The MobileMe email address "@me.com" is laughable..

[TheAshMan]

What is the deal with this address space? I have been waiting for 2 years for my Windows PC to age enough so I can replace it with a new, loaded 24" iMac. It is finally time for me to do it, but now I am disappointed, some of the Apple appeal is gone for me. I WAS going to subscribe to the .Mac service for email and all the other benefits, but there is no way I am going to set up an email that uses "me.com" for the address. I can't imagine giving that self centered sounding address to someone to contact me. For sure there would be snickers and laughs behind my back, or actually right in my face. Why did they scrap .Mac? I know it comes across as an Apple-centric, but switching to @me.com? I would never hear the end of that and my wife would certainly refuse to use it. "Me.com" comes across as so conceited and egotistical. It makes MSN or even hotmail sound like a better alternative.

I have a friend (who I won't call out and embarrass) who started using the mobileme service about 4 months ago for email and I got a huge laugh out of the first email from him. Apparently other friends gave him a hard time too and he dropped it. People in my office lunch crowd were unanimous that it is the stupidest email address they had ever heard.

Apple should consider switching the name of the service to something else, or expand the domain names that can be used. Why not use"Mi.com"? Call the service "MobileMi" and I bet a lot more people would be interested. It is a play on the word that maybe would work. Similar to the use of the letter "i" in other Apple product names like iPod and iMac it would fit the Apple product nomenclature nicely and would actually be an attractive email to use, very short for the domain (just 2 letters) yet it would have meaning and not give the impression that one has a huge ego. It makes more sense, "i" is first person singular yet also conjures up thoughts of the Internet.

HP has a new netbook they are calling the Mini Mi. Pretty clever, and I like it. I see the domain is available if Apple wanted to grab it.

Since this probably won't change, I have no interest in the MobileMe service, and I would wager that a lot of other Mac purchasers (especially switchers) feel the same way. I think I will still get an iMac when they release the new model, but I guess I will use Microsoft's "Live" for online services, that email is a lot easier to swallow.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this? I bet I'm not the only one.

 

[dejo]

Anyone else have any thoughts on this? I bet I'm not the only one.

Just sign up using @mac.com then.

 

[TheAshMan]

Would like to, but...

Just sign up using @mac.com then.

From what I can tell, only preexisting customers can use .Mac.

Thanks though.

 

[.Andy]

What is the deal with this address space? I have been waiting for 2 years for my Windows PC to age enough so I can replace it with a new, loaded 24" iMac. It is finally time for me to do it, but now I am disappointed, some of the Apple appeal is gone for me. I WAS going to subscribe to the .Mac service for email and all the other benefits, but there is no way I am going to set up an email that uses "me.com" for the address. I can't imagine giving that self centered sounding address to someone to contact me. For sure there would be snickers and laughs behind my back, or actually right in my face. Why did they scrap .Mac? I know it comes across as an Apple-centric, but switching to @me.com? I would never hear the end of that and my wife would certainly refuse to use it. "Me.com" comes across as so conceited and egotistical. It makes MSN or even hotmail sound like a better alternative.

I have a friend (who I won't call out and embarrass) who started using the mobileme service about 4 months ago for email and I got a huge laugh out of the first email from him. Apparently other friends gave him a hard time too and he dropped it. People in my office lunch crowd were unanimous that it is the stupidest email address they had ever heard.

Apple should consider switching the name of the service to something else, or expand the domain names that can be used. Why not use"Mi.com"? Call the service "MobileMi" and I bet a lot more people would be interested. It is a play on the word that maybe would work. Similar to the use of the letter "i" in other Apple product names like iPod and iMac it would fit the Apple product nomenclature nicely and would actually be an attractive email to use, very short for the domain (just 2 letters) yet it would have meaning and not give the impression that one has a huge ego. It makes more sense, "i" is first person singular yet also conjures up thoughts of the Internet.

HP has a new netbook they are calling the Mini Mi. Pretty clever, and I like it. I see the domain is available if Apple wanted to grab it.

Since this probably won't change, I have no interest in the MobileMe service, and I would wager that a lot of other Mac purchasers (especially switchers) feel the same way. I think I will still get an iMac when they release the new model, but I guess I will use Microsoft's "Live" for online services, that email is a lot easier to swallow.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this? I bet I'm not the only one.

You've really put some thought into this.

 

[TheAshMan]

Well...

You've really put some thought into this.

I just saw the name of the HP Mini Mi notebook on another web site and it made me think of it. Also look at the success rate if you put the "i" at the end of the product name, the "Wii" for instance! I should probably put my mind to better use ; )

 

[NT1440]

Why does anyone care what email service your using? I had no idea they were laughable.

 

[.Andy]

I should probably put my mind to better use

You've been more productive today than I have !

I've got a @mac/@me but I'm not big on either address. I just route everything through gmail. Such a great service and perfect for personal email. I use the other .me services but that's it really.

 

[Pooshka]

MobileMe is not for conformists. Stick with MSN.

 

[TheAshMan]

Usually they aren't, but...

Why does anyone care what email service your using? I had no idea they were laughable.

Here is an example:

myname@me.com

I have heard people make a joke or two about "hotmail" before, but "@me.com" just takes the cake.

This friend of mine I mentioned before (who started using MobileMe) and other friends were at a HH and the office women there could not stop laughing at it. People also brought up the "stupid tax" for early iPhone adopters and thought the whole "me" aspect fits the "overpriced" Apple computers. Of course several had iPods and loved them! It's just that the namespace is a bad idea I think.

This one just really bugs me, because I would like to use the services to share stuff with family and friends. I want Apple to succeed and feel this is a detractor. The last thing they need is something that makes them seem elitist. I use and love gmail, but would like to simplify and use one service to share things when I get the new Mac computer. I am leery of just using Google for everything too, the same way I am leery of using Microsoft for too much.

You are right, no one really does care about what service someone uses, but I think this namespace loses potential customers. Look at me for example, I am a big fan of Apple and their products, but there is no way I am using that name.

 

[doobi18]

As far as I know, can't you just hand out yourname@mac.com and it will be directed to yourname@me.com? I know that's how it works for older users.

//doobi18

 

[Jack Flash]

As far as I know, can't you just hand out yourname@mac.com and it will be directed to yourname@me.com? I know that's how it works for older users.

//doobi18

Just gave this a try and it did not work.

 

[Mactagonist]

That only works for people who were existing customers I believe.

OP: Are you really that beholden to what other people might think? If you carry yourself with dignity and confidence your email address is really a trivial part of your persona.

 

[vandlism]

If it's that big of an issue, just buy your own domain and have it route to your MobileMe account. Domains are cheap nowadays.

 

[cube]

mac.com is more international.

Stupid move.

 

[lmcintyre]

.

 

[Macsterguy]

People that worry about @whateveritis.com need to get a life. Do we not have more serious issues to think about today then this? sheeeeesh

Just my opinion...

 

[fabian9]

here are some solutions to your problem:

- sign up to mobile me, get your @me.com email address but don't use it for email!

or

- quit your job so people can't laugh at you, then get a job at apple and secure the yourname@apple.com email address (hey, does it get any cooler?!)

or

- stay in your job and wait till apple somehow manages to hype up me.com enough so that those who used to laugh at you will now sign up as well.

 

[DJ567]

could you not say the same for most email addresses

me.com - sounds self centred
hotmail.com - hotmales.com the classic joke
mac.com - so your a big mac or a mac daddy?
gmail.com - who decided you were a 'G' (gangsta/ganster)?

i personally like my me.com address, but like .Andy i just tend to route everything for gmail

 

[TheAshMan]

Yes, but

If it's that big of an issue, just buy your own domain and have it route to your MobileMe account. Domains are cheap nowadays.

I hear you, and know I could do that. It's not that big of an issue for me, I will just continue using gmail and will probably use Microsoft's Live services for file storage, photo and file sharing, and other services. Their free services are pretty good (25 GB for free) and live.com is a lot better than most domain names out there, especially me.com.

I am just disappointed and worried that if the name has that kind of effect on me --someone who is biased towards Apple stuff-- what does it do to the casual consumer? They are the overwhelming majority of the market out there. I am coming at this from a business standpoint for Apple and thinking of the consumer perspective. The goal should be an attractive service that people want to purchase. I think that namespace hurts the cause. I notice that someone mentions comparisons to "hotmail" and others which further illustrates my point. A majority of people would not select hotmail or other poorly named service because it is not a good namespace. Unfortunately "me.com" falls into that same category. I just think "mi.com" would be much more palatable to most people. Or why doesn't Apple buy that and other palatable domain names that people could choose from under the MobileMe umbrella. The goal here should be to sell the service.

 

[bluedoggiant]

You've been more productive today than I have !

I've got a @mac/@me but I'm not big on either address. I just route everything through gmail. Such a great service and perfect for personal email. I use the other .me services but that's it really.

Same exact thing with me.

Gmail for life

me.com... for other things... lol

 

[Rivix]

I see nothing wrong with using @me.com. I think @hotmail.com or even @yahoo.com its a more "laughable" name.

 

[sushi]

I think @hotmail.com or even @yahoo.com its a more "laughable" name.

Yahoo and Hotmail are fine. So is me.

I do find ymail somewhat funny as it is a direct copy of gmail.

 

[YuriVoorhak]

Wow.

I can't decide whether this thread is hilarious or deeply disturbing.

Either way, I'm going to file it next the the guy who cut grooves into the sides of his 2g iphone as a reminder that "Yes Yuri, the Mac community has changed (a lot) since 1998."

 

[YuriVoorhak]

Wow.

Doh. I guess to stay on-topic, I'll take OP's wager that "a lot of other Mac purchasers" pass on Mobile me because their co-workers are odd enough to crack up in laughter over the me.com domain. I'd say it has more to do with paying $100 a year for a set of services that really aren't worth it unless you have multiple macs and an iphone. I think much like AppleTV, the reason more people don't jump is because they vastly underestimate the potential of the product, and Apple doesn't really do a lot to correct that assessment. From the marketing, a casual glance would suggest AppleTV is essentially a pay-per-view box, and MobileMe is some really expensive webmail.

 

[fabian9]

I hear you, and know I could do that. It's not that big of an issue for me, I will just continue using gmail and will probably use Microsoft's Live services for file storage, photo and file sharing, and other services. Their free services are pretty good (25 GB for free) and live.com is a lot better than most domain names out there, especially me.com.

I am just disappointed and worried that if the name has that kind of effect on me --someone who is biased towards Apple stuff-- what does it do to the casual consumer? They are the overwhelming majority of the market out there. I am coming at this from a business standpoint for Apple and thinking of the consumer perspective. The goal should be an attractive service that people want to purchase. I think that namespace hurts the cause. I notice that someone mentions comparisons to "hotmail" and others which further illustrates my point. A majority of people would not select hotmail or other poorly named service because it is not a good namespace. Unfortunately "me.com" falls into that same category. I just think "mi.com" would be much more palatable to most people. Or why doesn't Apple buy that and other palatable domain names that people could choose from under the MobileMe umbrella. The goal here should be to sell the service.

What is the world coming to if people judge you by the domain attached to your email address? I mean I would understand this if your email address was something vulgar, but @me.com? Give me a break!

I don't understand the @mi.com idea you've got, it's not intuitive. Don't see apple selling a single account if the email address is going to have that ending.

on a different note, I oppose the idea of paying for an email service. What if at some point you don't want to pay anymore and you lose your address? It's a real pain in the backside to change email addresses because some people will still always try to contact you under your old one which then doesn't exist anymore. What are people going to think if you don't reply to them? :S

Fabian