mobile me Alternatives

omniscient · 09-21-2008, 02:00 PM

Hi!
Being very disappointed with mobile me losing my emails, not pushing the way it should, ..., I began looking for other alternatives. I think we could put together some other services here.
To start, I found (and am currently using with much success and liking it):
www.interways.net (interWaysMAIL)
I can definitely recommend these guys... BTW, they are way less expensive, complete push is $4.99/month in my plan.
Please add your experiences with them and other alternatives, this might help those looking for better services!

eplantz · 09-21-2008, 06:27 PM

Since the update to 2.1, my email has not worked well.... did not get email messages regularly, etc. MobileMe would not push, regular POP became unreliable (not always fetching regularly).

I signed up with InterwaysMail about 10 days ago. They have a 30-day free trial (don't even need to give them a credit card). They use Exchange push email that worked first time. I now get my messages immediately, every time. Contacts and calendars from my Mac are also push and work as advertised (except no sync for Entourage calendars).

The staff there has been helpful and prompt at answering support questions. At $4.99/mo (12 month signup), it is nice not to have to mess around with mail accounts anymore.

I simply cannot figure out what these various other services (MobileMe, Yahoo, whatever) cannot get push email right.

impaler · 09-22-2008, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by eplantz

Since the update to 2.1, my email has not worked well.... did not get email messages regularly, etc. MobileMe would not push, regular POP became unreliable (not always fetching regularly).

I signed up with InterwaysMail about 10 days ago. They have a 30-day free trial (don't even need to give them a credit card). They use Exchange push email that worked first time. I now get my messages immediately, every time. Contacts and calendars from my Mac are also push and work as advertised (except no sync for Entourage calendars).

The staff there has been helpful and prompt at answering support questions. At $4.99/mo (12 month signup), it is nice not to have to mess around with mail accounts anymore.

I simply cannot figure out what these various other services (MobileMe, Yahoo, whatever) cannot get push email right.

Ehhh...I don't see an alternative to MobileMe right now...not one that is so well-integrated into the Apple ecosystem. I am happy with it. It's not perfect--as a heavy calendar user, it could be more reliable. But they're working on that. Mail is solid and arrives right away, all the time--forwarded Gmail messages and messages directly to me. Contacts and bookmarks work like a charm--primarily because they're not updated that oten. The calendar is the sticking point for me. I'm having to check up on appointments I create in one location to ensure they show up elsewhere.

Nobody...and I mean NOBODY--offers what MobileMe does. A great Apple Insider article spells it out. Sure, I have free e-mail at Gmail, but it's not IMAP push. And they don't do any stuff with contacts/calendars/bookmarks. That sync is critical for me.

omniscient · 09-22-2008, 12:09 PM

That's why we are recommending others like interways.net
They have Push sync for mail, contacts, calendar, online files, complete Apple integration AND complete Windows integration. They can even sync different computers and systems. It's completely integrated into the Apple ecosystem!

And it has all the calendaring features for professionals, as well: Sharing, multiple calendars, subscribing to external calendars and pushing them to the iPhone, etc. You don't get that with mobile me. Just give them a try, I was amazed myself. Checking them out won't cost you a thing...

And they are a specialised mail provider for quite some time now (quoting their site), so terrible things like mobile me losing mails should not happen there.
They are much more open than Apple's thing, supporting most devices, even BlackBerries, Windows Mobile, all Apple devices, even Linux, etc.
So why stick with mobile me (expensive, slow, no real desktop push, losing mails, ...) when you can get it right someplace else?

BTW: They have a free trial month, no obligation, no credit card details before signup,...

Well, you see, I really like the service.

impaler · 09-23-2008, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by omniscient

That's why we are recommending others like interways.net
They have Push sync for mail, contacts, calendar, online files, complete Apple integration

I've never lost a single email from MobileMe. There are many of us that have not had big problems. Will they provide Back to My Mac remote desktop services? Online photo storage? Will they allow 20MB attachments? 20GB of storage? They only provide 10GB mailboxes. Upgradable to 40GB? Nope. Will they sync my keychains, bookmarks, dock items, widgets, application preferences, and other items as MobileMe does and .mac has done? Nope. Do they provide a online photo storage piece? Nope. Will they provide Backup software for me to automatically backup critical files important to me to an online WebDAV disk? Don't see that option either.

So it's not a real MobileMe replacement. I'm not going to pay to try this service out, but I wonder what kind of testing they've really done with the iPhone, iCal on the desktop, etc., to ensure complete functionality. And what happens when Apple changes their software, their programs, etc.? How long will I have to wait for it to work? Too many questions.

You also mentioned that MobileMe doesn't do desktop push...who does this over the Internet? Nobody. Microsoft doesn't do it--you can't send MAPI RPCs over the Internet--totally impractical. Read this: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...ry_google.html

So to suggest it provides "complete Apple integration", or that it is completely integrated into the Apple ecosystem is patently false. They do e-mail push services, using IMAP push. Yawn. And for nearly the same cost ($8.33/month), I get all of the above, for the complete solution to keep my Macs and iPhone in sync.

omniscient · 09-23-2008, 10:12 AM

No, you are dead wrong here. There are services that provide desktop push, and interways.net is one of them. Desktop Push is actively being used, there are many applications for it and it works. What does not wirk is Apples desktop push, because they didn't get it right. Booooh.

Just get informed before doing your I-love-Apple-and-it's-the-best-in-the-world-thing!
Come on, the mobile me photo library is complete crap: online photo sync: Why use Apple's when there are free and better ones out there like flickr. Bookmarks sync is also done better and free by others, so why have Apple invent the wheel?

interWays do provide mailboxes up to 50GB space, mobile me does not! And they have WebDAV integration just as well, for Apple, Windows and Linux.
And they use an Exchange compatible solution, just as Apple does. Apple in fact have licensed it from Microsoft, how's that for ironic!!!
Just accept it, there are other things out there that can match or surpass Apple's mobile me.

And if you even bothered to read the threads before, you'd have seen that the trial month is free. Unlike Apple, they don't force you to give your credit card details unless you decide to buy it after one month.

impaler · 09-23-2008, 10:41 AM

I'm dead right. My research is based on many months of reading technical articles about how these architectures are built. Actual execution of the technology is Apple's challenge, but the concepts are solid.

First, I've read all the threads--don't care that the first month is free. MobileMe's first TWO MONTHS are free. If you don't want it, you uncheck a single box and you're never charged. End of story. And for those that stick with it after 60 days, they get four months free in the first year. So it would've been pointless to comment. You seem to shamelessly defend this other service, and can't seem to deal well with others pointing out potential or real shortfalls. Easy, killer! Relax. It's okay.

I don't shamelessly defend MobileMe, and I am the first to point out its shortfalls. Desktop push is coming. They really botched the launch of the product, but the concepts and designs of the service are really spot on. It's just what is needed in the industry. Some people just can't accept the vision. If you bothered to read the article I suggested you read (and based on the quick response, you didn't bother), you'd see what I meant. Prince McLean really articulates it all well. You just want to spout off hatred for MobileMe, and you are not being intellectually honest. I can at least talk to where MobileMe has shortfalls. I don't think the majority of people are happy with interways anyway, as in the poll on their homepage, where they ask how happy people are with the service, 31% say "not so much", more than any other category. Red flag! They're also a German company--I prefer to deal with American companies.

Anyway, back to my point. You failed to articulate how, with other services, paid or free, I can get all the functionality that MobileMe brings. It's much more than e-mail...more than calendar and contacts sync. And let's see: I can choose iwm.me, air-mail.cc, electrogramm.com...etc...all lame domain names, as is interways.net. So, until you can show me, piece by piece, how I can duplicate the functionality and tight integration MobileMe provides for my Macs, my iPhone and Windows XP at work, it's all nonsense to me. Most people want one solution, not 10. That's why this service is not a one-to-one replacement. I can't even agree it's a solid e-mail and calendar replacement. I don't want to change my e-mail address, for one. Therefore, I'd have to go search and find other services that piece together perhaps 50% of the functionality. No thanks. I'm not going to provide money to more than one company for what I already get for a reasonable $8.33/month, and that's that. I'm glad you're happy with this other service--but there are reasons for wanting one or the other. At the end of the day, the end user will have to decide what works best for them.

omniscient · 09-23-2008, 10:56 AM

Yeah, you're right; I wouldn't want to pay for two services either. The whole point of my suggestion was rather that people who don't want to use mobile me (for whatever reason, price, reliability, features, ...) should have an alternative that works for the most important thing they need, push mail/contacts/calendars.
Or, for me it is very important to have my own domain name. You can't do that with mobile me on a solid basis. With interways, it is no problem. They can host whatever domain you wish to have or already have (even just foremail, you can keep your web site where it is if you want).
Or for those who want a more professional approach for multiple calendars sharing, collaboration, etc. I'm just saying that the world does not end with mobile me, there are other good things out there.
@Impaler: Agreed?

impaler · 09-23-2008, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by omniscient

Yeah, you're right; I wouldn't want to pay for two services either. The whole point of my suggestion was rather that people who don't want to use mobile me (for whatever reason, price, reliability, features, ...) should have an alternative that works for the most important thing they need, push mail/contacts/calendars.
Or, for me it is very important to have my own domain name. You can't do that with mobile me on a solid basis. With interways, it is no problem. They can host whatever domain you wish or have for you (even just email, you can keep your web site where it is).
Or for those who want a more professional approach for multiple calendars sharing, collaboration, etc. I'm just saying that the world does not end with mobile me, there are other good things out there.
@Impaler: Agreed?

I do wish MobileMe provided the ability to host more than photos on my own domain name. However, I think they should stay out of that business--too messy and other companies do it well.

@omniscient: Agreed. The world doesn't end with MobileMe, Interways, Google, Microsoft, etc. There are many options out there. However, none provide the singular and complete solution for us Mac freaks out there as MM does. At least not at this point. Good discussion! Okay, let's get back to our jobs.

sfarris · 10-01-2008, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by omniscient

Hi!
Being very disappointed with mobile me losing my emails, not pushing the way it should, ..., I began looking for other alternatives. I think we could put together some other services here.
To start, I found (and am currently using with much success and liking it):
www.interways.net (interWaysMAIL)
I can definitely recommend these guys... BTW, they are way less expensive, complete push is $4.99/month in my plan.
Please add your experiences with them and other alternatives, this might help those looking for better services!

I owned blackberry for the last 5 years, and the mail is flawless. Yes, iPhone looks better in other areas so I was seduced. Mail is awful though, and mobileMe is really Mobilethem- none of my resident accounts come to me through it. It is email, but not "MY" email.

In the three days since i have had my iphone, I have spent over 5 hours on the phone with ATT techs and Apple techs trying to figure out why i don't fetch mail on schedule, and that push doesn't work at all except for MobileThem.

I like Apple, by the way, I truly do! And their products are among my favorites- sorry, I haven't been on this list long, but here is kind of like America currently- if you don't agree with us, you are unpatriotic! Or unAppleotic as the case may be.

Hope interways works as advertised!