14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has debuted a new interface for its cloud-based MobileMe service, adding a new look for the me.com e-mailing service. Beta-tested since May, the new MobileMe Mail features a new widescreen view interface, server-side e-mail rules, improved performance, new SSL security when composing and sending e-mail, and a formatting toolbar for adding rich text to e-mails. Apple also launched the Find My iPhone function as an iPhone application.
“The all-new MobileMe Mail at me.com is now out of beta and available to all members,” Apple announced today. “We'd like to thank the many people who used the beta and provided us with feedback.” On the MobileMe News section of its website, Apple provides a summary of what customers can expect in terms of changes. The features listed below have been added following a successful beta testing of the new service.
“Widescreen and compact views. When reading your mail at me.com, the new widescreen view lets you see more of each message with less scrolling. Choose compact view to hide your folders or classic view to see more of your message list.
“Rules to keep your email organized everywhere. Mail rules help you reduce inbox clutter by automatically filing messages into folders you select ahead of time. Set them up at me.com, and your rules organize your incoming email on the web and everywhere else — on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and PC.
“Single-click archiving. Click the Archive button and the selected message is quickly filed into the Archive folder where it's always available for future reference.
“Formatting toolbar. You can create great-looking email messages using formatting buttons to bold or italicize text, change font color, insert images, and more. You can even create formatted web links to hide long URLs.
“Faster performance. Mail at me.com loads your inbox and messages faster. And with interface refinements such as the ability to scroll through your entire inbox without having to manually click to load the next set of messages, you'll be able to work more efficiently.
“Increased security with SSL. With MobileMe Mail, accessing your email on the web is more secure than ever. Your inbox is protected to prevent anyone from eavesdropping on your webmail. As always, you receive SSL protection when you use your MobileMe Mail account on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and PC.
“Support for external email addresses (new since the beta). Reading all your email in one place is easy with MobileMe Mail. You can receive email from another service by having the email forwarded to your me.com address. And when you reply to a message using webmail, you can choose to send it from the address it was sent to, or from your MobileMe account.
“Improved junk mail filtering (new since the beta). MobileMe Mail places suspected spam messages directly in the Junk folder. If you see an email that you actually want, click the "Not Junk" button on me.com. MobileMe moves the message to your Inbox and makes sure that messages from that sender are not sent to your Junk folder again."
MobileMe subscribers can try out the new Mail service by simply signing in to their accounts at me.com.
Apple also informs subscribers that they will see two persistent navigation features at the top of every page: a cloud icon on the left, and the user’s name on the right. To open a new application switcher, which lets users move to any other MobileMe web application from the one they're currently using, customers must simply click the cloud icon, or use the Shift-Esc keyboard shortcut. To visit their account settings, access help, or sign out, subscribers simply click their name on the right to open a menu. Visit Apple here for more information on the recent changes with MobileMe.
Next up, Softpedia will be covering Apple’s Find My iPhone application for iOS devices.