Apple says MobileMe service to go live Wednesday evening

[AppleInsider]

Apple on Monday night gave word that it would launch MobileMe just ahead of iPhone 3G, turning on the lights during a six-hour window on Wednesday evening.

A notification sent out to .Mac users warns them that most of the online service's functions will be taken offline between 6 p.m. and 12 a.m. Pacific Time on the 9th, with MobileMe going live "as soon as possible" during this particular timeframe.

"Members will be unable to access www.mac.com or any .Mac services during this time," the notice says, "with the exception of .Mac Mail accessed via a desktop application, iPhone, or iPod touch."

The early handover is considered important both for the widespread adoption of MobileMe as well as the iPhone 2.0 software update, which ties in closely with the new online platform.

Apple hasn't said if or when it will ultimately phase out .Mac permanently, but has so far promised to let users keep at least their @mac.com e-mail addresses and transition over to @me.com only when they're ready to make the change themselves.

MobileMe was announced last month at Apple's annual developers conference as a new Internet service that delivers push email, push contacts and push calendars from the "cloud" to native applications on iPhone, iPod touch, Macs and PCs.

When it launches on Wednesday, the service will completely replace Apple's existing .Mac online services. Existing .Mac members will see their accounts upgraded to MobileMe accounts and new users can subscribe to the service for $99 per year.

MobileMe retail boxes began arriving early on some consumers' doorsteps late last week. A need to know transition guide for existing .Mac members remains available.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[jbrowdy]

that iPhone 2.0 is coming at the same time?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by jbrowdy

that iPhone 2.0 is coming at the same time?

What are you- some kind of an iDiot?

[icfireball]

Originally Posted by teckstud

What are you- some kind of an iDiot?

Jbrowdy was referring to iPhone 2.0, the software, not iPhone 2.0 the hardware (aka iPhone 3G). It is definitely possible that Apple would replace iPhone 2.0 software on wednesday with mobile me.

What are you- some kind of iMbecile?

[8CoreWhore]

I let my .mac subscription expire. I'll let others be the Guinea pigs for mobileme.

[hiimamac]

Originally Posted by 8CoreWhore

I let my .mac subscription expire. I'll let others be the Guinea pigs for mobileme.

8Core,

Its not just about hosting a website, having portable storage, no way, not even close, in fact, most users of iPhone are PC not mac users. The #1 complaint is the way that iTunes works (one way street) and getting info to and from phone to PC. Plus of course, corporate needed PUSH, no doubt about it.

For anyone looking at Apple and @me as a matrix, a web server, a photo gallery is missing the boat and the larger picture big time.

Let's side track for a moment.

Mini= no games (on board GPU)
Macbook = no games, onboard GPU again, translation, cripple to keep PRO users buying top end machines.
Mac AIr= Worst selling, said back in the day, it would probably go the way of the cube, great machine for $700, but that's about it.

But you know what? Apple doesn't care, the market is in the iPhone and iTunes store, in fact, the GPU is said to be better than the Macbook as it has open_GL, plus, there are works for touch keyboards that change depending on what program you are using to new keyboards for the iPhones.

So why all this fuss? Well unless the come back to the Pro user, which they sort of dumped ad made "kissy kiss" by giving them say Logic and Jam Packs for $499, they are focusing on mom, dad and puppy dog tails.

Take a look at the mobile me. Does it not look like a PC application to some extent? It does, it does indeed and with the proliferation of S.D.K., expect huge PC applications and the iPhone to sell like madness and perhaps go down in price in time as we finally dump land lines.

Still, you're missing the bigger picture. 3G and some 4.5G are almost CABLE speeds, and soon to be satellite speeds and its over. The iPhone is a computer in your pocket, period, end of story and has all the requirements and security that the Exchange requires. WIth programs like "SLING BOX" that allow you to watch your DVR and even control it in real time mean TV on demand, on the road, sort of makes net streaming moot (although that is up for debate once FIBER 200MB per second hit the homes, a topic for another day), but for now, it will give you everything you need and then some. In fact, some speculate we could see atom (INTEL) CPU's in the iPhone, then you have amazing power. As it is now, you can hook it up to a TV and then SLING BOX your TV to someone's house that has no HBO for example, and that is just one feature.

Apple's plan is to dominate the mobile market, then media market, and expect (and you can quote me), don't act shocked when someone that has no interest in a phone can purchase a "TOUCH" and then pay $30 for internet access, perhaps of their choice, take it home, hook up a keyboard, and record vocals, write a song, book, journal, create web sites, add a monitor and much more.

@me (and imobileme I presume), and thinking it's a matrix, add on, will someday be tied to ISP service (@me=free) ad then, all your devices are kept up to date, alarms, GPS, where you are, where your friends are, galleries, TV anywhere, song writing, oh yeah, and making calls, and then video, faxing, and remote control device.

Apple is trying to take over a much larger market than just a phone and with it will come faster computers, lower priced, an things like production (need a good song to replace for you movie or scan a medical record to send to E.R. or perhaps the position of all your soldiers on the ground), the possibilities are endless.

It's going be huge very huge. It's just a matter of time.

Peace

[irnchriz]

Considering that the iPhone 2.0 software is required for OTA sync with Mobile Me you would expect apple to roll out the 2.0 software upgrade either on Wednesday or just after the transition to Mobile Me is completed.

Unless,

They want to piss people off by delaying the 2.0 upgrade for existing iPhones till next week to make the iPhone 3G launch a bit more special for those upgrading or first time iPhone buyers.

[powderdust]

Originally Posted by hiimamac

8Core,

Its not just about hosting a website, having portable storage, no way, not even close, in fact, most users of iPhone are PC not mac users. The #1 complaint is the way that iTunes works (one way street) and getting info to and from phone to PC. Plus of course, corporate needed PUSH, no doubt about it.

For anyone looking at Apple and @me as a matrix, a web server, a photo gallery is missing the boat and the larger picture big time.

Let's side track for a moment.

Mini= no games (on board GPU)
Macbook = no games, onboard GPU again, translation, cripple to keep PRO users buying top end machines.
Mac AIr= Worst selling, said back in the day, it would probably go the way of the cube, great machine for $700, but that's about it.

But you know what? Apple doesn't care, the market is in the iPhone and iTunes store, in fact, the GPU is said to be better than the Macbook as it has open_GL, plus, there are works for touch keyboards that change depending on what program you are using to new keyboards for the iPhones.

So why all this fuss? Well unless the come back to the Pro user, which they sort of dumped ad made "kissy kiss" by giving them say Logic and Jam Packs for $499, they are focusing on mom, dad and puppy dog tails.

Take a look at the mobile me. Does it not look like a PC application to some extent? It does, it does indeed and with the proliferation of S.D.K., expect huge PC applications and the iPhone to sell like madness and perhaps go down in price in time as we finally dump land lines.

Still, you're missing the bigger picture. 3G and some 4.5G are almost CABLE speeds, and soon to be satellite speeds and its over. The iPhone is a computer in your pocket, period, end of story and has all the requirements and security that the Exchange requires. WIth programs like "SLING BOX" that allow you to watch your DVR and even control it in real time mean TV on demand, on the road, sort of makes net streaming moot (although that is up for debate once FIBER 200MB per second hit the homes, a topic for another day), but for now, it will give you everything you need and then some. In fact, some speculate we could see atom (INTEL) CPU's in the iPhone, then you have amazing power. As it is now, you can hook it up to a TV and then SLING BOX your TV to someone's house that has no HBO for example, and that is just one feature.

Apple's plan is to dominate the mobile market, then media market, and expect (and you can quote me), don't act shocked when someone that has no interest in a phone can purchase a "TOUCH" and then pay $30 for internet access, perhaps of their choice, take it home, hook up a keyboard, and record vocals, write a song, book, journal, create web sites, add a monitor and much more.

@me (and imobileme I presume), and thinking it's a matrix, add on, will someday be tied to ISP service (@me=free) ad then, all your devices are kept up to date, alarms, GPS, where you are, where your friends are, galleries, TV anywhere, song writing, oh yeah, and making calls, and then video, faxing, and remote control device.

Apple is trying to take over a much larger market than just a phone and with it will come faster computers, lower priced, an things like production (need a good song to replace for you movie or scan a medical record to send to E.R. or perhaps the position of all your soldiers on the ground), the possibilities are endless.

It's going be huge very huge. It's just a matter of time.

Peace

So what's your point?

[XorAxAx]

I wonder if MobileMe retail boxes will be in the stores the next day...

[Wiggin]

Originally Posted by irnchriz

Considering that the iPhone 2.0 software is required for OTA sync with Mobile Me you would expect apple to roll out the 2.0 software upgrade either on Wednesday or just after the transition to Mobile Me is completed.

Unless,

They want to piss people off by delaying the 2.0 upgrade for existing iPhones till next week to make the iPhone 3G launch a bit more special for those upgrading or first time iPhone buyers.

Not necessarily. There is nothing preventing you from continuing to check your email with POP/IMAP just like you do today. So what's to get pissed off about? They are losing nothing and will get the OTA sync when the iPhone 2.0 software arrives just as Apple promised.

On another note, has anyone actually received the advanced notification email that the article mentioned? I have no such email in my inbox.

[Ensoniq]

Originally Posted by Wiggin

On another note, has anyone actually received the advanced notification email that the article mentioned? I have no such email in my inbox.

I also have not seen the notice in my Inbox...

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by powderdust

So what's your point?

Wasn't his point .me is part of the bigger picture?

[wilco]

Originally Posted by hiimamac

8Core,

Its not just about hosting a website, having portable storage, no way, not even close, in fact, most users of iPhone are PC not mac users. The #1 complaint is the way that iTunes works (one way street) and getting info to and from phone to PC. Plus of course, corporate needed PUSH, no doubt about it.

For anyone looking at Apple and @me as a matrix, a web server, a photo gallery is missing the boat and the larger picture big time.

Let's side track for a moment.

Mini= no games (on board GPU)
Macbook = no games, onboard GPU again, translation, cripple to keep PRO users buying top end machines.
Mac AIr= Worst selling, said back in the day, it would probably go the way of the cube, great machine for $700, but that's about it.

But you know what? Apple doesn't care, the market is in the iPhone and iTunes store, in fact, the GPU is said to be better than the Macbook as it has open_GL, plus, there are works for touch keyboards that change depending on what program you are using to new keyboards for the iPhones.

So why all this fuss? Well unless the come back to the Pro user, which they sort of dumped ad made "kissy kiss" by giving them say Logic and Jam Packs for $499, they are focusing on mom, dad and puppy dog tails.

Take a look at the mobile me. Does it not look like a PC application to some extent? It does, it does indeed and with the proliferation of S.D.K., expect huge PC applications and the iPhone to sell like madness and perhaps go down in price in time as we finally dump land lines.

Still, you're missing the bigger picture. 3G and some 4.5G are almost CABLE speeds, and soon to be satellite speeds and its over. The iPhone is a computer in your pocket, period, end of story and has all the requirements and security that the Exchange requires. WIth programs like "SLING BOX" that allow you to watch your DVR and even control it in real time mean TV on demand, on the road, sort of makes net streaming moot (although that is up for debate once FIBER 200MB per second hit the homes, a topic for another day), but for now, it will give you everything you need and then some. In fact, some speculate we could see atom (INTEL) CPU's in the iPhone, then you have amazing power. As it is now, you can hook it up to a TV and then SLING BOX your TV to someone's house that has no HBO for example, and that is just one feature.

Apple's plan is to dominate the mobile market, then media market, and expect (and you can quote me), don't act shocked when someone that has no interest in a phone can purchase a "TOUCH" and then pay $30 for internet access, perhaps of their choice, take it home, hook up a keyboard, and record vocals, write a song, book, journal, create web sites, add a monitor and much more.

@me (and imobileme I presume), and thinking it's a matrix, add on, will someday be tied to ISP service (@me=free) ad then, all your devices are kept up to date, alarms, GPS, where you are, where your friends are, galleries, TV anywhere, song writing, oh yeah, and making calls, and then video, faxing, and remote control device.

Apple is trying to take over a much larger market than just a phone and with it will come faster computers, lower priced, an things like production (need a good song to replace for you movie or scan a medical record to send to E.R. or perhaps the position of all your soldiers on the ground), the possibilities are endless.

It's going be huge very huge. It's just a matter of time.

Peace

Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,004

[PG4G]

hiimamac,

While I agree with you on some points, I disagree on others.

Apple sees itself in the lead with computers, and its trying to win the new mobile device market.

I wouldn't agree with you that they are leaving computers at all. I think they simply see this as a period in which there is not a lot of computer related growth, at least with wow-factor. Apple is about that wow-factor, and an OS that gets a sleek new cut and polish without a feature is not it.

Gaming wise, the decision on the level of graphics was never that of Apple. It was that of the gaming industry that ports to Mac. They decided to port the top games over. Games sell to hardcore gamers. The Mac Pro would be the gaming hub if macs were the gamer preference. The problem is, very few people at all have a Mac Pro, and gamers live in the bubble of their own fantasy that "Macs are crap for gaming".

The consequences of this: Mac games don't sell. Without high end games selling, the low end, those for low graphics environments, will never get made. Macbooks are the equivelant of a standard windows laptop - don't slam MacBooks, when an average PC laptop can't run those high-end games either. Its just they can run average games, and Mac don't have them ported.

The issue isn't with the Apple on the gaming front. Its the fact that Apple can't win. The game communities have the say here, and the myth of macs crap for gaming is perpetuated by those who haven't touched a mac - they just hear it and spout their gamer crap to sound important. The problem is, as they do, they force it to become more fact than fiction. They force gamers away from high-end products, which forces the gaming industry to cut the lower graphics-oriented games. This makes the statement far more true... and then the cycle continues.

Windows has market dominance. That is a very hard position to compete with. Lets just hope windows has Vista round 2 on the way with Windows 7, because that could just turn the tide here, and blow it back in their face.

Now... iPhone, MobileMe, & the portable device industry:

The portable device industry is very much at a turning point. Devices are getting smarter, and we want better integration. Microsoft have promised but are yet to deliver this technology. Apple is trying to win it with MobileMe. If they can win a sync war, the war for portable device dominance is half way won. The iPhone and Windows Mobile are facing off, and really, iPhone got out of the starting gate fast, but still has a lot to prove.

Apple is focusing on iPhone and MobileMe here for two reasons. Firstly, MobileMe leads to a partnership buy. If everything is integrated as one, with push, they will be far more likely to see this coupling and go for the iPhone. Apple is developing the portable software for sync and a unity-of-product feel. They need to win this for iPhone to work, and they have to do it fast. With a computer OS that has no discernible needed feature, just bug flaws and OS optimization, Apple has put Mac into the background and focused on their current push for the portable market.

MobileMe and iPhone mean more to Apple than a lot of people realise. Steve himself has said
A) "We're working on something in this area" - and agreed .Mac was basically useless and horrible and said even before iPhone's release "I couldn't agree more and we'll make up for that soon"
B) a year later and MobileMe is released. "We've been working on that for a while." Steve said.

Watch D5, and you will see that Steve was really hinting at MobileMe and iPhone. Its integration, via the cloud, to post-PC devices. He sees this as an "explosion" and he really shows his colors that this is an area that is extremely important.

What am I saying? Now is not the time for computer innovation. Streamlining and modernizing OS X is the important bit here. The post-PC wars are happening now, and Apple want to get in quick and hammer Microsoft. The more Apple wins here, the more Apple wins overall. Apple has "Digital Hub" mentality, and that wasn't just for media - its for your whole life. But there is only one place where all your devices touch all the time, and its the new place for the hub - the internet. This is why MobileMe and iPhone are the focus now. They must win the post PC war, and if they do, they will be well placed as a company to continue tying together the cloud, the computer, and the mobile device market. This is a mega business that very few notice at all... and its where all the cash is right now.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by icfireball

Jbrowdy was referring to iPhone 2.0, the software, not iPhone 2.0 the hardware (aka iPhone 3G). It is definitely possible that Apple would replace iPhone 2.0 software on wednesday with mobile me.

What are you- some kind of iMbecile?

What are you- some kind of an iNterpreter?

[drk_one]

All I can say is this...

I love my @mac.com email address, and am gonna be pissed if Apple phases them out. They haven't actually come out and said it, but I have a bad feeling...

I don't know, I sorta view it as a status symbol; like it identifies me as part of an elite, intelligent group of computer users .

Frankly, @me.com is just lame.

May be a deal-breaker for me the next time they ask me to renew.

[jbrowdy]

Originally Posted by teckstud

What are you- some kind of an iNterpreter?

Teckstud, it does not take the Rosetta Stone to iNterpret what I meant- unless the 3G iPhone has been renamed to iPhone 2.0.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by jbrowdy

Teckstud, it does not take the Rosetta Stone to iNterpret what I meant- unless the 3G iPhone has been renamed to iPhone 2.0.

No but it does take an iDiot to not realize I was joking.
And how do you know the software is called iPhone 2.0 -did Steve tell you?

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by Ensoniq

I also have not seen the notice in my Inbox...

Not here either....

[dsosb]

Originally Posted by drk_one

All I can say is this...

I love my @mac.com email address, and am gonna be pissed if Apple phases them out. They haven't actually come out and said it, but I have a bad feeling...

I don't know, I sorta view it as a status symbol; like it identifies me as part of an elite, intelligent group of computer users .

Frankly, @me.com is just lame.

May be a deal-breaker for me the next time they ask me to renew.

I know what you mean. I really like my .mac email address too but it won't keep me from using .me if that is what happens in the future.

[dhowartr]

Originally Posted by teckstud

No but it does take an iDiot to not realize I was joking.
And how do you know the software is called iPhone 2.0 -did Steve tell you?

"With the iPhone 2.0 Software Update, your iPhone will do even more". - Apple Website

[PG4G]

And yes, Steve did tell us around 3 months ago. The event was called the "march 6 iPhone roadmap event."

[jowie74]

Originally Posted by wilco

Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,004

Is that for real??

[jowie74]

Apple hasn't said if or when it will ultimately phase out .Mac permanently, but has so far promised to let users keep at least their @mac.com e-mail addresses and transition over to @me.com only when they're ready to make the change themselves.

This is very confusing. They haven't said when it will ultimately phase out .Mac? Surely when MobileMe takes over, then that's the end of .Mac - how can there be two services when you log in? Don't get it.

Promised to keep their mac.com email until they've made the transition? I think a lot of .Mac users are not interested at all in the me.com address. It's "cute" and all, but I'd prefer mac.com any day.

[iMacaholic]

Originally Posted by jowie74

This is very confusing. They haven't said when it will ultimately phase out .Mac? Surely when MobileMe takes over, then that's the end of .Mac - how can there be two services when you log in? Don't get it.

Promised to keep their mac.com email until they've made the transition? I think a lot of .Mac users are not interested at all in the me.com address. It's "cute" and all, but I'd prefer mac.com any day.

Don't worry! Apple have said that .mac members will be able to keep their existing .mac email addresses and also their iChat addresses and run them in tandem.

Full details at http://www.apple.com/uk/mobileme/migrating/

[jowie74]

Originally Posted by iMacaholic

Don't worry! Apple have said that .mac members will be able to keep their existing .mac email addresses and also their iChat addresses and run them in tandem.

Full details at http://www.apple.com/uk/mobileme/migrating/

Good to know, thanks. However the way AI put it, makes it sound as if Apple have hinted that they will ditch the mac.com domain as soon as it has managed to remove people from using it.

I actually cancelled my .Mac address some months ago after it became too expensive to justify. I'm thinking of getting an iPhone and so am tempted to come back. I wouldn't really care to have a me.com address though.

[Knowlton]

Isn't a free trial of MobileMe coming out?

Wednesday? possibly?

[steleeuk]

Originally Posted by Knowlton

Isn't a free trial of MobileMe coming out?

Wednesday? possibly?

Id say 100% chance yup.

[robmack]

I notice that the dotmac outage has moved from 6pm to 8pm

[admactanium]

Originally Posted by jowie74

Good to know, thanks. However the way AI put it, makes it sound as if Apple have hinted that they will ditch the mac.com domain as soon as it has managed to remove people from using it.

I actually cancelled my .Mac address some months ago after it became too expensive to justify. I'm thinking of getting an iPhone and so am tempted to come back. I wouldn't really care to have a me.com address though.

I would guess a lot of folks are never going to get rid of @mac.com in favor of @me.com. I don't plan on doing it and I see no reason why I would unless they just shut of mac.com addresses at some point in the future. @me.com sounds silly to me.

[NasserAE]

Originally Posted by Knowlton

Isn't a free trial of MobileMe coming out?

Wednesday? possibly?

SJ said that everyone will get the 60 days trial. I hope this also include people (me included) who signed up for .Mac trial but never renew.

[auslander]

Well, .Mac is now down.

[iPhone91]

Originally Posted by auslander

Well, .Mac is now down.

Any time now! I can't wait. Mobile ME and iPhone 2.0, and iTunes 7.7 should be amazing.

Steve

[icfireball]

2:45am Pacific Time and no Mobile Me. Looks like we're running a bit behind schedule.

[auslander]

iTunes 7.7 is now available via software update, so it's slowly happening.

[Wiggin]

Not a good sign. No advanced notice to their customers (if I had not read it here I would not have known they were planning on taking down the service), and it's now Thursday morning is here and service still it not restored.

MobileMe had better be fast and rock-solid. For a paid service .Mac has certainly not had a good showing lately.

[mydo]

Yea. Thursday morning and no mobile me?

[Bergermeister]

It was up for while, but then went off-line again.

I hope they get this sorted out, soon.

[Omega]

Originally Posted by admactanium

I would guess a lot of folks are never going to get rid of @mac.com in favor of @me.com. I don't plan on doing it and I see no reason why I would unless they just shut of mac.com addresses at some point in the future. @me.com sounds silly to me.

If they make me change my address then .me had better be so spiffy that I can't drop the service otherwise she's gone in an instant.