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Apple gives MobileMe holdouts an olive branch, extends 20GB iCloud offer to September

Jon Fingas — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:31:00 EST

Still skittish about jumping from MobileMe to iCloud, even after Apple promised you a free copy of Snow Leopard to ease the pain? Have no fear: Apple has quietly extended its offer to upgrade those paying for 20GB of MobileMe space to a matching amount on iCloud the next time they renew. You now have until September 30th to make the leap at no extra cost, instead of the original June 30th cutoff. And if you've been paying for 40 to 60GB of MobileMe storage, you can get 50GB of iCloud space on the same terms. It won't take away the sting of losing iDisk, Gallery or iWeb at the end of June, but if you're the sort who routinely needs a lot more storage than a free 5GB iCloud account -- and don't like the alternatives -- you now have that much more breathing room.

Apple gives MobileMe holdouts an olive branch, extends 20GB iCloud offer to September originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 May 2012 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple offering free Snow Leopard update to MobileMe holdouts

Darren Murph — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:49:00 EST

Mama had it right -- procrastination is bad -- but mama never knew Apple. For Leopard users still clinging tightly to their MobileMe account, it looks like the path to iCloud just got a wee bit cheaper. Qualifying MobileMe holdouts are reportedly receiving email notifications that point them to a special portal; behind a registration form, folks are finding a free copy of OS X 10.6 (on DVD, no less). The goal here is to get customers to make yet another jump to Lion (an extra $29), but the idea of keeping most of that cloud functionality via iCloud is certainly enticing. As MacNN so accurately points out, it's odd that Apple's not including the $69 USB drive version of Lion, which contains the ability to boost even Leopard users to OS X 10.7. If you're one that generally skips out on reading those automated Apple emails, you might want to make an exception for this one.

Apple offering free Snow Leopard update to MobileMe holdouts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple says iCloud and MobileMe push email down in Germany, due to Motorola lawsuit (Update)

Sharif Sakr — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:01:00 EST

Cupertino says it is has suspended push email via iCloud or MobileMe for users in Germany, due to "recent patent litigation by Motorola Mobility." Numerous disputes currently rage between the two companies, but this issue likely relates to a recent injunction Motorola won against iCloud. Push still works for Contacts and Calendars, but there's a page up on Apple's German support site (see the source link) telling people to use the Fetch settings on their iOS device to collect emails. There's a similar page on Apple's US site giving the same instructions to users who are travelling to Germany. Meanwhile, push email for OS X and via other service providers such as Microsoft Exchange Active Sync, is unaffected.

Update: We've heard back from Apple and for its part, it is treating this as no big deal, focusing on the fact that it only applies to push email specifically and customers can still receive their emails other ways as mentioned above. As it is, it says this will affect only a "limited number of customers." Check after the break for the company's statement.

Continue reading Apple says iCloud and MobileMe push email down in Germany, due to Motorola lawsuit (Update)

Apple says iCloud and MobileMe push email down in Germany, due to Motorola lawsuit (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple iCloud and iWork beta for iOS hands-on

Zach Honig — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:48:00 EST

We've had a few weeks to get accustomed to iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion, but one headlining feature has been notably inaccessible since it was unveiled earlier this summer. During his WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs touted iCloud as a service that will sync many of your Apple devices, for free. Macs, iPhones, iPads, and even Windows computers can synchronize documents, contacts, calendar appointments, and other data. You'll also be able to back up your iOS devices remotely, use an Apple-hosted email account, and store your music in the cloud. Well, this week Apple finally lit up its cloud-based service for developers, letting some of us take a sneak peek at the new service.

Apple also announced pricing, confirming that you'll be able to add annual subscriptions with 10GB ($20), 20GB ($40), or 50GB ($100) of storage 'atop your free 5GB account. We took our five gig account for a spin, creating documents in Pages, spreadsheets in Numbers, and presentations in Keynote, then accessing them from the iCloud web interface to download Microsoft Office and PDF versions. We also tried our luck at iOS data syncing and the soon-to-be-controversial Photo Stream, so jump past the break for our full iCloud hands-on.

Gallery: Apple iCloud and iWork beta hands-on

Continue reading Apple iCloud and iWork beta for iOS hands-on

Apple iCloud and iWork beta for iOS hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple launches iCloud and iWork betas, confirms pricing for extra capacity

Dante Cesa — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:04:00 EST

MobileMe's impending demise just got one step closer, folks. Apple's updated iCloud.com to now sport an official login page with what we're assuming is Cupertino's rendition of a CNC-machined aluminum unibody badge. It looks like those of you rocking iOS 5 or OS X 10.7.2 and who've also created an iCloud account are probably already busy frolicking through email, editing contacts and slinging calendar events all from the comfort of your browser. Those services already existed under its predecessor, but it looks as if Cupertino has spruced 'em up with fresh paint jobs. A screenshot from MacRumors also shows the addition of an iWork section, which we'd surmise means the previously siloed iWork beta now has a new place to call home. We couldn't get past the migration step with our trusty MobileMe account (disappointing proof is after the break), but you're more than welcome to tap the more coverage link and have a go yourself.

Oh, and if you're wondering how much it'll cost you to claim more than those 5GB that Apple's tossing in gratis, the folks over at Electronista have confirmed that an extra 10GB will cost $20 per year, while an extra 20GB runs $40 / year and an extra 50GB will demand $100 per annum.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Apple launches iCloud and iWork betas, confirms pricing for extra capacity

Apple launches iCloud and iWork betas, confirms pricing for extra capacity originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 beta brings iCloud support, no bug fixes

Zach Honig — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:58:00 EST

We know what you're thinking: Mac OS X Lion (10.7) has been out for nearly a week, so why have we yet to hear anything about Snow Lion? Patience friends, Apple will roar soon enough -- but for now, 10.7.2 will have to do. Apple released the beta update to developers over the weekend, eschewing any acknowledgment of 10.7.1, or correcting any of the bugs that have popped up over the last week. Instead, Lion's pending second update (build 11C26) is required for testing the operating system with iCloud -- a feature notably absent in the public version of the OS released last week. The new System Preferences iCloud module enables granular management of select features, letting you choose which accounts and services to sync. Full iCloud support is coming in the fall with the release of iOS 5, so it's probably safe to assume that Apple plans to patch some of those bugs in the meantime -- any day now, we hope.

Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 beta brings iCloud support, no bug fixes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple WWDC keynote video now viewable in the cloud

Brian Heater — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:40:00 EST

Did you miss out on today's thrill-a-minute WWDC keynote? Good news: now you can relive all of Steve Jobs's magical cloud-based magic. OS X Lion, iTunes in the cloud, PC-free syncing, iCloud, and lots of excited pacing -- it's all there. Of course, if you're more of a reader, there's always the liveblog text.

Update: And what's this? Why it's some iOS 5 videos for your viewing pleasure.

[Thanks everyone who sent this in]

Apple WWDC keynote video now viewable in the cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iCloud unveiled at WWDC, free for all 9 cloud apps, MobileMe RIP

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:20:00 EST

Apple tipped its hat early, but now we have the details from the man himself. "iCloud stores your content in the cloud and wirelessly pushes it to all your device. It automatically uploads it, stores it, and pushes it to all your devices." And by "automatically," he means it: in addition to every day content, such as purchased music, iBooks, photos and videos, device settings, and app data that will be automatically backed up over WiFi, Documents in the Cloud will effortlessly sync Pages, Numbers, and Keynote data between all of your iOS devices. There will be no advertising (contrary to previous rumors), and calendar, mail, and contact sync is free (for up to five gigs). Also in store is the new Photo Stream cloud feature, which is essentially a gallery in Photos that exists on all of your iOS devices, Apple TV, your OS X and even your Windows PCs, and syncs through the cloud. Take a picture on your iPhone and it appears on your laptop and your iPad, and it's stored in the cloud for thirty days. And no, your Photo Stream pics do not count towards your 5GB total. iCloud will be released concurrent with iOS 5 this fall.

If that isn't enough, Apple has announced iTunes Match, a $25 per year service that scans your iTunes library library and populates your iTunes in the Cloud account with any of your previously bought and ripped music -- in handy 256Kbps AAC, DRM-free files (as long as the titles already appear in the iTunes store).

Last but not least, MobileMe is no more. If you're a current member, you can still access everything as usual through June 30, 2012 (according to Apple), but there will be no new enrollments. And if your subscription has auto-renewed recently? Well, we've received plenty of tips from readers who have received refunds this morning. So at the very least you have that to look forward too!

Gallery: Apple reveals iCloud at WWDC

Continue reading iCloud unveiled at WWDC, free for all 9 cloud apps, MobileMe RIP

iCloud unveiled at WWDC, free for all 9 cloud apps, MobileMe RIP originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WWDC 2011 liveblog: Steve Jobs talks iOS 5, OS X Lion, iCloud and more!

Darren Murph — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:55:00 EST

You're in the right place! Bookmark this page and return on Monday at the times listed below to see Steve Jobs take the stage at Moscone West. WWDC 2011 promises a peek at iOS 5, OS X Lion, the iCloud music storage offering and who knows what else. The iPhone 5? Don't count on it, but also, don't count it out. Your town not listed? Shout your time in comments below!

07:00AM - Hawaii
10:00AM - Pacific
11:00AM - Mountain
12:00PM - Central
01:00PM - Eastern
06:00PM - London
07:00PM - Paris
09:00PM - Moscow
02:00AM - Tokyo (June 7th)

Continue reading WWDC 2011 liveblog: Steve Jobs talks iOS 5, OS X Lion, iCloud and more!

WWDC 2011 liveblog: Steve Jobs talks iOS 5, OS X Lion, iCloud and more! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's iCloud music service will automatically mirror your iTunes library using 'high-quality' tracks?

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 27 May 2011 03:08:00 EST

There's been so much chatter about Apple iCloud that you'd think the streaming music service had already been announced and the deals inked. But it's still just a rumor until an Apple executive takes the stage and unleashes the Amazon Cloud Player and Google Music competitor in a spate of superlatives. That hasn't stopped Businessweek from stepping up with a good summary of all that is "known" thus far, while giving us some insight into the particulars of how the service will work and the motivations to make it happen. One revelation, sourced from three people in the know, claims that Apple will scan customers' iTunes libraries (hello, LaLa) and quickly mirror the contents on Apple's own servers -- no massive DSL-choking upload required. And Apple will do you the solid of "replacing" any low bitrate tracks with the "high-quality" versions it stores in its fully licensed music locker for streaming to your connected devices.

Of course, this value-add won't come free and will certainly require a subscription fee. The cost to the consumer, though, is still very much unclear as is the service's integration with Apple's $99 per year MobileMe sham. And you know those rumors about MobileMe being offered as a free service? We wouldn't be surprised if it stays at $99 with iCloud being announced as a "free" feature update; aka, an $8.25 per month music subscription that also provides web access to your synced bookmarks, contacts, email, and calendar. Regardless, it's this subscription model that has the major labels so enthusiastic as it will finally allow them to extort fees for all that pirated audio you may have stumbled upon since Napster was loosed on an unprepared music industry a decade ago. All signs point to WWDC for this to get official but we're sure to hear more -- much more -- before the event kicks off on June 6th.

Apple's iCloud music service will automatically mirror your iTunes library using 'high-quality' tracks? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 03:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple working on unlimited downloads of purchased iTunes music, setting MobileMe free?

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:13:00 EST

You know all that rumor and speculation about Apple launching a subscription-based streaming music service? Forget it -- at least until the next rumor comes along. Bloomberg is citing three people with knowledge of private talks between Apple, Universal Music, Sony Music, and Warner Music to make purchased music more easily accessible to iTunes users. Two sources claim that an agreement could be announced by midyear. Contrary to popular speculation aroused by Apple's purchase of Lala, they're not talking about streaming music from Apple's new North Carolina data center scheduled to come online in the spring. According to Bloomberg's sources, Apple is instead, planning to offer unlimited downloads to any device linked to the same iTunes account. So, purchase a track on your iPhone and download it again for free to your iPad without having to go back and tether the mobile device to your PC or Mac for a sync. Hard disk crash? No worries, there's a permanent backup in the cloud. Of course, there's nothing preventing Apple from providing unlimited downloads in parallel with a streaming service except for the labels and artists who prefer the higher revenues paid out by download services. Then again, if it was left to them we'd still be buying our music on $15 CDs.

Incidentally, one Bloomberg source was also caught blabbing about Apple's plans to overhaul the MobileMe service to store pictures, video, and other online content sometime this year. Better yet, it could drop from $99 per year to free -- something already reported by the Wall Street Journal a few weeks ago.

Apple working on unlimited downloads of purchased iTunes music, setting MobileMe free? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple removes MobileMe from online store, discontinues retail boxes

Donald Melanson — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:49:00 EST

Need a bit more evidence that there's some big changes coming to MobileMe? Then you don't need to look much further than Apple's own stores, both online and off. The company has apparently now discontinued the boxed version of the software it sells at retail, and it seems that all traces of MobileMe have also been removed from Apple's online store, though you are still able to sign up for a free trial through the MobileMe website. AppleInsider further reports that both single user and family packs of MobileMe have been declared "end of life" by Apple, and that the service will undergo some scheduled maintenance tonight that may leave its web-based applications inaccessible for half an hour.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Apple removes MobileMe from online store, discontinues retail boxes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple tells shareholders North Carolina data center is for iTunes and MobileMe, set to open this spring

Donald Melanson — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST

Well, it looks like Apple's just put an end to some of the speculation surrounding its massive data center in North Carolina. According to AppleInsider and Electronista, Apple told shareholders at its annual meeting today that the center is for iTunes and MobileMe (along with Apple's "corporate systems"), and that it is set to open sometime this spring. As you might expect, it doesn't seem like things got much more detailed than that, but the news does certainly lend some credence to earlier rumors of a cloud-based, Lala-infused iTunes service and a significantly expanded (and possibly free) MobileMe offering. Here's hoping we'll hear a bit more from Apple itself next week.

Apple tells shareholders North Carolina data center is for iTunes and MobileMe, set to open this spring originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple MacBook Air survey gets chatty about 3G

Paul Miller — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:45:00 EST

Apple isn't much of one for customer surveys, but this recent missive to select MacBook Air owners has all sorts of goodies inside it. Most notable is the large amount of questions on 3G data connectivity, a feature that Apple has so far avoided adding to any of its laptops, even though it sells a tablet computer with the functionality. Interestingly, Apple has waited so long on this feature that its primary objection -- the need to pick a specific carrier over another -- has disappeared thanks to Qualcomm's Gobi chipset. On the other hand, most people get 3G data onto their laptops these days through tethering, whether it be with their phone or a dedicated MiFi-style device, and Apple's survey seems to be designed to pick up on the prevalence of all these tendencies. Other aspects of the survey deal with data storage and syncing (MobileMe and Dropbox get shout outs), missing functionality that keeps the Air from being a primary computer, and other miscellany. If you want to get overanalytical with the whole thing, Apple might actually be trying to feel out the dividing line between an iPad and a MacBook Air, instead of the dividing line between a MacBook Pro. Perhaps this year's expected Sandy Bridge or (we wish) Fusion refresh of the MacBook Air could have something more in store? Check out the source link for the whole thing.

Apple MacBook Air survey gets chatty about 3G originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The iPhone nano to forgo local storage? Common sense says 'no'

Paul Miller — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:44:00 EST

Well, MWC is in full swing, where folks like LG, Samsung, Sony, and Nokia are pouring their souls out in front of us in device form. So, naturally, the rumors are swirling about... the iPhone nano. In a followup to the Wall Street Journal's big story, Cult of Mac is claiming some additional inside info from a source with a "great track record." The main idea is that the iPhone nano would rely on the cloud to such an extent that the device wouldn't really have any local storage to speak of, outside of a streaming buffer. This would of course go hand in hand with a MobileMe / Lala-powered streaming music service, and result in significant component cost savings (flash memory is still pretty spendy). While this sounds like a beautiful dream, it doesn't make much sense in 2011. Streaming all your music and other media over a capped 3G connection doesn't sound very consumer-friendly, and there are still plenty of situations where having a nice offline stash of music is a lifesaver. But there's a bigger problem: where do you put your apps without local storage? Android's historic shortage of app storage really bit it in the ass, and we doubt Apple wants to go down that route. Sure, we can see a 4GB or so ultracheap device, with a heavy reliance on streaming media (many people get most of their music from Pandora these days, anyways), but a memory-free iPhone just doesn't sound feasible at this point in time.

The iPhone nano to forgo local storage? Common sense says 'no' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WSJ corroborates the mini-iPhone, says Apple may make MobileMe free (update: 'edge-to-edge' screen)

Sean Hollister — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:40:00 EST

The Wall Street Journal has weighed in on rumors of Apple's smaller iPhone, and citing "people familiar with the matter" the publication says that the rumors are likely true. One such familiar person reportedly saw a device half the size of the iPhone 4, bearing the codename "N97," and said that the handset will be only about half the size of the original, and at only around half the price too. Amazingly, those anonymous sources continued to divulge information, expressing the idea that Apple could finally make its MobileMe cloud service suite free, and that it just might be the platform from which Apple could finally launch a streaming music platform and lessen the need for all those gigabytes of flash storage in your pocket. We'll let you know if or when any of that happens, okay?

Update: The WSJ's source proved even more talkative after getting an eyeful of the Samsung and Sony announcements this morn; the publication's article has been updated to read that the device is "significantly lighter" than the iPhone 4, has an "edge-to-edge" touchscreen, and "voice-based navigation" of some sort.

WSJ corroborates the mini-iPhone, says Apple may make MobileMe free (update: 'edge-to-edge' screen) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone rumor two-pack: multitasking gestures and MobileMe Photo Streams? (Update: those pics are real)

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:37:00 EST

Looks like the iPad might not have an exclusive on those new "multitasking" gestures unearthed in the latest iOS 4.3 beta, because BGR's got some shots up of an purported internal build that seem to indicate Cupertino intends to push them down to the iPhone line as well. Now, there are a couple of obvious red flags here -- using "four or five fingers" sounds pretty unreasonable for a 3.5-inch display, though it'd certainly tie in with recent rumors that Apple's turning sour on the physical Home button and might indicate that the complete redesign we're hearing about could include a slightly larger display. Of course, it could also indicate that this is really early software with the wrong (read: iPad) wording -- but at any rate, we could definitely see the benefit of, say, a two-finger gesture to swipe between apps.

Now, on to part two: 9to5 Mac seems to have unearthed traces in the iOS 4.3 beta of a new feature called "Photo Streams" that seems to be -- you guessed it -- a way to share continuous streams of photos with friends you approve, presumably through MobileMe (which would fit in nicely with the Find my Friends stuff). Alone, that's not worth $99 a year -- plenty of other services offer similar functionality -- but we wouldn't be surprised if this were bundled in with a bunch of MobileMe refreshes this year.

Update: We just received an interesting tidbit of information on the above pic (and others that BGR has its hands on). According to sources, after the iPhone 4 barroom debacle, Apple made significant changes to how it keeps track of -- and identifies to third parties -- its devices. Namely, the company began adding clauses to screens on the phones which read "Confidential and Proprietary, if found, please contact..." followed by a 408 number (that's Cupertino, of course). This prevents any misunderstanding from parties who may come across these devices. So what does it all mean? Well, not much, save that it seems these photos we're viewing are in fact the real deal... which means gestures may be headed to your iPhone. Intrigue!

iPhone rumor two-pack: multitasking gestures and MobileMe Photo Streams? (Update: those pics are real) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Find my Friends' MobileMe feature revealed in iOS 4.3 developer build

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 03:52:00 EST

Looks like Apple will be adding a new "Find My Friends" feature to its MobileMe service in the not too distant future. The settings pictured above were unearthed in the latest iOS 4.3 developer build that's already yielding a healthy list of new devices and functionality including in-app AirPlay video support, a carrier-dependent personal WiFi hotspot, the return of the physical orientation lock switch, and a host of new multitouch gestures. Presumably Find My Friends will offer functionality akin to the free Google Latitude app doing little to justify Apple's $99 MobileMe annual cost.

Update: Remember Apple's iGroups location-based social networking patent application? We just did.

'Find my Friends' MobileMe feature revealed in iOS 4.3 developer build originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 03:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's Find My iPhone / iPad service now free, doesn't require MobileMe

Nilay Patel — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:54:00 EST

We'd been sort of hoping Apple would just make MobileMe a completely free service, but it looks like we're taking baby steps instead: Find My iPhone / iPad is now free for iPhone 4, the iPad, and the fourth-gen iPod touch running iOS 4.2.1. As with the paid feature, you'll be able to locate your device on a map, lock it, display a message, play a sound, or remotely wipe your data from any browser or the updated iOS app, which should presumably go live sometime today along with iOS 4.2.1 itself. Like we said, it's a baby step, but hey -- we never say no to free.

Update: Okay, so this is strange -- Find My iPhone is free for all devices running iOS 4.2.1, but you can only register for the service from an iPhone 4, iPad, or new iPod touch, unless you pay for MobileMe. Why? We'd guess it's to limit it to owners of the newest gear, but whatever -- if you've got an iPhone 4-toting friend you can totally get in on the action.

Apple's Find My iPhone / iPad service now free, doesn't require MobileMe originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iOS 4.2 goes gold, available now to developers (updated)

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:11:00 EST

The iPad's ticket to multitasking freedom -- better known as iOS 4.2 -- has moves past the beta phase and onto GM, which means retail units should be seeing it soon. Besides the iPad, Apple is also providing builds for the second, third, and fourth generations of the iPod touch, along with the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4... so if you've got a friend with an iPhone Developer Program subscription, now would be a great time to get cozy.

Update: Apple made some last minute tweaks that give fast access to brightness, volume, and AirPlay controls right in the multitasking bar (pictured after the break). Apple's also on the verge of allowing MobileMe service logins using an Apple ID.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading iOS 4.2 goes gold, available now to developers (updated)

iOS 4.2 goes gold, available now to developers (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola suing Apple for patent infringement

Paul Miller — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:03:00 EST

It's getting hard to keep track of, isn't it? The way we hear it told, most of these patent disputes and overlaps in the mobile space used to be settled in quiet ways, mutually assured destruction-style, but lately there's a whole lot of nukes going off. Motorola is now suing Apple over a wide range of technology patents which it claims Apple is infringing on with its iPhone, iPad, "iTouch," and even some Macs. The company is leveling three complaints which include 18 patents on "early-stage innovations" by Motorola, covering a pretty wide swath of the mobile landscape, including WCDMA, GPRS, 802.11, antenna design, wireless email, proximity sensing, software application management, location-based services and multi-device synchronization. Outside of the devices, Apple's MobileMe and App Store services get called out specifically. At the end of its press release Motorola makes a very similar claim to the one Nokia made at the outset of its own lawyer salvo against Apple:

We have extensively licensed our industry-leading intellectual property portfolio, consisting of tens of thousands of patents in the U.S. and worldwide. After Apple's late entry into the telecommunications market, we engaged in lengthy negotiations, but Apple has refused to take a license. We had no choice but to file these complaints to halt Apple's continued infringement.

We'll of course be digging deeper as we get more info, and covering the blow by blow with perhaps just a little too much enthusiasm. Oh, and before you go, riddle us this: do you think this is a preemptive strike on Motorola's part, afraid of another Android-related lawsuit from Apple, or has Apple been holding off for precisely the threat this lawsuit represents? Or maybe Moto's still mad about that antenna thing? Perhaps we'll never know.

Continue reading Motorola suing Apple for patent infringement

Motorola suing Apple for patent infringement originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm webOS 2.0 preview video hits the wilds

Darren Murph — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:43:00 EST

First things first -- before you jump on past the break and mash play, mute your speakers. Mute. As in, off. Alrighty, now that you're prepared, you've got two minutes and 14 seconds of teasing just a click away, as some sure-to-be-yelled-at developer has leaked a sneak peak into the wide, mysterious world of webOS 2.0. Not that we haven't seen a cornucopia of screenshots already, but at least this emulation vid gives you a better idea of how things will actually flow once it gets released to end users. Oh, and as for those DropBox and MobileMe integration rumors? Looks like that's just QuickOffice being QuickOffice.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Palm webOS 2.0 preview video hits the wilds

Palm webOS 2.0 preview video hits the wilds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple slyly enables background iDisk music streaming in iOS 4

Darren Murph — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:14:00 EST

Well, would you look at that? The v1.2 update to MobileMe iDisk that Apple pushed out last month has a secret -- er, did have a secret. One of the concealed new features of the app is background streaming, or as Apple puts it, the ability to "play audio from your iDisk while using another app." For starters, it's pretty fantastic just to have this functionality in-hand for your own garage jams, but what's more is that any licensed music on your iDisk still streams perfectly fine. Only time will tell if any record labels (or that mean, mean RIAA) step forward with a grievance, but this could very well be the beginning of iTunes in the cloud. Or a reason for buying Lala. Or a mysterious combination of the two.

Apple slyly enables background iDisk music streaming in iOS 4 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's MobileMe iDisk App updated for iPad, redesigned Calendar goes beta

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 04:08:00 EST

Too lazy to cancel your $99 MobileMe automatic subscription renewal and make the jump to one of the many free alternatives? Don't worry, your lethargy has paid off this morning as Apple introduces its new MobileMe iDisk 1.2 app and a beta version of its new MobileMe Calendar. iDisk is pretty much the same app you know and ignore only now it's optimized for the bigger iPad screen, tweaked to support iOS 4 multitasking, and offers the option to open iDisk documents in compatible apps -- like using iBooks for PDFs for example. The faster loading MobileMe Calendar beta (login to MobileMe to request an invite) features redesigned day, week, and month views; calendar sharing amongst friends, family, and predators (if you like); the ability to publish a calendar to a team or group; and event invitations to anyone holding an email address (me.com or not) with RSVP support and automatic change notifications. Best of all, the Calendar beta uses the CalDAV standard, you know, just like that free Calendar from the company that rhymes with frugal.

Apple's MobileMe iDisk App updated for iPad, redesigned Calendar goes beta originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 04:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's MobileMe Mail gets a refresh for some reason

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 04:45:00 EST

You still using (and paying $99 a year) MobileMe? So you haven't been lured away by Google's or Microsoft's free offerings then? Ok, then you'll probably notice that MobileMe looks a bit different today. Pictured above is the new MobileMe application switcher that now requires two clicks to do what previously took one (i.e., switch MobileMe applications). Looks pretty though. Mail is the biggest change with new widescreen (pictured above) and compact views, rules, single-click archiving, a formatting toolbar, and SSL all introduced in the beta last month. Huzzah?

P.S. Sadly, that's a screengrab from our actual MobileMe account. Somebody please remind us why we still pay for this?

Apple's MobileMe Mail gets a refresh for some reason originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple launches 'Find My iPhone' app to remotely wipe and find your lost treasure

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 04:05:00 EST

Stay with us here because this one isn't obvious. Apple just launched its Find My iPhone app on the iTunes App Store -- a service previously limited to MobileMe's web interface. The App will find your iPhone or iPad or iPod touch should it be lost or stolen. So obviously, you don't install it on your lost/stolen device, you install it on a different iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, yours or somebody else's (try a Starbucks). Panicked owners can then login with their MobileMe account to map their missing property and then remotely lock the device or wipe the data. The App can only be installed on iOS 3.1.3 or later devices and is available now for free.

Gallery: Apple launches 'Find My iPhone' app to remotely wipe and find your lost treasure

[Thanks, Brian M.]

Apple launches 'Find My iPhone' app to remotely wipe and find your lost treasure originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 04:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad roundup: Letterman licking, Colbert chopping, MobileMe and Remote support

Vlad Savov — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:03:00 EST

Let's get straight to the meat. The iPad was doing the talk show rounds last night, with heavy hitters David Letterman and Stephen Colbert one-upping each other on who can do the sillier thing with it. Letterman went with the old school "if you don't know what to do with it, lick it" routine, while his competitor brought out a more sophisticated salsa preparation act. Pick your favorite from the videos after the break. In more material news, Apple has announced that MobileMe now includes the iPad among its supported devices, while some eager souls over at MacStories have spotted that iTunes 9.1 now references an "iPad remote," which suggests the nearly 10-inch tablet will soon be able to function as one of the most luxurious channel changers around. And you thought you wouldn't find a use for it.

Continue reading iPad roundup: Letterman licking, Colbert chopping, MobileMe and Remote support

iPad roundup: Letterman licking, Colbert chopping, MobileMe and Remote support originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple 'Grab & Go' sync patent application features... Engadget

Nilay Patel — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:41:00 EST

Apple's applied for and gotten a ton of patents this year, and while most of them are fairly boring, we're intrigued by this recently-revealed application for a "Grab & Go" sync system -- and not just because one of the diagrams references Engadget. The idea is to simplify sync by pre-packaging sets of data into categories like family, business, and entertainment that a user could just grab, as well as make sharing files between devices like phones, computers, and even game consoles much easier. The software can adapt to fit multiple connection types and add various levels of encryption and security, including requiring devices to be in close proximity to each other in order to sync. All in all, it sounds like a solid evolutionary addition to MobileMe, and we're curious to see if any of this ever ships -- the patent application was just made public, so it could be a while.

Filed under: Software

Apple 'Grab & Go' sync patent application features... Engadget originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MobileMe media sync detailed in Apple patent application

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:26:00 EST

What do you know? It looks like Apple's filed yet another patent application. The company's newest is named (in the short, pithy way that patents are named) Synchronization of Media State Across Multiple Devices. Combining the ubiquity of MobileMe with the media syncing that goes down when you dock your iPod or iPhone, the application suggests that soon you might find all your Engadget Show episodes automagically picking up where you left 'em when you switch devices -- without any lag time or any pesky cables. As Macworld points out, also included in the paperwork is distance tracking functionality -- just the thing for automating sync operations when two devices come within range (it's unclear whether this will be done via Bluetooth or WiFi). Perhaps this news isn't exciting to the couch potatoes among us (you know, because they never leave the couch) but all you TV addicts "on the go" must be psyched.

[Via Macworld]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Laptops, Portable Audio, Portable Video

MobileMe media sync detailed in Apple patent application originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple kicks out MobileMe iDisk app for iPhone

Darren Murph — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:59:00 EST

It still can't multitask, but as of today, it's finally capable of accessing and sharing iDisk files. Apple has at long last let loose a long-awaited application for iPhone OS 3.0 that enables iPhone and iPod touch users with MobileMe accounts to access the inner sanctums of their own iDisk. The app lets you login, view files (up to 20MB or so, sayeth Apple) and share files by sending others a link via email to whatever you deem appropriate. There's also an option to password protect those files and limit the amount of days the download is active, though viewing files is limited to iPhone-supported file types such as iWork, Office, QuickTime, PDF, etc. If you're a paying MobileMe user, go on and give this one a download -- it's free, you know?

Read - iDisk [opens in iTunes]
Read - TUAW's First Look: iDisk app

Filed under: Software, Apple, iPhone OS

Apple kicks out MobileMe iDisk app for iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple kicks out MobileMe iDisk app for iPhone

Darren Murph — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Software

Apple kicks out MobileMe iDisk app for iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Find My iPhone reunites true nerd with lost iPhone

Paul Miller — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:43:00 EST

You know, we might be inclined to disbelieve this exciting tale of derring-do if it weren't for the highly improbably heroics and ingenuity displayed by its three protagonists -- you just can't make this stuff up. Probably. Kevin, Ryan and Mark were in Chicago minding their own nerdness out at Brickworld when Kevin left his iPhone behind at a dive bar. When they went back for it just minutes later the phone was gone, and instead of calling the cops like a bunch of suckers, Kevin and co. did the right thing and pulled out a Sprint 3G dongle and a MacBook Pro. Unfortunately, Find My iPhone couldn't get a lock on his phone at all -- it was either off or out of data range. The next day at lunch he finally got a delivery confirmation message from me.com, which kicked off a wild, dangerous chase into the wilds of Chicago. We won't spoil the ending for you (he finds the iPhone), but Kevin does raise a couple good points about the service functionality: you need to pull up MobileMe on laptop to use the service (instead of perhaps another iPhone), movement updates aren't pushed, ringer volume impacts alert volume whether the phone is on vibrate or not, and there should be an option for controlling the phone in more nefarious ways like taking pictures. We're glad it all ended up well, but those moments of Lego bliss that Kevin and his friends missed out on are gone forever.

[Thanks, Tristan W.]

Filed under: Culture, Software, Apple, iPhone OS

Find My iPhone reunites true nerd with lost iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Find My iPhone reunites true nerd with lost iPhone

Paul Miller — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:42:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Find My iPhone reunites true nerd with lost iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Find My iPhone is live, totally found our iPhone

Paul Miller — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:16:00 EST

We wouldn't really say we "have it together" when it comes to remembering where we put our keys / phone / small children, so Apple's announcement of the Find My iPhone service for MobileMe users came as quite a relief. The service just went live, and with a quick toggle of a preference pane in iPhone OS 3.0 the phone is fully prepared for all sorts of lost and found scenarios -- along with acting as an incredibly intuitive (if pricey) stalking mechanism. Find My iPhone works exactly as advertised, giving us a fairly good location estimate from within our lead-lined underground fortress, and sending annoying messages to the phone complete with sound, even when the handset is switched to silent, though unfortunately the sound is a sort of sonar ping that strikes us as incredibly difficult to locate, unless of course our phone is taken by whale. The only other problem is that both the location function and the message service took a couple minutes to track down our iPhone -- not a deal breaker, but we don't know what the hangup could be. After the device is pinged, a confirmation of the event was sent to our MobileMe email address. A live, enthralling video demonstration is after the break.

Gallery: Find My iPhone is live, totally found our iPhone

Continue reading Find My iPhone is live, totally found our iPhone

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Handhelds

Find My iPhone is live, totally found our iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple launching free iDisk iPhone app for viewing and sending stored docs -- still no substitute for a file system

Paul Miller — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:23:00 EST

Buried under the considerable stack of WWDC newness is news that Apple is launching an iPhone iDisk application for MobileMe users alongside iPhone OS 3.0. It lets users browse through and view their remotely stored docs, but there doesn't seem to be an offline component to the app (at least none is mentioned in Apple's brief writeup) -- though a feature that lets you email a download link to an iDisk file is welcome. Naturally, there are plenty of apps that already access iDisk, WebDAV, Google Docs and other online storage systems, and offer added functionality like local caching to boot, but it's at least nice to have a bit of first party support when it comes to basic iDisk browsing for users who are already paying for the privilege -- we just hope it grows into so much more.

[Thanks, Arya]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Apple launching free iDisk iPhone app for viewing and sending stored docs -- still no substitute for a file system originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0

Ross Miller — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:04:00 EST

Apple touted quite a few new iPhone features at yesterday's OS 3.0 event, but now that the beta build is trickling out, there's been a bevy of unearthed discoveries to further pique our interests. First up, the gang at Boy Genius Report found an option to enable the "Find My iPhone" service in the MobileMe settings. Unfortunately, that's all we've got, but we wouldn't put it past Cupertino to build some me.com-linked location tracker that'd be the envy of Orwell himself -- hey, that'd be pretty useful if you accidentally left the mobile in a taxi. Also in the MobileMe section, it now says Publish Video when you go to publish an image. It's an odd typo, to be sure, and while video recording has been near the top of our wishlist for some time, we're not about to get our hopes up. Finally, Mac Rumors is reporting that a hacker has dug up and successfully activated the USB tethering capabilities. Apple's Scott Forstall had mentioned the devs were building it in, but were still in talks with the carriers. As to whether any or all of these functions will actually end up in the final OS 3.0 build, your guess is a good as ours. For now, check out more pics of the MobileMe additions after the break.

[Thanks everyone who sent this in!]

Read - Find My iPhone
Read - USB Tethering

Continue reading USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0

Filed under: Handsets, Apple

USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0

Ross Miller — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:04:00 EST

Continue reading USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0

Filed under: Cellphones

USB tethering, Publish Video and Find my iPhone found in OS 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eye-Fi making wares twice as fast, expanding internationally

Darren Murph — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:15:00 EST

Frustrated by somewhat sluggish transfers from your otherwise spectacular Eye-Fi card? Fret not, as the company has just announced a forthcoming update at Photokina that will reportedly enable new and existing Eye-Fi owners to make "the upload of digital photos from camera to computer twice as fast." Also of note, as of October 5th, users can even add features that aren't already included on their card and renew annual services by tapping into the updated Eye-Fi Manager Web application. In related news, the outfit will be pushing its wares to Japan and Canada by the year's end, and in even more related news, Eye-Fi now supports direct photo uploads to Apple's MobileMe and the AdoramaPix service.

Read - Eye-Fi getting 2x faster
Read - Eye-Fi going international

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals, Wireless, Storage

Eye-Fi making wares twice as fast, expanding internationally originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Ryan Block — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:51:00 EST

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.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

MobileMe gets new leadership, Jobs admits Apple made a big mistake originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple admits to lost MobileMe messages, bad karma

Thomas Ricker — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:44:00 EST

Apple's Push-like MobileMe launch has been such a debacle that they're now in damage control mode. As a result, some poor soul has been tasked by Steve Jobs to post status updates "every other day or so." The first update is already revealing:

Last Friday, 1% of MobileMe subscribers were affected by a "serious problem" with one of Apple's mail server.
Limited web access has been restored to those accounts but full access won't be sorted until next week.
Of these 1%, Apple admits to losing "approximately 10%" of the messages received between July 16 and July 18.

For the rest of you MobileMe subscribers, Apple has added server capacity, tuned the software to scale better, and fixed over 70 bugs to date. So the question is, how's MobileMe working for you?

View Poll

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Apple admits to lost MobileMe messages, bad karma originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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