David Long
Web / Multimedia Developer, London, UK
Member since: October 2006
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Thursday 31 July 2008, 5:01 PM
Apple expects users to do their beta testing for them again
Mobile Me was pitched as the most advanced web service ever but it fails to match even what is out there already.
Many features are broken and support is unable to keep up with the complaints. It's nearly 3 weeks since I lodged my first complaint and I am still waiting on a non-automated response. Calendars that cannot be edited online, email without a working contacts directory, blank/empty contacts that have should have details, slow moving from section to section, only partial support for some browsers etc.
Even if everything worked as it should there are problems by design rather than a technical error. For example the login screen puts label for the username and password inside the input fields rather than next to them. This may look nice and save space for to put more flashy imagery around but means that you cannot use your browsers auto complete features to pre-fill your login details as text is already in the way. Even the check box for "remember me" fails to work and so everytime you go to the site you have to select the existing text and replace it with your login details manually. This was the case at launch - I haven't been able to test this today as main me.com and mail page seems to be down - why am I not surprised.
On top of this I have had other billing errors causing 2yrs fees to be charged/frozen on my card despite still being on a free trial. Apple have sent apology emails and compensate me with an extended trial but rather than a flashy interface and free trials I would much rather have a service that works.
The only feature I have enjoyed using is PUSH email. I have all my non-exchange mail accounts forwarding to my mobileme mail so I get instant notification. This is mainly for use on my iPhone. If you are not an iPhone user I don't see any reason why you would use this service when there are more stable and more feature packed free services.
Alternatives:
Google for calender and email and maybe even photos via picasa or better yet Flickr and all free.
Some webhosts these services with your domain/hosting account and some have even fancier web mail than mobile me.
£60 a year for the privilege of having PUSH doesn't seem a good deal - lets hope things improve. At least while Apple keep messing up and compensating me it's not costing me anything to be part of this ALPHA testing of their new service.
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