Mossberg gives Apple's MobileMe thumbs up
Apple's MobileMe Web service has finally received Walt Mossberg's seal of approval.
(Credit: Apple)Apple's MobileMe Web service has finally improved to the point where The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg feels it worthy of a recommendation.
Mossberg, whose opinion can make or break a product or service, has revisited his earlier take on the MobileMe service, which got off to a disastrous start when it was launched last summer. MobileMe lets Mac or Windows users sync their contacts, calendar info, and e-mail across Macs, PCs, and iPhones for $99 a year.
When the revamped service hit the Internet last July, it was plagued with so many outages and glitches that Mossberg--usually high on Apple products--felt compelled to steer his readers away from the service. Apple eventually apologized for rushing the MobileMe launch during a complicated month in which it launched the iPhone 3G, the App Store, and the iPhone 2.0 software.
But "Apple has fixed all of the speed and reliability issues I encountered last year," Mossberg wrote, in giving the service a thumbs up. He did warn readers of ongoing issues involving Outlook data syncing between Windows PCs and Macs, which Apple has apparently promised to fix. It seems MobileMe is more adept at syncing data within one platform--be it Mac or Windows--and has trouble within a mixed environment of Mac and Windows PCs, according to Mossberg.
MobileMe is an important service for Apple, as it gives those wary about switching completely to the Mac a way to stay tethered to Windows, while also improving the usability of the iPhone. More than a few personal computing companies think that in the future such Web services will be crucial for average users with two or more mixed-platform computers, be they Macs, PCs, smartphones, or other mobile devices.
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Internet search, including Google, Yahoo, online advertising, and portals, as well as the evolution of mobile computing. He has written about traditional PC companies, chip manufacturers, and mobile computers, spending the last three years covering Apple. E-mail Tom. 





Goatberg - SUPREME Apple Hack Media Pimp!
Goatberg undoubtedly just received his allotment of FREE Apple Gadgets and a Fat Check in the Mail from Apple Public Relations.
EVERYONE knows Walt Mossberg is a HACK and on Apple's PAYROLL. ANYTHING this Hack writes is only good to line your birdcage with. Same goes for Radio Apple Hack, Leo Laporte.
If you are just making generalisations, then that's another matter all together.
As for Leo Laporte, he doesn't make any pretenses that he likes his Apple products, but he's also quick to criticize when Apple does something stupid as well. You hear this for yourself in the many podcasts he runs including This Week in Tech, MacBreak Weekly and Windows Weekly. He gives all the tech companies a run for their money and doesn't take payouts or other compensation. He's gone to great lengths to ensure that he doesn't get any favors from the OEM's at all.
I do use MobileMe and I find it works well and is reliable. In fact, I often forget how seamlessly it syncs my computers. But I don't think it should be a cash-cow for Apple - instead it should be a bundled service for iPhone owners and half price for others.
Extra, extra read all about it:
Someone else wrote something about something.
Extra, extra read all about it!
Oh.. yeah... I read about the improvements to MobileMe like a MONTH AGO.
- by alawaiblowfish April 20, 2009 3:05 AM PDT
- As a college student, i find Mobile Me has grown on me to the point of it becoming a necessity. I can work in the world of Windows that proliferate the school and work environments I go to everyday, and still fetch, modify, and upload my files, contacts, and calendars (deadlines!). I?m amazed that using a simple web interface allows me to upload my on-the-go work to my mac, which is happily sitting at home on the desk reflecting the changes in real time. No USB keys to lose, Mac gets to stay safe at home, no need to bring papers with you...print where you are! It really is one of the best add-ons for OS X.
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
(21 Comments)