Apple .Mac 3.0 Retail Description:

Apple .Mac 3.0 Retail review:5 stars (Really is worth the subscription cost) - I belonged to .Mac since it first became available. I used it mostly for e-mail and some backup of vital files. I was considering dropping it but Apple has improved the service and features. It is especially valuable with multiple Macs. I have Macs at home and at the office. The ability to synchronize my calendar, bookmarks, e-mail, and contacts has been a great asset. It also syncs with my Palm Tungsten E. I have also used it to post vacation photos, host my home page, manage mail on the road, and post files for downloading. Apple used to keep me going each year with free software. They seemed to have slowed down on this, but the software goodies are a nice bonus that can help the service pay for itself. It has an intuitive interface and I have never had problems with service not being available. Highly recommended.5 stars (.Mac = Convienence ) - Who would pay Microsoft, for an email account, backup solution, light web hosting, and a few other seemingly trivial features? However, with Apple, it does not seem like such a bad deal. Why? Like a Macintosh, .mac services simply "work."

.Mac Mail is a convenient mail service. Why? You can access your mail from just about any mail client using SMTP and POP3, or you can access your email from mac.com. The choice is yours: web based, or client (application) based. Your mail is available to you however you need it. Furthermore, if you change Internet Service Providers, you will not have to tell your contacts your new email address, if you stick with your .mac address as your permanent address. Afraid of junk mail? .mac Mail allows you to setup several alias addresses. These alias addresses forward mail to your real account, but should one of the aliases begin to receive too much spam (perhaps the alias you use to sign-up for online offers), simply delete that alias and use a new one. Meanwhile, your close family and friends can continue using the original mail address.

After mail, the web hosting features of .mac service is probably the most used feature, by .mac subscribers. There are templates to post photo albums, movies, diaries, resumes, and more. However, the best feature is your .mac websites' integration with iPhoto. Simply select however many photos you want in iPhoto, click the homepage icon, and iPhoto will post the images on your .mac website. It is simple, convenient, and fun. There is no quicker way to share your images with family and friends.

iDisk & Backup - iDisk and Backup are two superb features included with .mac services. iDisk is an Internet-based hard drive. You can store some files on it, share files via iDisk, or backup some of your important data via iDisk. Apple includes 250 MB of storage with .mac, which is shared between your iDisk, web site, and mail account. Additional storage can be purchased, for an extra charge. However, the backup application does not backup only to your iDisk. It will also backup to CD or DVD media, hard drives, and your iPod. Backup helps you put your mind to ease, for it helps keep your valuable data safe.

Bonuses - It doesn't stop there. .Mac services allows you to sync your contacts and calendars. This allows you to check your schedule, or share it with others, who have an Internet connection. Syncing your contacts and bookmarks gives you access to that data via mac.com even if you're not on your mac. Finally, Apple has some tutorials for .mac members, which offer tips on using some of Apple's most popular software titles. There are other bonuses offered from time to time, such as sample loops from the Garageband JamPacks.

Overall, .mac provides quite a few services, for just under a hundred dollars a year. Of course, when that renewal date rolls around each year, it can be a bit tough to take. However, the convenience the service provides is something you will likely utilize every-time you use your Macintosh. Amazon makes .mac an even better value, with a a fantastic savings over renewing direct with Apple. Give .mac a try, and you'll likely be surprised at how much easier email, the sharing of files and photos, backing up your data, and syncing data can be. 4 stars (.Mac Renewal) - Best price I could find when I needed to do the annual renewal of my .Mac account. I had seen lower net prices earlier with rebates, etc., but I didn't need it then.