Filed under: Internet Tools, MobileMe
Easy file transfer may be finally coming to MobileMe
It hasn't been all roses for MobileMe. After a rocky start in 2008 things have started to settle down in MobileMe land, and it appears that Apple is about to add at least one feature that was promised when the service rolled out. Loyal TUAW reader Dave has noticed a little change on the Apple MobileMe page that says the ability to easily make large file transfers is coming soon. The hint is on the lower right of the page:
Soon a new feature in iDisk will make it simple to share files too big for email. iDisk will automatically send a message with a simple link. The recipient will just click the link to download the file.As it is now, you can place things in your public folder, and other Mac or PC users can see that folder if they know your MobileMe user name. You can also give out your password (not a great idea), allowing others to cruise your private folders, then drag and drop large files to their own desktops. Users can also send files to you the same way.
Other solutions have stepped up to fill in for the feature, like FileChute which works very well. Apple isn't giving a date, but the fact that the feature is on the way should give some New Year's cheer to MobileMe subscribers everywhere.
Addenda: Some readers say the message has been there for a few months, so don't get too excited that this feature is imminent. It is, however, greatly desired.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Charles said 1:40PM on 1-01-2009
Apple demo'd this feature prior to the MobileMe launch. After launch, the feature vanished. I would love to use my MobileMe account instead of providers like YouSendIt. I can't wait.
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zeero said 1:45PM on 1-01-2009
Sorry Loyal TUAW reader Dave -
That "Coming Soon" claim has been there for months now and that is a fact.
The file transfer functionality was the only reason that I even signed up for MobileMe and it really pisses me off that it has not been enabled. I recommend using godaddy online file folders in the meantime.
I got excited when I saw this post. Thought you had heard something new. But take my word for it - coming soon has been there since MobileMe was first rolled out.
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Kento Ito said 2:02PM on 1-01-2009
The feature was delayed due to another "iPocalypse". Too many people trying to email the file to iDisk all at the same time and it causes the entire MobileMe service to crash due to server failure.
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ryan said 2:05PM on 1-01-2009
The feature has nothing to do with email files to an iDisk. It is the ability to send someone an email and allow them to direct download from your iDisk...
ryan said 2:03PM on 1-01-2009
I agree with zeero, that has been there since the launch. I check that page periodically hoping to see some more info on when that is actually happening. Unfortunately, like push notifications for the iPhone and a handful of other things, emailing large files seems stuck in a "coming soon" perpetual loop...
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Ricosuave said 2:45PM on 1-01-2009
I have been using FileChute for this feature and it works flawlessly. It even has an iPhone app to access AND download to the iPhone.
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KennyB said 2:49PM on 1-01-2009
Just let me know when its ready... enough beating around the bush, k apple?
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Rubbinz said 3:07PM on 1-01-2009
It's vaporware and will remain vaporware along with server-side push notifications Apple promised for the iPhone and IM notifications.
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KarlW said 4:21PM on 1-01-2009
I imagine it'll be released at Macworld, hopefully with more enhancements to MobileMe.
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circa86 said 4:29PM on 1-01-2009
this is already possible.
any file in your sites folder on your iDisk, you can directly link to, or any directory in that directory as well.
for example:
http://homepage.mac.com/USERNAME/filename.whatever
look it up it is all over the place.
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John said 7:40PM on 1-01-2009
Yeah, but this 'email link' has more elegance once it actually
exists. For example, you can set limits such as number of downloads.
You could mail it to one person and have the link expire after one
download. There were other neat features that makes this more than
simply a "download link to a file."
KennyB said 7:44PM on 1-01-2009
I believe with the email feature you can password protect individual files on the mail receipts. Not everyone like exposing their files.
Sure you can password protect the iDisk web portal, but we all know how wonky that is.
wb said 5:24PM on 1-01-2009
I've been using Dropbox, even though I have a mobileme account 'cause it's so much easier to use. I had a couple of files lost from my iDisk when I had local syncing on and that made me skittish.
They only give you 2gigs free, but it's cross platform, so I can use it to keep files handy on that awful PC that I'm forced to use at work. http://www.getdropbox.com/
I don't work for them or have shares or anything -- just like to spread the word when I find a good product.
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G said 8:30PM on 1-01-2009
+1
I still use YouSendIt and MediaFire to send files under 100MB to people I don't know very well, but my closer friends and I all have "shared" folders in Dropbox now. It rocks big time.
Klaus said 5:43PM on 1-01-2009
I'm quite sure the "coming soon" has been there pretty much since MobileMe was launched when this very feature was missing. I was looking forward to it and couldn't figure out how to get it to work, but found the "coming soon" message at their site.
So I hope this "soon" is really really soon, as the "soon" back then has been taking many months now.
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THOR said 5:56PM on 1-01-2009
YOUR STUPID MOBILE SITE FOR THE iPHONE STILL CANT SHOW THE FULL SITE!!!!!
I would apreciate if you could fix this simple yet annoying problem as I miss the advanced features which are in the full site. As when you try to go to the fullsite from the iPhone, it redirects you back to the mobile site.
Now u try and writing all of that in under a minute on the iphone keyboard.
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Tony said 8:14PM on 1-01-2009
I have been mad about this too. Right now the aol people don't want you to see the full version home page. The ads crash safari. When you are reading an article, however, remove the i before the tuaw ad the normal page loads. Cheers!
-Tony
Derek F. said 7:57PM on 1-01-2009
I'll believe it when I see it - as it is, I have lots of problems just uploading files to iDisk (both via iDisk on my Mac and even via web browser). Often uploading files as small as 20MB will get transferred all the way and then get stuck spinning on "finishing/closing"... Very frustrating...
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Kon. Tom. said 9:44PM on 1-01-2009
What I would like to see prior to a change in how MobileMe works, or at least to go in tandem with these changes, is a major price drop. Yes I have the suite, it's great, but they still need to lower the price down to a more affordable figure.
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angeL said 2:52AM on 1-02-2009
Apple really needs to fix the public folder uploading problem. When trying to upload files through a web browser onto your iDisk, the upload status pop-up window does not tell you when the file is done uploading. The spinning wheel just goes forever. Really annoying because I use my iDisk public folder to share files with friends and the only way they can upload stuff to my iDisk is through the public folder in a web browser (not going to give them my pw). They just have to estimate when the file is done uploading.
Come on, at least a progress bar Apple!
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