For the most seamless experience on your computer, devices, and the Internet, there are a few things Apple recommends that .Mac users should do in advance to prepare for MobileMe:
1. Set up your Mac to sync contacts and calendar.
2. Upgrade your browser to the latest version of Safari, Firefox, or, yuck, Internet Explorer.
3. Watch the MobileMe Guided Tour.
Due to its use of new technologies, MobileMe will only work correctly with Mac OS X version 10.4.11 or later. However, Mac OS X Leopard is strongly recommended to allow users to take full advantage of MobileMe.
Some features are being discontinued: Web access to bookmarks (bookmark sync between your Macs and/or PCs is still supported), iCards, .Mac slides, and support for Mac OS X 10.3 Panther sync:
• MobileMe will continue to sync bookmarks across computers as well as push them to your iPhone and iPod touch. However, after MobileMe goes live you will no longer be able to access the Bookmarks application on the web. If you have any bookmarks stored on .Mac, please be sure to sync your bookmarks with your Mac before this date to avoid losing them. For more info, please see Sync .Mac Bookmarks with Safari before June 30, 2008.
• Pictures in the iDisk pictures folder will still appear in Screen Saver in System Preferences, but the .Mac slides publisher will be no longer be available.
• iCards will be no longer be available. We know, big tragedy.
As a current .Mac member, your @mac.com email will continue to work as it always has, but your account will also be given a new email address @me.com. If you have any email aliases at mac.com, they will also continue to work.
Even if you do nothing, email sent to either address will still arrive in your inbox and you can send email from either address in MobileMe Mail on the web. However, in order to send email from your me.com address in your email client (Mail for Mac OS X, for example), you will need to set up your me.com account in Mail preferences.
You will also be able to use either address as your Apple ID for purchases on the Apple Store, iTunes Store, and Apple print products created with iPhoto or Aperture, as they will be automatically linked. However, they will work separately as an iChat ID. Your @mac.com ID will still work for iChat. Your @me.com ID for iChat will work only as long as your MobileMe subscription is active. Once MobileMe becomes available, you may continue to use your @mac.com ID or your new me.com ID as an Apple ID. Both names will access the same ID.
In order for your iPhone or iPod touch to use MobileMe, you will need to update to software version 2.0 or later via iTunes 7.7 to enable push mail, push contacts, push calendar, and push bookmarks. This software update will be available when MobileMe launches.
Other items of interest:
• Your contacts in .Mac Address Book will be available on MobileMe Contacts.
• All of your existing iDisk files will be available on MobileMe iDisk.
• Backup 3.1.2 will continue to work with MobileMe.
• Your iWeb web site will still be available at the same URLs and will also be given a new URL at me.com.
• Your Web Gallery will still be available at the same URL and will also be given a new URL at me.com.
MobileMe, available on July 11, is a subscription-based service with 20GB of storage for US$99 per year for individuals and $149 for a Family Pack, which includes one master account with 20GB of storage and four Family Member accounts with 5GB of storage each. Users can sign up for a free, 60-day MobileMe trial at http://www.apple.com/mobileme and current .Mac members will be automatically upgraded to MobileMe accounts. MobileMe subscribers can purchase an additional 20GB of storage for $49 or 40GB of storage for $99 annually.
@ChrissyOne
I had almost the same experience myself, and you *can* get your old one back but only if you drop the ChrissyOne one. You have to remove your auto-renew (on the current one), and wait until the date at which you would normally auto-renew. At that point you can switch back to the old one instead of renewing the new one. You have to know what your password is/was for the old one though.
There is more that I can’t remember, but it is possible. If they tell you it’s not, don’t believe them.
I use and like .Mac slides and will be very unhappy to lose them.
Excellent! – a worthwhile update to .mac and the start of something VERY big.
Web apps!
Looking long term, all apps wil be web apps eventually – no installing of dvds onto the mac, just access it via the web trough a browser.
Using adobe photoshop through a browser on any mac or pc would be very cool.
The future is coming and as usual Apple leads the way!
OK. And I’ll also miss iCards and I fully agree with ChrissyOne about not being able to convert aliases. That has seemed stupid if Apple to not permit that and has also bothered me a lot.
I use iCards too. Not everyday, but I will miss the convenience of sending something a bit special via email.
waiting for MobileMe 2.0!
I must say that I am a little worried here. For most business users, the idea of Cloud Computing is sharing Word, Excel and Powerpoint Documents with Push Email thrown in. Basically everything thrown in that Apple is currently doing.
So what’s the problem? Apple’s there first? No, the big problem is that in one months’ time, GOOGLE will be presenting their cloud computing platform with Android. Why be afraid? Well, MobileME=99/year, Android’s cloud computing will be FREE!
If you’re an investor, this has got to be somewhat concerning, unless the iPhone will be able to use Google’s free network instead of the MobileMe. Another thing, when will they release anything that runs Divx natively? Another talking point.
Finally, what’s with MMS? Or lack thereof? I have a $20 phone that I bought on ebay 4 months ago and I can take and send pix ad nauseum to another phone. Is it a security issue? If it is, I would like to know about it. And what about voice dialing? My $20 phone does that and hooks up to my car wirelessly. Why can’t the iphone do that? That becomes a personal safety issue in a few months, since we won’t be able to use a handheld with hands in a car.
I, too, am saddened by the demise of iCards. I loved sending them. Also, I am a bit concerned that the email termination @me.com sounds less professional than @mac.com.
de Villiers
As it states right in this article, in Steve’s keynote, and in the email that was sent out to .Mac members, your @mac.com email addresses and all of your email alias’ will continue to work.
You guys can all relax; this is Apple we’re talking about, not Microsoft. They wouldn’t make a promise and then take it away.
Remember when they kept their promise that iTools would be free for life? …Ahhh, crap. 🙁
@ roagera
I must say that I am a little worried here.
You don’t have to buy a subscription, if the service isn’t to your taste
… the big problem is that in one months’ [sic] time, GOOGLE will be presenting their cloud computing platform with Android. Why be afraid? Well, MobileME=99/year, Android’s cloud computing will be FREE!
And that will be better, because you’ve used uppercase and an exclamation mark?
What’s ‘fear’ got to do with it? Is that what you’re hoping to spread.
And, no, Google’s services are not free (or even FREE!). You pay for them with your information. Google data-mines everything that passes through its hands. It says as much. If you’re happy with adverts in your face, if you’re happy with Google mining your data, go ahead.
Many people are prepared to put up with what Google does. I use some of their services myself, despite my misgivings. But don’t pretend there isn’t a downside to using Google’s “free” services, because there is.
If you’re an investor, this has got to be somewhat concerning …
Well, yes, it’s obvious that Apple is pursuing bad strategies, because, as we know, Apple is doing really badly, and its stock price has been falling for years.
Apple Profits Surge 67%
Another thing, when will they release anything that runs Divx natively?
Who cares? H.264 in an MP4 container is a better choice.
Another talking point.
Whose? It’s a very poor one, in any event.
Listen you lily-livered schmuck! I own Apple stock. I own 5 Macs, 2 iPhones and an AppleTV. Don’t be such a condescending prick!
I’ve mentioned issues that I think investors should be concerned about. I never said anything about Google being better. I talked about Google being FREE. And yes, you do sell your soul, but it’s still considered FREE. If that’s not a problem for you as an investor or as a Mac owner, then you’re living life with your damn eyes closed.
The potential to lose money is not predicated upon past performance. The market is a forward looking indicator.
rogera.
Well I won’t be renewing. “MobileMe” What is the marketing dept. thinking about??? This is so sad, and a little embarrassing for Apple.
@ Jeremy
Thanks for the info. I’ll raise holy hell with them this time and even take Schiller hostage if I have to. I’m not above it.
Hear me Phil?! Better check your back seat at night!
@c1
I’m EXACTLY in the same situation like you. I’d also like to use my alias as my new main name, and lose my current login.
The problem with Jeremy’s suggestion (which, sorry, is a bit vague and I did not quite get all the steps) is that if it doesn’t work – you lost your alias name, the one which you wanted to keep.
I’m really pissed off that after all these years .Mac/MobileMe still does not allow you to swap alias and username – it seems trivial to accomplish.
And I agree with the others, sad to see iCards go.
What’s all the fuss about me.com?
Everyone thought that the name “Wii” for Nintendo’s new game platform was laughable. Many still don’t like the name. But has this caused people to keep their money in their wallets, or cough up the dough for a game console that they really enjoy using?
You can answer that question.
me.com may not be your cup of tea, but if the services offered are a benefit to you, then don’t be an idiot and not use them just because of a name.
Besides, who uses your email address more than once anyway? They put it in their address book under your name, and then type your name in. They couldn’t care less what your actual email address is.
Wii is selling like hotcakes due to its playability.
me.com, if it can match what the consumer wants in services, will do just fine, even if people don’t particularly like the name.
So, apparently the marketing department at Nintendo got fired because they wanted the console to be called Wii? I doubt it.
So, me.com will be just fine IF the services on it are what the consumer wants.
Those who want/need the services of me.com but hold out just because they don’t like the name are silly.
Have a great life!
Greg
The problem with MobileMe is, that it sounds too much like Windows ME – I mean, as pointed out on Macenstein, the “me” in the MobileMe logo looks almost the same as the “me” in the Windows ME logo.
All the PCtards will now say that Apple is copying Microsoft. Just wait for it!
Featurewise, it’s amazing. But the name could be better.
Well if it has to .me then i would suggest:
dontlook@me.com
dontthrowthings@me.com
or perhaps
dontyouyell@me.com
Seems like a good feature, but I don’t need it, I’m afraid. I guess that is what is good about the price. Only people, who will use it, will have it. If it was free, I’d use it for a week to see what it was like, but not bother again after that.
To oh no:
The porn industry just took a hard look.
You left out:
fsck@me.com
bite@me.com
lick@me.com
do@me.com
and soon to be the life of the party . . .
spank@me.com
Or, byte@me.com for a programmer.
youdontknow@me.com for the witness protection program.
And oohsomebodystop@me.com is reserved for Jim Carrey.
Love the web apps. My parents’ Mini is dying of obsolescence and a slow HD failure and I’m not about to drop another $500+ in abysmal specs for a “new” Mini. One of those shiny new Linux PC’s will do fine with Ubuntu, and they can access their apps via these new web apps. There’s Apple’s lesson to you, the OS won’t matter.
Sorry we didn’t get an email out to you telling you not to do what we’ve always told you not to do.
Anyone know if Mac groups will stick around?
I found them particularly useful, and one of the great things about .mac.
Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffttttt!!! Still $99?!?! They can MoBlowMe.
itsallabout@me.com