months so I don't feel like it is a rip off - yet.

zygissimo

Oct 2, 2008, 06:21 AM

Hello,

I've tried to find a reply, but I did not find it. I want to ask does mobile me synchronizes with entourage as well as with Mail. And does entourage synchronizes at all? I have MacBook, but I am using Entourage, not mail. And I would like to know will they work good with MobileMe. What will happen If I am using Entourage calendar where all my meetings are. I suppose if I will enter a new appointment in my iPhone is Ical, it will not appear in my MacBook Entourage calendar?

Thank you for your help!

Digital Skunk

Oct 2, 2008, 06:48 AM

diappointed

Oct 3, 2008, 02:00 AM

:( Entourage does not sync with MobileMe. The strange thing is all the pc users (non apple loyal customers) can use their pc, with microsoft office and sync with MobileMe and even Iphone. BUT loyal APPLE customers who have bought the iphone, mac and decided to buy mac office 2008 with entourage can not! My does apple look after pc users and not mac, iphone users??? :(

Hello,

I've tried to find a reply, but I did not find it. I want to ask does mobile me synchronizes with entourage as well as with Mail. And does entourage synchronizes at all? I have MacBook, but I am using Entourage, not mail. And I would like to know will they work good with MobileMe. What will happen If I am using Entourage calendar where all my meetings are. I suppose if I will enter a new appointment in my iPhone is Ical, it will not appear in my MacBook Entourage calendar?

Thank you for your help!

seahawk09

Oct 5, 2008, 12:01 AM

For all those having trouble using MM LEARN BY READING THE PDF MANUAL you might learn something about the product:eek:

just a thought:rolleyes:

Charlesrking

Oct 7, 2008, 03:01 AM

Digital Skunk

Oct 7, 2008, 10:08 AM

for someone with iCal, iPhoto, and multiple computers, MM is great. For people like myself, whom have 1 computer that's a PC, and an iPhone, it's not a great service. My contacts birthdays don't even sync with my calendar. Yeah I would use mostly for my iPhone because I'm ALWAYS on the run, would be nice since they're both apple products, that they work the same on the phone, the net, and the computer. That's intergration, not their current services...can't wait for my student loans to make the transfer though.

Yeah, it integrates perfectly with Macs, iPhones, and iPod Touches and so forth.

PC users with iPhones only get about 33% of what MM offers. And many of them don't even have a clue as to what online storage is all about or how to use it.

TLewis

Oct 7, 2008, 10:23 AM

PC users with iPhones only get about 33% of what MM offers.
Well, if PC users buy that Apple competitor's product, "Outlook", they end up with most of the MM features: email, calendar, contacts, disk storage, and synchronization. The only real missing features are iPhoto and iWeb. There are free iPhoto replacements on the web, and iWeb appears to be pretty "meh" (no way to use applications like wordpress, a CMS, mediawiki, PHP, etc.).

(I'm still amazed that Apple is virtually requiring PC users to buy an Apple competitor's product to use the iPhone/MM.)

MowingDevil

Oct 7, 2008, 10:45 AM

Webmail is a bonus feature, really, and one that is not ever necessary to have in order to use all of MobileMe's features.

Yes it is, part of the advertised service is that you can access your email from another computer (say a PC at work) and it will sink your email at home on your computer next time you turn it on. You need webmail to do this.

Digital Skunk

Oct 7, 2008, 10:48 AM

...

If it's not Flash or Dreamweaver, it's meh IMHO. I have an iWeb site but I made it from scratch, and not those horrible templates.

The only features that you don't have with MM is the web storage, which can be had from Box.net for a good price, photo galleries, and back to my Mac.

When i did have that rip off DotMac service, I still had to spend an extra $200 a year to get Box.net and web hosting via Gate.com.

The biggest thing MM did for me was consolidate those services into one that costs $99 a year. If I was PC user I'd go crazy keeping track of all of that crap and trying to find support for 6 or so different providers. I went through it with Avid and Boris and HP and Microsoft and Adobe and....

MowingDevil

Oct 7, 2008, 11:00 AM

When i did have that rip off DotMac service, I still had to spend an extra $200 a year to get Box.net and web hosting via Gate.com.

How do you expect your opinion to be taken seriously when you are having this love-fest w/ MobileMe and get on anyone's case who criticizes it because you haven't had any problems. On the other hand there's people here who really liked .mac but because you had issues w/ it you consistently call it a "rip off." Obviously every one who agrees with you "makes sense" so much it hurts.

You've been fortunate w/ your experience which is great, I think I might have the same experience when my MBP arrives...but currently I'm traveling and having a hell of a time getting anything w/ webmail to work on a consistent basis. Right now I NEED to send an email for business reasons and I haven't been able to get into my mail for hours. How is that good in anyway? Perhaps its because I'm on a PC but I doubt it, it worked this afternoon just fine. I never had that problem w/ .Mac so I fail to see how you can justify calling that a rip off. Yes I used .Mac for other purposes as well including 2 websites, iDisk storage etc. I can't wait to be united w/ my new computer but right now I'm a tad pissed and have every right to be so.

Here's what I've been getting far too often these days when simply logging on:
Your MobileMe Mail is currently unavailable.

We apologize for this service interruption and are working hard to resolve the problem.

For more information, please refer to System Status on the MobileMe Support Page

Digital Skunk

Oct 7, 2008, 11:08 AM

.....

1) All I am saying is that MM was much better than .Mac, even with all the webmail outages. .Mac was Gmail on steroids, and Gmail was free. The mail may have worked but syncing more than one device with it was un-Godly. iDisk barely worked on your own Macintosh let alone over the web and on a PC, and your web presence was limited to only HTML, all for $99. Half the features could be free from one or more places, and the rest could be done for cheap somewhere else.

2) I use it in place of the other different services that cost me a fortune

3) Most PC users won't have a need for a lot of the services offered, so it may not be for them.

And lastly

4) If you are experiencing hella problems with it (those outside of the normal range of issues) then check your setting and usage.

Nothing that requires a long verbose post.

TLewis

Oct 7, 2008, 08:32 PM

1) All I am saying is that MM was much better than .Mac, even with all the webmail outages. .Mac was Gmail on steroids, and Gmail was free.
Huh? Are you actually saying that MM is better than gmail???

If so, I disagree:

Gmail has secure web access. MM does not.
Gmail has much better search capabilities. Google search FTW.
Gmail has server-side rules/filters. MM has nothing. (Among other things, server-side rules can be used to give you selective mail push, which is very nice if you get lots and lots of email.)
Web gmail has (unofficial) third-party app integration, like Remember the Milk (http://www.rememberthemilk.com/services/gmail/) and GmailAgenda (http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/24877). MM has diddly.
Gmail appears to have higher reliability, and faster responsiveness.

Oh, and before you think that I'm suggesting that people dump MM -- I'm not. I've been a big fan of using both MM and gmail: MM for contacts and calendar, gmail for regular email, and MM push email only for a "you have important/urgent gmail" alarm (yes, "gmail").

Digital Skunk

Oct 7, 2008, 10:20 PM

Huh? Are you actually saying that MM is better than gmail???

No, I am saying that .Mac functioned just like Gmail, and Gmail was free. I had been a .Mac user since 2004, and when I got Gmail in 2005, then Box.net in 2006 .Mac started to become more and more of a non-essential.

That's when I was paying the $200+ a year for services that actually worked and made giving proofs to clients easy.

MM isn't the best out of the entire group, but it does work better than .Mac in the parts that suffered the most in .Mac.

I have been experiencing some slowness with Mobile Me since about 4 p.m. today however.. ;)

MowingDevil

Oct 9, 2008, 09:40 AM

I've never had Gmail so I'll have to take your word on it....webmail aside, you're saying Gmail had features like large online storage....and Homepage where you could build a website and host it for free? ...an area for filesharing? I never felt like it was a good deal or anything but had no idea idea Gmail did all these things.

Hosting video & audio were pretty cool functions when .Mac first came out but YouTube & MySpace made it obsolete pretty darn fast...actually MySpace has made alot of services musicians had to previously pay for completely obsolete. Apple had to update that service big time to keep it even partially relevant. The syncing is the niche w/ the service.

Digital Skunk

Oct 9, 2008, 10:02 AM

We were saying:

If you slice up the individual, major features of .Mac you could get many of them for free or close to the same price.... but it depends on which ones you find most important.

Some people don't need or want a website or to host any content online, so half of the .Mac features were useless to them. Others, needed to share files with others, but iDisk couldn't perform well even on your own Mac at times. That's when I had to pay $100 a year for Box.net.

Most people just used it for webmail, and the other free services did the same or better job at being email clients. So at the time .Mac didn't offer much to even diehard Mac users, or .Mac users still found themselves picking up the services that worked better.

For some, me included, Mobile Me brought us back since Apple improved on many of the features we were having so much problems with.

MowingDevil

Oct 18, 2008, 09:34 AM

Well anyone who used it for just webmail is either an idiot or the type of pretentious person who buys expensive custom license plates to show off (ie the @mac.com email addy). There's countless free webmail options out there w/o having to drop that kind of coin. The 'build your own website' was the primary selling point of dot Mac together w/ the online webstorage/iDisk. It was extremely limiting but obviously geared towards families and sharing photos/videos/announcements etc.

I'll give you that the file sharing was brutal. I set it up download MP3s and it didn't work half the time. Just frustrating. Although slow as hell, I did appreciate the website feature...myself not being a webdesigner I was creative within the limitations and actually did up a fairly cool website that got lots of positive feedback.

Zorn

Oct 21, 2008, 02:44 AM

My biggest issue with MobileMe is the crappy web interface. It doesn't work anywhere even remotely close to half as well as Gmail. If I delete some messages on my iPhone, then load up the web interface later (even hours later), those messages still remain in my listing. I have to physically select one, then click the delete button in order to force it to update and realize those "ghost" messages are not really there.

Also, when I receive photo attachments from people, instead of showing up right in the email as with Gmail, I simply get an archaic listing of files, then have to manually download them to open them.

Add to that the fact that selecting/viewing emails is slow as dirt and it makes a highly unpleasant experience with using the webmail client. If Gmail offered push email service for the iPhone I'd jump ship from this amateur weekend project.

mathcolo

Oct 21, 2008, 08:32 AM

Being a MobileMe user without many (if any at all) problems, I think it is kind've funny to see people arguing about how MobileMe is a "joke" three months after it was released.:p

hexonxonx

Oct 21, 2008, 08:35 AM

Being a MobileMe user without many (if any at all) problems, I think it is kind've funny to see people arguing about how MobileMe is a "joke" three months after it was released.:p

I would have to agree. Very little problems in these past three months or so.
I am using Mibile Me on my Blackberry and my emails come in just as quickly as on my computer.

ucfgrad93

Oct 21, 2008, 10:07 AM

I really find MobileMe quite useful. To me, it is well worth the price.

.adam

Oct 21, 2008, 10:44 AM

IMAP on my email from gmx.com - syncs my emails across my iPhone, Mac and Webmail.

Dropbox for my file hosting.

gCal <-> iCal synchronising from within iCal itself.

Why bother with MobileMe?

scorpiusdeus

Oct 21, 2008, 03:38 PM

This thread is as helpful to others as a cup of cold pee...

I left a warm cup at the Doctors office, but I don't think they use Mobile me.

scorpiusdeus

Oct 21, 2008, 03:39 PM

gCal <-> iCal synchronising from within iCal itself.

How is this done?

TLewis

Oct 21, 2008, 10:03 PM

If Gmail offered push email service for the iPhone I'd jump ship from this amateur weekend project.
So why not keep on using gmail on the iPhone (via the IMAP interface)?

MM is nice for the push contacts/calendar, as well as multi-pc/mac syncing. Just continue to use gmail for mail, and use gmail's filters to autoforward all or select email messages to MM mail. That way, you only use MM mail as a "you have mail" alarm, handle all of your email via gmail, and don't have to deal with the sucky MM web interface.

If you want to go the cheap-*** route (and are feeling lucky), you can use the beta nuevasync for push google contacts/calendar, and the free yahoo mail for push iPhone mail (in place of MM mail for a "you have mail" alarm).

Either way, gmail FTW!