Mobileme
Maybe Mobileyou
As I continue to struggle with various aspects of Apple’s new Mobileme service I am reminded of just how critical a new product can be to a company’s success and reputation.
I found the iPhone to be such a wonderful tool that I spent $3,300 in the Apple Store for a computer that I don’t need (I already have four and I can’t even type). My thinking was that once I learned how to use it that I might switch over to Mac exclusively; that would mean thousands of dollars more for Apple and many strong referrals from me.
BUT, after spending several hundred dollars more trying to get a $99 a year add-on working, I now find myself sorry that I ever walked into the Mac Store. What a shame! In addition to the time and money I have spent with “experts” trying to make this thing work, I have also spent a great deal of time reading up on what others have to say about Mobileme. Mac Forums has a poll showing 246 users responing to the question, “Are you satisfied with Mobileme?” The results were, 127 (51.63%) saying “No”, and 119 (48.37%) saying “Yes”.
I had numerous people send me a link to this article by Walter Mossberg, who said, “If Apple does get MobileMe working smoothly, it could be a terrific service. But its way too ragged now.”
Then I got a link to this article written by David Pouge in the New York Times entitled, Apple’s MobileMess. This article talked mostly about the problems with Mobileme e-mail, which I haven’t even attempted to use yet.
Fortunately, my problems are pretty much behind me. I still have a minor issue or two, but nothing I cannot live with until the “Mobilemess” is straightened out, but I still have a bad taste in my mouth for the Apple employees at the “Genius Bar” that set it up wrong to begin with. Yes, first impressions are lasting impressions.
July 26th, 2008 at 4:02 am
Ron you, like many others, are a positive thinker and a visionary, and brave to explore new worlds. Very Captain Kirk. How many years do you think this exploration took off your life? What ever happened to K.I.S.S.? No one is telling you to be a Luddite, but perhaps waiting until all the bugs are worked out could keep your blood pressure in check. We appreciate the heads up though. By the way, I placed an order for a 16 gb I-Phone for my son. He just wore his last phone into the lake when his wakecoache’s boat ran out of gas, he pushed it to her dock. He better not do that with his new one. Be glad you didn’t do that! Take a deep breath and move one to the next mission, Captain; and thanks for the exploration.
July 26th, 2008 at 8:38 am
I too admire Ron’s courage to venture into the “World of Big Mac”, however, as pretty as the machines are, I still cannot do it. I doubt that Ron’s experiences here have taken any time off of his life, and just may have added some. When we use our brains, they grow, when idle they atrophy. Think about the the last “S” in KISS.
I have been watching this thread with great interest, and have no doubt that when looking back Ron will consider it all a very positive and enlightening experience.
Go Get Em Ron!
July 27th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
For those of you following this story, please know that all is well and working. I do not like the Mobileme calendar near as much as I do Outlook, but I can live with it until Apple gets Outlook synching for me as it should.
And, “No Runaway”, I don’t think I have aged any, but HAVE learned a lot.
I am currently at the airport (on the Mac) headed to Maui without my trusty Sony.
Stand by…
Ron