Indeed - Mail really needs major work - it's really bad at doing essential stuff, but I have been pretty well forced to use it since Eudora is gone. It amazes me that people put up with Mail.
I do like iCal, but it's not perfect either.
Apple could do way better on these - hope they get that done soon.
Here is an example of what I mean about Mail and iCal:
It might be a bit off topic - but it relates.
I should probably post this on the Apple Support forum instead, but for the guys who say "Mail and iCal Work Great" "I've been beta testing for blah blah" - Apple Data Detectors, or whatever it is should be able to handle text like what I will quote below much better. Try copying it and pasting it into an Email to yourself, and see if you can Ctrl-Click it to "Create new iCal Event". It's crap what it does. You still end up having to click and text edit, and come back twice to the message to get anything right. It should be able to handle this automatically.
Sorry - but it's just one of million problems I have with Mail, and iCal that are never fixed, and it bugs me - maybe it bugs you too. Or maybe I am missing something.
OK here it is:
I get this Email from the football coach:
QUOTE:
This week we are practicing:
Wednesday Oct 13th: 5pm - 6:30pm
Thursday Oct 14th: 5pm - 6:30pm
Friday Oct 15th: 5pm - 6:30pm
Saturday Oct 16th: TBD
END QUOTE:
So I should be able to control-click the lines and get them to automatically populate an iCal event. Try it. And weep at how stupid it is.
Apple makes both apps, and something like this should be fixed.
I just wish the coach formatted it a little better, or sent a calendar file with the Emails. So close, but so far - that's my beef tonight.
I want those things in iCal automatically and set my iPhone to alarm me ahead. But I end up having to basically do most of it manually. So close and so far.
Don't get me started on iTunes - it's getting really bad. Humungous backup files, it takes forever to sync 2 iPhones and iPad, and fills the HD fast too. I dread plugging in to sync - I'm discouraged to do it.