MobileMe vs. Gmail

[d21mike]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Have been helping a new iPhone user setup google sync and it is very nice. I really like the server side filters and you can select which folders to push. MM needs to pick up the pace for new features so they can catch up.

 

[317342]

I think Apple really has tried to design MM around simplicity rather than functionality--it's fine but doesn't fit everyone equally.

 

[FamiliaPhoto]

If only using a web interface I could see the MM interface as lacking. However, for me the benefit is in using desktop clients across multiple platforms (mac & pc) for mail, calendar and documents. I can look at my iPhone and everything is there. Use my PC, everything is there, use my MacBook Pro and yes, everything is there. For me it is perfect. I am not a fan of web interfaces and don't see that changing about myself in the future. Even when I was a GMail user I preferred to use desktop mail programs.

 

[d21mike]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Have been helping a new iPhone user setup google sync and it is very nice. I really like the server side filters and you can select which folders to push. MM needs to pick up the pace for new features so they can catch up.

After playing with this for a few days I am less impressed. GMAIL uses Labels instead of Folders. Meaning that all email is in the "All Mail" folder and it is "labeled" with InBox and other folders (labels). So when you delete a mail message it only removes the label but the mail is still in the "All Mail" folder. This is not bad when using the Web Client. But when using a IMAP Client and the iPhone Google Sync (Exchange) it is difficult to actually delete a message. Also, you can Push mail in multiple folders but the BADGE on the main page is only updated with the mail for InBox. However, you do hear a sound alert when you get mail in another folder. I really hope that whenever Apple gets around to adding Server Side Filters that they do a better job with the Push Logic. Is it really so hard to get this right.

 

[317342]

GMAIL uses Labels instead of Folders. Meaning that all email is in the "All Mail" folder and it is "labeled" with InBox and other folders (labels). So when you delete a mail message it only removes the label but the mail is still in the "All Mail" folder. This is not bad when using the Web Client. But when using a IMAP Client and the iPhone Google Sync (Exchange) it is difficult to actually delete a message. Also, you can Push mail in multiple folders but the BADGE on the main page is only updated with the mail for InBox. However, you do hear a sound alert when you get mail in another folder. I really hope that whenever Apple gets around to adding Server Side Filters that they do a better job with the Push Logic. Is it really so hard to get this right.

As a fellow Gmail disciple, I can agree that the label system does not work really well with Google's IMAP implementation. Unless you turn on Advanced IMAP Controls and tell All Mail not to show in IMAP, you're going to get a huge mailbox on your local machine. Plus, Gmail has a tendency to lock you out for bandwidth limitations if your mailbox is too big and has to sync with multiple clients.

With the strong exception of server-side filtering, I think Apple's MM e-mail system is the best IMAP implementation I've seen yet. Webmail could use a boost, but then again i don't think that is within Apple's design philosophy.

Apple's 80% Solution

 

[cipher29]

quite simply, I hate ads... For this reason I do not use gmail.

 

[d21mike]

Anybody no how to speed up loading the MM Mail Page (http://www.me.com/mail). It takes from 5-10 seconds and my inbox is empty (just says "Loading Mail"). Google Mail and Windows Live Mail take about 1-3 seconds. It is painfully slow. In the past I would just use a mail client like Outlook but I was thinking by now it would be faster.

 

[d21mike]

Mail Notification

Are there any MM Mail Notification programs for Windows Tray. Like for Gmail you can use Gtalk and other options.

 

[317342]

Anybody no how to speed up loading the MM Mail Page (http://www.me.com/mail). It takes from 5-10 seconds and my inbox is empty (just says "Loading Mail"). Google Mail and Windows Live Mail take about 1-3 seconds. It is painfully slow. In the past I would just use a mail client like Outlook but I was thinking by now it would be faster.

Turn off Mail previews, and set the list length to no more than 25 messages.

If you're looking for mail client that is Outlook-ish, try Yahoo. It's free, has free push notification for iPhone, and unlimited storage.

 

[d21mike]

Are there any MM Mail Notification programs for Windows Tray. Like for Gmail you can use Gtalk and other options.

I found a solution if others are interested. I switch my IM Client to Trillian and it has an email notification feature. I think it works better with GMAIL (like Push speed) but it does work with IMAP Mail on an interval (like every 5 or 10 miin). Works pretty well. And it supports all of your IM Services.

 

[d21mike]

Turn off Mail previews, and set the list length to no more than 25 messages.

If you're looking for mail client that is Outlook-ish, try Yahoo. It's free, has free push notification for iPhone, and unlimited storage.

Thanks. But as I said my inbox was EMPTY. It just takes that long just to show and EMPTY inbox. Maybe if I left it OPEN all the time that would help.

 

[317342]

Thanks. But as I said my inbox was EMPTY. It just takes that long just to show and EMPTY inbox. Maybe if I left it OPEN all the time that would help.

Empty? Yikes, that's no bueno.

I happened to be using my somewhat dormant MM account earlier today just to see what was in there, and it did take quite some time to open.

Ironically, I had Yahoo mail up right next to it--I must have somewhere in the hundreds of thousands of e-mails in that account and it's just as fast in the morning as it is in the evening.

I think that Apple just plain doesn't give a crap about MM anymore....if they did, they'd put more into it (ie. performance). Every few weeks you get a lousy e-mail that says, "Hey, did you know you can change the color of your e-mails?" or "You can check your e-mail while on the go." Wow! When did you get 'that' feature?! Wow, you're really on Gmail/Yahoo/Hotmail's tail now.

Sorry if I sound bitter but last week I was trying to use the Gallery feature on it....I kept getting timeouts. I had even taken my MBP to campus w/ me and tried uploading there, still gave timeouts when trying to publish. I contacted MM support, went through the 'yes I know what a password is' routine.....tried a 'test MM account'...still got timeouts....rep said it was working fine on his end, I told him that was "lovely if I lived in your office, but I don't". He tried to blame it on my ISP, yet I'm having the same problem in two different places. MM rep escalated my case.....senior rep e-mailed me....said he wanted access to my account....changed password....said yes....he wrote back, said it was working fine on his end....told him that's "wonderful" but I don't live on your end, it's not working here or at my campus....rep said it was my laptop....I said it's happening on my iMac and MBP....rep has not replied. Ironically, my Flickr account (w/ iPhoto '09) works just dandy and uploads fine.

 

[xilus]

Privacy

I like how in all four pages of this thread only one person mentions something about privacy.

Enjoy your free gMail everyone! I will stick with apple.

 

[jc1350]

I like how in all four pages of this thread only one person mentions something about privacy.

Enjoy your free gMail everyone! I will stick with apple.

There's nothing private about Internet email unless you use end-to-end encryption like s/mime or PGP.

Regular unencrypted email is analogous to postcards, not letters sealed in envelopes.

Servers that use SSL/TLS only encrypt your connection to the server; not the message itself as it is forwarded through smtp relays for delivery.

 

[317342]

I like how in all four pages of this thread only one person mentions something about privacy.

Good point.

I agree that Gmail's ad system (scanning e-mails) is a little spooky at first, but it's specifically stated in their privacy statement that it is non-human based. Whether you trust or believe Google on their privacy stance, try to look at it another way. For example...

Gmail is the only one who withholds your IP address from the header of all your outgoing mail, and gives you fully-encrypted HTTPS access to your webmail (not just at sign-in like MobileMe). That's very privacy-centric! Plus, I think Google has more to gain in earning your trust, than reading your e-mail to your cousin about a Christmas cookie recipe. ;-)

I have a Gmail account, but I still use my Yahoo account the most. Gmail is too "utilitarian" and not as eye-pleasing as Yahoo. In regard to privacy, all e-mail is read by every provider (spam filters) but using it for advertising is another story.

Yahoo's privacy stance is more restricted than Gmail, they spell out in their privacy policy, "Yahoo!'s practice is not to use the content of messages stored in your Yahoo! Mail account for marketing purposes.". This is a direct contrast to Google's Gmail's practice of using keywords in your e-mail for advertising.

Personally, I hate ads so MM mail is nice in that regard, but it's hardly worth $99/yr for not having ads. Gmail doesn't let you turn off the ads, Yahoo does (dirt cheap too...$20/yr for Plus membership).

 

[DavidSights]

Late 2010 Comparison

I'm curious about how people feel about the difference between the two now that MobileMe mail and Gmail have been updated.

I'm currently a Gmail user and what I enjoy most is the instant messaging, text/calling capabilities and of course the extreme ease in searching mail.
Both do indeed work with Apple's Mail app and both are very simple.

Right now, I'm feeling like the extra features that Google Mail includes makes it out to be the better choice, but I'm conflicted by MobileMe's great design.

Thoughts?

 

[BacklitFirefly]

I'm a long time Gmail user (I got my invite many moons ago by spelling a girl's name in pepperoni slices on a pizza, from that gmailswap website!) -- and I've been impressed with its evolution over the years. The ads are negligible, since they're all text. The interface is smooth and simple. You can store almost limitless messages, and as promised in the beginning, the storage space increases by the minute. I can't find much not to love about it.

Last year, I got MobileMe. I'd had .Mac before and wasn't thrilled with it, so I didn't keep that long - but MobileMe is like a whole new animal and I really love it. I have my iPad, iPhone, iMac, and Macbook Pro all perfectly synced with my email and calendars. I'm still learning how to make use of all the storage space. I love using iWeb for my website (I still use Wordpress to blog, but I link in the RSS feed with iWeb and have my domain linked with that). Honestly, MobileMe is great. I don't really pay $99/year (I ordered my box on eBay last year after my trial expired, and it didn't cost but about $54, or about .15 cents per day) so it is definitely worth the price, to me.

Since I got MobileMe, I generally just have my Gmail forwarded to it. I can't seem to "let go" of Gmail, probably for sentimental reasons, but there is no practical cause for me to prefer it any longer. Google Voice is not something I feel I need, since I have unlimited long distance through my cable company, and lots of minutes on my AT&T wireless plan. I don't really use Google Docs anymore, now that I've got MobileMe iDisk.

I'm starting to really appreciate MobileMe, even though I haven't really dug into all its uses and features yet. Find My iPhone/iPad is valuable to me.

 

[TLewis]

I'm curious about how people feel about the difference between the two now that MobileMe mail and Gmail have been updated.

At this point, it's probably a matter of personal preference. Google's services are better, but MobileMe's attractiveness comes from "ease-of-use" and a "one-stop-shopping" convenience. While you can replicate most of the MobileMe services elsewhere for less, they won't be as easy to use as MobileMe.

Basically, MobileMe is great for novice- to intermediate-level computer users.

However, there is one area where MobileMe is clearly better: contacts. MobileMe supports proper multiple contact groups; google just dumps all of your contacts into one big pot, and other alternatives, that do support multiple contact groups, tend to be expensive (more expensive than MobileMe).

 

[TLewis]

I have my iPad, iPhone, iMac, and Macbook Pro all perfectly synced with my email and calendars.

You may already know this, but for the benefit of others: you can do all that with google, too, and it's not hard. I have my iphone, desktop, and laptop all synchronized with gmail and google calendar.

 

[317342]

Simple math. one is free, one isn't. ;-)

 

[Apple Expert]

I've had mobileme since it was introduced. I use everything but the mail feature as I use gmail. But lately I've been slowing switching to mobileme as its starting to grow on me. But it's hard to let go of gmail good features.

 

[jusacruiser]

Instant Messaging - Mobile Me Versus Google Talk

In this discussion there has been little mention of Instant Messaging. Please weigh in on which is better.....Mobile Me Instant Messaging or Google Instant Messaging. Which is better?

 

[petvas]

In this discussion there has been little mention of Instant Messaging. Please weigh in on which is better.....Mobile Me Instant Messaging or Google Instant Messaging. Which is better?

MobileMe instant messaging? Do you mean iChat?

I find Google talk to be very primitive and simple. I use iChat, MSN and Skype for all my communication needs.

 

[Playgear]

Are there any MM Mail Notification programs for Windows Tray. Like for Gmail you can use Gtalk and other options.

Outlook?

 

[jusacruiser]

Which Instant Messaging is better?

MobileMe instant messaging? Do you mean iChat?

I find Google talk to be very primitive and simple. I use iChat, MSN and Skype for all my communication needs.

Well, "primitive" is not a good thing. I like sort like an easy and fun experience. Your comment makes me think I should go with MobileMe.

Thanks.