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Concerns raised about lack of Mac-to-MobileMe push sync

While Apple markets MobileMe primarily as a push service, some are now discovering that updates to the Mac don't translate to immediate updates for the web or for Apple's handhelds, raising questions about whether the new service is as full-featured as promised.

As illustrated in an official knowledge base article and supported by reports from Mac Rumors users, instantaneous data sync only occurs whenever a change is made from either the MobileMe web interface or a portable device such as the iPhone or iPod touch.

Even with Mac OS X 10.5.4 and a MobileMe update, however, Mac users just won't see the same level of speed when they make changes from the computer itself. The automatic option for sending data from the Mac is now known to be inherently tied to the operating system's Sync Services, which don't relay information except at regular 15-minute intervals — a potential hassle for users expecting content to automatically spread within moments to all their computers and devices.

And while it's simple to override the automatic schedule with a manual sync, the absence of full computer-based push has quickly been labeled a disappointment to some users and reveals that Apple has yet to completely integrate push information with Mac OS X.

Mac OS X Snow Leopard is believed to solve the issue for business customers with built-in Exchange support but isn't yet known to have a new sync model that would deliver the updates in real time.



80 Comments

fastred 21 Years · 22 comments

What an unfortunately ADD world we live in, when 15 minutes is "too slow"

msnly 17 Years · 378 comments

I was thinking about getting Mobile Me when I get an iPhone. I guess I might wait for Snow Leopard or for them to figure it out.

wolfneuralnet 17 Years · 44 comments

I think this is worse. You cannot now see any of your subscribed calendars on MobileMe, and they are not pushed to the iPhone either.

This means that you basically cannot see subscribed calendars on the iPhone unless you turn off the push sync and sync manually with the cable. Which defeats the purpose of having MobileMe in the first place.

I expected they weren't changing the Sync model for Mac to MobileMe when the update was so small it could only have been cosmetic code, and don't think this part is really a big deal. It would be nice if automatic syncing, when turned on, triggered a sync whenever something was changed.

If I push something from MobileMe, it does trigger a sync on my Mac, so there must be a way to alert the machine that I have changed something locally! I think a quick update may fix this.

fotek2001 22 Years · 39 comments

Or how about when if you're promised that a change on one device will instantly be reflected on another and it doesn't happen... It's not us having 'ADD', it's Apple being liberal with the truth!

rjwill246 21 Years · 68 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by fastred

What an unfortunately ADD world we live in, when 15 minutes is "too slow"

I actually resent the constant IMs and other intrusions, which is why 3rd party apps that can block everything until I AM READY is going to be a Godsend-- it is not as if a successful modern world depended on this. I am convinced more than ever that people want STAT for STAT' sake. Sure it is great to be able to write/talk/IM to the whole bloody world in 16 nanoseconds but by that stage the meaning of life has just been incinerated!