Mail

61 'Mail' stories December 2011 - September 2013

Apple releases OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5 with Mail, WiFi, screensaver fixes

Mark Gurman Sep 12 2013 - 1:07 pm PT

Following an extensive period of betas for developers, Apple has publicly released OS X 10.8.5. The update is available from the Mac App Store Software’s Update section and is recommended for all users on OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4.

The OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.5 Update is recommended for all OS X Mountain Lion users. It improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac. This update:

Fixes an issue that may prevent Mail from displaying messages

Improves AFP file transfer performance over 802.11ac Wi-Fi

Resolves an issue that may prevent a screen saver from starting automatically

Improves Xsan reliability

Improves reliability when transferring large files over Ethernet

Improves performance when authenticating to an Open Directory server

Addresses an issue that prevented a smart card from unlocking preference panes in System Preferences

Contains the improvements included in MacBook Air (Mid 2013) Software Update 1.0

The build number for the public release is 12F37, which is a single build over the most recent beta. Apple has also issued RAW Camera Compatibility updates and a new version of Safari. Later next month, Apple will release OS X 10.9 Mavericks.

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Apple looking to hire iCloud mail engineer to build new anti-spam/abuse system

Jordan Kahn Aug 8 2013 - 8:04 am PT

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iCloud-Spam Apple today posted a job listing on its website seeking a software engineer to help “implement new mail anti-abuse infrastructure” for iCloud mail services. The candidate will join Apple’s iCloud team and must have experience with mail and spam systems/architecture, so it appears Apple is looking to cut down on the amount of spam that iCloud users receive.

Consider joining a small team writing the software which provides mail services to iCloud customers. We are looking for an extremely capable engineer who has a strong background in building high-performance, scalable and extensible systems. In this highly visible position, the successful candidate will both further develop existing mail systems while collaborating with cross-functional engineering teams to define and implement new mail anti-abuse systems.

There have been some hiccups with Apple’s iCloud mail service in the past (apart from frequent iCloud service outages), including a problem with the service’s automated spam filters that caused legitimate emails to be sent to spam. Apple does have a way for users to report spam and set up filters with iCloud mail, but complaints of users frustrated with spam have continued.
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AOL launches iPad app with news, weather, video, and mail

Mike Beasley Jun 27 2013 - 10:17 am PT

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AOL launched a new iPad app today that allows users to quickly access their AOL email accounts, as well as the latest news and weather updates from the online service. The app is designed exclusively for Apple’s tablet and doesn’t currently have an iPhone counterpart.

The application is available for free on the iOS App Store.

Features:
• Discover the latest stories and videos in an engaging news stream format
• Connect and share via AOL Mail, Facebook and Twitter
• Choose the news categories that matter most to you by customizing your stream
• Save articles and videos to read, watch and share at your leisure
• Delight in the featured news stream as it reflects your personal news interests over time

Mother’s Day must have: Felt app lets you create and send beautiful handwritten cards via iPad for $4/ea

Jordan Kahn Apr 30 2013 - 9:25 am PT

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Felt-iPad-app-01 Just launched on the App Store in time for Mother’s Day, the Felt iPad app lets you create and send real handwritten cards directly from your iPad for a flat rate of $3.99 including shipping. It has competitors with Apple’s own Cards app ($4.99 per card), and the Inkly app, which lets you upload handwritten messages via a photo, but neither have found a way to integrate the handwritten aspect right in the iPad app like Felt. The slick interface shown in the video above allows you to easily handwrite not only the letter but also address the envelope by hand. Once your done the app handles the rest by sending out a real card printed on “premium Mohawk card stock and a kraft paper envelope” within 24 hours.

Apple’s iCloud servers once again experiencing major outages for a growing number of users

Jordan Kahn Apr 23 2013 - 5:34 am PT

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iCloud-connection-error

Update, 9:34 AM: Apple has now updated its System Status page to confirm the outages we reported earlier this morning. Apple reports some users experienced issues with account & sign in for iCloud, purchases for iTunes, Game Center, and creating new Apple IDs:

Screen Shot 2013-04-23 at 3.51.58 PM

Over the last couple of months Apple’s iCloud servers have been experiencing major outages approximately every couple of weeks and today a growing number of users are once again complaining of issues accessing various iCloud services.

9to5Mac readers in several countries have reached out to Apple support who confirmed the outages, although Apple is yet to update its System Status page to reflect the downtime. Apple is typically at least a few hours behind in reporting outages.

As highlighted by hundreds of users on Twitter, the outages appear to be affecting multiple iCloud services including Mail, third-party apps attempting to access iCloud credentials, and Find my iPhone. Others are simply receiving an error message when attempting to access any iCloud service. Some users are also reporting that iCloud is requesting they reset their passwords as if their account is experiencing a security issue.

We’ll update this post when/if Apple finally reports the outages.

So, is iCloud coming down, or are we hallucinating? http://t.co/fKAepnEhzO

— Ulysses Team (@the_soulmen) April 23, 2013

#iCloud seems to be down. Or account hacked? Hopefully not…

— Juhana Venäläinen (@juhana_) April 23, 2013

iCloud – AppStore – iTunes : Hors Service pic.twitter.com/6llTx5pu8o

— Vincent Chapeau (@iChaps_) April 23, 2013

https://twitter.com/himanzoo/status/326669089533722624

https://twitter.com/KhaledYousry/status/326666876124033024

Anyone else having #server issues with #Apple #icloud this morning?

— Kevvy (@kevvyrowley) April 23, 2013

the strangest thing is happening to my #icloud email account on my phone. hope messages will return… :-((

— bernardo (@bjchan) April 23, 2013

https://twitter.com/ridewithgarrett/status/326664553310081024

@flexibits Fantastical keeps asking for my password for my iCloud cal. Ideas?

— Meron Bareket (@MeronBareket) April 23, 2013

Mailbox email app for iPhone updated with improved swipes, smarter snoozes

Apr 15 2013 - 1:59 pm PT

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Mailbox for iPhone and iPod touch, the popular Gmail application recently acquired by Dropbox, has been updated with a couple neat enhancements. Adjustments for snooze times are now more specific, swipes are faster, and the UI has been updated with various tweaks. Additionally, bug and performance fixes are also present.

What’s New in Version 1.2.0

– smarter snoozes (adjust based on time of day and week)
– faster swipes (swipe as many items at one time as you want)
– UI improvements (e.g. double-tap a name bubble to see email address)
– bug fixes (including swipe-to-open bug) and performance improvements

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Growing number of iCloud users experiencing Mail delivery errors

Jordan Kahn Mar 7 2013 - 9:19 am PT

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Screen Shot 2013-03-07 at 12.09.12 PM

Apple appears to be experiencing issues with its iCloud Mail service today, as a growing number of users report receiving a delivery error message from postmaster@mac.com for every email received (as pictured above). Most users report still being able to receive emails but also receiving the above error report for each email, while others claim the problem is only happening on specific accounts. An Apple support thread has been started with an increasing number of posters experiencing the same issue since this morning.

Reason: Error in sieve filter: Notify mailto: recipient is not a valid address Action: delivered Status: 2.0.0 (Error in sieve filter: Notify mailto: recipient is not a valid address).

There are also several users on Twitter complaining of the same error, but Apple ha yet to update its system status page to reflect the problems with Mail.

Anybody else using http://t.co/yMNQlQaozp email addresses getting mail delivery error messages after receiving actual emails? It’s annoying!

— Subtle Code Switch Traits (@Tabbulous) March 7, 2013

https://twitter.com/datasaur/status/309705896399863809

Anybody else have 'Problem during delivery processing' from postmaster@mac.com ? #iCloud #Mail #Alias #fail

— John Stoll (@jstoll) March 7, 2013

Apple is keeping mum of their iCloud mail problems, but the infamous "Error in sieve filter" is their issue | http://t.co/9zGxrHVO4K

— cteodor (@cteodor) March 7, 2013

https://twitter.com/arumandox/status/309717313265999874

Yep, iCloud is out again (Update: Fixed)

Jordan Kahn Dec 17 2012 - 4:02 pm PT

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iCloud-down-Dec.17

Update: Apple has reported that all problems are now resolved with outages having lasted from 5:35 p.m. to 6:49 p.m.:

Screen Shot 2012-12-17 at 7.09.45 PM

Apple’s system status page is showing that some users are experiencing problems with iCloud and may not be able to access a number of services, including: Mail, Contacts, Photo Stream, Calendar, Reminders, Backup, and more. iMessage and other services, such as the App Store and iTunes, remain online. Apple’s recently updated system status page shows that the outages started happening around 5:30 p.m. EST.

Late last week Apple confirmed and quickly fixed issues that some users were having with being unable to access iCloud documents, Photo Stream, back up and restore, and iMessage. We’ll keep you posted.

(via TNW)

Apple continues rolling out and alerting users of new @iCloud.com email addresses

Jordan Kahn Nov 7 2012 - 7:12 am PT

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With the release of iOS 6 Beta 3 in July, Apple already started rolling out its new @iCloud email addresses starting with users creating new Apple IDs or enabling mail on iCloud for the first time. Since then, Apple has started rolling out @iCloud addresses to existing @me.com and @mac.com users, reserving users the same address but with the iCloud.com domain. Today, Apple is sending out notification emails to more iCloud users to inform them an iCloud email address has been reserved and is ready to access.

Apple provided instructions for switching to the address here.

Some Mountain Lion Tips and Tricks

Élyse Betters Jul 30 2012 - 1:22 pm PT

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Mountain Lion eyed over 3 million downloads in just four days, but those early adopters were even more quick to notice a few unfavorable tweaks in Apple’s latest OS. Have no fear, though. We have a brief tips and tricks resource guide below.
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Apple admits iCloud was hosed for 15 million users this morning, after the fact

Jordan Kahn May 14 2012 - 10:30 am PT

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After a number of reports and tweets from across the Web announced outages for iCloud mail this morning, Apple updated its system status page confirming the outage lasted from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. PDT and affected approximately 12 percent—or 15 million— of iCloud’s 125 million users. Unfortunately, Apple’s iCloud Support page was not updated until after service was restored, which left most users in the dark as to why they could not access Mail and Notes during the outage.

[tweet https://twitter.com/#!/markgurman/status/202057157057847297]

iCloud beta website reveals plans for Notes and Reminders web apps, affirms iOS 6 beta coming soon (9to5mac.com)
Apple testing iOS-like notifications on iCloud.com (9to5mac.com)
Apple throws MobileMe users a free version of Snow Leopard to update to iCloud (9to5mac.com)
Apple disables iCloud and MobileMe push email in Germany due to patent fight with Motorola (9to5mac.com)
HBO will soon allow iCloud users access to Universal and Fox movies (9to5mac.com)

Fluent is a Sparrow-like UI for Gmail making the ‘future of email’

Élyse Betters Feb 21 2012 - 8:25 am PT

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z07MnBf9QNY]

Fluent is a web-based workflow stream that works with existing Gmail accounts to bring a Sparrow-like user interface to email.

Users can stream email threads and replies, preview aggregated attachments in a tab, quickly reply or compose inline, archive messages, and even add a to-do list with the new design concept that claims to run on any web browser.

Sparrow is a great success as a Mac-only application, and now Fluent hopes to balance the playing field and snag users whom are in dire need of a new Gmail look and functionality. Fluent’s website specifically praises its workflow ability, multiple accounts options, and “blazing” fast search-as-you-type filter.

The streaming email UI is the work of three former Googlers who quit the Mountain View, Calif.-based Company. BusinessInsider said Cameron Adams, Dhanji Prasanna, and Jochen Bekmann left because designers were “less valuable” than engineers at Google, and they felt disconnected from Google’s culture while operating from across the world in Sydney, Australia…

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Emails from RoadRunner and Comcast not playing nice with Apple’s servers

Jordan Kahn Dec 7 2011 - 10:09 am PT

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The Apple discussion boards are starting to heat up with an issue related to users not receiving emails from particular domains sent to their me.com/ .mac accounts. The problem appears to specifically related to RoadRunner and Comcast domains, and is affecting users across the U.S.

The issue is related to me.com accounts being unable to receive emails from rr.com and comcast.com domains. One user reports being unable to receive emails from “hawaii.rr.com”, while others report the same for “tampabay.rr.com”, and “rochester.rr.com”. It appears Apple’s servers aren’t playing nice with the domain, although some users report receiving emails up to 24 hours late, which would indicate the domain isn’t being blocked entirely. Emails forwarded from one account, such as an rr.com account, to a .me account are apparently not affected. There are a few mentions of the same issue for emails sent from Comcast.net as well.

Just today my boss’s emails stopped showing up in my inbox – online, in Mail, or on my phone. I am able to send files to him. He is sending and receiving emails. The problem seems to be entirely between hawaii.rr.com (his email, time warner/roadrunner) and my .me/.mac mail account (neither work). I am able to use my gmail account and my .me/.mac account just fine together.

At this point the problem seems to be inconsistent, but impacting a lot of users across the country nonetheless. Users in the Apple Support Communities report that Comcast claims it’s a “a .mac problem”, while one poster says rr.com has forwarded the issue to their engineering team. Most seem to believe it’s an issue on Apple’s end. We’ll keep you posted when Apple addresses the problem.

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What’s New in Version 1.2.0

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