MobileMe gets new leadership, Jobs admits Apple made a big mistake
By Ryan Block 
posted August 4th 2008 11:51PM
posted August 4th 2008 11:51PM
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.
I'd love to read more about Mesh. The only mention that I've heard of it is by reading it in comments a couple of tmes in the past week. C'mon Engadget, why haven't you written anything about MS Mesh? We Canuckleheads who can't sign up for it would love to hear more about it.
As always, good point, hamidxa. You're right. Apple keeps engadget on the payroll so that everyone will know about it when they err. God, you're smart.
"As always, good point, hamidxa. You're right. Apple keeps engadget on the payroll so that everyone will know about it when they err. God, you're smart."
Engadget is not on Apple's payroll. However, Apple is fully aware that many of these tech sites are more likely than not to be soft on them when they make mistakes or when their products have bug, heck somtimes they wont even admit that the bugs are there many times.
A good deal of Apple's PR depends on their complacency on problems and zeal to promote the company's offerings. It's one of the most lopsided and well run PR/spin machine in the tech world.
MobileMe is the one example where the gears came off, but even then you can tell how understanding the Engadget people are. Basically reposting an Apple PR release and leaving out the snarky comments that would have definitely been there if this was Microsoft MobileMe.
Call me when it's free.
I cannot agree with that enough. I was just thinking about that the other day. Does my PS3 not come with a free playstation network? MoblieMe should be a free service when you buy a mac.
iTools, the original set of internet services from Apple was free for Mac owners
Then it turned into a decent pay service, .Mac
Then it turned into MobileMe, a fail service.
Still, I think asking it to be free is a bit much considering Windows won't give you anything... the Playstation Network analogy is very different especially considering one of the promised features of that (Home) hasn't been there and probably won't be there any time soon.
Go get job
It is for 60 days (free trial period). I never did like .mac, but mobileMe has worked well so far.
Windows crashes everyday...... so this small step for the iphone 3g on 3g speeds is like a speck of dust., Windows users still are on the boottom of the barrel.
Your spelling is at the boooooooo-ttom of the barrel.
What guts you have to mention Window crashes and iphone. You should read more post and I'm me you'll find iphone followed by crash.
I must say that Apple is one of the few companies with the integrity to admit they have messed up, and then are willing to do what they can to remedy the issue. In comparison, most companies these days do not have a true care for the consumer and will not admit it when they are wrong. When was the last time that you saw Microsoft admit to failing with Vista? (Please comment if something does come to mind. I'm not aware of everything.)
Apple not only is now admitting that they had a rocky road with Mobile Me, but they also extended everyone's subscription by 30 days to those who were early adopters. Another demonstration that Apple is ahead of the curve when it comes to customer service. Thank you Apple for continuing to uphold strong business values.
actually, companies admit they made mistakes all the time... Microsoft, if you recall, admitted to having messed up with the Xbox 360 and allocated a billion dollars towards fixing it. This is not a new, unprecedented thing, so get your head out of your ass.
Vista isn't failing. If it was failing, why would they stop sales for Vista.
Remember Windows Me? I surely remember Microsoft admitting that was a failure. Or are you too young to remember what an OS that is full of fail really is?
Please do some research before making blank statements. It will help you pass the 8th grade next year.
Vista isn't failing. If it was failing, why would they stop sales for Vista.
needs to be
Vista isn't failing. If it was failing, why wouldn't they stop sales for Vista.
I miss .mac too.
Can we get the junk mail filter and iPhone mail in sync please!!
Calendar, contacts, mail and files all synced in one place, online, to all of my computers? Gasp!! What a cool idea! I bet Apple invented it, and Microsoft totally hasn't been doing the same thing with an app called exchange since '96... nope, not in a million years...
exchange is only offered to coporate elite. they put a spin on it... reminds me of something microsoft did that also failed... what was it called... the ZUNE? putting this thing up live without full blown testing took balls. they gambled and lost. Engadget, I am sure it will eventually become a service that is worthy of praise.... it still works better than windows
@lex
Using either "Windows Live Mail" (client) or the Outlook Connector add-on for Outlook. You can sync a Live/Hotmail account including: contacts, mail and calendar. Oh and its FREE as in beer. (I can't recall if Calendar sync is free or requires a subscription, perhaps someone else knows)
The Live system is basically a big free Exchange server for home use. I've actually found it quite easy to use, and fast. Personally I prefer native apps over web-based email, but enjoy the cloud storage and potential web access when necessary.
Hm I'm not the "corporate elite", and I use exchange.. $9/mo.. heh.. 9$ more than a year of mobile me, and I don't have to pay for a year.. and it actually works :)
@lex : But the difference is that Exchange actually works well as intended, while MobileMe still has a lot of glitches, and people still pay for that too.
I still don't get how Zune is suppose to be a failure. By what means? Numbers? I guess that means Apple fails with Macs if we're going to go by numbers. How well it works? Mine has worked great, and a lot of Zune users love it. So I really don't see where it fails.
"putting this thing up live without full blown testing took balls. they gambled and lost" - You make it sound as if Apple was heroically brave for putting up MobileMe like this. Having "balls" and being dumb are two different things. If you don't do "full blow testing" on a service before launching to many iPhone users, I'd call that dumb.
And of course, let's compare data synchronization with an OS. It really make sense, doesn't it? Sometimes I think I waste my words with idiots like you. Especially a first commenter.
The entire Apple line is full of mistake after mistake after mistake.
I wonder why be so candid about it now.
Because this one was so bad, that their wasnt enough fans and tech writers willing to cover for Apple on this one.
When Mossburg and Engadget wont make excuses for Apple, they should know the game was pretty much up.
It's easy to say that without backing it up. Watch, I'll do it too:
"Microsoft's entire product line is just mistake after mistake after mistake."
See, now because I just said that it must be true! And I'll get some braindead stooge like Fred to agree with me and high rank both of our posts, and then we'll high five each other and hit the showers.
That's how it works here, right?
Actually Zak,
The way it works here is that Engadget editors grant Apple impunity, constantly exonerating them or at the very least, limiting their berating of Apple.
So, to fill that disingenous void, users such as Fred and I offer a more objective viewpoint of Apple's shortcomings, rather than the constant servings of embellishment that Engadget likes to serve its readers.
"The entire Apple line is full of mistake after mistake after mistake."
"So, to fill that disingenous void, users such as Fred and I offer a more objective viewpoint of Apple's shortcomings..."
Uh, yeah... that's *really* "objective". *rolleyes*
MobileMe is the LE edition of the so called crown jewel of RIM, the Blackberry Enterprise Server Software.
Except business users are lazy asses and the BES allows IT people to configure all the mobile settings for Blackberry users wirelessly.
Unlike MobileMe which the user has to control and configure their own stuff, this DIY BES will never work. It does take some know how to get things to sync properly, Apple think they got the receipe to make it once again idiot proof.
guess again..
Actually, the LE version of BES (Blackberry Enterrpise Server) is BPS (Blackberry Professional Server), which is free for a single user and cheap for up to 30, at which point BES becomes a necessity.
Blackberry Unite! and the Desktop Redirector are also there, for families and less technically skilled users respectively.
hah!!!!....just goes to show what a half-baked product mobileme or for that matter all apple stuff is........poor Stevie...boohoo.
MICROSOFT FOREVERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!
Wow, I guess it's a good thing only people who like Apple can be labeled "fanboys". I guess we'll have to come up with a different name for people like you. How about "Dickweed"?
I took the 60 day trial, and except for losing my contacts on my iPhone for half a day it works really well. I'm planning on paying for it after the trial is up--it's full featured and all in one place. To each their own I guess. And I'd rather pay for a service than get bombarded by advertising, of which, come to think of it, if there was a search that was as good as Google's but I had to pay $100 a year to use it with no ads--I'd pay it. Apparently I have more money than patience for advertising.
I have been using .Mac for years.
.Mac was slow, and slow and slow. however, its (quite) stable.
If such terrible experience from MobileMe still can't fixed in coming few months, I am sure I will drop my subscription....
p.s. Until now, I still can't accept the naming... "MobileMe" looks lame, sounds lame and works lame.
Well, if Jobs said so, it will be done.
My wife has a mobileme account and there was some initial syncing silliness with the calendar (though she didn't lose any data and it seems to be resolved).
For the $69/year educational price, it's a bit pricey but not unreasonable given the push-PIM, iWeb and iPhoto integration, online file storage, and backup services. However, the launch was botched big time... I wont be surprised if Apple provides another month free to users.
FYI for anyone interested in syncing with google, check out BusySync or Nuevasync. I installed BusySync on a Mac mini at home (used for DVR/media center/kids' entertainment/education duties) and all my wife's coworkers' calendars sync (instantly or within a few minutes) for her in google, mobileme, iCal (on her laptop), and on her iPhone.
MobileMe was a great concept that only required good execution. The idea was to have a cheap "MS Exchange" type service that charges on an annual basis. The price is right even at $99/year since most exchange hosters charge $6.99 and up per month. On top of that, the 20GB storage limit is close to 10x as much as the top exchange server offering. The price also includes the .Mac features which were decent to begin with. The main problem with execution was the instability brought on by not thoroughly beta testing the service. The amount of work that goes into exchange hosting is not small by any standard. For a first attempt, my opinion would be that Apple overextended themselves in an area where they could have excelled in if they grabbed some Microsoft employees to work on their tech. Experience does go a long way in the industry and for Apple to not capitalize on MobileMe early on, could cost them a market segment.
OK, lets vote:
cacapoopoopeepeeshire, or
mobile me?
MobileMe. Great concept, terrible implementation. Hopefully Apple gets it right before I go out and drop cash on an iPhone.
Sorry for the error. . . remove "I'm me"
Eddy's getting it back, eh? iTools/.Mac was pretty awesome back when he was in charge.
I still haven't had a single problem with it, though.
Worst...upgrade...ever.
Seriously, the fact that Internet Explorer 7.0 is required on the Windows side sucks. I can't check my mail at work anymore.
Not that I ever used iCards but it had potential. Still waiting for those email templates they promised in the pre-release literature.
I actually used Homepage even though I have a copy of iWeb. The pages it created loaded way faster than iWeb's HTML. Man that program can write some verbose and redundant code.
Not having Notes syncing was a big let down too. I don't even have an iPhone yet and I was planning on using that one.
I used .Mac for years and it was stable. MobileMe is buggy but it gets the job done. I agree with giving everyone a free month of service. The change over has been a major hassle and an inconvenience.
Hands down, the worst new feature has got to be the name! All the cool code names and shit Apple comes up with and they picked this? I'd love to sit in on the focus group that approved the name, "MobileMe". What were the other choices? Apple's Bob?