Thursday, August 7, 2014

MobileMe: Apple's online service test

MobileMe web applications

Opening a MobileMe account provides access to five Web applications accessible from the top toolbar, by close to those of the iPhone icons. Applications share a fairly consistent from one module to another interface, but also for Mac users, with their local counterparts in Mac OS X. Note, however, that Apple has made ​​a small effort to not provide them a Mac look too: sobriety and own icons Apple obviously recognizes it but the colors and visual chosen not to swear on Windows Vista. The toolbar also includes the specific application that can access the various features buttons. For each application, you will find a button marked with a gear: it provides access to advanced application features, along with control panel module. This also follows the same ergonomic conventions borrowed preference panels Mac applications, with a row of icons bringing together the different sections.  


The first application is an email client, Mail entitled, as its equivalent for Mac OS X and iPhone. We find a fairly similar standard in customer messaging interface, with a provision in two or three panels, depending on whether you want to display the contents of messages (or how Outlook Express Mail) or not (so Gmail). In the second case, a click on a message or composing a new mail opens it in full screen, a button to return to the list or the next or previous message. In the first, the letters open in a separate window browser. Regrettably, however, the absence of a presentation by vertical panels, so Outlook or Windows Live Mail. This arrangement is much more convenient for widescreen displays and allows you to preview the first few words of the message without reading it. This absence is part of the fault of the mail client in Mac OS X, but since MobileMe is intended for users of Windows, including Outlook, it is unfortunate that he is absent. At left is in all cases a panel showing a list of folders (Reception, outbox, drafts, trash ...). You can create other folders in order to move messages by simply selecting and drag / drop them. The first contacts with the application are excellent, everything behaves exactly like what one would expect from a local courier customer without all the specifics of the interface of Gmail that often requires going through menus and checkboxes to perform the operations.


The first impression is favorable, but what about when you scratch the surface? Beyond basic functionality, the Mail component MobileMe offers some more advanced options. First, we note the presence of a spell checker. This may not be necessary if your browser already has an equalizer (in the case of Firefox) but offers a pretty smart mode: you warning before sending your message when it detects errors.


The spell checker checks for errors before sending the message 


Like Gmail, MobileMe can retrieve mail from an external POP3 account keeping or not the messages on the server, useful for not multiply webmail. In practice, this option is far less convenient than that of its competitor. First, it is limited to one account, where Gmail allows you to configure several. There will also be without auto recovery at regular intervals: the only way to check your external messages is to repatriate them manually. These limitations may be acceptable if the feature did what was asked, but it is not even the case: the operation is somewhat random. Consultation sometimes refers connection errors

MobileMe can also manage another POP3 account 


MobileMe Mail also has a spam filter, but it does not offer any configuration options, except the ability to automatically move messages marked as junk in the corresponding file. Note also the complete lack of mail rules or assignment of labels or tags to messages. In short, fans of automatic classification of their messages will be disappointed.