There's some debate as to whether or not Apple will keep the MobileMe web apps, like Mail, Contacts, and Calendars around after the transition to iCloud. Some have heard no, that Apple will trash them and go 100% apps. Others have heard yes, that Apple will keep them around.
Every day, TiPb gets flooded with announcements for new and updated iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games. So every day we pick just a few of the most interesting, the most notable, and simply the most awesome to share with you!
Find my iPhone: Now you will be notified when an offline device you are trying to find comes online. [Free - iTunes link]
Is Apple's MobileMe service worth $99 a year? Or more to the point, who is Apple's MobileMe service worth it for? Now that one of its most compelling features, Find my iPhone is free (yes, even for older devices!) it's a question we're getting asked more and more often. And it's the topic for the eighth episode of our new, conversational video show, TiPb TV!
Rene and I go over the services MobileMe provides for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users, and the additional features people with Macs -- or multiple Macs -- get out of it, what Apple might do to improve it in 2011, cheaper places to find it (like Amazon.com) as well as free alternatives like Gmail and Dropbox for those who'd rather roll their own.
If you're trying to figure out whether or not to spend the money on MobileMe watch along and we'll help you decide!
It looks like MobileMe might be in for some improvements next year, given Steve Jobs' purported response to one frustrated customer.
I love my iPad and iPhone 4 and am a huge fan of yours and all that Apple does. I desperately want to stay inside of Apple'e ecosystem as much as possible. However, MobileMe is making it very difficult for me to do so. Unreliable/unpredictable syncing, creating duplicate entries (sometimes scores of them), etc. It's almost unusable. And I know from forums (including Apple's own support boards) that I am not the only one experiencing these very real and frustrating problems. Please tell me it will get better, and soon?
When Apple announced Find my iPhone was going free this morning they seemed to restrict it to 2010 hardware: iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, and iPad, but now it looks like there may be a way to get it working on iPhone 3GS and other unsupported devices. In fact, Apple.com tells you how:
With Apple making Find my iPhone free with iOS 4.2 for iPhone 4, iPad, and iPod touch 4, will you still pay for the full MobileMe service?
If you just want Find my iPhone, it's an easy answer. Here's your freebie, thanks and bye!
If you want MobileMe email, calendars, contacts, galleries, iDisk, and the whole suite of Mac services like Back to my Mac, dock, preference, keychain, and other sync features, then maybe it's well worth the price?
MacRumors scores yet more evidence Apple might just be considering adding a free level of MobileMe service for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad owners on iOS 4.2.
The evidence comes in the form of a new private framework known as AppleAccounts.framework that includes a series of device-specific error messages referring to free MobileMe accounts. In particular, the error messages include alerts regarding having reached "the maximum number of free accounts" for a given device and certain devices not being "qualified for free MobileMe service".
If you go to me.com on your iPad or iPhone you'll a screen with options to Install Find my iPhone and Gallery, and then a second category labeled as "Requires Paid Subscription", which includes Set up Mail, Contacts, Calendar and Install iDisk.
