06-09-2008, 11:46 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Apple's MobileMe Service: Powerful Stuff?
Something big happened today: Apple announced what I believe is the first credible consumer-focused Exchange-like service: the ability to sync calendar, contacts, email, files, and photos to multiple devices. Jump over to Apple's Web site and check out their MobileMe service. Watching the guided tour video is probably the best way to understand what the service is capable of. I watched that as well, and the word "compelling" kept swirling around in my head. This is a powerful salvo across the bow of the SS Microsoft - and I have a sneaking suspicion that Microsoft's Live team has been paying so much attention to Google they didn't see this one coming (not in a way they can respond to quickly at least).
Microsoft has had all the pieces for years: Exchange, Foldershare, Windows Mobile, Live Mail, etc...but they never put them together into a compelling service. What about hosted Exchange? The functionality from hosted Exchange isn't that far off (though the photo and file sharing is lacking), but let's face it, hosted Exchange as it is now is in no way consumer friendly - from the name to the features to the marketing to the partners...even the pricing isn't all that friendly when you're talking multiple users. The MobileMe pricing is quite reasonable in comparison to most hosted Exchange accounts: MobileMe is $99/year for 20 GB of storage, or $149 per year for a five-person family account. 20 GB of extra storage costs $49/year extra, and 40 GB of storage is an extra $99/year. Your average hosted Exchange account costs $120 to $180 per year for 2 or 3 GB of storage.
Now I'm sure like all Apple products and services, there are some nasty "gotcha's" under the surface (does this service work with custom domain emails?), and for some people this service might be too simplistic. I know I'm very happy with how hosted Exchange works for me (I use 4smartphone), and it's tough to beat Smugmug for photos. Still, there's no denying that this is a strong initial offering from Apple - that's my take on it at least. What do you think?
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06-10-2008, 12:22 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 34
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Online Backup?
I can also see Apple integrating Time Machine with MobileMe down the road so Mac users can have online backup of their data too.
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Mobile Analyst Watchhttp://mobileanalystwatch.blogspot.com/
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06-10-2008, 12:32 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 676
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The thing that might get me is the Outlook support on PC. That and a 60-day free trial. I currently have all my Contacts and Calendars in Outlook on my PC, but recently purchased a MacBook for personal use. I've been looking for something that could sync my Calendar and Contacts between Outlook on all my PCs, our familiy's 2 iPhones, and the MacBook, plus have an online backup somewhere and be able to access it all from some Internet Cafe computer when I'm somewhere else without a laptop. I'm not so worried about email because I'm using IMAP and although it doesn't offer push email to the iPhone, it's a good way to "sync" email between all your devices. I've been trying to use Google and Gmail but running into some issues. If MobileMe can do it, then I'm in even at the relatively steep price of $99/yr (or $149 for our family). We'll see...
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64 GB iPad 2 WiFi, Apple TV 2, 32 GB iPhone 4
Early 2011 MacBook Pro 13" (dual boot with Windows 7), Early 2009 Mac Mini
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06-10-2008, 12:59 AM
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06-10-2008, 01:09 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 67
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Eh.
This has been around the Windows /Office/ Windows Mobile world for awhile. Microsoft was simply to bass-ackwards to put it together in such a slick package.
This is what Windows Live should have been from day one. Now they are going in yet another crazy direction with Windows Mesh instead of delivering on the potential of Windows Live (which I use extensively BTW).
Add the fact it's powered by Microsoft tech on the downlow makes it even more ridiculous.
The other tech blogs are already talking about how "revolutionary" this is and falling all over themselves praising Apple.
This isn't new, just been given a spiffy new Apple coat of paint.
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06-10-2008, 01:53 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 444
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ajwalker
This isn't new, just been given a spiffy new Apple coat of paint. |
True, but it's a lot nicer paint than the mess we got with WM (and, yes, I do have hosted Exchange).
The only thing I feel that the new iPhone could really use is an SD slot, but I guess I'll live. Come JUL, I'll say goodbye to 8 years of PPC/WM use and hundreds of dollars of WM software. I'm just sick of the ******** and ready for a change.
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06-10-2008, 01:57 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ajwalker
This has been around the Windows /Office/ Windows Mobile world for awhile.
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How so? If you mean hosted Exchange (email + calendar + contacts), Foldershare (file sync), OneCare (photo backup)...maybe Live Photos? There's not much in the way of mobile solutions though - no mobile photos or mobile file solutions. So how is this the same as Apple's offering?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajwalker
This is what Windows Live should have been from day one. Now they are going in yet another crazy direction with Windows Mesh instead of delivering on the potential of Windows Live (which I use extensively BTW).
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I agree that Windows Live should have delivered on this long ago. I disagree though about Live Mesh - it seems far more flexible than FolderShare, and I think Live Mesh is the building block upon which Microsoft can come up with something to compete with MobileMe. But when will they do it - a year from now? Two? They move so slowly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajwalker
This isn't new, just been given a spiffy new Apple coat of paint.
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The thing about software services is that the "coat of paint" matters. The difference between a tightly integrated suite of services (MobileMe) and a random gather of disparate software and services (Exchange + Foldershare + Windows Live + OneCare) is very significant and shouldn't be underestimated.
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06-10-2008, 02:43 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 67
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
I agree that Windows Live should have delivered on this long ago. I disagree though about Live Mesh - it seems far more flexible than FolderShare, and I think Live Mesh is the building block upon which Microsoft can come up with something to compete with MobileMe. But when will they do it - a year from now? Two? They move so slowly.
The thing about software services is that the "coat of paint" matters. The difference between a tightly integrated suite of services (MobileMe) and a random gather of disparate software and services (Exchange + Foldershare + Windows Live + OneCare) is very significant and shouldn't be underestimated.
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Jason, I am not disagreeing with you, or anyone for that matter. I think Microsoft severly missed the boat on this one, having had a number of disparate initiatives floating around for a long time.
Exchange, which does what MobileMe is doing sans photos, has been with Outlook since 2000. It's a shame that they just recently started letting you sync other accounts in Office 2007 but, in Office 2003, they wanted to charge to be able to synce Hotmail with Outlook to be able to sync to your Windows Mobile phone.   
Some things should have been no brainers. Microsoft moves far too slow and I doubt if we'll see anything from Live Mesh anytime soon.
IMHO, they should have left Windows Live alone and brought those features to WL instead of announcing yet another new thing that could be at least a year in the making.
Yes, the coat of paint matters a great deal. And once again, Microsoft is off painting the bird house when the main house is what needed the attention. Apple's moving in and changing all the locks.
Apple provided a "turn-key" solution out of the box. Microsoft is still bumbling toward irrelevancy when it comes to a new paradigm and understanding how people want to use technology.
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06-10-2008, 02:52 AM
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Banned
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 372
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Microsoft has this TODAY, but the EFFIN carriers won't let them put it on the phone. ATT for instance EXPLICITLY stripped Windows Live Mobile from the WM6 phones it carries. If I were Microsoft I would start saying FU to the carriers just like Apple did to ATT and put whatever they want on the phone.
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06-10-2008, 04:20 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by inteller
If I were Microsoft I would start saying FU to the carriers just like Apple did to ATT and put whatever they want on the phone.
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Yeah, every Mobius and MVP Summit I keep suggesting that, although not exactly in those terms. 
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