MobileMe Retail Boxes Shipping to Customers

[Apple Ink]

And you need a box for that?

I really like buying empty cardboard boxes, don't you?

No no. I meant, if Apple has boxes, only then can Amazon and ebay people provide discounts while Apple has a tradition, a custom more likely to not provide discounts on any products it sells through its own stores. For making sure that the MobileMe service reaches stores other than its own, it has to make boxes!

And in this, it makes sure that its service has some discounts some where on the earth. And in this it finally ensures that the service's sales increase.

Get my point!

 

[Chopper9]

You have to have a box or a case of some sort for store presence so people can see the damn thing. Besides, it's not like its some massive package... its small enough.

Oh and BTW, to all you tree huggers out there whining about this... don't worry.... The world's not going anywhere. We are.

 

[BVGuitarPlayer]

Apple should have done just an activation card.

However, the box fits on a shelf at the Apple Store is located in several places where an employee can always pick one up to show and build value for the customer.

Two words: performance metrics

 

[BillyBobBongo]

Personally I don't see the problem!

If it makes a difference to you then do your thing and buy online. If it doesn't make a difference to you then....meh...whatever's easiest.

The old .Mac came in a box (I have a box of air with that in it) so the system is no different to how it was previously.

Buying from other people rather than Apple means a discount for the consumer!

 

[queshy]

The box is a way to promote the product at retail stores. People don't know about MobileMe. If they see a box for it, they're more likely to look into it than if they have no box at all. Looking at the box, it looks incredibly useful. I think Apple should start including a 1 yr subscription of MobileMe with brand new Macs. It would give them something else to advertise with their computers (if they still care about them, anyways, haha)

 

[Phooto]

I use .Mac, and never had a box. I bought it online, and renewal happens automatically every year.

By the way, my .Me address is working already.

 

[sgntscrawn]

Forgive me if this has been noted before.

And guys, seriously, I'd hate to be the one to point out the obvious...

But Apple's own press release has a release date of July 11.

Here's a link to the Australian site (I'm Australian, so the obvious choice for me):

http://www.apple.com/au/pr/library/2008/06/09mobileme.html

So yeah.. Early to mid july

 

[desenso]

$100 get a damn slow iDisk , useless

Walt Mossberg, WATCH OUT!

 

[barabics]

I know this question may be a little off topic but I don't know where else to post it for feedback.

I think MobileMe sounds very interesting and I probably will end up subscribing as it's been newly revamped. However, like most users, I've been using Gmail for quite some time now and fear adding an additional email address will be an inconvenience and bring confusion to some friends and family memebers.

Has there been any word or rumors regarding Google's response to MobileMe?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kittychan]

I got my .mac activation code, would it be ok if I renew after the 6th July ??

 

[true777]

What a horrible, ridiculous logo.

I wonder how this could possibly have passed Apple's graphics dept's high standards of visual excellence in packaging and marketing materials?

 

[lewisozz]

I like The Box !!!

You Can Recycle It !!!!!!

 

[IJ Reilly]

No no. I meant, if Apple has boxes, only then can Amazon and ebay people provide discounts while Apple has a tradition, a custom more likely to not provide discounts on any products it sells through its own stores. For making sure that the MobileMe service reaches stores other than its own, it has to make boxes!

And in this, it makes sure that its service has some discounts some where on the earth. And in this it finally ensures that the service's sales increase.

Get my point!

I got it. The point being made by myself and others is that the box is unnecessary and wasteful, that at most the product needs a card. A card could be sold at a discount too, and of course serial numbers could be sold online, which would not require any paper at all. But only if Apple allowed it, which they don't.

I'll stick with my original assessment: Selling cardboard boxes with nothing more than a piece of paper in them is a needless expense, and for a high tech company like Apple, at least slightly embarrassing.

 

[Apple Ink]

I know this question may be a little off topic but I don't know where else to post it for feedback.

I think MobileMe sounds very interesting and I probably will end up subscribing as it's been newly revamped. However, like most users, I've been using Gmail for quite some time now and fear adding an additional email address will be an inconvenience and bring confusion to some friends and family memebers.

Has there been any word or rumors regarding Google's response to MobileMe?

Thanks in advance.

It seems that with every day passing, Google and Apple become stronger enemies (at-least in products business). Google had its famous online calendar and address book. Now Apple comes in. Even though MobileMe is expensive... Googles gonna take some heavy blow because of the GUI and the whole flawless integration with Apps! But after all this, my guess is Google wont reply because Eric definitely loves his job as Apple's Board Member!

I got my .mac activation code, would it be ok if I renew after the 6th July ??

My suggestion: enter it now. Why to cope with complications (though my guess is it'll most probably work). I did
And Im sure a day or two less wont matter!

 

[Apple Ink]

I got it. The point being made by myself and others is that the box is unnecessary and wasteful, that at most the product needs a card. A card could be sold at a discount too, and of course serial numbers could be sold online, which would not require any paper at all. But only if Apple allowed it, which they don't.

I'll stick with my original assessment: Selling cardboard boxes with nothing more than a piece of paper in them is a needless expense, and for a high tech company like Apple, at least slightly embarrassing.

Absolutely on point! A simple card would do the trick! But I guess its against Apple's rules to manufacture things such as cards because they are too plane and simple!

 

[videboi]

If I'm not mistaken, does the box say push Kalendar and push Kontacts?

 

[IJ Reilly]

Absolutely on point! A simple card would do the trick! But I guess its against Apple's rules to manufacture things such as cards because they are too plane and simple!

They sell cards for the iTMS, so I don't think this is the reason. And of course renewals can be accomplished online with no paper at all. I think this is just an oversight on Apple's part. They're being a bit lazy, if you ask me, and I (as both a customer and a stockholder) don't like to see that.

I think it's quite odd and extremely unpleasant to find that some seem so determined to turn this into a political debate.

 

[Dmac77]

They sell cards for the iTMS, so I don't think this is the reason. And of course renewals can be accomplished online with no paper at all. I think this is just an oversight on Apple's part. They're being a bit lazy, if you ask me, and I (as both a customer and a stockholder) don't like to see that.

I think it's quite odd and extremely unpleasant to find that some seem so determined to turn this into a political debate.

It would cost Apple more to make plastic gift type cards that are recyclable. And as a stockholder I for one don't want to see a company wasting their money when many cities won't even recycle plastic, whereas almost all recycle paper.

 

[danny_w]

Well, I'm not sure why Apple offers boxes and doesn't just handle everything online. However, it is certainly the reason why I buy the boxes rather than just renew online. I have never paid $99 for my annual subscription. I can always find a box for cheaper than that.

Exactly right. I paid $99 but got a family pack which would have been $179 from Apple. Big difference there!

 

[aristobrat]

If I'm not mistaken, does the box say push Kalendar and push Kontacts?

The box is in German, so yeah.

 

[Eric Lewis]

this is fake?

kontacts? kalender?

 

[true777]

Kontakte und Kalender.

I still can't get over how incredibly amateurish the logo looks.
It looks like the logo for a 3-week undergrad student project.

 

[mirffy]

If I'm not mistaken, does the box say push Kalendar and push Kontacts?

It also says "Für iPhone".... now if that strange "ü" letter is a misprint too you're on to something </sarcasm>

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

It also says "Für iPhone".... now if that strange "ü" letter is a misprint too you're on to something </sarcasm>

are you trying to convince me that there's more languages than English? I'm calling BS and that box is a poor photoshop mockup.

 

[Apple Ink]

Ya know what!
I'm thinking there might be more languages to mobileme than just the usual four (English, French, Japanese, Deutsch)!