MobileMe Sneaks Onto Windows Computers...And No One Cares?
After a rocky start which involved post-launch outages and subsequent apology letter not to mention the big reveal that MobileMe wasn't exactly the "push" service they advertised, Apple finally has MobileMe up and running. But now, after updating iTunes to the latest version, many Windows users were surprised to find a new MobileMe icon in their Control Panel. Apple is once again sneaking software onto our PCs - the question is, why are we letting them get away with this?
MobileMe Bundled With iTunes
This isn't exactly the first time Apple has sneaked additional programs onto our machines. Already notorious for bundling QuickTime with iTunes, Apple was finally taken to task last March, when they bundled Safari with their iTunes software update. (QuickTime is one thing, apparently an entire web browser is quite another.)
Yet, they didn't learn their lesson from that experience, or even more likely, they just don't care. They're Apple. You love them. They can do anything right?
Wrong. The truth of the matter is, outside the tech blogosphere (which, ironically, doesn't seem to include that many blogs about computer software), the MobileMe "malware," as it's being called in some cases, is a hot topic for discussion.
When clicked, the icon launches a window that essentially functions as an advertisement for the MobileMe service with text that reads:
"Try MobileMe
MobileMe stores your email, contacts, calendar, photos and files in an online "cloud," and keeps your Mac, PC, iPhone, or iPod touch up to date. Sign up now and experience MobileMe today."
And guess what happens when you click the "Learn More..." button? You are, of course, taken to a web site where you are able to purchase the MobileMe service.
To remove the icon, you have to go into the Control Panel, Launch "Add/Remove Programs" ("Programs and Features" on Vista), and uninstall the program "Apple Mobile Device Support." Since the name of that program doesn't actually say "MobileMe," a more novice Windows user might not know that it is the program responsible for the new icon on their machine and leave it be.
If any other company did the same (especially Microsoft!) the outrage would be deafening. So why aren't we hearing more complaints about this behavior when Apple does it? Can they really do whatever they want?
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I noticed this last night and was simply floored. At NO point did I ask for MobileMe to be installed on my system.
Posted by: Bradley McSpinn
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July 22, 2008 7:27 AM
Because you love Apple
Maybe I'm just beaten down by years of being abused by computer hardware and software companies. I wasn't even aware of this until your post. Sure enough, the icon is in my control panel. Do I care? Not so much. I have like 200GB of drive space left, there are 56 items in my control panel and I only ever use...5 of them.
Posted by: Robert Seidman
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July 22, 2008 7:36 AM
yeah I noticed that when I installed the new iTunes. I thought it was just one of the necessary evils associated with managing my iPod.
Posted by: Rahul Das
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July 22, 2008 7:42 AM
Combine this and the "force install" of Safari on the Apple Updater for Windows, Apple is getting very close to becoming a spammy company.
Posted by: Haggis
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July 22, 2008 8:09 AM
For me, iTunes is too slow, has too much bloat, and like you noticed, always installs additional things on your computer. Oh, and it seems like I am always asked to update it. All of these reasons combined with the annoying tactic that they used to require the install of QuickTime is why I looked for alternatives to manage my iPod.
I found "Media Monkey" and haven't looked back. It manages my needs on my iPod very well.
They have a free version, but I upgraded it to the version that has the extra stuff with free updates for life. I think it is call Media Monkey Gold.
And no, I am not affiliated with Media Monkey, just a very satisfied user.
I think you are missing a key point. iTunes is the primary sync mechanism for the iphone. The iphone now supports pushed mail, contacts and calendar via MobileMe or Exchange. iTunes HAS to have mobileme installed to properly interact with the iphone.
No conspiracy here. Just practicality. If it subscribed you and charged for something you would have a point. But it doesn't :-)
Keith
Oh hell naw!
I think the Apple updater is just insane.
It will NEVER show you an update for just Quicktime.
Even if it KNOWs you installed just QUICKTIME.
I don't give a damn about iTunes and will never install it.
I am so seriously pissed every time it comes up and says that it wants to update my Quicktime + iTunes. No Thanks!
So I just removed the updater all together.
Until Quicktime Movie Trailes sites tells me I have to.
When I manually just get it myself from their site.
[All this only until XBOX finally gets a better selection of movie trailers in HD]
Side note:
Always click '[X] Show advanced install options' for 3rd party apps that are free. Chances are they will be coming with a default installation of Google products and changing your default search providers to their affiliates. That should NOT be hidden from the users in Advanced tab. Hooray for partner profits.
Ah, so that's why the iTunes update required a reboot! Yes, annoying at minimum, and my outrage grows the more I think about it.
Keith Teare: Not every iTunes user HAS an iPhone. I suspect most don't. What would it take to add a confirmation box: "Would you like to install MobileMe? You need it for your iPhone."
Posted by: workingwriter.myopenid.com
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July 22, 2008 9:23 AM
I don't really mind, if only I could actually use the iDisk directly from the desktop.
But even just being able to sync bookmarks, contacts etc. easily from the desktop to the phone is worth having an extra icon in my control panel for me :)
@Nikita - Wow, what rage! You need a constructive outlet for all that anger. How about taking a machine gun to an Apple store and shooting up all the happy Mobile Me clouds on display? Will that satisfy the rage??
I was afraid deleting this item might make the entire iTunes ecosystem collapse. Anyone has deleted it successfully? Will the iPod touch/iPhone still sync?
Vincent
If any other company did the same (especially Microsoft!) the outrage would be deafening.
What? I can barely hear you over all the screaming about the junk that gets auto-installed by Windows Live!
Oh no wait, there isn't any screaming about Windows Live. What were you saying?
Should companies do this? Probably not. Is it just Apple? No. Programs have been doing this for years. Intel, AMD, Palm, Sigmatel, Nero, and a ton of games, among others.
Most companies used to behave like this. Apple even used this sort of forced installed ideology as a reason to switch from PC to Mac. Meanwhile, many companies have since stopped practices like this and Apple's just doing it more and more themselves. One iTunes install later and most have Quicktime and possibly Safari on their machine, plus icons on the desktop and the shortcut bar. Not good PR for those considering switching IMO.
@zota - Well, Windows Live is actually packaged and marketed as a bundle, so I think that's a big difference. See: http://get.live.com. It lists a bunch of services that you get when you download "Windows Live." If you only want one or two of those services, you can go to their individual pages to access them.
Thanks for this post, Sarah. I've been very reluctant to install any Apple software since they bundled iTunes with Safari, but I finally gave in and installed iTunes so that I could download some lectures from Stanford University that aren't available anywhere else.
Like everyone else, I had no idea that Apple was installing MobileMe malware. I have no use for it, so away it goes! And I most certainly will not be installing any more Apple software unless absolutely necessary.
This same AppleMobileDeviceHelper is what caused me some major issues a few days ago, wrote about it over at Homotron. I'd be worried about deleting that program though, because, at least from what I read, it will not allow you to sync your devices if you do.
"If any other company did the same (especially Microsoft!) the outrage would be deafening."
Uh..Sun Microsystems?
What about the latest Java update automatically installing OpenOffice unless you manually uncheck the pre-checked box?
http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/rtrent/archive/2008/07/20/sun-s-java-update-seems-to-think-i-want-openoffice.aspx
:crickets:
Doesn't uninstalling "Apple Mobile Device Support" also break iPod/iPhone syncing? That's not much of a solution if that's the case.
pfffft. windows. that's the real problem here, not apple... apple is a business doing what every other business in their position does, silly to argue that Microsoft is somehow innocent of the same debauchery... against it's own, no less... at least apple is focusing theirs on the slow learners who have yet to assimilate into the "right way to personally compute". Take it as more of a subtle hint and less of a personal violation. ;)
"MobileMe Sneaks Onto Windows Computers...And No One Cares."
Yep, pretty much right on there.
"ileMe "malware," as it's being called"
Ahh drama on teh innrnets.
Malware? My oh my someone needs to loosen their hat size a might bit. Unwanted software mayhaps. Malware? Dramawhore stuff this is indeed:)
Months ago I removed all Apple software from my pc out of irritation.
Quicktime kept trying to take file associations and was causing browser crashes.
My browser has been much more stable without it.
Dot Mac has always been pretty shamelessly advertised on Mac OS X, so perhaps Mac users don't think it's a big deal. As far as distruption goes, I think it's a lot less irritating than, say, RealPlayer.
Of course, when I'm using Windows (Vista), it's on my Mac, so I already have a full complement of Apple software.
Apple is evil. I love OSX, my macs and mi iPods, but apple just does not get it. They get away with so many things (iTunes songs only playable on iPods, pushing software that you do not require, suing blogs, etc.) just because they are apple. They might be less evil than MS but they are.
Posted by: Arturo Servin
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July 23, 2008 12:19 AM
How do we get the malware removers to warn users about apple products?
I saw it when I installed, and was shocked that they would do it, but couldn't be bothered removing it. I'm not going to use it.
Still, they are pulling a worse-than-microsoft trick here, fanboy or not.
By the way: malware = software that installs things you didn't ask for. Imagine if when installing winamp you couldn't select "dont give access to emusic.com on my desktop". Or countless other examples.
Their contempt for their users is huge. Have some decency and name your uninstaller properly and make mobileme an optional module.
Probaly I'm just lazy and actually use these options..
but then, while I don't use an iPhone ( see my comments on this article http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/nokia_vs_apple_internet_mobile_device_market.php) I'm using loads of apple products and MobileMe is one of them.
It would have been better to be able to make a choice, at least.. but that will come next up probably in a iTunes 7.7.9.9.9 version..
What's the problem? It works like that on the Mac and MobileMe is part of the iPhone experience. Not a big deal and you don't have to subscribe to it.
Posted by: fbrunel
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July 23, 2008 2:40 PM
http://ipodmanagers.blogspot.com/
Can't wait for Amarok on Windows either.
Really? "Everyone" is so upset about Mobile Me being "forced" into their control panels, yet they don't care that Microsoft keeps putting out crap like Vista and working deals with the major computer manufactures so as to make it virtually impossible to get a decent OS?
I like XP and I like OSX, but when will MS actually make a good OS that works instead of sort of works but looks cool?
Apple has their share of shortcomings, but Microsoft has more than set the curve for bad software.
Long live XP and OSX! Vista... let's put that one in the bin of forgotten with Windows ME.
I'm running Vista and I have no problems with it. Maybe you should give it a try.
(No I don't work for MS. I just like Vista.)
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