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iDriveX · Jan 28, 2007, 05:12 PM

I don't think much has been announced regarding what the iPhone can and cannot do. But I was thinking, wouldn't it be great if they had iPhone with .Mac support. In that all of your contacts and calendars did a sync over the cellular network to Apple's .mac servers and then your address book and calendars did a sync with the .mac servers?

That would mean you could make a quick change in iCal and Address Book and it would sync seamlessly or if you were on the road and making appointments, you put it into the iPhone and when you got home your address book and calenders reflected those changes?

Also I'm hoping that the iPhone has support for groups like Address Book has and also has support for multiple calendars like iCal has. It would be like a slimmed down version of ActiveSync on the PC side.

rickey939 · Jan 28, 2007, 05:22 PM

I'm in favor of this integration. Has Steve been notified?

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Jan 29, 2007, 12:27 PM

I think Apple is just expecting you to get that from the standard sync when you plug it in. I mean if you change something on the road the first thing you do when you get home is plug it in to charge it anyway so no real plus in having it do it on its own.

Would be nice though but still not enough to make .Mac less of a rip-off.

iDriveX · Feb 4, 2007, 01:06 AM

Personally, my laptop is in my office, and my cell phone charger is on my night stand in case I get any late night calls from employees calling in sick or emergencies, etc. So I actually never plug in my phone. I currently have a P990i with ActiveSync. (btw Hate the P990i). I have never plugged it into the computer. The few times I have interacted with the computer have been over bluetooth sending pictures and ringtones to it and that's it. Even if I take a photo with the camera I just eMail it to myself. So I actually would rather over the air syncing than having to plug it in.

Gossamer · Feb 4, 2007, 01:09 AM

iPod, iPhone & Apple TV
Discussion and support of the iPod, the iPhone, and the Apple TV, including accessories.

lavar78 · Feb 4, 2007, 07:07 AM

It's a good idea. Of course, it'd have to be an option for people on limited data plans.

kmkkid · Feb 4, 2007, 09:13 AM

Apples partnership with Yahoo for the mail aspect of the iPhone makes me think .mac may be going down the drain shortly.

DigitalEl · Feb 4, 2007, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by kmkkid

Apples partnership with Yahoo for the mail aspect of the iPhone makes me think .mac may be going down the drain shortly.

My thoughts on the matter hadn't gone that far, but I was somewhat surprised (in a negative way) to see them partnering with Yahoo! for mail. I get very little spam on my .Mac account... Just a handful of those ****ing "stock tip" ones each week. With even the best webmail, such as Yahoo! or Gmail, you're inundated.

kmkkid · Feb 4, 2007, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by DigitalEl

My thoughts on the matter hadn't gone that far, but I was somewhat surprised (in a negative way) to see them partnering with Yahoo! for mail. I get very little spam on my .Mac account... Just a handful of those ****ing "stock tip" ones each week. With even the best webmail, such as Yahoo! or Gmail, you're inundated.

While I don't use Yahoo, I can say that my gmail account hasn't marked an email wrong yet. Spam is spam and my mail is in the inbox.

Paco500 · Feb 5, 2007, 03:08 AM

Originally Posted by kmkkid

Apples partnership with Yahoo for the mail aspect of the iPhone makes me think .mac may be going down the drain shortly.

However- it may just be the case that it was less effort to make iPhone work with Yahoo than make .mac work with Windows. This device is not mac only.

kmkkid · Feb 5, 2007, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by Paco500

However- it may just be the case that it was less effort to make iPhone work with Yahoo than make .mac work with Windows. This device is not mac only.

Then it would make sense for Apple just to dump their service for something more universal, right? Something that all their future products will work with multi-platform.

I hope this new deal with Yahoo! will allow the new iChat to work with the Yahoo!/MSN network.

iDriveX · Feb 5, 2007, 10:57 PM

I didn't even know about this partnership with Yahoo! what's it all about? Doesn't really make sense that they would be recommending that you use a competitor's mail service. I really hope .mac isn't going down the drain. I use it daily!

DigitalEl · Feb 6, 2007, 01:40 AM

Originally Posted by iDriveX

I really hope .mac isn't going down the drain. I use it daily!

Agreed about .Mac. Some here hate it, but I will pay for convenience anyday.

I, too, thought it odd that they touted Google Maps and Yahoo! Mail on the same keynote stage.

himself · Feb 6, 2007, 02:11 AM

Just about every new cell phone the service providers offer these days have some kind of extra service attached, like AOL or Yahoo chat or something... I'm certain you could use any other email service with the iPhone, it just won't come with free data connections like the Yahoo deal.

As far as data syncing, I would hope (actually, expect) that Apple would provide functionality similar to Salling Clicker, where I can sync my phone and computer transparently over bluetooth. Whenever my phone is in range, it connects and then it does its thing, without any coaxing from me.

kmkkid · Feb 6, 2007, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by DigitalEl

Agreed about .Mac. Some here hate it, but I will pay for convenience anyday.

I, too, thought it odd that they touted Google Maps and Yahoo! Mail on the same keynote stage.

I thought it odd that the iPhone will work with a form of Yahoo! Mail, when the new Yahoo! Mail Beta won't even work in safari. Unless Apple has fixed compatibility issues with Safari in Leopard. Or maybe it's just Apples own UI to Yahoo! Mails backend.

besson3c · Feb 6, 2007, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by kmkkid

Apples partnership with Yahoo for the mail aspect of the iPhone makes me think .mac may be going down the drain shortly.

I don't agree. Running Mail servers can be very expensive. Yahoo, Microsoft, and Google make their money off of ad revenue (and I'm not sure how long this will be a viable business model). In order for Apple to recoup their costs, they either need to run ads or charge for this service somehow (or take a loss). I don't think Apple is interested in getting into the business of providing free mail and making this a sustainable business for themselves while simultaneously competing against the existing players.