Apple Details MobileMe Enhancements Delivered by Latest Software Updates

[MacRumors]

Apple has posted a support article detailing a number of enhancements to its MobileMe service made possible by the launch of iPhone OS 3.1, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, and MobileMe Control Panel for Windows 1.5.

iPhone OS 3.1 brings enhancements to Find My iPhone, which now allows users to remotely set a passcode lock to prevent others from accessing the device, plays device alerts at the loudest volume, and notifies users that the feature will not function if the device's data fetching option is set to Manual. The update also adds automatic syncing of subscribed iCal calendars and merging of bookmarks upon syncing on the iPhone and iPod touch. Finally, an issue with MobileMe Gallery image and video publication has been addressed.

Snow Leopard brings several improvements to MobileMe, including changes to Mac and iDisk syncing and support for Apple's new "Wake on Demand" feature in conjunction with MobileMe's "Back to My Mac" remote access capabilities. Snow Leopard also now allows users to publish movies to their MobileMe Gallery directly from QuickTime Player.

Finally, Windows users will benefit from the update to MobileMe Control Panel, which adds support for Windows 7, allows users to set a MobileMe calendar as the default calendar for Outlook, and resolves issues related to incorrect ordering of bookmarks when syncing.

Article Link: Apple Details MobileMe Enhancements Delivered by Latest Software Updates

[Grimace]

Tweaks, but nothing to make a case for $99. Now it's almost worth $49

[rockstarjoe]

Pretty neat! Too bad the update made duplicates out of every calendar event on my iPhone and deleted all of my Notes. Otherwise, cool beans.

[smileyborg]

Come on now, let's see the Find My iPhone feature somehow implemented without needing the SIM card.

Then it would actually be useful for tracking down a stolen phone.

(I mean, at the moment, you have to rely on the stupidity of the thieves to leave the phone on and the SIM in...this happened at my university!)

[decimortis]

It also duplicates all the contacts in your iPhones address book. Sweetnocity!
I've found a workaround, but still, why'd you have to poop in my Cornflakes this morning Apple?

[Sky Blue]

Originally Posted by Grimace

Tweaks, but nothing to make a case for $99. Now it's almost worth $49

Who pays $99 for Mobile Me? I get it for $45 - $55 every year on ebay.

[Eduardo1971]

Originally Posted by rockstarjoe

Pretty neat! Too bad the update made duplicates out of every calendar event on my iPhone...

Boy howdy! I hate that too!!

[jdechko]

Still no bookmark syncing with Firefox.

[Wotan31]

I'm still waiting for MobilMe to use fully encrypted sessions. Right now, only your login is encrypted, but all your personal data that gets sent back and forth is not.

[wolfshades]

Remote password lock?

Sweet!

Now we need them to engineer a way to have the stolen (*cough* lost *cough*) iPhone to play "Never Gonna Give You Up" - at full volume, non-stop until the battery wears down.

[Bjohnson33]

Originally Posted by Grimace

Tweaks, but nothing to make a case for $99. Now it's almost worth $49

I agree. Even at $49 I'm not sure I'd be interested enough to buy.

[Bjohnson33]

Originally Posted by wolfshades

Now we need them to engineer a way to have the stolen (*cough* lost *cough*) iPhone to play "Never Gonna Give You Up" - at full volume, non-stop until the battery wears down.

Does that constitute cruel and unusual punishment?

[jdechko]

Originally Posted by wolfshades

Now we need them to engineer a way to have the stolen (*cough* lost *cough*) iPhone to play "Never Gonna Give You Up" - at full volume, non-stop until the battery wears down.

Nice. It could result in some great pranks too.

[theaustinpeay]

There really should be a feature that doesn't allow you to power the phone off. If it's stolen, thieves are just going to learn to turn it off so it can't be tracked.

[ikarl67]

I STILL cannot post to my MobileMe hosted Blog from my iPhone. Despite new iPhone OS (3.1) or iPhone iDisk app. When will this be possible ?

[quigleybc]

I just want it to keep me logged in for TWO WEEKS like it says it will!!

ARRGGHHH

[tbealmear]

Finally! I have wanted my iCal subscriptions on my iPhone forever. Bout damn time.

[czachorski]

Originally Posted by Grimace

Tweaks, but nothing to make a case for $99. Now it's almost worth $49

To me, it's always been a collection of services worth about $50, and seamless integration with OS X, iLife and my iPhone worth another $50. That's just me, though. I use the integration a lot.

[Chimpy]

It's a great idea, but it's just been too slow for me to be useful Uploading things to my iDisk takes FOREVER. I'm going to let it lapse when my year ends this month.

[jmccray]

For some reason my US Holiday subscription is syncing, but not my birthday one. Anyone else having this problem?

[barkomatic]

What does remotely setting device alerts at full volume do? You drop your iPhone on the ground and it belts out a burglar alarm if someone else picks it up or something?

[spencers]

Find My iPhone hasn't worked for me for weeks.. I've tried everything short of erasing the device and starting over.

[distortedloop]

Originally Posted by smileyborg

Come on now, let's see the Find My iPhone feature somehow implemented without needing the SIM card.

Then it would actually be useful for tracking down a stolen phone.

Actually BOTH of my older iPhones that do not currently have a SIM card in them show up just fine in Find My iPhone, as long as they're connected to a WiFi network.

Pull your SIM and try it for yourself.

Originally Posted by barkomatic

What does remotely setting device alerts at full volume do? You drop your iPhone on the ground and it belts out a burglar alarm if someone else picks it up or something?

I think the idea here is that even if you have it on silent mode or someone turns down the volume with the rocker switch the "give me back my iPhone" notices will still be accompanied with the loudest sound the phone will make.

[jaw04005]

Originally Posted by barkomatic

What does remotely setting device alerts at full volume do? You drop your iPhone on the ground and it belts out a burglar alarm if someone else picks it up or something?

It's oddly worded in the article, but you can send an alert at full volume to your iPhone to help you locate it (stuck in the couch, lost outside, etc). It beeps constantly for two or so minutes.

[twoodcc]

i like the improvements. glad they are working to make find my iphone even better!