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MobileMe is not encrypted?!?!

A

ArthurDaley

macrumors regular
Original poster
I bought a MBP earlier in the year and wanted a handheld device to replace Palm (for contacts/passwords/cal to hand). So bought a 2G iPhone just now.

Seems I need MobileMe to sync them? First question is why? Why can't it be done locally without Internet, second question is MobileMe seems to be unencrypted and I don't fancy sending my PIMs data open over the Internet!!!
 
You do not need MobileMe to sync data to your iPhone.

You only need MobileMe if you want to sync data remotely.

If you are fine syncing via USB cable then you don't need MobileMe.
 
I don't get why the laptop and iPhone would be far apart geographically but if they were, then you would not need them synced until they were close together again? I mean if they are far apart (i.e. remote) your hands can't be near both and your eyes can't see both so what is the need for such a remote sync?

I kind of hate cables, I wonder if there is a bluetooth or secure WiFi means? Thanks
 
ArthurDaley said:
I don't get why the laptop and iPhone would be far apart geographically but if they were, then you would not need them synced until they were close together again? I mean if they are far apart (i.e. remote) your hands can't be near both and your eyes can't see both so what is the need for such a remote sync?

I kind of hate cables, I wonder if there is a bluetooth or secure WiFi means? Thanks
Click to expand...

Some ppl use the internet stations at hotels or borrow someone else's computer. since mobileme is strictly online based, they can sync that way. I don't have a need for this, since I'm a high school student, but some businessmen who forget their laptop and have mobileme and internet access can quickly sync new contacts or whatever.
 
Remote syncing is useful if someone at another computer needs to be informed reasonably fast that you just made an appointment for Monday at 4:00p.m.

Nothing I know of provides this service as cost effectively as MobileMe.
 
To be fair, only the web interface is not encrypted.

If you use MobileMe with Mail, iCal, Address Book, iDisk, iChat (using certificates) or MobileMe Sync——it's all SSL encrypted.

The web interface's log-in is encrypted. Therefore your user name and password are secure. However, the site itself is not SSL-enabled.

An omission on Apple's part for sure, but not a deal breaker for most. However, they should fix it.

http://db.tidbits.com/article/9745
 
"Remote syncing is useful if someone at another computer needs to be informed reasonably fast that you just made an appointment for Monday at 4:00p.m.

Nothing I know of provides this service as cost effectively as MobileMe. "

Google Calendar - it's free!
 
It syncs with iCal so I use iCal.

I am just trying to understand why someone would use mobileme. At the moment I have no clue. I've watched the demo, read the blurb and can't see a reason.
 
ArthurDaley said:
It syncs with iCal so I use iCal.

I am just trying to understand why someone would use mobileme. At the moment I have no clue. I've watched the demo, read the blurb and can't see a reason.
Click to expand...

Maybe at this point you should just accept the idea that some people have different usage profiles and needs than you do, that this service isn't for you, and just move on? 😉
 
ArthurDaley said:
I bought a MBP earlier in the year and wanted a handheld device to replace Palm (for contacts/passwords/cal to hand). So bought a 2G iPhone just now.

Seems I need MobileMe to sync them? First question is why? Why can't it be done locally without Internet, second question is MobileMe seems to be unencrypted and I don't fancy sending my PIMs data open over the Internet!!!
Click to expand...

In which case I think you've misunderstood the sheer level of simplicity - in both good and bad terms - of the solutions offered by Apple.

Time to hunt for a real smartphone and a real computer/OS + hosted OTA email service (not on the iPhone - but on something from a company with a better record of actually offering security worth a damn), perhaps. I operate my own Exchange clusters but you can get hosted Exchange for reasonable amounts, and Blackberry isn't outrageously priced these days - you can even run your own BB server for free if you already run Exchange Server.
 
I'd like to understand which profile of people it is for. I mean I am struggling to see why ANYONE would use it - my fear is I don't understand it and therefore could be missing something.

As for the email mention - most folks use Gmail now and you don't really need push, I mean you can hit check once an hour. Besides the new Android phones have push Gmail.
 
ArthurDaley said:
I'd like to understand which profile of people it is for. I mean I am struggling to see why ANYONE would use it - my fear is I don't understand it and therefore could be missing something.

As for the email mention - most folks use Gmail now and you don't really need push, I mean you can hit check once an hour. Besides the new Android phones have push Gmail.
Click to expand...


I love MobileMe and it is great for me. You don't need to understand why unless you want to buy it. Then there are numerous videos and info out there for you to learn about it. You don't have it nor it seems want it. Why worry about it then?
 
ArthurDaley said:
I'd like to understand which profile of people it is for. I mean I am struggling to see why ANYONE would use it - my fear is I don't understand it and therefore could be missing something.

As for the email mention - most folks use Gmail now and you don't really need push, I mean you can hit check once an hour. Besides the new Android phones have push Gmail.
Click to expand...

It's easy to understand if you are in business.

You want to hold a meeting. So you make a new appointment in your calendar and invite people. If someone changes the appointment then you know that instant on your phone, without having to sync.

Now imagine you have a scenario where you phone is dead, you can't charge it, you haven't synced the 20 or so new meetings you've got and all you have access to is a cafe computer.

Isn't it great that you can check all your appointments online because the phone synced over the air?

As for push email; sometimes you need to do things now, not in an hour.
 
As an additional example... a lot of us have someone else check / manage our calendar. It might be coworkers trying to schedule a meeting and they might rely on your calendar being up to date so that they can schedule themselves into it (this is a pretty common practice at large companies and some smaller ones). Alternatively, you might have someone like an admin or assistant scheduling you into meetings, patients, etc, and they need your latest availability to do that effectively.

And for that matter, when I'm in the office, the computer screen (my iPhone syncs with the Apple apps on my home computer and not Outlook on my work PC) would be much more convenient for seeing my calendar than the iPhone screen.

I don't have MobileMe (yet... right now a big killer is this issue with all or nothing support of Exchange calendars -- that hasn't been resolved, has it?)... but those are some reasons it would be useful for me. Aside from my calendar, once a week is plenty often to sync my iPhone.

Agree with TBi... MobileMe I think would be fairly silly if you don't do any business with your mobile device. Although, sometimes if you're a family and you're trying to schedule together time with your honey... well, that can be tough also. Hell, that's tough for me just dating and there not being any kids involved. 😱
 
ArthurDaley said:
I'd like to understand which profile of people it is for. I mean I am struggling to see why ANYONE would use it - my fear is I don't understand it and therefore could be missing something.

As for the email mention - most folks use Gmail now and you don't really need push, I mean you can hit check once an hour. Besides the new Android phones have push Gmail.
Click to expand...

I use MobileMe slightly differently than the other examples above, but it works well for me. I don't have an iPhone, but a notebook and a desktop. The desktop system is where I do the bulk of my work (I'm self-employed). However, I also want to have access to certain files when I'm travelling, to be able to work with them. So I use MobileMe and iDisk to keep these files synched. The desktop system saves and opens directly to the iDisk, and the notebook is set to keep a copy of the iDisk on its local HD. When connected to the internet, the notebook synchs the files automatically. When not connected to the internet, the notebook saves the changes to its HD. When I get back to the house, it connects to the internet, synchs the files, and I can be assured that when I sit at the desktop system I am working on the same files I was working on 45 minutes ago on the ferry. I have the calendar and address book working the same way.

As other people have said, it may or may not be solution for you. It works well for me.
 
mkrishnan said:
Agree with TBi... MobileMe I think would be fairly silly if you don't do any business with your mobile device.
Click to expand...

This is a fragment of a chat I had with MMe support regarding mail not pushing to my iPhone. Enjoy:

Brandon E.: Is this for your business?
Apple Ink: Kind of! P.S.: Obviously its not my main account but quite important even then!
Brandon E.: Ok well Apple Ink MobileMe was not designed for business applications, and those are the only settings available so I would recommend the Manual setting and your mail will populate when you open the mail app
Brandon E.: That would be the fastest setting for push as you can choose when to view your mail
Apple Ink: Thanks alot. I didnt manage to solve the issue but did get some good needed laughs! Thanks!
Brandon E.: Sorry we couldn't accomplish what you were attempting Apple Ink
Click to expand...
 
My wife and I use mobil me to sync our comptuers contacts, calendars, etc. so we know when one of us has changed an event on the calendar and we have it at her work, my work and at our home. We don't have an iPhone yet due to no ATT service in our area, but if we did that would complete our need to always know where we need to be, where the other is and where our kids need to be.

I also use Mobile me for lots of other things such as posting web sites, movies, pics to the net for grandparents and family, etc.

It is not for everyone and it can be mostly done for free with some extra work- I like the connivence of it all in one place and for the most part working together nicely.
 
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