iDisk

Dolly Drive enables online backups through Time Machine

When Apple introduced iTools (which later became .Mac and finally MobileMe), the package included an option to back up files to your online iDisk. Apple's Backup utility could transfer user-defined batches of files to the iDisk as well as to local drives and optical discs. Backing up data online so you could access files from anywhere was appealing; however, the option of automatic backups to online storage has never really taken off. One big reason for this is Apple's backup option for OS X has switched from Backup and similar utilities to Time Machine, which is designed as … Read more

Better notes mean better grades

Notability might be the best note-taking application we've seen for the iPad, with tons of useful features that are easily accessed through the app's intuitive interface. Perfect for students or really anyone who needs to gather and organize information, Notability lets you use your onscreen keyboard (or a compatible Bluetooth keyboard) to keep track of information by grouping your notes into categories by subject.

You can start a new note by tapping on the Compose button, or open an existing note from the start screen. You have the option to open notes from Dropbox, or from your iDisk … Read more

Pretec announces tiny USB 3.0 flash drives

LAS VEGAS--It seems that portable hard drives get progressively smaller as CES 2011 continues.

Yesterday, Verbatim introduced the USB 3.0 External SSD, which beat the recently reviewed LaCie FastKey both in terms of storage space and portability. Now, as the show is nearing its end, Pretec, a company known more as a maker of system memory, has unveiled an ultracompact USB 3.0 flash drive of its own, the i-Disk Rex 100.

Measuring 2.9 inches by 0.7 inch by 0.2 inch, the i-Disk Rex 100 is arguably the tiniest flash drive in the world that offers … Read more

Apple discontinuing HomePage file sharing November 8

Through the various changes to Apple's online services (iTools, .Mac, and MobileMe), Apple still retained the option to access photos, movies, and other shared files via Web sites created in the older .Mac "home page" feature, but in an e-mail announcement to .Mac subscribers this morning, Apple announced it will be discontinuing this support on November 8.

Dear MobileMe member,

Over a year ago, we retired the .Mac HomePage application for publishing new pages, but allowed previously published pages to remain viewable on the Web. On November 8, 2010, we will discontinue online viewing of photos, movies, … Read more

Apple updates iWork for iPad with support for MobileMe iDisk, more native Office formats

Apple has released a new update for iWork on iPad that adds support for saving documents to MobileMe iDisk as well as the option to export documents in more native Microsoft Office formats.

With Apple pushing to sell the iPad as more than just a consumption tool, these important updates to the flagship productivity suite on the touch-screen tablet indicate that Apple is serious about achieving its goal.

The 1.2 update for iWork gives Keynote and Numbers the capability to export to comparable native Microsoft Office formats for PowerPoint and Excel. Pages previously supported exporting to Word formatted documents.… Read more

iDisk unavailable when attempting to mount in the Finder

When trying to access the MobileMe iDisk in the Finder, you may run into a problem in which the disk will not mount and will give an error stating "Your iDisk is unavailable." This problem may crop up after applying software updates or reinstalling the system, but it may also happen after syncing with new mobile devices or computers, or even seem to happen randomly.

If this happens, there are a couple of things you can try to fix the problem:

Reboot

Sometimes a basic restart of the system will be enough to fix the problem. Usually just … Read more

Update to Apple's MobileMe iDisk App could signal cloud-based iTunes coming soon

In what would have been an otherwise mundane update, Apple has released its MobileMe iDisk App for iOS 4, including support for iPad. The update may also hint at possibilities of a cloud-based iTunes in the works.… Read more

Update to Apple's MobileMe iDisk App could signal cloud-based iTunes coming soon

In what would have been an otherwise mundane update, Apple has released its MobileMe iDisk App for iOS 4, including support for iPad. The update may hint at possibilities of a cloud-based iTunes in the works.

In the update notes, Apple lists the ability to "play audio from your iDisk while using another app." This is an interesting feature addition for many reasons, but mostly because it could be the first step to establishing a cloud-based streaming media solution for iPhone and iPad users.

If Apple is using iDisk as a test for future plans to launch an &… Read more

Apple's MobileMe service improves

Apple has updated its MobileMe Web service with several improvements to the Gallery, iDisk, Sync, and Find My iPhone features. Apple has also released the MobileMe Mail beta program as described in this article earlier this week. These improvements to MobileMe are definitely welcomed as many users would like to see Apple step up their game in the Web services area.… Read more