Apple Beefs Up .Mac Service

Apple overnight took its .Mac service offline, and it returned early Tuesday morning with several enhancements including more storage space, an updated version of Apple's Backup application, a new collaboration feature, and additional language support.

Most notable among the new features is the expansion of storage space from 250MB to 1GB on single-person accounts. Family accounts received a storage boost from 1GB to 2GB, and either type of account can add an additional gigabyte of space for $49.95 USD annually.

The .Mac Backup application has also been redesigned to allow for quicker and completely automatic backups. The program will now be able to backup a subscriber's home folder, iLife content, as well as iTunes music. Integration with Spotlight will enable users to select specific files for backup.

With the .Mac upgrade, Apple also introduced a new collaboration feature known as .Mac Groups. It can be used to send e-mails to an entire group, share files using a common iDisk, and provide access to a shared iCal calendar.

Additionally, Apple announced expanded language support to French and German in the latest .Mac release. Apple had previously offered .Mac in Japanese alongside its English service.

Pricing for .Mac is $99.95 USD per year for an individual membership and $179.95 USD for a family membership. Apple offers a two-month trial for any user, as well as a $30 rebate with the purchase of a new Macintosh computer.