Reprinted via Kelly Hodgkins @ TUAW:
“Apple is reportedly informing third-party resellers that boxed versions of MobileMe are now discontinued. Retailers can continue to sell their existing inventory, but supplies will not be replenished. This latest information falls in line with earlier rumors that suggest Apple may offer MobileMe as a free service with cloud-based digital lockers for music, photos and videos.
In this scenario, Apple may briefly move to a digital-only sales model to let retailers sell their existing stock. Once the standing inventory is depleted, Apple will transition MobileMe to a free service in the upcoming months. Adding fuel to the fire of these rumor, Apple has removed the paid version of MobileMe from its online store, offering the service as a free 60-day trial.
During its annual shareholders meeting on February 23, the Cupertino company also confirmed that it is getting ready to flip the switch on its North Carolina data center. The $1-billion center is rumored to serve as the hub for its free MobileMe service and possibly a cloud-based version of iTunes.”
In addition to the release of the new MacBooks & FaceTime app, Apple also made a preview the next version of their Operating System (OS X: Lion) available to developers.
News of Lion had gone quiet after the initial announcement back in October. With the promise of a “Summer release,” developers and bloggers were starting to wonder when they’d get their hands on the updated OS to start testing and developing their apps. It looks like that day has arrived.
Not only has the preview OS been released to developers, but Apple has updated their site to offer a grater glimpse of coming features: The Mac AppStore, LaunchPad, Full-Screen apps, Mission Control, more gestures & animations, Autosave, Versions, Resume, Mail 5, AirDrop and Lion Server. Detailed previews can be found there.
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When Apple released the iPhone 4, they also debuted FaceTime: an easy way to video chat phone to phone (assuming both users have iPhone 4s, that is). Shortly after the iPhone’s release, the iPod Touch was updated with “FaceTime cameras” and Apple offered Snow Leopard users the ability to download the beta version of a new “FaceTime app.” With the app, iPhone 4 and iPod Touch users could now video chat with desktop users too.
In the midst of Apple’s new MacBook upgrades, they also added upgraded the FaceTime app from beta status and dropped it into the Mac App Store for $0.99US.
The app requires 10.6.6+ and a broadband connection. iPhone and iPod Touch users also need a broadband connection and iOS 4.1+.
FaceTime is a great concept, especially when chatting with mobile users, but it still strikes me as an odd rival to the already feature-rich iChat app built into every Mac. I’m still struggling to understand why Apple hasn’t combined the two. iChat is a wonderful AIM/Google Talk/etc instant messaging client and it makes video chatting (with other iChat users) impressively simple. Furthermore, the program does a great job of allowing group chats, audio chats, file transferring and screen sharing.
My guess is that when OS X.7 (Lion) debuts this summer, Apple will officially combine the two. After all, if you look to screenshots of the developer release (made available today), you’ll notice that iChat is no longer the default app in the dock, but FaceTime is.
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The Mac-buying public was treated to a nice surprise today: Apple released revisions to their MacBook Pro line of computers. Previously, it was assumed that the expected update would arrive along side the iPad 2 being announced Wednesday, March 2nd.
While rumors assumed that a new design and perhaps a liquid metal case would debut, it didn’t. The line has been improved, with Intel’s new “SandyBridge” processors, more powerful graphics chips, and an HD FaceTime camera. The most significant addition to the portables is Intel’s LightPeak I/O port, now dubbed “Thunderbolt.”
Looking identical to the MiniDisplay ports already popular on all new Macs, this new port offers 10GB of symmetric throughput. Apple and Intel are banking on Thunderbolt becoming the new, premium, standard for high-speed connectivity and data transfers. The technology allows users to plug-and-play with high-performance peripherals and high-resolution displays —- all in one port. Thunderbolt is 20x faster than USB 2.0 and 12x faster than FireWire 800.
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We all knew that it was just a matter of time, and with all the recent web chatter, it comes as no surprise that Apple has announced a media/press event one week from today, on March 2, 2011. The invitation (above) doesn’t leave much to the imagination: I think that it’s fair to assume that Apple will introduce the 2nd generation of their revolutionary mobile darling: the iPad.
It’s also likely that the new iPad will feature a faster core processor, slightly improved battery life and a camera or two (for FaceTime chats). I also think that the price may come down a notch or two. If not, i think the original iPad will remain available at a lower price point [than it exists today]. While i would LOVE to see the iPhone 4′s Retina Display incorporated into the iPad 2, i’m not sure a device like that could sustain a screen that sharp and that big and still maintain it’s highly lauded battery life…yet.
There have also been a number of rumors circulating that Apple will also introduce a revision to the MacBook line of portables. Reports are clamoring to guess the various changes and upgrades that may be coming. As usual, i think any improvements are good ones and i’m eager to see what new technologies Apple will be introducing.
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Every few months, for the last few years, Internet bloggers have rumored that Apple’s MobileMe Internet service is just moments from becoming free. Recently the rumors have kicked up to explain the massive data center Apple recently finished building in North Carolina. Then there was “evidence” discovered in some of the iOS 4.2 framework files. Still, if you buy a new Mac, or a new iOS device and want “syncing for the rest of us,” you need to sign up, and pay, for MobileMe.
MobileMe is (according to Apple), “a service that pushes email, contacts, and calendar events over the air to all your devices.” Basically keeping your “iPhone, iPad, Mac, and PC…in perfect sync,” wirelessly. Preceded by .Mac, MobileMe was released in the summer of 2008. Since it’s introduction, MobileMe has retailed for $99US (per year) for individual users and $150US (per year) for a 5-member-family pack. While I find the price reasonable (especially when divided monthly) and have dedicated several tutorials to maximizing the service, it would still be nice to get MobileMe (or a majority of it’s features) for free.
So, is MobileMe becoming free for the masses? I think it might be, soon, and here’s why:
Loyal Apple fans likely noticed that the mother ship slightly modified their public website a few weeks ago. The tweaks were minor, but fun, bringing us a slightly darker navigation bar and some flashy sprites under the “Mac” landing. Apple made the modifications using HTML5, a new Internet standard that they’ve been backing for sometime. While the modifications were simple and welcome, most people didn’t perk up and take notice too much, myself included. That was until today.
While helping a new Windows-to-Mac convert, I was explaining the benefit of MobileMe, particularly in light of their new Verizon iPhone purchase. “It’s a great way to keep all of your information synchronized and backed up,” I said before jumping online to load up additional reading for the switcher. Instead of just typing the URL to Apple’s MobileMe page (which I know based on their site map/setup), I chose to navigate through Apple’s website instead. In the past, I’d log onto Apple.com, click “Mac” in the navigation bar and then click “Applications” in their product-slider. A little box icon of MobileMe sat, in that section, just after the respective iLife and iWork icons.
But, guess what was missing now? MobileMe. I continued exploring, assuming that it had been moved. I checked “Mac,” “Accessories,” even “Server.” Nothing. Not even a self-promoting banner on the page, like the one that had lived there for-eve-er.
Anxious, I typed in the URL that I had initially skipped: http://www.apple.com/mobileme
BAM. Finally, some info on the service popped up. But, a bit hard to find, don’t you think? Imagine being a new user, someone unfamiliar with Apple’s site, or perhaps not even sure what the “internet service” they heard about was called. Apple certainly isn’t advertising MobileMe in television commercials.
My last stop was Apple’s Online Store: again, there was nothing on the landing page. In fact, there wasn’t a single mention of the service ANYWHERE on the main-store-page. I had to dig to find it buried in “Mac Accessories,” twelve products deep.
It’s particularly odd that Apple adjusted their product matrix just before and during the launch of the Verizon iPhone. MobileMe is such a natural compliment to the iPhone/iPad/Mac that it seems unusual to hide it from millions of potentially new customers.
Unless, of course, you were just about to announce that it’s FREE…another reason for Mac & iOS users to taunt the others.
What do you think?
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