MobileMe is Apple's new service that provides a load of services for OSX and the iPhone for $99 per year. It looks like they've not only dropped the ball but sat down on it to ask where it's gone. You'd have to be a gullible twat to sign up to such a service. Let me explain why...
The services include:
- Continuous push synchronization for email, contacts, and calendars
- Online access to your mail, contacts, and calendar
- Photo-sharing through MobileMe Gallery
- 20GB of file storage that mounts as a drive on OS X and that includes public file sharing
Now, hang on a minute, Apple. I think you might find that Synchronisation and get-me-anywhere applications have been done. About 2 years ago. By Google and others. For Free. I know this because I'm using it now. You twats. So, rather than pay $99 EVERY YEAR, how about using the following (by non-fly-by-night corporations, I can assure you)...
- Use GMail for synchronisation of email, contacts
- Use Google Calendars for synchronisation of, erm, Calendars
- If you want that info downloaded onto your iPhone for when you have no signal, I can guarantee that Google will be producing a Sync application for the iPhone, after all there are already free apps that do it for jailbroken ones.
- Online Access is already done by Google apps.
- Photo sharing with Flickr or Picasa. Do you really need a new tool to do this?
- File storage wise, you can have 50GB with ADrive and I am sure that there are more of these services I don't know about.
So all you're really buying is OSX integration and Apple's design. But what about the stuff you DON'T get. It doesn't really say how all these things above integrate with the rest of the web, furthermore, are Apple going to charge you for new features? when google added Geotagging of photos, that came for free.
It's like being mugged and I can imagine loads of Fanboys doing it. It's such a shame.
Comments
I'd argue that my current pda does have gps and phone.
The xda orbit does the majority, if not all, the same things that the new iphone does, without all the lock in.
"iPhone 3G = Mobile Internet + Phone + Games Console + MP3 Player + movie player + portable applications player. In one device."
Yeah I'd say it does all of those, as well if not better. The battery is also replacable, uses a mini usb for charging and data transfer so I'm not tied into a particular lead. Exemplified by me forgetting my charger, but being able to use Rudei's balackberry charger or Aurélie's motorola razer charger.
I can download for free or small charges numerous themes, games, utilities and other useful gadgets. I have a number to chose from too. I can pick the one I like. If I spend more or get a gash copy I can get possibly the best GPS software out there (TomTom) or all the OS maps of the UK if I fancy a walk. And I can store it on the miniSD card in it. You know the one that theoretically gives me unlimitied mp3 storage.
It's a touch screen with some key buttons actually on the device. I can even get a theme that will make it look like an iphone if i want.
I can do this for less than an iphone. I could also do this before the original iphone came out, nevermind the new one.
Is it all properly integrated like the iPhone is? For example, if you search on the net to find the number of a local restaurant, is it one touch to dial the number?
You can select any number shown and dial it.
OK, I'll give the iphone prettiness and the way things are integrated well is a plus, but then apple are all about that.
They do that for their macs and their ipods. But that integration is not a million times better than what I can set up myself on my phone. Maybe it's two clicks for me, maybe it's three, but I can pick the software I like and not put up with other annoyances that apples will have but that I cant get away from.
Genuinely interesting stuff... more questions...
Do you watch much video on it?
Does it have tilt sensing for showing different keyboards?
Do you have to use the little pen to type or use it generally?
Is there a multi-touch display for easy browsing the web? Zooming in and out easily?
If you typed 'restaurant' into the browser, will it automatically find those closest to you?
Will the setup of the phone change 'context' depending on where you are, such as automatically being in silent mode when you're in the office and on loud if you're in the car?
The call on applications is about to expire, part of the Firmware 2.0 upgrade will allow 3rd party developers to write their own software and make purchasing easy through iTunes. Sure, you have to go through Apple but they're doing that to avoid spyware apps getting onto the phone.
I've just compared the iPhone and an Xda Orbit 2 in the office and the XDA is quite a bit bigger.
Do you watch much video on it?
No, but that's probably more to do with me not converting my DVD's or getting round to downloading them in the correct format. People do. I think that's more personal preference
Does it have tilt sensing for showing different keyboards?
No, but the new one may do. You can rotate the screen fairly easily with a button press if needed.
Do you have to use the little pen to type or use it generally?
To use it a phone? No. Pen stays in. To text? Sometimes, but I can text with my thumb on the screen. Different keyboards can be selected, one has bigger more thumb friendly keys, but doesn't show the numbers, they are accessed very easily though, by pressing a button for numbers. With the pen though I can tap out a message very quickly. On the whole it stays in unless I am using it like a pda for something.
Is there a multi-touch display for easy browsing the web? Zooming in and out easily?
iphones interface in probably slicker here, but reading web pages is doable. I accessed lack-of last night with no issue.
If you typed 'restaurant' into the browser, will it automatically find those closest to you?
Never tried. I have asked the GPS though. That depends on the software. The free software is ok, tomtom is much better.
Will the setup of the phone change 'context' depending on where you are, such as automatically being in silent mode when you're in the office and on loud if you're in the car?
You can get things that will do that based on time. The iphone can tell that you're in your car?
The call on applications is about to expire, part of the Firmware 2.0 upgrade will allow 3rd party developers to write their own software and make purchasing easy through iTunes. Sure, you have to go through Apple but they're doing that to avoid spyware apps getting onto the phone.
I've just compared the iPhone and an Xda Orbit 2 in the office and the XDA is quite a bit bigger.
I've got the xda orbit. It's smaller/about the same size, but a smidge thicker.
It sits nicely in my pocket. I forget it's there. They are no longer the full size pda's they used to be.
xda Orbit 2 is made by HTC who make an awful lot of smart phones and PDA's they made the excellent axim line for dell
They actually had a phone on the market that did everything the first generation Iphone did and beat it to market by a few months but they didn't have the same marketing bullshit factor that apple have and because they haven't sold a lot of their stuff under their own name they are less well known.
The iPhone 2 will know you're moving at speed, not at home, not in the office. That's an example of a context. You will be able to set up these contexts that any application can use. You could have another one to turn it silent if you're at your fave roleplaying place.
One example was an active todo list that will bleep at you when you pass a newsagents if you've got 'Get milk' on your to do list. For forgetful types like me, that sort of integration is the start of many fab possibilities. Such as when you're in town and you fancy buying a PC game on the fly, it could show you the prices at all the shops near your location and then the best online quote. That's the sort of locational integration you get from GPS, if the GPS is fully integrated into the operating system. That's why integration on Firmware 2.0 for iPhone is sexy, it's part of the O.S., rather than a piece of hardware to be interfaced with.
Cheers for answering those, I am on the lookout for another phone but I think I'm going to wait for a Android powered one as Windows mobile doesn't really float my boat.
Cheers matey!
EDIT: Originally typed to follow on from Matt's post.
Exactly. My orbit has now been updated, but my version 1 still compares to the new version 2 iphone. And I've had it for a year or so. Fish has had his even longer.
The overall package apple put together is good. It's all very slick, but is less customisable and more expensive.
And been available for ages from other sources.
GPS!??!? wow!!!!!! Oh hang on a mo I've had that for ages.
3G?!?!? Wow!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah I've had that too...
But it's shiny!!!!!! horses for courses. I quite like the look of my orbit.
UPDATE: That sounds like a cool feature from apple, until you think about the fact your battery will be dead by the time you go home if you have GPS turned on all day. If Apple have go over that hurdle then fine, otherwise, it'll not work as advertised.
Does it integrate those things together? GPS is not just for finding where you're going. It's about how it all works together.