Last week , Apple moved itsnew MobileMe Calendarfrom beta status to prescribed freeing . After working with the software for the past week , I ’m thinking that the move may have been a bit untimely .
The biggest difference between the quondam and raw Calendars is under - the - hood . Rather than having your calendar data based on your Mac and synchronise to MobileMe , your data are establish in the MobileMe swarm — which now employs a CalDAV format . From the swarm , your data are synced back to your Mac as well as to other gadget that you assign for sharing . This format change leads to a shower of other conflict .
Apple advice
Before dig into my own experience with Calendar , let ’s start out with some selected bakshish from Apple .
Faster Performance message : If you utilise the new Calendar , you ’ve probably seen a message that offers to “ Keep a copy of your calendar on this computer for fast performance . ” Accept the offer ( unless you are not on your own computer ) . AnApple supporting articlestates : “ This improves the performance of the new MobileMe Calendar by loading a copy of your data from the web browser ’s local store , and then update the information by checking with the MobileMe server for any change when you lumber in . ” you’re able to wrick this selection on or off at any clip , via MobileMe ’s Action menu . ( Choose Preferences - > innovative - > Performance & Security . )
Backing up data : With your Calendar data now primarily put in on Apple ’s server , you may be concerned about how to exert a backup of your data . Asupport articleexplains that the unproblematic method ( if you are using Snow Leopard ) is to launch iCal and select File - > Export - > Export . To touch on the data point later on , if needed , duple - click the export file in the Finder .
On the other hand , a separatesupport articlenotes that iCal ’s similar File - > Export - > iCal Archive lineament “ is not urge for backing up new MobileMe Calendar data . ”
iPad - specific concerns : If you have an iPad , note that the gadget must be “ manually configuredfor the new MobileMe Calendar . ” This is a bit more involved than how things work with the iPhone or iPod jot . ( The procedures will be unified wheniOS 4.2is released in November . ) likewise , “ Push for calendars and event is currently only supported on iOS 4 devices . Push calendar updates are not supported iPad with Io 3.2 . ”
My experience
Although the new Calendar is working well enough that I am not consider downgrade , it has been a bumpy ride .
iPhone delays : For one matter , I am seeing long delay between when I enter an event on my Mac and when it shows up on my iPhone . It can take several hours or even overnight . I never had such long delays with the one-time Calendar . I can confirm that data point transfer comparatively rapidly from my Mac to the server at me.com . The job is with the sync step from me.com to my iPhone . I have triedvarious troubleshooting fixes ; none have helped . You ’ll findsimilar reports on Apple ’s Discussion Boards . ( In some cases , users find that the events never come out on the iPhone . ) At least one spot claims that thecalendar data on their iPhone was entirely deletedafter the initial sync with the new MobileMe Calendar . Nnothing like that happened to me .
Server errors : I have had frequent server computer error when accessing the Calendar at me.com .
One message state : “ Could n’t load MobileMe calendar . A server error prevented MobileMe calendar from loading . If the job persist , you may involve to sign out and back in . ” Logging out and back in had no impression .
Another error lay claim : “ Could n’t load events . New outcome could n’t be loaded because of a server error . Please try on again . ” try again had no effect .
A third message inform me that “ Calendar has rifle into offline modal value because of an unexpected waiter erroneous belief . ”
While similar messages on occasion cropped up with the old Calendar software package , I have seen them much more often since upgrade . And they can last for hours . Again , several postings at Apple ’s Discussion Boards confirm these morefrequent server error .
BusyCal : I use BusyCal . AsI have write about elsewhere , this adds yet another layer of complexness to the syncing process . It can also result in BusyCal - specific problem with the new Calendar computer software . In one case , all of my calendar data vanished from BusyCal . The lawsuit turned out to be a long - survive server error at me.com . When the server error at last cleared , the information returned . Until then , I was more than a number nervous . BusyCal regularly updates its software . ( The version compatible with the new MobileMe Calendar is still in beta . ) I am confident it will soon squash any such conflicts .
More generally , MobileMe Calendar can lay out a material challenge for troubleshooting . reckon you enter a new event on your iPhone . Hours go by and the effect is still not on your Mac ’s calendar software ( in my subject , BusyCal ) . Where did things go haywire ? Was it with the Calendar app on the iPhone ? Or with the iPhone ’s connection to the me.com waiter ? Or is the trouble with me.com itself ? Or is it with iCal or BusyCal on your Mac ?
It can get bad . opine you are sharing your calendar with your family . opine you add a new event , and it shows up on your partner ’s calendar but not your daughter ’s ? Or what if an event shows up on your daughter ’s Mac but not her iPhone ? Even if you locate the likely source of the problem , it may not be clear what you take to do to fix it . What ’s your first dance step ? What ’s your last resort ? I can get a head ache just thinking about this . It ’s not only MobileMe . Welcome to the world of cloud computer science and multiple gadget syncing .
