Apple posts new iCloud login page as a revamped MobileMe, iWork.com
Apple has posted a not yet fully functional login page for its new iCloud service, representing a revamped version of its existing Mail, Contacts, Calendar and Find My iPhone MobileMe apps as well as newly integrating the document sharing features of iWork.com.
The new iCloud login page, which appears as an Apple Store-like name tag on a lanyard, enables some users to log into functional apps. Other users are presented with an iOS-style popup asking them to migrate their data from MobileMe to iCloud, a feature which isn't yet working.
Hope for mobile users
The iCloud login page is also available from mobile devices (below), suggesting that Apple will finally make its web-based apps accessible from iOS devices. MobileMe web apps are currently blocked from iOS mobile users, apparently because Apple's mobile browser does not support the "real web" well enough to work acceptably with them. This prevents iOS users from accessing a secondary account.
Android and other mobile users are similarly blocked from accessing MobileMe, and get the same "download the iOS native apps" message iOS users get, despite there being no MobileMe native apps that Android or other mobile users can install.
The first user to report successfully logging into the new service, Rafael Fischmann of the Brazilian MacMagazine blog, presented screen shots of the new Mail, Calendar and Contacts apps, all of which have adopted a new iPad-like appearance.
The new service also includes iCloud for Keynote, Pages and Numbers, which "stores your documents and keeps them up to date on your devices and the web." This new service goes above and beyond the former iWork.com, which simply enabled users to share documents over the web to other users, with a web app client that enabled others to view and comment on documents even without owning iWork.
The new iCloud for iWork apps incorporates "iCloud for Documents," a new storage and sync feature that third party developers can incorporate in their own apps to allow their users to keep documents in sync across the users various devices, updating changes made on one machine across every other instance of that file, automatically.
The first 5GB of documents users store within iCloud will be free, while Apple appears set to make 10, 20 and 50GB options available annually for $20, $40, or $100, respectively.
Missing in the transition from MobileMe to iCloud is the Gallery and iDisk web apps, which are largely replaced by similar functionality offered by iCloud's Photo Stream and Documents features.
The new iCloud login page, which appears as an Apple Store-like name tag on a lanyard, enables some users to log into functional apps. Other users are presented with an iOS-style popup asking them to migrate their data from MobileMe to iCloud, a feature which isn't yet working.
Hope for mobile users
The iCloud login page is also available from mobile devices (below), suggesting that Apple will finally make its web-based apps accessible from iOS devices. MobileMe web apps are currently blocked from iOS mobile users, apparently because Apple's mobile browser does not support the "real web" well enough to work acceptably with them. This prevents iOS users from accessing a secondary account.
Android and other mobile users are similarly blocked from accessing MobileMe, and get the same "download the iOS native apps" message iOS users get, despite there being no MobileMe native apps that Android or other mobile users can install.
The first user to report successfully logging into the new service, Rafael Fischmann of the Brazilian MacMagazine blog, presented screen shots of the new Mail, Calendar and Contacts apps, all of which have adopted a new iPad-like appearance.
The new service also includes iCloud for Keynote, Pages and Numbers, which "stores your documents and keeps them up to date on your devices and the web." This new service goes above and beyond the former iWork.com, which simply enabled users to share documents over the web to other users, with a web app client that enabled others to view and comment on documents even without owning iWork.
The new iCloud for iWork apps incorporates "iCloud for Documents," a new storage and sync feature that third party developers can incorporate in their own apps to allow their users to keep documents in sync across the users various devices, updating changes made on one machine across every other instance of that file, automatically.
The first 5GB of documents users store within iCloud will be free, while Apple appears set to make 10, 20 and 50GB options available annually for $20, $40, or $100, respectively.
Missing in the transition from MobileMe to iCloud is the Gallery and iDisk web apps, which are largely replaced by similar functionality offered by iCloud's Photo Stream and Documents features.
Comments
- Beautiful design. Really lovely look.
- Very iOS like. From the icons, homepage and apps, to the pop-up dialogues and transitions.
- Did I mention it looks like an iPad on the web?
- Also, it's gorgeous. Cannot understate how really elegant everything looks, feels, and works.
It's a great site, and I can't imagine how useful it'll be for all iOS users being free and well-designed. Funny enough, I see things like this as being subtle trojan horses for Apple. It's like they give people a taste of really good taste and then they're hooked. After seeing something done really well, they don't want to settle for anything less.Really great work.
Will we be able to thumb through versions of documents on every device also? Or only on the device on which it was being created?
Color me excited.
It's a great site, and I can't imagine how useful it'll be for all iOS users being free and well-designed. Funny enough, I see things like this as being subtle trojan horses for Apple. It's like they give people a taste of really good taste and then they're hooked. After seeing something done really well, they don't want to settle for anything less.
I agree. Like offering one single chip and then kicking back and eating the bag in their presence.
I can start brainstorming an idea on my Mac and pickup where I left off on my iPad or iPhone and never miss a beat.
That background? Just tiled with a great-looking gradient applied to it. I'm sure it's HTML5.
I was able to successfully log in with my developer account, but not my MobileMe account (as I have not transferred it over yet). First thoughts:
- Beautiful design. Really lovely look.
- Very iOS like. From the icons, homepage and apps, to the pop-up dialogues and transitions.
- Did I mention it looks like an iPad on the web?
- Also, it's gorgeous. Cannot understate how really elegant everything looks, feels, and works.
It's a great site, and I can't imagine how useful it'll be for all iOS users being free and well-designed. Funny enough, I see things like this as being subtle trojan horses for Apple. It's like they give people a taste of really good taste and then they're hooked. After seeing something done really well, they don't want to settle for anything less.Really great work.
The iCloud page is GORGEOUS, by the way.
That background? Just tiled with a great-looking gradient applied to it. I'm sure it's HTML5.
We can call it Cotton.
It's the new Linen.
Agreed... EXCEPT the whole thing is worthless to me because I have a DOT ME email address and iCloud doesn't support custom domains even though Google and Microsoft have been supporting them for years.
So you have for example [email protected] as your email? And you're not able to use it with iCloud? Do you use it for your iTunes purchases? I wasn't aware of this if so; I'm guessing because it's a bit of a niche case (not that that's bad). You should file a report with Apple about it.
For the same price, you get 400 GB at Google.
So you have for example [email protected] as your email? And you're not able to use it with iCloud? Do you use it for your iTunes purchases? I wasn't aware of this if so; I'm guessing because it's a bit of a niche case (not that that's bad). You should file a report with Apple about it.
Particularly since @me.com is the basis on which iCloud is founded...
Ok, so for 100$ you get 55 GB.
For the same price, you get 400 GB at Google.
And?
Ok, so for 100$ you get 55 GB.
For the same price, you get 400 GB at Google.
I believe you get ads as well.
When I try I get an unknown error occurred dialog.
I believe you get ads as well.
Only in Gmail, no ads in Calendar, Picasa, Docs.
And?
Maybe it's a bit expensive ?
What is wrong to make a comparison with competitors ?
Ok, so for 100$ you get 55 GB.
For the same price, you get 400 GB at Google.
For under $100, you can get 1 TB with a 3-5 year warranty at Fry's.
Talk about great deals, though, from AT&T wireless you can get 50 GB data transferred for $500 or 1 TB for $10K (not counting the cost of overhead bytes of course!)
The iCloud login page is also available from mobile devices (below), suggesting that Apple will finally make its web-based apps accessible from iOS devices. MobileMe web apps are currently blocked from iOS mobile users, apparently because Apple's mobile browser does not support the "real web" well enough to work acceptably with them. This prevents iOS users from accessing a secondary account. [/c]
Believe it or not, some of the current MobileMe web apps use...Flash...shock horror!!
Try it yourself, install Click2Flash and try to upload images using the web apps. You need to click to allow the Flash buttons to work.
Hopefully, that's all behind us now. These web apps look lovely and as has been said, they'll be a great piece of advertising for Apple's ethos. Apple don't get enough credit for their website work. They really make some nice stuff.