Many people here have various Apple products. I have an iPod Touch and now I'm getting an iPad and probably a desktop Mac pretty soon. Since, I'll have more than one device, I'm getting a little concerned about synchronization and backup. I'm looking into Mobile Me, but it's subscription based, so I don't know if it's worth the $99/per year as opposed to using a desktop and a hard drive back up with Time Machine. Does anyone use Mobile Me, Time Machine or both?
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Time Machine vs. Mobile Me for Synchronization & Backup
- Thread starter LadyHoneyBabe
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Time Machine doesn't do sync an any way shape or from.
Mobile Me doesn't really do backup (although you could claim that syncing your contacts and calendar is a backup most people would disagree).
Basically they are not even remotely similar and comparing is basically foolish...
Mobile Me doesn't really do backup (although you could claim that syncing your contacts and calendar is a backup most people would disagree).
Basically they are not even remotely similar and comparing is basically foolish...
You can't really use Mobile Me to actually backup. There's just not enough space there to cover everything.
MobileMe will simply keep your bookmarks, calendar, me mail, and other stuff current across all your apple branded devices.
So if you add an event on your iphone calendar it will also be added to all of your other apple devices logged into mobile me.
From what I understand you can now do this for free via google.
Time machine simply requires a cheap external hard drive connected to your computer for backup. This will back up all your ipad and iphone apps, your photos, your itunes collection...everything.
I was asking about using Mobile Me for synchronization or your desktop to synchronize.
I didn't know Mobile Me couldn't be used as backup until now (I'm still learning about Apple coming from Windows only environment). So, based on the information you just gave me, I guess it's better to not consider Mobile Me and just use a computer to synchronize and Time Machine to backup. So, thanks, you just saved me 99 bucks a year.
I was asking about using Mobile Me for synchronization or your desktop to synchronize.
I didn't know Mobile Me couldn't be used as backup until now (I'm still learning about Apple coming from Windows only environment). So, based on the information you just gave me, I guess it's better to not consider Mobile Me and just use a computer to synchronize and Time Machine to backup. So, thanks, you just saved me 99 bucks a year.
You can use MobileMe to back up certain files (iDisk) which'll also sync across all of your Macs. iPhone has iDisk app for viewing and iDisk will probably be used to work with iWork on iPad. Other than that MobileMe is used for syncing personal information on all devices, like email/contacts/images and so on. It also has certain iPhone/iPad services like "Find my iPhone" using GPS and it also has Back to My Mac feature where you can log into your home machines from other remote Macs.
Time Machine really is the best way to backup, it'll back up your iPhone backups as well. So it's easy, you never have to worry about anything. It's all done for you in the background.
I'll have to check out this iDisk app and maybe MobileMe might be good when I'm away from my computer and I'm using iWork and want to synch it with MobileMe. Since, I know it's standard procedure to save and backup everything to avoid losing work.
OTOH, Dropbox is free and does the same thing. Use Google to sync your contacts and calendar, and you don't have to pay for anything. As far as I'm aware, the only thing that MobileMe offers that you can't get for free from another online service is "Find My iPhone," which I'm assuming will also work with iPads, I guess we'll find out, but is that worth $99/year?
The thing that MobileMe offers that nobody else have is the convenience, you're paying for one service to handle everything for you. Some people like that more than free services from multiple vendors that could just be a hassle to set up.
Can get it for 70$ or cheaper elsewhere (Amazon, Ebay), you only need a code for Mobileme subscription to work.
Yes, that's a very expensive convenience fee, but if you have around three or more Macs, it's probably worth it.
At the time I got my first iPhone (2007), although I had Mobile Me (then still called Dot Mac) and two or three Macs I really had not explored the possibilities of synchronizing everything. With the iPhone it all finally "clicked" for me and I saw the value immediately. Now, in this household of 4 Macs and two deactivated (1st and 2nd gen) iPhones plus current iPhone, I've got things running very smoothly so that everybody's synchronized. I'm out somewhere with a friend and want to put a date on my calendar? I do it on the iPhone and it also will appear on iCal in my computers. I'm at home and I find an interesting new website and bookmark it? It shows up as a bookmark on all my machines and iPhones. Someone on my Contacts list has a new address or phone number? I change it on whatever device I happen to be using at the time and voila, everybody else also gets that info, too. The real beauty of this is when you buy a new computer and you're setting it up -- no hassle as far as bookmarks, contacts, etc. -- they'll all sync for you!
With the iPad, next week I'll sit down with it and plug it into the computer for the first time to activate it and also this will sync it so that it, too, will have my contacts, bookmarks, etc., as well as my photos from the special folder of images that I use for this purpose and of course my iTunes stuff.....
MobileMe is terrific for synchronizing info when you've got more than a couple of computers and devices. To me it's well worth the money.
With the iPad, next week I'll sit down with it and plug it into the computer for the first time to activate it and also this will sync it so that it, too, will have my contacts, bookmarks, etc., as well as my photos from the special folder of images that I use for this purpose and of course my iTunes stuff.....
MobileMe is terrific for synchronizing info when you've got more than a couple of computers and devices. To me it's well worth the money.
That's a really good description of the advantages of MobileMe, and I agree completely. But the key I think is *if you have multiple computers*. If you have just a single computer, then all you have to do is sync your iDevices to that computer, and everything stays in sync.
There is a 60 day trial that is free. Give it a shot during the trial and see if you like it...then pay the $90.
A word of warning DO NOT BUY from Amazon or Ebay sellers. I was burnt terribly on a family pack code I purchased through an ebay seller. I'd buy straight from Apple or Amazon proper.
I also use Mobile Me, and highly recommend it. The "Find My iPhone" is very cheap insurance for an expensive piece of kit and has come in handy when i misplaced my iPhone and didn't know if I left it at work (a 20 minute drive one way.) I logged into Mobile Me and fired up the "Find My iPhone" app and saw that it was in my car. Saved me from a frantic trip out to work.
Also the syncing of data and info is seamless but as others have pointed out it can be done for free on other services.
$99 a year is about $8.25/month. Not bad at all when you look at it that way.
Also the syncing of data and info is seamless but as others have pointed out it can be done for free on other services.
$99 a year is about $8.25/month. Not bad at all when you look at it that way.
I love my dot mac email addy.
I'm a mac, and proud of it. Unless i send it from my Touch, then i'm ME, and everyone gets confused.... LOL!
I don't have to think about keeping things in sync... they just are. I won't be using "my" computer to sync my iPad because i'm not running Leopard on it - so all the more reason to have my stuff syncing with something else. I won't have to think about it - it will just happen!
But it's not for everyone.... i've had it for 6 years and didn't use more than email until i got my Touch. I rarely even used online email - i use the mail app on my mac instead. I still rarely use the online - but it's nice to have if i'm somewhere and need to check it (and when i get my 3g ipad i won't have to check it on other peoples machines!!)
I'm a mac, and proud of it. Unless i send it from my Touch, then i'm ME, and everyone gets confused.... LOL!
I don't have to think about keeping things in sync... they just are. I won't be using "my" computer to sync my iPad because i'm not running Leopard on it - so all the more reason to have my stuff syncing with something else. I won't have to think about it - it will just happen!
But it's not for everyone.... i've had it for 6 years and didn't use more than email until i got my Touch. I rarely even used online email - i use the mail app on my mac instead. I still rarely use the online - but it's nice to have if i'm somewhere and need to check it (and when i get my 3g ipad i won't have to check it on other peoples machines!!)
use it all the time
I really like what MM does for the mac, making posting iphoto galleries a SNAP, Iweb is nice for posting a blog in a pinch, and the backup and syncing for iphone is great. I even use it with shared calendars.
Trick is to get MM for less than about 35$ a year, that makes it quite a deal. I picked up a bunch of codes last year at 25$ each, so figure for the next 5 years i'm covered for about the price of one year. For that amount, or even 2x that amount it is worth it to me.
I really like what MM does for the mac, making posting iphoto galleries a SNAP, Iweb is nice for posting a blog in a pinch, and the backup and syncing for iphone is great. I even use it with shared calendars.
Trick is to get MM for less than about 35$ a year, that makes it quite a deal. I picked up a bunch of codes last year at 25$ each, so figure for the next 5 years i'm covered for about the price of one year. For that amount, or even 2x that amount it is worth it to me.
I rarely use webmail for checking my email, but it is handy when away from home. Oddly enough, my email is the one thing that I do NOT sync with MobileMe. I have several POP email addresses and so I prefer to keep the emails on the server and have them download into Mail on whichever machine I happen to be on and of course also on the iPhone. This works out well for me, but it is a little different than the way most people handle things.
I don't use my .mac or .me addresses too often for personal email; I reserve them for iTunes registration, receipts and communications from the Apple store, etc.
All of my machines are running Snow Leopard but I plan to sync the iPad only with the Mac Mini, which is also the machine I use to sync the iPhone and my iPod on as well.
I don't use my .mac or .me addresses too often for personal email; I reserve them for iTunes registration, receipts and communications from the Apple store, etc.
All of my machines are running Snow Leopard but I plan to sync the iPad only with the Mac Mini, which is also the machine I use to sync the iPhone and my iPod on as well.
I have a quick question about Mobile Me
Say I add a new date on my iPhones calender, how long and how does it appear on my iMac? Does sit automatically appear quickly??
I guess the iMac would periodically check for updates???? If so how often etc as I am on limited bandwidth with my internet provider
Say I add a new date on my iPhones calender, how long and how does it appear on my iMac? Does sit automatically appear quickly??
I guess the iMac would periodically check for updates???? If so how often etc as I am on limited bandwidth with my internet provider
Thanks so much for mentioning Dropbox. I just checked it out and it looks perfect for document transfer.