Apple’s MobileMe Service Is an Uninvited Pest

There's bad news for Windows users who have no intention of ever using Apple's MobileMe service. In a move that would have the world up-in-arms if perpetrated by Microsoft, Apple has decided to sneak MobileMe installation onto your computer in the latest update to iTunes. There's no way to opt-out, there's not even any notification that it's being installed. It just appears in the user's control panel after updating iTunes to version 7.7, unsolicited and without any form of consent whatsoever. When clicked on, a window opens inviting users to "learn more" about MobileMe, Apple's successor to its .Mac service, making this icon nothing more than an advertisement.



There's a term for unwanted software that shows up without the consent of the user. Adware. Apple has decided to install adware on my PC in hopes that I will "see the light" and subscribe to a $99 per month service that I don't want or need.

The best part of all this is that there is no way whatsoever to uninstall or otherwise get rid of this software. If you choose to remove all of what Apple calls "Mobile Device Support" in the Remove Program dialog, iTunes will no longer sync or recognize your iPhone or iPod Touch. Lovely.

This infringement of my right to choose what takes up space on my computer is infuriating. Apple needs to supply an uninstaller or a way to opt out of installation in the first place. "Apple & MobileMe. It Just Works. Whether You Want it to, Or Not."