MobileMe Revamp Set for April Launch? Existing Support to Continue for One Year?

[Full of Win]

I do not mind paying for mobile me. I use it a lot. I will be pissed off if they gimp users with this 'freemium' model just to appease those that do not currently use the service.

I don't mind paying for the service either. The calendar / Contact / Link syncing is critical for making the iPhone and iPad just work. iDisk is also a useful thing for the distribution of files to your iOS devices.

They can take my .mac email from my cold dead hands, especially if they start giving it away.

 

[OzyOly]

MobileMe already has a free service though...

 

[Alfie]

I think it's already been well established that because of the quality of broadband connections in the US, the amount of time it would take to upload say 20GB of music to a server would put this beyond the realm of possibility for most American consumers.

Actual uploading won't happen. Tag matching (or verification of music purchases from iTunes) is much more likely. Same with movies.

I agree with this. Not only is quality broadband not available for all, it also doesn't make sense for Apple to host thousands of copies of the same songs, movies, tv shows etc. They'll just give you online access to the songs and other stuff that you've already purchased.

 

[bmwooden17]

All I'm looking forward to is free MobileMe. I just purchased a new MBP and already own an iPhone 4 and I think the features MobileMe has to offer are great and all, but the $100 price tag pushes me away. Plus I just got a new gmail account. Free (or even significantly cheaper) MobileMe would definitely be of my interest.

 

[Stewie]

Still gunnu be an expensive pile of crap if they dont get some servers setup for the majority of customers: Non-US based folks!

Its painful trying to use iDisk if you arent in the US - this should be Apple's top priority with a MoMe update (and by god does it need one!).

I disagree. MobileMe is painful to use anywhere. Very slow ul/dl speed. Dropbox is so much better.

 

[Stewie]

MobileMe already has a free service though...

Nice try, but no. The find phone part of MobileMe is free, but email and iDisk and calendar/address book sync, not so much.

 

[OzyOly]

Nice try, but no. The find phone part of MobileMe is free, but email and iDisk and calendar/address book sync, not so much.

What I was getting at is there is already a two tier MobileMe service. Maybe they will expand the free service to include calendar/contacts sync using your appleID and offer a premium service including @me email/photos/iDisk etc?

 

[iansilv]

Beware that what is stored in the cloud is not protected by the usual Constitutional protections against government search, seizure, privacy, etc. Be prepared for warrant-less invasion of your privacy. Don't store anything on there you want private. No credit card info, no legal documents, nada.

Actually, if the service serves as sync of all files between devices, but files never actually store there... Protections remain in Place.

 

[prss14]

I don't understand how anyone pays $99 for MM. $72 on Amazon right now and that is just one place. At $6/month it is worth it for me to not have to try and coordinate several 3rd party apps to coordinate everything MM does. Sure iDisk could be faster, but as many have said internet speeds in America vary so wildly that it usually doesn't matter for me. My DSL just tripled in speed to about 800kb/s, so, for me the speed isn't too much of a factor. But it wasn't much of a factor when I was able to download at 6mb/s either at my old house. MM is just simpler for me and has worked so far without me having to do anything.

 

[arkmannj]

Bring back @mac email addresses!!

 

[jdechko]

Not to mention the risk of EMP taking the cloud down at any moment. I wonder how far the new server farm is from a nuke reactor? They do have earthquakes in that neck of the woods.

Not in North Carolina they don't. They have hurricanes and tornadoes, but earthquakes aren't really a big problem on the east cost where the new datacenter is.

 

[j800r]

The ignorance of some people never ceases to amaze me. There's a difference between fact and rumor. All we've heard are rumours. Apple has not confirmed ANYTHING as of yet. With the MobileMe boxes being taken off sale may be an indication that they're working on something new, then again, it may be a method of making more money. People are forced to sign up from their Macs and pay full price. If they DO change things, I'd guess it's an entirely new service, including the name and it most definitely will not be free.

It's ok to speculate and wonder, but when people talk like something is definitely happening it starts getting a little ridiculous.

 

[Burglnar]

I don't mind paying for the service either. The calendar / Contact / Link syncing is critical for making the iPhone and iPad just work.

+1 on this! I have gotten so used to having a new calendar, bookmarks or contacts entry instantly synced to all my machines that I don't think I would want to give it up at this point.. I sort of doubt that they would offer the syncing feature as a part of the free service (if such a service actually materializes at all) because not only is it a huge percentage of why I, and certainly many other devotees pay the fee, but it would no doubt cause many current MM users- who also already have multiple email addresses, online storage options (for instance I have Dropbox, Backblaze backup service, Evernote, and can sync files through Documents to Go and Goodreader on iOS and print documents fully, copy clipboard contents to and from iPhone/ iPad to Mac and share files to and from my devices with Print n Share) and Flikr/ Photobucket/ etc., etc. online gallery accounts- to jump ship. I would probably save the $100 a year if they made syncing an included feature, and I would love it- but nothing in Apple's recent history would suggest they would invest so much money into the data center and related HR to just give it away for free and burn huge sums of operating capital. They are very, very savvy and are most certainly planning to make a good return on their plans- whatever they may actually be. If anything, maybe if they have something so amazing and value/ functionality adding to reveal (which they may consider their yet-unseen cloud concept to be), they might decide to offer the syncing ability for everyone.. It would definitely be a great thing to add to the list of reasons to buy iPhone/ iPads like Airplay and Home Sharing.

 

[Azzin]

I have 2 domains (personal & business) and both are hosted on Google.

I don't use Google Docs, but the OTA syncing of my mail, calendar and contacts is great for me.

I'm not sure why, but I'd like to use MM, but not until I can move my domains and therefore retain/use my email addresses.

 

[iPimpin]

Beware that what is stored in the cloud is not protected by the usual Constitutional protections against government search, seizure, privacy, etc. Be prepared for warrant-less invasion of your privacy. Don't store anything on there you want private. No credit card info, no legal documents, nada.

Explain

 

[ten-oak-druid]

I do not think I need my music library on "the cloud". However I am enjoying the mobile me Gallery now because of the Apple TV. The Gallery didn't seem useful before but being able to view movies and slide shows I and others post on the TV is great.

Having one harmony remote to access all the options on the Apple TV plus the other devices in the entertainment system is pretty cool. I used to hook the computer up to the system as needed and that was fine. But there is a lot less hassle now.

I find myself viewing the homemade videos more because the experience is better. I can watch something on directv, switch to Apple TV for a short homemade video and then switch to the PS3 for a blu-ray or use netflix. All with one remote.

 

[hayesk]

all i want for this mobileme thing is to be free thats it..i ont wanna pay $100.00 for something that google offer for free...i dont wanna depend on google for anything..just apple..

Think about the reasons why you don't want to depend on Google, and then think about why Google's offering is free. Now think about why you should think Apple should provide you with a free service.

 

[Macsterguy]

iDisk will be the biggest re-vamp since launch

As iDisk is the weakest link in MM - It needs to be...

 

[hayesk]

They just charged me for the renew 99$. If they don't refund me, I sue them ...

For your $99, they are obliged to give you service for one year. As long as they do that, you can't sue them for anything, even if they start to make it free or have a new better, cheaper service.

 

[Rhyso]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F190 Safari/6533.18.5)

The same in London too.

 

[Rhyso]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F190 Safari/6533.18.5)

Lol, I think the exact opposite. I thought .mac was a bit geeky, old and nerdy. It reminded me of old man smell. Lol.
Mobile me is all about me. Its fresh and fun. I love sending my gf emails so then she is @ me. I love me! It's all about me.

 

[Rhyso]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F190 Safari/6533.18.5)

I somewhat agree with you.

I think uploading would exist because it would help build the iTunes music database. There are songs that even the record labels don't put on iTunes (for some unknown reason) you can't even buy them from a shop and the record labels won't release or sell you a copy if you asked.
I believe Apple would grow their iTunes database this way and we consumers will be doing all the hard work for them. All apple will need to do is contact the record label and say "hey mr recor label, We have this song/album on our database uploaded by x user, can we activate it to be sold in our iTunes store? ..." mr record label replies "how did your user get that song/album?" apple replies "he/she copied a disc which he she may have purchased from a physical store 10 years ago" or "we have found that the audio files uploaded have been in circulation on the internet, this is a pirated song/album. Can we offer a payment option to the customer to legitimise the song/album?" mr record label think and a light with a dollar sign above his head goes DING! "yes, yes. Please do offer the customer to legitimise their song/album". Apple them contacts a customer who had uploaded a pirated song. "Dear mr flogit, we have now disabled your song/album because we have found the song/album to be a pirated copy. however if you pay 0.99 for the song or $7.99 for the album we will be happy to deactivate it for you" ... Please not it is illegal to download or listen to pirated music and you can get a much larger fine I you do not pay us the small fee."

Maybe that's what could happen some day...

 

[Ranchr]

iLounge reports that Apple is planning to roll out its revamped MobileMe service next month, potentially unveiling a new cloud-based service allowing users to store their music, photos, and other content for access from any of a number of Internet-connected devices.The source also indicates that Apple plans to support the existing MobileMe service for the next year, suggesting that the new service may be different enough from existing offerings to allow the current program to continue for those who have already paid up for a year's subscription.

While we have reservations about the secondhand nature of the information originating from a "supplier", an April launch for the new MobileMe would fit with a report from earlier this month claiming that Apple will hold a media event early next month to preview iOS 5 and unveil the revamped MobileMe services.

Apple has been said to be working on an overhaul of MobileMe, and the company last month discontinued the retail box versions of MobileMe and removed the option for bundling discounted MobileMe service with new Mac purchases, suggesting that Apple may be downplaying its current MobileMe services ahead of the revamp.

Article Link: MobileMe Revamp Set for April Launch? Existing Support to Continue for One Year?

They took my renewal money 4 days ago so I wouldn't be too quick to think they won't just upgrade existing users.

 

[Starbuckfsd]

Beware that what is stored in the cloud is not protected by the usual Constitutional protections against government search, seizure, privacy, etc. Be prepared for warrant-less invasion of your privacy. Don't store anything on there you want private. No credit card info, no legal documents, nada.

Wow dude, you really need to take a Valium or something. Are you living your life in fear that big brother is someday gonna swoop down and steal your info? That must really suck...

MobileMe already has a free service though...

It's more than just fine my iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch...

i just hope we get free @me.com email address

You already can get it...

It's this type of blind faith, with not one fact of what the service will be like, that is so unique and scary.

No wonder Apple is ultra successful, they don't even have to do anything and the customers opening their wallet at the mere suggestion of a new product.

Simply mind boggling.

Don't any of these fanboys think for themselves ?

Did you read the article Slick? This revamp will more than likely be FREE...

I think it's already been well established that because of the quality of broadband connections in the US, the amount of time it would take to upload say 20GB of music to a server would put this beyond the realm of possibility for most American consumers.

Actual uploading won't happen. Tag matching (or verification of music purchases from iTunes) is much more likely. Same with movies.

They aren't going to try and verify all the music in your library you try to upload. There is NO WAY they can do that. What happens when you rip a CD you LEGALLY BOUGHT at the mall into iTunes? Are they not going to let you upload it? Think man THINK

Why does anyone need iDisk when Dropbox is free?

Dropbox is only free for the first 2GB. Then it's a pay service if you need more. Might want to check their website Zippy

I suggest you two actually read the news and follow the legal issues. No need to spout tin-foil hysteria. Just observe real law enforcements. As to encryption, you're putting way too much faith in it. What were considered uncrackable encryptions are now easily broken. Technology advances.

Someone took a paranoia pill this morning....are you buy chance from the mountains in Kentucky?

I do agree with your sentiment, but I think your examples are not the best choice. I'd say don't store anything you'd feel you could be incriminated with in a warrantless search. I'd use examples like music and movies you didn't purchase.

Many legal documents are public information anyhow. As far as credit cards go you'd want them encrypted anywhere you store them electronically. Any private legal documents should be encrypted as well.

You might want an encryption method with plausible deniability, like TrueCrypt. Fill the "I was compelled to provide this password" side with (legal) porn.

Wow you sound just as bad as who you are talking to. Just how exactly would they be able to tell if you bought a movie or music? You paranoid conspiracy jokers need to chill...

I never give out my @me.com address. NEVER!

It smacks of the ultra narcissistic Steve Jobs.
I'd like to think this new version of MobileMe will offer some innovative features, but I'm not feeling very good about it.

In fact I'm very disappointed in Apple as a gadget & consumer electronics company. I never expected Apple Computer would change it's name and morph into what it is today.

Nor did I imagine Jobs and his disciples would display fear of competition the way they fear Android. I often wonder where fanboys directed their fear, insecurities and anger before they had Android to bash.

It's called EVOLVING. Look it up

Any chances of iWeb '11 actually materializing this time?

People still use that piece of crap?

 

[octatonic]

I can't imagine that me storing around 2TB on their cloud is going to be a workable solution but I'm curious to see how this plays out.