MobileMe gets new leadership, Jobs admits Apple made a big mistake

Not that anyone could really dance around the facts of the matter at this point, but in an email to Apple employees sent today, apparently Steve said, "It was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store. We all had more than enough to do, and MobileMe could have been delayed without consequence." Apple exec Eddie Cue appears to taking the much maligned service under his wing (as well as the App Store, adding to his original gig as VP of iTunes), hopefully making good on the other bit in El Jobso's email where he resets Apple's call to action on .Mac's replacement: "The MobileMe launch clearly demonstrates that we have more to learn about Internet services. And learn we will. The vision of MobileMe is both exciting and ambitious, and we will press on to make it a service we are all proud of by the end of this year." We'll see about that!

Update: You can check out the actual here email here, if you're looking to see how Jobs uses em-dashes as bullets.

[SneAKz @ Aug 4th 2008 11:56PM]

Block, I though you left Engadget?

[Tinu @ Aug 5th 2008 12:07AM]

The first mistake was to have the words "ME" in the title. That was a sure sign of a FAIL ;-).

[Michael Reilly @ Aug 5th 2008 12:08AM]

he WILL BE leaving in late August.

http://www.ryanblock.com/

[Flashpoint @ Aug 5th 2008 12:14AM]

Apple finally admitted they made a mistake?

WOW.

I thought GOD was their CEO

[phanbouy @ Aug 5th 2008 12:19AM]

congrats on top posting AGAIN, Failpoint

[milton thuroughgood III @ Aug 5th 2008 1:25AM]

He didn't leave Engadget, he was unable to connect due to MobileMe.

[Deluxe @ Aug 5th 2008 1:24AM]

This is zombie Ryan. Notice how he's posting something about Apple that's not a total fanboy fapfest?!

The end is near...

[Pochi @ Aug 5th 2008 3:54AM]

@phanbouy

Shhh. Adults are talking.

[happy_penguin @ Aug 5th 2008 5:57AM]

What sneakz? Are you anxious to get rid of Ryan??

Geez Flashpoint. They effed up and they admit it. What's the big deal? And they really did eff up MobileMe not to mention the buggy as hell 2.0 software. They should have rolled out each thing in successive weeks like 3G, then 2.0 for us old iPhone users, then MobileMe or something like that. On a positive note, I've updated my iPhone to 2.0.1 and so far it seems to be running much better. I'm even typing from said iPhone now. :D

[Quix @ Aug 5th 2008 9:56AM]

@ Flashpoint:

Your constant anti-Apple tirades grow old and tiresome.

Troll Different.

[Fitz @ Aug 5th 2008 7:23PM]

The first mistake was to have the words "ME" in the title. That was a sure sign of a FAIL ;-).

Haven't you heard about the Ballmer Peak?.....P)

http://xkcd.com/323/

[B3astofthe3ast @ Aug 4th 2008 11:58PM]

Incoming Shitstorm.

Predicting 150+ comments.

/end writing post while stoned. LOL

[Zach @ Aug 5th 2008 12:02AM]

"Incoming Shitstorm"

[Zach @ Aug 5th 2008 12:04AM]

jesus christ engadget. you enjoy watching us suffer at your comment system.

what i SAID was..

"Incoming Shitstorm"

[Zach @ Aug 5th 2008 12:05AM]

i fucking give up.
i wish they would give us a delete button, because if they did i'd go sit in the corner and sulk/whipser about the shortcomings of the comment system.

it's. that. serious.

[Jared @ Aug 5th 2008 12:26AM]

May I be the first to say "Mac it just works!!"

[SENATOR @ Aug 4th 2008 11:59PM]

Utter Fail. Ultimate Pwnage. Life > MobileMe

Oh well, at least I have my iPhone update! And damn, is it worth it!

[Alec @ Aug 4th 2008 11:59PM]

Looking good, if they can accept that they screwed up they're that much closer to fixing it.

[ShadowKain @ Aug 5th 2008 1:26PM]

As long as they fix it, I dont care. You have to laugh at that pic though :)

[Pochi @ Aug 4th 2008 11:59PM]

Jobs admits Apple made a big mistake.

In other news, Satan hit with iceball.

[B3astofthe3ast @ Aug 5th 2008 12:30AM]

Excellent Analogy.

[Zak @ Aug 5th 2008 11:10AM]

Oh I see how it is, Pochi. Everybody complains about all the Apple related articles here until it's something the Apple haters can dig into, like this. Then you're ok with it, right?

Hypocrite much?

[Mikey @ Aug 5th 2008 2:40PM]

Sense of humor much? (No)

[Pochi @ Aug 5th 2008 2:48PM]

Don't mind Zak, he has emotional issues. It's easiest just to apologize and move on.

Hey Zak, sorry about that. Didn't mean to offend you by making fun of Steve Jobs. I know you guys are tight.

[SoulinEther @ Aug 5th 2008 12:00AM]

uhh, lol, it's funny - I'm so used to things launching with troubles in the FOSS world that this seems somewhat odd to me.

[ryan @ Aug 5th 2008 12:01AM]

I miss .mac

[Marcin @ Aug 5th 2008 12:02AM]

I still dont know what MobileMe is. Sounds lame to be honest.

[Pochi @ Aug 5th 2008 12:04AM]

I still don't know why it isn't iMobile or something.

[puhsitch @ Aug 5th 2008 12:05AM]

http://www.apple.com/mobileme/features/

[Pochi @ Aug 5th 2008 12:08AM]

@puhsitch

HAHA, look at Steve Jobs wannabe who gives the guided tour. What a complete tool.

http://www.apple.com/mobileme/guidedtour/index.html?size=small

[who? @ Aug 5th 2008 3:44AM]

It's just the new name for .mac (which has been around for years) with new features that (obviously) got off to a rough start.

"Why do we fall down master Jobs?"

"iSo iWe iCan iPick iOur iSelves iUp iAgain?"

"...wtf?"

[jason @ Aug 5th 2008 12:07AM]

mobile fail.....HAHAHAHAHAHA...that's a good one!

[Arbert @ Aug 5th 2008 12:09AM]

(incoming shitstorm)

[nate wienert @ Aug 5th 2008 12:12AM]

I just re-synced with MobileMe and one of my contacts numbers was changed to someone elses in San Jose / Silicon Valley by the same name.. we definitely don't know each other.

My theory? I accidently got synced with Steve Jobs' contacts and now have at least one of his friends numbers.

[SyntaxPolice @ Aug 5th 2008 12:13AM]

This was, "somehow a difficult(article to be read)" I think: "yes it is" hard. Talking these words.

[Victor Shamanovsky @ Aug 5th 2008 12:16AM]

Apple had all the time to prepare for this. Unforgivable and unforgetable.

[Hamidxa @ Aug 5th 2008 1:04AM]

Correction.

Unforgivable, but yet so forgettable.

This piece of tech never should have left the drawing board.
I can't believe people actually pony up $100 annually for this crap.

[Srini @ Aug 5th 2008 10:52AM]

NO.. Victor
Its forgivable..... but unforgetable.

Its forgivable, because no one is perfect, and no company is perfect.
unforgetable because of all the inconvenience.

Well, I am not sure how much that inconvenience would mean to us in 5 years.so i guess it will be forgotten sooner or later....

[Nick @ Aug 5th 2008 12:19AM]

Steve Jobs is my idol.

[Chris @ Aug 5th 2008 12:20AM]

so that means it's free till they learn to make it work right?!

[Quikboy @ Aug 5th 2008 12:20AM]

When will you guys post something about Live Mesh? It may not have the hype of Apple's offering, but it's a much more advanced data synchronization platform, works with a lot more devices, and it's free.

http://mesh.com/

Considering it's been out for quite a while already, and it actually has something to do with gadgets and Microsoft, it should be on the site, right? I've heard a lot of good stuff from people that do use it, and it's still in beta or alpha.

[Victor Shamanovsky @ Aug 5th 2008 12:55AM]

It is excellent indeed.

[Hamidxa @ Aug 5th 2008 1:03AM]

Because Engadget aren't on Microsoft's payroll.

[aaron @ Aug 5th 2008 1:10AM]

agreed... there have been countless threads on mac's mobileme platform and nearly nothing on other services (which in most cases are better than this current iteration). it goes beyond just mesh (which is very cool).

[Derek @ Aug 5th 2008 1:19AM]

It doesn't really work well... (or at all, really), but it seems really cool. I hope they release it for Windows Mobile soon...

[JMMGoalster @ Aug 5th 2008 1:26AM]

Mesh doesn't work well? I've been using it for months to sync things between my desktop and laptop and it works great....don't know what you're talking about.

[Quikboy @ Aug 5th 2008 1:35AM]

@Derek and anyone else : Live Mesh is still just a preview release. Don't expect perfection. But I've heard mostly good stuff about it. There was an article about accessing it on Windows Mobile and even the iPhone, with some of the basic features there.

http://www.liveside.net/blogs/main/archive/2008/07/17/microsoft-opens-up-live-mesh-for-basic-mobile-access.aspx

Just go to http://m.mesh.com

[Alex Padilla @ Aug 5th 2008 1:46AM]

Holy crap, I had no idea Mesh even existed. I use OS X, but dear God, MobileFail is just so scary...and it costs money, which is hard to come by in college. I'm going to look into Live Mesh.

On a side note, anyone know if Google or anyone else plans to offer synchronization services?

[Seth @ Aug 5th 2008 2:06AM]

Go type in "Nuevasync" in Google. It's a beta free Push service for Google services. So far they have Push Calendar, and Push Contacts. Push email is coming soon. I've been using it, and it works like a charm!

[computer.dude.28 @ Aug 5th 2008 2:18AM]

I'd love to try live mesh. Too bad nobody at Microsoft cares about Canada. It's not available in my "country/region".