MobileMe
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Apple allegedly 'open' to restoring discontinued MobileMe features
As part of the MobileMe transition to iCloud, several of MobileMe's features are being discontinued, including iWeb hosting, Gallery, iDisk, and a handful of syncing services. An AppleInsider reader emailed Apple CEO Tim Cook to complain about the deprecation of iDisk and syncing services for application preferences and keychains. Instead of receiving an email response, the reader allegedly received a phone call from Cook's office saying that while those services aren't currently planned to be making the transition to iCloud, "Apple is open to it if there's enough feedback on the subject." There's no way to verify the legitimacy of this phone call, but it does align nicely with a trend we've been noticing since Tim Cook took over as CEO -- Apple seems a bit more open to serious consideration of user suggestions and criticisms than it's been in the past.
One family, two Find My iPhone adventures
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian family has recently gone through not one, but two adventures related to stolen iPhones. While on holiday at a Hilton in Fiji, the family's mother, Fiona Donohoe, had her iPhone ripped off by a hotel concierge. In a move worthy of a featured spot on Dumb Criminals, the theft was discovered and the iPhone recovered after the concierge accidentally synced all of his/her own contacts with Donohoe's MobileMe account. After that it was presumably simple to track down the thief, who has been fired from the Fiji Hilton and jailed for six months. Only two weeks later, 13-year-old Tahira Donohoe had her iPhone stolen while at school. She and her father used the Find My iPhone app on his iPad to track the thief's progress along a bus route for a while before deciding to give up the chase and let the police deal with it. They walked into a police station, set the iPad on the counter, and reported a theft in progress. Police caught up with the thief shortly thereafter, and when they were at first unable to find the stolen goods, they asked the Donohoes to ping the phone using Find My iPhone. Once the telltale sonar sound went off, police recovered the phone, arrested the 13-year-old thief after a brief chase, and brought everything in to the station to sort things out. The Donohoes did not press charges against the young thief. The Herald reports that the Donohoes had already replaced the iPhone stolen in Fiji before that phone was recovered, so they now have an extra iPhone. Hopefully they can hang on to all of them from now on. Find My iPhone is available for free from the App Store and does not require a paid MobileMe account if you have an iPhone 4, any iPad, or a fourth-generation iPod touch. Once iCloud launches, the service will presumably be free for all users on all devices. Find My iPhone is hands-down the first app that should be installed on new iOS devices and the first service you should enable.
Rumor: iCloud support coming in Snow Leopard 10.6.9
According to a image sent in to MacRumors, iCloud support may be coming to Snow Leopard users. As you can see in the screenshot above, the .Mac preference pane in a previous OS X's System Preferences reads: "You will no longer be able to sync with this machine because you've upgraded to iCloud. iCloud requires a computer running Mac OS X Snow Leopard v10.6.9 or later for Contacts, Calendars, and Bookmarks." This message appeared in OS X 10.4 Tiger after a developer updated his MobileMe account to an iCloud account. The notice appears to be the first indication that OS X 10.6.9 is in the works. Presumably it will only include minor bug fixes and provide limited iCloud support for Snow Leopard. Currently Apple states that iCloud will require OS X 10.7, but that is presumably for the more advanced Documents, iTunes Match, Photo Stream, and Backups features. It's reasonable to assume Apple isn't going to lock non-Lion users out of their @me.com email addresses.
MobileMe, iCloud phishing scam making the rounds
There's a new phishing scam going around today involving MobileMe and iCloud. As noted by MacRumors, the scam involves an email that asks users to upgrade their MobileMe accounts to iCloud. The email reads: Dear MobileMe member, Please sign up for iCloud and click the submit botton [sic], you'll be able to keep your old email address and move your mail, contacts, calendars, and bookmarks to the new service. Your subscription will be automatically extended through July 31, 2012, at no additional charge. After that date, MobileMe will no longer be available. Click here to update iCLOUD Sincerely, The Apple store Team Clicking on the iCLOUD button takes the email recipient to a phishing page (an image of it is provided by MacRumors here). The page mimics elements of various Apple billing and shopping cart pages. As is the case with any email asking you to click on a link and enter your password or billing information its usually best to go directly to the company's login page by manually typing in the company's URL in your browser's address field. If the email is legit, you'll usually see the same message once you've logged into your account. Don't take the bait.
Users transitioning from MobileMe to iCloud to get 25 GB of storage
Last week we told you what the storage prices will be for iCloud users. Everyone gets 5 GB for free, and users can choose to add an additional 10 GB for US$20/year (15 GB total), 20 GB for $40/year (25 GB total), or 50 GB for $100/year (55 GB total). What wasn't apparent, however, was what would happen with the storage space for paid MobileMe subscribers. If you remember, when you subscribed to MobileMe for US$99/year, you got 20 GB of storage. Well, according to MacRumors, existing MobileMe users who transition to iCloud will get a total of 25 GB of storage. That's 5 GB of free iCloud storage and 20 GB of your paid MobileMe storage space. It's nice that Apple is grandfathering in all of MobileMe's subscribers to the $40/year iCloud storage plan for free, however there is a slight catch for MobileMe users that are currently signed up for recurring billing. Those users will automatically be billed $40 on July 1, 2012, for another year's worth of additional 20 GB storage unless they cancel their re-billing prior to June 30, 2012. In other words, just because Apple is canceling MobileMe, doesn't mean it's canceling your re-billing. Even though I'm sure Apple is doing it for convenience, it's still kind of shady. After all, many MobileMe users might find that they only need the free 5 GB that comes with iCloud. What Apple should do is sever all re-billing after June 30, 2012, unless MobileMe to iCloud users specifically sign up for it. Apple has previously said that existing paid MobileMe users can continue to use MobileMe's services until June 30, 2012, after which MobileMe will cease to exist.
Apple iCloud and iWork beta for iOS hands-on
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-129793%
Apple launches iCloud and iWork betas, confirms pricing for extra capacity
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]
Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 beta brings iCloud support, no bug fixes
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.
Sandvox updated for Lion; Karelia wants to lure iWeb orphans
If the impending loss of MobileMe has you wondering how you will maintain and create websites, Sandvox is worth a look. It's more powerful than iWeb, but still easy enough for most beginners. We took a look at Sandvox in May, and now the folks at Karelia are offering a pretty painless path to switch. iWeb users can get 25% off the US $77.00 toll through the end of this month. Just use the coupon code 'iWeb Graduate' when you purchase. Karelia also offers clear advice on how to transfer from iWeb to Sandvox. Of course with MobileMe going away, you're going to need a new place to host that site, and there are a lot of good alternatives that Steve Sande wrote about last month. There's more good news from Sandvox today. An update just released (version 2.1) is Lion ready, has some speed increases, and a boatload of fixes and enhancements. You can get details on the latest version here. iWeb isn't dead of course, but with MobileMe going away next year, there's no telling how long the application will be around.
Finding an iPhone the old-fashioned way
Ben Patterson and his wife learned a hard lesson on using Find My iPhone after traveling to Manhattan's East Village to visit a friend. After a lovely evening, they hopped from one cab to another as they traveled back to Brooklyn. His wife froze with fear when she realized her iPhone was missing. All her contacts, emails, photos and more were likely in the backseat of another cab and possibly in the hands of a stranger. The couple fired up the Find My iPhone app on Patterson's iPhone 4 and was disappointed to discover his wife's phone was not being tracked. There was no way to find it, lock it or wipe it. Patterson remembered setting up the tracking service, but he never double-checked to make sure it was working. Now that the iPhone was gone, it was too late. The pair followed the standard protocol for handling a lost phone. They called the cab company, but got nowhere since they did not have a cab number or any identifying information. Then they called AT&T and both deactivated the SIM card and reported the phone missing. She fired up an old iPhone 3GS and moved on. Almost a week later, she received a phone call from an unusual number. She answered the call and was shocked to discover it was a sales associate from a local AT&T store. They had her phone! A young woman had found it in the back of the cab and returned the phone to the store. For once, it wasn't technology like Find My iPhone that led to the return of a missing phone, but the kindness of strangers.
New iCloud FAQ: Yes, there will be webmail
Since iCloud was announced by Apple on June 6, the TUAW inbox has been filled to capacity with questions about the many features of Apple's cloud computing platform of the future. Unfortunately, we have been just as much in the fog as you have about what features are moving from MobileMe to iCloud, and how the transition between the two services will take place. Today, Apple published an online document titled "Frequently asked questions about the MobileMe transition and iCloud" to clear away the confusion. As it turns out, I was wrong in my speculation that Apple was going to be getting rid of web-based versions of Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Find My iPhone (as was our friend and former Engadget colleague Josh Topolsky, who apparently got some bad intel from a misinformed or confused Apple PR staffer). Fellow TUAW editor Chris Rawson disagreed with me on that speculation, and it turns out that he was correct. Apple has publicly stated on the FAQ page that "Web access to iCloud Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Find My iPhone will be available at icloud.com this fall." Apple notes that "The core services provided by MobileMe have been rewritten to work seamlessly with iCloud." That being said, the FAQ shows that three services of MobileMe aren't going to make the transition -- iWeb hosting, Gallery, and iDisk. If you use MobileMe to host your iWeb-created site, be sure to read our posts on replacements for MobileMe hosting and WYSIWYG HTML editors for Mac. Apple has also posted a knowledge base article about transitioning your iWeb sites to another host. Of course, new features -- iTunes in the Cloud, Photo Stream, Documents in the Cloud, auto-downloads and purchase history for apps and books, and backup and restore of mobile devices -- are to be added with iCloud. That may be cold comfort if you're a longtime iWeb user, have complex iDisk workflows or extensive MobileMe galleries... but it's something. For those of you with .mac or .me email addresses, Apple is going to let you keep that address into the future. The company states that you can "move your MobileMe mail, contacts, and calendars, as well as your bookmarks, to the new service. When iCloud becomes available this fall, Apple will provide details and instructions on how to make the move." Apple also provides knowledge base articles on how to save MobileMe Gallery photos and iDisk files. Other highlights of the document include info on merging MobileMe accounts (not possible), using multiple iTunes account for store purchases and iTunes in the Cloud (possible), what to do if you will be using more than the free 5 GB of iCloud storage (you can buy more), and submitting a refund request for unused or partially used MobileMe licenses. Be sure to take a look at the Apple document and associated knowledge base articles as they're sure to ease your mind about some iCloud questions -- and possibly raise other questions about your life in the cloud.
Apple email reveals iCloud storage details
An email sent from Apple to a MobileMe member reveals some details about Apple's upcoming storage allocation in iCloud. When users sign up for a free iCloud account, they will receive 5 GB of cloud storage. However, when users near their 5 GB limit, they'll receive an email from Apple like the one this MobileMe member received today, as MacRumors reported. The email reveals what happens if you hit your 5 GB limit. If you max out your data storage, your iOS devices will no longer back up or save new data to iCloud, and any emails sent to your me.com email address will bounce back to the sender. The good news is that media or apps that you purchased through iTunes don't count against your 5 GB iCloud allotment. Still, if you're going to be saving many large files on iCloud, you're probably going to need more than the 5 GB of free storage eventually. The email from Apple states that iCloud users can buy more storage right from their iOS devices or on a Mac or PC; it doesn't, however, state any pricing or in what increments users can buy additional storage. iCloud is expected to fully roll out in the fall with the release of iOS 5, but users with an iTunes account can test out some of its services now by redownloading apps they've already purchased.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me get a MobileMe refund
Dear Aunt TUAW, I renewed MobileMe in April for $99. It appears there will be no refund. Where's the loud and insistent outcry? Your rather ticked-off nephew, Z Dear Z, Auntie totally gets where you are coming from (although as far as she's concerned, MobileMe is something that always happened to other people). Apple has renewed all MobileMe customers until the middle of 2012 but, honestly, what's the point? Anyway, Apple has clarified its MobileMe refund policy on this Knowledge Base page. Unused activation codes and codes used for 45 days or less will be fully refunded. Codes used for 46 days or more will receive pro-rated refunds. Shipping costs and rebates will be deducted from any refunds. You'll need to provide proof-of-purchase documentation before submitting any claims. You can contact Apple directly and request a refund by phone. This worldwide list of numbers provides contact information on a country-by-country basis. That's what Uncle Steve did. He renewed at the start of the year, getting a few months of service but paying for the entire year. He might have gotten a couple of months more value than you but he's totally in the same boat. So Auntie made him call up Apple and demand, I tell you, demand that refund. Here's what happened. He was quickly transferred to the MobileMe department, and the phone rep there recommended that he wait on canceling. "You can cancel your MobileMe subscription at any time for a pro-rated refund," they told him. "However, if you use MobileMe for email, contacts, calendar, iDisk files, and MobileMe Gallery, that information is going to be deleted and you won't be able to sync devices." The Apple support rep recommended waiting until iCloud becomes available. "[If you wait until] those services are available to you, you can cancel the MobileMe subscription and receive a refund for the remainder of the year. You cannot reactivate your MobileMe subscription after you cancel it, so be sure that if you are going to cancel that you have alternative sources for email, and for syncing. " Uncle Steve chose to wait. He's going to cancel after iOS 5 and iCloud are firmly chugging along this Fall and request his pro-rated refund at that point. You might want to wait and do the same. That's because Uncle Steve is very sensitive about his "mac.com" email address. He wants to keep it forever and ever, and hug it and love it and call it "George." It appears that he'll be able to do so. Yay! He's more than a little concerned about the 5 GB free storage limit on iCloud, though. His email will chew that up in no time -- much like how Auntie's little Pekingese puppy Spunky Sue (AKC registered name "Spunky Sue Your Pants Off Champion Johnnie Cochran") chewed up Auntie's favorite slippers last week. You'll discover a wealth of information about iCloud both in the press release announcing the service and in the web pages that describe it, so be sure to do a little reading for your homework. Do you have any other concerns about MobileMe and the transition to iCloud? Let Auntie know in the comments. Hugs, Auntie T.
Yes, there will be iCloud web apps
Since Steve Jobs unveiled iCloud at WWDC, many current MobileMe subscribers and potential iCloud users have wondered what will happen to the current web-based offerings for contacts, calendars, email and so forth. Josh Topolsky of This is my next claims that Apple PR has confirmed the current web-based interface will go away, replaced entirely by iCloud's new services. Topolsky's point is that since Steve Jobs said nothing about iCloud having a browser-based interface option at WWDC, it means such an option will never exist. He also has confirmed that Apple's PR folk told him straight up that there will not be web access to calendar, email and contacts. However, as Daring Fireball's John Gruber notes, "there is no reason to assume that iCloud as it will exist 12 months from now will be limited to what was announced one week ago." Considering we're more than a year away from MobileMe's permanent expiration date, that's a pretty big leap to make, even with the direct comment from Apple -- and it's one that's unsupported by evidence a MacRumors reader dug up. According to MacRumors, a reader sent a calendar reminder to himself via iOS 5 and was able to view it on iCloud.com in his browser. Except for minor differences in branding, the iCloud interface was nearly identical to MobileMe's existing browser-based interface. If Apple were indeed planning on doing away with the web interface once iCloud launches, it seems odd for it to offer the service during beta testing (with the iCloud branding, no less). While Steve Jobs has allegedly confirmed that iWeb and iWeb-based site hosting will be discontinued, multiple sources have seen evidence in both OS X Lion and iOS 5 that iDisk (or something similar) will still exist when iCloud launches. Additionally, the makings for a "Find My Mac" service have been seen in OS X Lion, and if such a service weren't accessible from a browser-based interface it would be all but useless. Those who have speculated that Apple will discontinue its web-based MobileMe offerings once iCloud launches have yet to provide a compelling reason why Apple would do so. The potential advantage of simplifying device-data syncing would be more than offset by the very real disadvantage of never being able to access your data from any device other than those you've already registered with iCloud. Apple has to be smart enough to know that current MobileMe users occasionally have to access their data from computers other than their own, and locking iCloud users out from doing the same thing would be a huge misstep. Yes, I believe there will be iCloud web apps. What shape they'll take remains to be seen, but even if Apple simply swaps the MobileMe branding out for iCloud and keeps the existing MobileMe codebase for the browser-based interface, that should be more than enough for most people's needs if they're trying to access iCloud from someone else's device.
Rumor: Steve Jobs says iWeb and MobileMe hosting are going away
Those of us with a vested interest in iWeb have been perplexed by the lack of interest shown by Apple in the former iLife web design app. Couple this with the pending demise of MobileMe on June 30, 2012, and that confusion turns into concern. MacRumors featured a post a few hours ago about an iWeb/MobileMe fan who was so concerned about the lack of iWeb love coming from Apple that the user sent Steve Jobs an email. In the email the iWeb user asked, "Will I need to find an alternative website builder and someone to host my sites?" The alleged response from the CEO of Apple: "Yep." iWeb's discontinuation wouldn't be completely surprising. When iLife '11 debuted late last year, the lack of a new version of iWeb frustrated a number of users. When iCloud was announced last week, there was no indication that websites created with iWeb and hosted on MobileMe would have a migration path to the new world of Apple cloud computing. There are many free website alternatives to a MobileMe-hosted iWeb site, such as WordPress.com, Blogger, Tumblr, and Posterous; paid options include Squarespace, Drupal Gardens and hundreds more. In addition, Facebook is an excellent alternative for both individuals or companies who just want to create a simple web presence to inform friends or customers of what's going on. If your needs are for a straightforward yet powerful WYSIWIG web authoring environment, both RapidWeaver and Sandvox deliver much of iWeb's power with more flexibility for non-MobileMe hosting. For those who still want to have their websites designed in iWeb and hosted somewhere other than on MobileMe, you might want to start looking for low-cost web hosting soon.
Ask TUAW: WWDC/iCloud Edition
Welcome to Ask TUAW, our weekly (mostly) question-and-answer column. This week we're addressing your numerous questions about Apple's introductions at WWDC. We'll try to tackle questions about Lion, MobileMe and more. By the way, we can never have too many questions. You can't have a Q&A column without the Q, so please go to the comments of this post and ask away. Believe it or not, we've had a little bit of a drought of questions, so now's your chance to get them answered! If you prefer, instead of asking questions in the comments, you can also email your questions directly to ask [at] tuaw.com, or simply ping us on Twitter. Now, questions! John asks: How do you remove iCloud music downloads from my iPhone and iPad? There seems to be no way to do it on the device or in iTunes when connected via USB to my computer.
MobileMe: Some speculation about the transition to iCloud
I'll start this post off by stating the obvious -- there's a lot about how MobileMe services will transition to iCloud that we don't know yet. But I'm going to take a stab at some of the most pressing questions we've received from TUAW readers regarding the transition. As more facts come in, we'll update this post and/or let you know in a new article. First, let's talk about what's available in MobileMe as it stands today. The details are in that graphic above, which is taken directly from the web-based MobileMe service. There are web-based versions of Mail, Contacts (Address Book), and Calendar (iCal); there's Find My iPhone, which has already become a free service; there's iDisk, a "cloud-based storage" solution; and then there are things like Gallery and iWeb hosting. Speculation #1: Web-based versions of Mail, Contacts, and Calendar will be de-emphasized I'd speculate that the web-based versions of Mail, Contacts, and Calendar will get less attention going forward, and might even disappear on June 30, 2012. Seriously -- who needs them? If you have a Mac or three, you'll sync Mail, Address Book, and iCal through the free iCloud service. The same with your iOS devices, which will send Mail, Contacts, and Calendar changes to the iCloud, where they'll all be echoed to the rest of your digital world. For Windows users, you'll be using Outlook 2010 or 2007 to sync to the iCloud. The only scenario in which you might not be able to get to your "stuff" is when you're using a public computer of some sort at a hotel, on a cruise ship, or at a cybercafé in Spain. Of course, you don't want that to happen, so you'll have your iOS device with you. Hook up to Wi-Fi or use your 3G data service, and the problem is solved. That's why they call them mobile devices. [The counterargument would be that dropping web-based access to PIM and email from iCloud would be a pretty big competitive disadvantage for the service, compared to Google and Microsoft offerings. It's equally likely that the web components will simply flip over from MobileMe to iCloud without any new features or engineering effort -- since Apple is already doing a passable job on them. –Ed.] Speculation #2: iDisk disappears Apple's already stated that iCloud will back up your content -- music, photos, apps, and documents. But there's nothing out there about what will happen to your other stuff. I personally have about 15 GB of iDisk storage available to me on MobileMe, of which I've actually used about 3 GB. All of my important data is sitting out in my Dropbox, syncing between my Macs and iOS devices. I personally don't see the need for iDisk in this world of Dropbox, but there are others who may be using iDisk since they either don't know about Dropbox and similar services or don't want to migrate to them. I think iDisk is going to go extinct, but that Apple will provide iDisk users with a variety of third-party cloud storage solutions and warn them to migrate their data well in advance. There is a full year to prepare. Speculation #3: Gallery is toast Gallery was Apple's way of creating web-based photo albums of your photos for sharing with friends and relatives. Once again, I can't see a need for it in the post-MobileMe world. Apple has already provided an "out" to those who want to share their photos to the world -- iPhoto supports sharing pictures to both Flickr and Facebook. I don't know what Flickr's membership is these days, but Facebook has well over 600 million users, and a good number of them may be former or current MobileMe subscribers. Those two services are perfect for photo sharing, and I'd be willing to bet that the current number of photos hosted in Gallery is a tiny fraction of the number out on Facebook or Flickr. Another reason I think Gallery is going away is the tendency for people to use iOS devices as a sort of electronic photo album. I don't know how many times I've seen my wife show off photos of our trips to friends or complete strangers using either her iPhone or iPad. It's a lot easier than telling them to go out to some long-winded MobileMe URL to see a gallery of pictures. Speculation #4: So long, iWeb hosting As the author of several editions of a book on iWeb, I have a vested interest in the future of this Apple product. However, the future just doesn't look all that bright for iWeb. The software hasn't been updated recently, and there is a lot of rumbling out on the Apple Support Forums about what will happen when MobileMe disappears. My guess? Apple will once again tell MobileMe users that they need to find their own hosting. iWeb can publish websites to a number of hosts, so it's no big deal to republish on a new one. I even wrote a post almost two years ago about how to use free Dropbox space to host an iWeb site, so there's a solution. Finally, a significant portion of the people who set up iWeb sites initially were putting together personal sites. Many of those people have probably gone the easy route and are either letting friends know about their lives via Twitter and Facebook, or have set up sites with free services, like Blogger or WordPress.com. Nevertheless, judging by the frustration and concern on Apple's support boards, this may be one of the trickiest transitions to manage. Conclusion Before some of our readers who are adverse to change go all ballistic on me in the comments, remember what I said at the beginning -- we don't really know what's going to happen to some of these services between now and the demise of MobileMe on June 30, 2012. All of this is speculation about what will happen, based on my personal perspective. If you have an alternative idea, or you're a disgruntled MobileMe employee who wants to spill the beans, please let us know about it in the comments or send us a tip via the "tip us" button at the top of the page.
Windows XP users will be lost in the iCloud
It's a subtle change but an important one: Apple's published Windows system requirements for iCloud are a bit different than they are for MobileMe and the current version of iTunes. Per the company's press release: Using iCloud with a PC requires Windows Vista or Windows 7; Outlook 2010 or 2007 is recommended for accessing contacts and calendars. Emphasis mine. What's missing? Only the world's most popular operating system (still!), Windows XP. While iTunes 10.3 and MobileMe both include XP SP 2 in the support list, it looks like the next stop on the road to the cloud is a no-go for the older OS. Considering that Apple's backwards-compatibility on iTunes 10.3 only goes back four years for its own operating system, it's kind of surprising that the ten-year-old XP has stayed on the short list for as long as it has. This shift, however, may mean that some PC users will search for alternatives to Apple's tools for iOS support (assuming that iTunes itself will move up to match the iCloud specification). Are you running Windows XP on any machines you currently use with iTunes or MobileMe? If so, is the prospect of iCloud requiring Vista or Win7 keeping you up at night?
Apple WWDC keynote video now viewable in the cloud
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]
MobileMe stays live through June 30, 2012
Apple's new iCloud service is a full, free replacement for MobileMe. But iCloud won't officially launch until iOS 5 debuts this fall. What does that mean for existing MobileMe subscribers? Not long ago we advised our readers not to pay for a MobileMe upgrade if their accounts were about to expire. Not to brag or anything, but it looks like that was some pretty sweet advice. Current MobileMe subscribers have had their accounts extended until June 30, 2012, over a full year of additional service. Apple isn't accepting new MobileMe subscriptions right now, and you're also unable to upgrade your current subscription to a Family Pack or purchase additional storage. If you already have a Family Pack, however, you are still able to create new family member accounts. If you took our advice and didn't pay to upgrade your account, you should have had full access restored by now. My MobileMe Family Account technically expired in the last week of May, but none of my services were ever restricted, and I've also been granted the same additional year of service as subscribers in good standing. If you didn't listen to our advice (or didn't hear about it) and recently upgraded your MobileMe account, you can contact Apple for a refund. The refund terms sound a bit ornery, though; Apple only specifically mentions refunds being offered if you have a MobileMe box with an unused activation code. On the other hand, if you paid for an upgrade or started a new account within the past couple of weeks, if you plead your case to Apple (nicely), there's a pretty good chance the company will give you at least a partial refund. MobileMe was down for about an hour this morning for some people (myself included), but the service is back up and running now. MobileMe's replacement, iCloud, will go live later this year, and unlike the US$99/year MobileMe service, iCloud will be free.
