MobileMe is Meshing With Me

While the great 3G iPhone did not lure me in and cause me to spend even more on a device I really need to use less, I was looking forward to the enhancements to MobileMe. All I should be saying is I can now backup most of my current pictures in the cloud...however, I will add that I have been greatly disappointed.

You can sync calendars...but only Outlook and iCal...even though I have iCal subscribing to my GMail calendar, it will not include that sync...And, of course, now that I moved from Outlook on our lone PC to Windows Live Mail, no consistent and supported calendar is available...So, no appointments made easy...

After successfully logging in to the MobileMe sync portion on the PC, an error occurred everytime I tried to activate a sync. After checking a few blogs and Apple's support site, the answer was simple..log in with all lowercase letters in your user name...I know, I know, it has been like that for a long time...if that is really known than why can you login in the first place...anyone? Anyone? Apple? OK, nevermind...move along, nothing see here...

Speaking of seeing, or rather syncing...You can sync emails...but there are days that the Mail.app is the only way to go...I am getting IMAP from Google on my Tilt and using my MacBook Air for complete functionality...

The storage...I am so happy that this was increased. I struggled with renewing this 6 months from now for $100...this helps...however, since the Air's harddrive is so small, many files are on the still on the PC or a network storage device. iDisk on the Air works well, drag and drop, how much easier can it get? On the PC, well, there is the web app and uploading multiple file is scary...and, you can forget about syncing...I know that you can add a network place and such, but for some reason it takes an incredibly long time to upload items...longer than other cloud uploads, especially compared to ftp.

So, what about the Meshing Me in the title? I am glad you asked...As you may be able to tell from previous posts, we move between platforms...So, Windows Live Mesh, while in public beta now, offers a meager 5GB, but hey, it is free. You can upload multiple files by a sync from a Windows machine...but, you guessed it, only one file at a time can be uploaded from the Mac...so far.

We are syncing basic folders on Mesh.com using our Live ID and accessing them on our mobile devices, Macs, and PC at home and on the road.

Lastly, the greatest thing that made me happy and my little tech world align is the ability to connect to the PC, drag and drop files between machines using only Windows Live Mesh. To get the full effects, right now, you have to use Internet Explorer and, yes, Windows..Mac and Mobile versions are on their way. So, whether we use the seamless VMWare Fusion running XP from the MacBook Air, or need to grab certain files while at the day job without violating corporate internet policies, Mesh links our worlds together through the cloud instead of being lost within it.

Neither MobileMe nor Mesh has everything our hybrid teams need. However, with both of them competing and growing, that iPhone or Tilt, Air or corporate PC, can be more connected with data available at a literal click...OK, a couple of clicks, but much easier than carrying around 20 floppies, an external drive, or a little keychain dongle that gets lost and washed...Good luck in connecting your worlds...enjoy...

AT&T Tilt Camera

So, I was in a strategy session in which we used a white board to put our thoughts together and share. This worked well during the meeting, but we had to leave the room and the white board behind...

Enter the 3.0 megapixel camera on the Tilt...instead of trying to scribble down the details, I took out my phone, pushed the camera button, took a picture with one click, and went back to my office area. Using the wireless option, I transferred the photo to my laptop and inserted it into a Word document. While I did not have to transcibe it since the picture was so clear. And, since the picture was at 3MP, you can zoom in to see the details of some of the smallest type.

This useful component of this great little device, could save time as well as capture those special moments with you little ones. We added a 4 GB micro SD card to store these pictures and the attachments from the various email sources...but that is for another post...

Theme editing AT&T Tilt

One of the features that I have always found lacking in Windows Mobile was theme editing. I know, I know, versions before WM5 had a free download to edit the themes...however, what happened to the recent versions? I would like to change the font color and type without having to download a third-party software...or perhaps change the picture without as much fade...

The theme is one of the few items that I would like to change on the Tilt...without going outside the device itself. You can change al of this with a simple right-click on other window operating systems why not something similar here?

Still a great device, just one small annoyance...

AT&T Tilt Continued...

So, did I mention that the Tilt allow you to add applications without going through the many, many hoops other phones do...

I have been concerned about carrying one device for my phone, one for a ad hoc camera, and one for watching our Slingbox. The Slingbox works great with laptops especially on vacation with children who miss their favorite shows. While having a laptop...MacBook Pro really...is good for vacation, it becomes more difficult to carry on shorter trips, or in places without an internet connection. Enter the Tilt...you can use the Slingbox mobile player. With the 3G connection, the connection and picture is great. Just connect before you leave the house and watch on the road.

One device, multiple uses. TV to go...and calm children...good times for all.

No iPhone...No worries...

So, you wanted an iPhone...well, maybe you did the right thing by not buying one.

Apple did not upgrade the iPhone to include 3G yet. Having used Edge on a previous phone (Motorola SLVR), I can say that is definitely too slow...I know, I know, it might have been the phone...no, not really. iPhone stil slow.

So, this is realy not about the iPhone...really. Take advantage of what the iPhone does not bring with the AT&T Tilt. It is a great device that helps you type blog posts like this, get corporate email without driving most IT teams crazy, and gives you touch capability, wifi, a 3 megapixel camera, and yes, Skype. It even has this great little key board...yes, an actual key board...Oh, right, and it is a great phone.

The AT&T Tilt is a great phone that may run retail about $100 less than the iPhone, but look or call about a refurbished model...unlike the iPhone, whose refurbished model is only 50 bucks cheaper, a refurbished model of the AT&T Tilt was about $150...about half of its original price.

So far, after two weeks, more than worth it. More to come, including pictures and specifics on the phone's features.