09/03, 5:40pm
iPhone GPS catches criminals
The iPhone’s GPS system has reportedly assisted yet another individual attempting to find and catch thieves, according to Mashable.com. An unidentified person living in Shadyside, PA, was held at gunpoint by two men demanding the victim's wallet, PIN numbers and iPhone. The robbed individual than used his computer and the iPhone’s GPS technology to locate the thieves and helped provide police with information necessary to capture the suspects.
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08/25, 10:50pm
User's MobileMe hacked
Philp Hayes, a self-declared IT expert, claims his MobileMe account was hacked. The user asserts that hackers accessed his account, changed the password and made a €55 PayPal purchase from RapidShare. The blog entry lends insight to the way Apple reps communicate with each other, suggesting those that assisted Hayes used iChat and prompted him to also chat online via an Apple Support page.
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08/12, 11:20am
MobileMe SMTP problems
At least some MobileMe subscribers have been experiencing problems with Apple's SMTP servers, according to forum discussion. In attempting to send out e-mails, the subscribers have been running into timeouts, at which point they have been prompted to pick another SMTP server. The consequence has been inconsistent delivery, frequently blocked but sometimes successful.
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08/05, 5:00pm
Mac OS X 10.5.8 update
Apple has posted an anticipated v10.5.8 patch for Mac OS X, updating a number of components in the operating system. The list begins with Safari, which has been upgraded to v4.0.2, and should now be more accurate when running full history searches. Connectivity problems have been smoothed out in several areas, for instance in terms of better reliability when linking with AirPort networks or Bluetooth devices.
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07/29, 2:40pm
MobileMe iDisk iPhone app
Apple has at last released the MobileMe iDisk app for the iPhone. First promised in June, the software lets MobileMe users view files stored in their online iDisk folders. Users tap a file to load it, or a nearby Share icon to compose an e-mail with a download link.
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07/29, 9:45am
Eye-Fi adds Geo SD card
Eye-Fi on Wednesday announced it will soon add a Geo wireless SD memory card to its lineup that will be capable of geotagging photos exclusively for Mac computers. The 2GB SD card automatically saves GPS mapping information for captured photos and videos before transferring them to a given computer. It's primarily intended for Mac users and fully supports Apple's iPhoto '08 and '09 as well as MobileMe. As with other Eye-Fi cards, the photos are wirelessly transferred to a pre-selected folder on a Mac over a user's Wi-Fi network.
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07/21, 2:40pm
MacHighway vs. MobileMe
Denver-based MacHighway is taking on Apple's MobileMe, offering a web hosting package for less than half the $99 price tag for Apple's service. The company provides Mac-specific site hosting and support, designed for use with iWeb, Sandvox and RapidWeaver. MacHighway says most of the other features of MobileMe, such as syncing of Mail, iCal and Address Book, can be accomplished with free work-arounds.
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07/01, 3:35pm
Apple updates MobileMe
Apple has detailed a series of recent changes to MobileMe, its online hosting and sync service. Many of these are iPhone related, for instance allowing iPhone 3GS owners to upload a video to a Gallery album, or if no album exists, create a new one automatically. Contacts and calendars can be merged on the first sync of an iPhone or iPod touch, and when deleting a MobileMe account or disabling sync, handheld devices retain information. This includes associations between ringtones and contacts.
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06/22, 3:35pm
Find My iPhone in real use
Apple's Find My iPhone feature, which locates missing devices through iPhone 3.0 and a MobileMe subscription, has received what may have been its first practical test. Blogger Kevin Miller notes that while in Chicago for a Lego convention, an iPhone of his disappeared after visiting a bar. Unable to find it at the bar, Miller turned to a friend's MacBook Pro, which could access MobileMe using a 3G USB modem.
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06/20, 6:15pm
First Look: Find My iPhone
One of the most anticipated features of the new iPhone OS 3.0 is the ability to find lost devices using Apple's MobileMe web service, which requires an annual fee. Find My iPhone plots the location of a missing phone on a map, allows users to flash a message on the screen and play an alert tone. If all else fails, the user can remotely erase any personal data on an iPhone. We at Electronista and MacNN are taking a quick look at how it works and whether it's worth the investment.
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06/09, 11:55am
iDisk app for iPhone 3.0?
Quietly announced alongside iPhone 3.0 features and the iPhone 3GS yesterday was a forthcoming iDisk app, Apple's website reveals. Though not yet on the App Store, the software should allow MobileMe subscribers to access files in a remote iDisk folder. Folders can either be protected personal ones, or those designated as public by other subscribers.
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06/08, 3:25pm
iPhone 3.0 announced
Apple has formally unveiled its iPhone 3.0 firmware at this year's WWDC keynote. The software includes 100 new features, including cut, copy and paste functions, as well as the ability to type in landscape mode. MMS messaging has also been integrated, allowing longer text and WAP delivery of content such as images, audio and video. MMS service will be available in 29 countries, with AT&T support coming later this summer.
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04/30, 7:50am
2009 iPhone Screen and Vid
Apple's update to the iPhone this year will not only be necessary for the new video recording feature but will also have a better display, according to a purported leak from those with access to the new hardware. Without entering into detail, the source for BusinessWeek says the 2009 refresh has an "improved screen" beyond the 320x480 LCD that has been a staple of the iPhone since 2007. Whether this is a resolution increase or a change to a different display technology, such as AMOLED (active matrix organic light-emitting diode), isn't known.
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04/27, 2:55pm
Video uploads in QT X
The next version of QuickTime, QuickTime X, should incorporate features for uploading directly to media sharing sites, people experienced with the current beta say. The video playback software is described as having a new "Share" menu, offering the ability to upload to YouTube without a separate encoder or browser. Options should also include uploading to MobileMe Galleries, the only requirement for any upload being login info.
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04/23, 6:30pm
Salma Hayek MobileMe hack
An anonymous post on the imageboard 4chan.org has provided MobileMe login details for Hollywood actress Salma Hayek, according to Electronic Pulp. The account apparently was not incredibly difficult to hack, carrying the address of shayek@mac.com. The intruders did not need her password, they simply used the "forgot password" option to access the contents.
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03/19, 9:45am
Find My iPhone in iPhone 3
Two unexpected features are in place within the iPhone 3.0 beta firmware, separate sources have uncovered. In uploading a custom carrier settings file, an Irish programmer has discovered that tethering -- using an phone as a computer's cellular modem -- is already functional in the developer seed of iPhone 3.0. The feature was announced during Apple's Tuesday press event, but at the time was claimed to require carrier participation for support.
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03/03, 4:20pm
Time Cap. MobileMe support
In tandem with the release of the new dual-band Time Capsule, Apple has expanded the functionality of MobileMe, which can now be used to remotely access files held on a Capsule. Drives must be registered through a user's MobileMe account, but then appear in a remote Mac's Finder sidebar, allowing file transfer. The technology functions similarly to the Back to My Mac function in Mac OS X Leopard, and in fact is not compatible with Windows computers.
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02/27, 3:35pm
New MobileMe scam
MobileMe subscribers are again being targeted in an updated phishing scam, investigation reveals. Similarly to earlier attempts, the scam beings with an e-mail, prompting people to update their credit card information in advance of an upcoming renewal date. A link is provided to log into MobileMe, but in reality it guides users to a different domain -- "http.apple-billing.me.uk" -- which spoofs the design of the Apple online store, and tricks unwitting visitors into sharing credit card data.
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02/13, 1:10pm
MobileMe iDisk file share
Apple has announced that the iDisk service, a feature of MobileMe, can now be used to share large files. Rather than attempt to e-mail files that contain large amounts of data, users can upload the content to a public folder in their iDisk account. After choosing the individuals to share the information with, iDisk will automatically send e-mails containing a download link. The recipient can then access the files or even post their own documents into the folder.
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02/11, 9:15pm
Another MobileMe scam
MobileMe users have been victimized in another phishing scam designed to steal their credit card information, according to Macworld. The criminals followed a similar plan to the scams reported in August and September of last year, distributing an e-mail disguised as genuine communication from Apple. The recent e-mail told readers their annual subscription was up for renewal, but that "attempts to charge your credit card have failed." The provided link then navigated to a malicious site that asked for credit card information.
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02/11, 9:30am
MobileMe Control Panel 1.3
Apple has released version 1.3 of the MobileMe Control Panel for Windows. The panel is a required tool for users wanting to sync and manage MobileMe and iDisk in Windows. In the update, improvements have been made to the speed of contact and calendar sync between MobileMe and Microsoft Outlook.
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02/06, 2:45pm
Microsoft My Phone Leak
Microsoft today inadvertently tipped its hand for Mobile World Congress by posting an introductory page for its My Phone mobile sync service (since pulled). The feature is the formal version of SkyBox and appears a close parallel to Apple's MobileMe meant for Windows Mobile 6 devices. It lets users sync up to 200MB of documents and media with a secure online space and lets owners published synced calendars, contacts and photos to the web.
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01/19, 12:40pm
MS SkyBox Next Month
Microsoft is poised to use February's Mobile World Congress to unveil a set of online mobile services that would be its own equivalents to Apple's Internet components for the iPhone. In addition to confirming the existence of SkyMarket, a dedicated app store for Windows Mobile devices, alleged sources for Neowin claim Microsoft will use the phone show to introduce SkyBox, a mobile sync service to backup and share calendars, contacts, e-mail and photos between devices not unlike Apple's MobileMe.
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12/15, 1:10pm
Mac OS X 10.5.6 update
As anticipated last week, Apple has posted its latest update to Mac OS X, v10.5.6. Available through the Software Update service or direct download, the patch consists mostly of dozens of fixes and performance enhancements, for issues such as sync and graphics. Sync reliability has been improved for Address Book, portable home directories and most notably MobileMe, which should now propagate contact, calendar and bookmark changes within a minute of their being saved.
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12/11, 6:55pm
PowerMail 6
CTM Development has released PowerMail 6.0, the latest version of its application for searching and managing e-mail. Users can now sync with MobileMe or take advantage of full coexistence with iPhone mail. The release adds a self-updating function, batch importing for Apple Mail databases and addresses, and the ability to match and merge imported folders into existing folders.
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11/13, 3:05pm
MobileMe, T. Machine fixes
The next version of Mac OS X, v10.5.6, should address problems in MobileMe, Time Machine and Mail, a note to developers suggests. Supplied with the latest seed of v10.5.6, build 9G35, the note asks for help in testing automatic syncing with MobileMe, particularly in regards to performance on notebooks, and on networks with high lag or limited bandwidth. The aim is to have changes propagated from me.com to other devices in a "reasonable amount of time," and improve syncing performance in general. Apple asks for special attention to the possibility of excessive or abnormal syncs.
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11/07, 1:30pm
ReaddleDocs 1.1.1 update
Readdle has released a v1.1.1 update to ReaddleDocs, its file management application for iPhones and iPod touches. The software enables users to copy files to Apple handhelds, view them while mobile, and engage in limited sharing with others; the app is particularly focused on the concept of e-books. The updated software lets users copy over documents from WebDAV-services, such as MobileMe iDisk, Box.Net, and FilesAnywhere. These in turn can be viewed offline or e-mailed to others.
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10/30, 9:25am
MS Live Mesh to hit Macs
Microsoft is in the middle of developing a Mac port of its Live Mesh sync technology, the company has announced. The technology is similar in concept to Apple's MobileMe, but focuses on syncing files, instead of calendars and contacts, with a remote Microsoft cloud server; this is done simply by selecting "Add to My Mesh" from a right-click menu, which uploads a file to Live Desktop and pushes it to other linked devices. Files can be shared between Macs, PCs and Windows Mobile phones, but not with iPhones.
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10/30, 3:20am
MobileMe upgrades detailed
After a very rocky launch to its much-anticipated cloud-based web-service, Apple on Wednesday published a new article with details on its recent upgrade to its MobileMe webservices, including better localization, improved and resolved mail and calendar issues, the ability to export vCards from MobileMe contacts and improved performance with Internet Explorer 7. The paid service (about $100/year) offers users push-email, web-based access, online storage, easy photo/movie sharing, data synchronization between multiple Macs, and much more. article outlines more detailed information about some recent improvements and the resolution of known issues that Apple apparently delivered in what it calls a "Late-September 2008 update" to MobileMe services -- released after it updated the MobileMe client software in early September -- but did not formally announce or report the update on its member pages (in August, the company suddenly halted its blog and replaced with a detailed service status page).
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09/24, 12:50pm
EyeFi cards enhanced
Eye-Fi today announced several enhancements to its products, including significantly faster upload speeds and more service options for users to choose from. The new system is claimed to be twice as fast, not only for new customers but free for current customers as well. Additional services can be added to a package, including web sharing, geotagging, and hotspot access.
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09/23, 5:25pm
MobileMe phishing scam
Malicious users are again targeting MobileMe customers with a phishing ploy geared towards obtaining credit card information. According to UGN InfoManager, the scam comes in the form of a billing verification email from Apple, which leads users to an official-looking website. The site is hosted on a fraudulent web server, the domain name being klubdna.com, despite the visual resemblances to Apple's MobileMe account page.
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09/17, 3:00pm
StuffIt Deluxe 2009 ships
Smith Micro says it has released StuffIt Deluxe 2009, an upgraded version of its popular compression program. The 2009 edition adds a variety of features, most notably support for more recent Apple technologies. These include Time Machine and Quick Look, the latter of which lets users examine an archive within Finder and other supporting applications, such as Mail.
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09/15, 5:00pm
Mac OS X 10.5.5 update
Apple is now distributing the latest upgrade to Mac OS X, v10.5.5, through Software Update. The patch addresses a considerable number of aspects in the operating system, such as Mail, MobileMe and Address Book, as well as some "general" concerns, according to Apple's support notes. Some of these include Spotlight indexing, the reliability of iPhone sync with both iCal and Address Book, and problems with Macs powering on involuntarily at the same time every day. The update is sized anywhere between 136 and 353MB, depending on the number of minor patches already installed.
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09/02, 12:30pm
New Mac OS X 10.5.5 builds
Two new builds of Mac OS X 10.5.5 have been seeded to developers within the past week, accounts say. The first, 9F25, allegedly contained no significant changes, while the second has addressed only two issues, potentially signifying a wind-down to the update's production. Fixes in 9F29 include a remedy to a problem with Macs and previously-joined AirPort networks, and another described only as relating to a graphics framework. A single known bug remains, one which interferes with searching through messages in Mail.
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08/21, 11:15am
MobileMe browser security
Apple's MobileMe service is lacking in a useful security measure, a new report suggests. Observers note that while the web component's login process is encrypted, it does not appear to use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or any other type of encryption when actually sending data. Theoretically, this means that a hacker sharing the same Wi-Fi hotspot could intercept data a person is sending via their web browser.
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08/20, 4:00pm
Apple adds help resources
Apple on Monday announced it would stop running the MobileMe status blog, in favor of a more clearly defined system status page, as well as integrating MobileMe news into the Me.com end-user page. The post is the first in 20 days since the blog confirmed a mail outage affecting an alleged 1-percent of all MobileMe users. Blogger "David G." says that the MobileMe support page now features an enlarged, and more precise, monitoring system to warn users of current issues.
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08/19, 3:55pm
iDisk, Mac trademarks
Apple has applied for two new additions to its trademark pool, filings show. The first is simply entitled iDisk, and covers the online file storage system first debuted through .Mac, and more recently continued with the advent of MobileMe. A successful trademark would be listed under International Class 042, and Apple cites its iDisk website as evidence of commercial use.
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08/18, 10:35pm
Apple offers 60 days
After a brief silence, Apple on Monday acknowledged the many issues plaguing its MobileMe suite of online services, offering users a free 60-day extension for past problems, as well as a concerted effort to continually improve. Echoing words from CEO Steve Jobs to Apple staff, the message notes that the newly helmed MobileMe team is dedicated to providing a service that "we can all be proud of." Apple has already credited users one month for prior issues which were claimed to have been resolved.
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08/14, 10:50am
Mac OS X 10.5.5 build 9F13
Just under a week after the last update, Apple has begun seeding a new build of Mac OS X 10.5.5 to developers, titled 9F13. Measuring 330MB, the software is said to have no changes to the core components of Leopard, but instead merely a collection of 10 bug fixes, bringing the total in v10.5.5 to 115. This number should continue to increase, as the public version of the update is only expected in October.
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08/12, 11:25pm
iPhone lacks part of push
Apple's torrent of complaints regarding its new MobileMe internet suite are now gearing towards inherent flaws in the system, rather than accessibility issues which seem to have subsided. A forum post on Apple's discussion boards revealed that "read" message status changes, delete, reply-to, and move commands do not function with Push, with a technical document indicating that users must manually check their mail in order to receive updates.
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08/11, 5:20pm
MobileMe mail out
Reports are coming in from MobileMe users who cannot access email. Two MacNN writers said their mail stopped working Monday afternoon. A check of MobileMe webmail revealed a message reading: "Your MobileMe mail is currently unavailable." Apple's MobileMe status page, however, said all MobileMe functions were "operational." Even the special status blog set up amid Mobile Me's rocky launch has not been updated in nearly two weeks. Other users are reporting similar problems.
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08/11, 3:25pm
MobileMe updates stopped
After a rocky launch, the MobileMe status page was supposed to be updated "every other day or so," but a new update hasn't been issued in almost two weeks. MobileMe has been experiencing issues since its inception alongside the launch of iPhone 3G and firmware 2.0. After a few weeks of complaints, Apple finally assigned an employee, known in his posts as David G, to keep customers up to speed on what's happening with MobileMe. David wrote three updates, each came two days after the previous as promised. However, since the third update nothing has been posted. On July 29th the updated stated, "We have completed restoring Mail service, including historical messages, to all of the 1% affected." This would lead to the conclusion that it is possible Apple has stopped posting because all of the major errors have been fixed. This, however, is not likely the case as the last update ended with the statement "Next post later this week." Several weeks have now passed with no updates.
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08/08, 3:55pm
Eddy Cue for MobileMe
In light of Apple's tragic MobileMe launch, the company's own Eddy Cue – responsible for a great deal of Apple's back-end infrastructure for services like iTunes – steps up to manage the ailing suite. Cue, who is famous within Apple for being as hard on quality as CEO Steve Jobs, is expected to turn the service around, since he shares a common mindset with the perfectionist jobs, and is viewed by others as the perfect person for the job.
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08/07, 10:45pm
Life at Apple is tough
Working for Steve Jobs is commonly perceived as being hard work, but an insider says that "if you can do it, you get to do really great stuff, and that's addictive." The Guardian reveals that Chuq von Rospach – formerly responsible for a large portion of Apple's mailing lists – alludes that working for Apple, and being privileged enough to work alongside Steve Jobs, is a great place to be for most. He supports this, noting that Apple executives are not likely to be "poached" by startups, unlike competitors Google and Yahoo.
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08/05, 9:15am
Jobs laments MobileMe
The launch of MobileMe was deeply flawed, and "not up to Apple's standards," according to an e-mail from Apple CEO Steve Jobs. The message is said to have been circulated amongst Apple employees late Wednesday, and recognizes the serious technical problems subscribers have suffered through. These have ranged from a complete lack of access early on, through missing web applications, and persistent mail problems in spite of an all-clear signal recently sent by MobileMe staff.
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07/30, 8:35pm
Forums MobileMe names
Forum roundup: Funny MobileMe names are a hot topic in the MacNN forums today, with names such as mad@me.com, smile@me.com and flingpoo@me.com being among the few examples of the names people are reserving. Geofries, a Forum Regular is looking for a way to archive their mail and finds help from other forum goers.
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07/30, 8:15pm
MobileMe mail woes persist
Despite Apple's pronouncement that all is well with MobileMe, user complaints continue on the company's support forums. Apple wrote this morning in its MobileMe blog that mail problems affecting "1 percent" of its customers have been completely fixed, and lost messages had been restored. But several posts on MobileMe Support DIscussions show otherwise. One user claims Apple deleted his first posting, because he had complained that some of his email had still not been restored. The user said he was told he was part of a small group of "one-in-a-thousand" users who permanently lost some email. Other MobileMe forum users say they attempted to use a special chat set up for MobileMe mail issues, only to be disconnected several times.
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07/30, 9:15am
MobileMe fully-functional?
Apple's beleaguered MobileMe service should now be fully operational, according to a status update. Following almost three weeks of difficulties, the company says it has resolved the vast majority of Mail issues, in particular webmail and message history issues that have persisted for 1 percent of MobileMe subscribers. Despite this a chatline has been established solely for people who may still be coping with e-mail problems.
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07/28, 9:20am
MobileMe mail restoration
Progress continues to be made on restoring full e-mail service to the 1 percent of MobileMe subscribers who are still having trouble, says Apple. The company notes that following the activation of webmail for the affected group, it has restored "full" e-mail history, with the notable exception of about 10 percent of messages, delivered between July 18th and the 22nd; some of these may have been permanently lost.
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07/26, 6:15pm
MobileMe: daily reports
Apple has (finally) acknowledged losing some email data and claims that it will do a better job keeping its customers as to the status of the continuing MobileMe issues. A new status update posted to Apple's website indicates that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has asked an unnamed employee to "write a posting every other day or so to let everyone know what’s happening with MobileMe." The writer, who claims that he is working directly with the MobileMe group, confirms that that a "serious problem" with one its mail servers, but did not post the nature of the problem. Confirming our earlier report, the company said that it was able to restore limited web access to those accounts to allow web-based access to read email that has arrived since last Friday (though not before) as well as send and receive new mail, but that some customers lost data.
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