Apple's .Mac Service to be Renamed, Revamped? [Mobile Me?]
Apple's .Mac ("dotmac") service is a $99/year set of online tools that provides customers with email (@mac), web hosting, iDisk, backup and sync services. .Mac services are tightly integrated with Apple's existing iLife suite, allowing you to publish content easily from iPhoto, iWeb and iMovie. Apple appears to be poised to rename and revamp this 6 year old service.
Codingrobots reveals that all references to Apple's .Mac service in Mac OS X 10.5.3 have been replaced with a variable... essentially a blank space that can be easily replaced in the future by a software update. The reason for this appears to be that Apple will be rebranding their .Mac service. This renaming plan is actually spelled out in iCal's localizable.strings file:
This finding may validate recent whispers that Apple is planning a dramatic .Mac update alongside the iPhone 2.0 release.
In early May, TUAW claimed that .Mac would undergo a complete revamp near WWDC, and include the over-the-air syncing like Exchange and .Mac syncing with Windows. There has already been evidence that .Mac will be begin offering "push" functionality for Mail, Contacts and Calendar items in the iPhone 2.0 firmware, so a WWDC revamp certainly seems possible. Other whispers have suggested that Apple will start offering a discounted .Mac (<$50) alongside new iPhone purchases. Apple currently offers a $30 discount on .Mac when purchasing a Mac.
Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) kicks off on June 9th in San Francisco.
Update: References to Mobile Me in the iPhone 2.0 SDK suggests Apple will use their Mobile Me trademark for the new .Mac service, confirming speculation:
Codingrobots reveals that all references to Apple's .Mac service in Mac OS X 10.5.3 have been replaced with a variable... essentially a blank space that can be easily replaced in the future by a software update. The reason for this appears to be that Apple will be rebranding their .Mac service. This renaming plan is actually spelled out in iCal's localizable.strings file:
%@ is the new name of Apples online service (was .Mac)
This finding may validate recent whispers that Apple is planning a dramatic .Mac update alongside the iPhone 2.0 release.
In early May, TUAW claimed that .Mac would undergo a complete revamp near WWDC, and include the over-the-air syncing like Exchange and .Mac syncing with Windows. There has already been evidence that .Mac will be begin offering "push" functionality for Mail, Contacts and Calendar items in the iPhone 2.0 firmware, so a WWDC revamp certainly seems possible. Other whispers have suggested that Apple will start offering a discounted .Mac (<$50) alongside new iPhone purchases. Apple currently offers a $30 discount on .Mac when purchasing a Mac.
Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) kicks off on June 9th in San Francisco.
Update: References to Mobile Me in the iPhone 2.0 SDK suggests Apple will use their Mobile Me trademark for the new .Mac service, confirming speculation:
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48 months ago
48 months ago
Finally, i hope europeans get a 'snappier' service, i want to use .Mac but its unworkable for me at the moment.
48 months ago
I only hope that they don't start requiring .Mac (or whatever it will be called) for some of these iPhone syncing features.
... and I'm still waiting for the ability to sync and edit Notes on the computer, along with a proper "to-do" app. I'm sure there will be 3rd party apps to solve those issues though.
... and I'm still waiting for the ability to sync and edit Notes on the computer, along with a proper "to-do" app. I'm sure there will be 3rd party apps to solve those issues though.
48 months ago
This makes a lot of sense if one of its features is to allow push mail to iPhones.
Given than the vast majority of iPhone owners are Windows users, offering .Mac services to Windows users would be needed.
The current name ".Mac" is not conductive to the windows market.
Given than the vast majority of iPhone owners are Windows users, offering .Mac services to Windows users would be needed.
The current name ".Mac" is not conductive to the windows market.
48 months ago
Bring on the revamp. As a .mac user since 2004, I'm eagerly looking for new features to the service.
48 months ago
I only hope that they don't start requiring .Mac (or whatever it will be called) for some of these iPhone syncing features.
I only hope that they don't start requiring iPhones for some of these .Mac (or whatever it will be called) features. ;)
48 months ago
This may push me into finally getting .Mac.
Anyone know of any great advantages to having an account (as .Mac exists now)? Just curious as to what people use it for...
Anyone know of any great advantages to having an account (as .Mac exists now)? Just curious as to what people use it for...
48 months ago
Finally bought .mac yesterday... hopefully any upgrades will be offered to me for free, preferably, but I'd accept a discount to upgrade.
Of course if no option is offered and I have to pay full price, I can assure you I will not bitch about apple being unfair like many others would.
Of course if no option is offered and I have to pay full price, I can assure you I will not bitch about apple being unfair like many others would.
48 months ago
That would be sweet if iphone owners would get a huge discount or even free.
1 more week til wwdc right?
1 more week til wwdc right?
48 months ago
This would be brilliant. Especially if it came with a minor price drop, or discount if used with an iPhone.
I have been surprised there isn't more .Mac support on the iPhone now, as it seems like they'd have a much easier time trying new things on their own email before testing it out on an unknown system (like yahoo or gmail).
I have been surprised there isn't more .Mac support on the iPhone now, as it seems like they'd have a much easier time trying new things on their own email before testing it out on an unknown system (like yahoo or gmail).
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