Hi,
iChat 3 can have a Mobile Me ID added.
Chose the AIM Option instead and type the mobile name in Full (
username@me.com)
Trial Mobile Me accounts will work until the time your cancel the Trial but not afterwards.
@mac.com names are free.
The Page now makes the new @Mac.com name an Apple ID (it used to be an Option)
This can be an issue if the third party Email address you are using to register is already used for another Apple ID.
Apple IDs are somewhat separate entities from Apple Email Addresses.
@mac.com does allow you to link an non Apple Email to an @Mac.com "email looking" ID whilst at the same time making it a Valid AIM Screen Name.
All MobileMe ID/Emails address are Valid AIM Names.
The Exception here is that is it a cancelled Trial or a lapsed Account the name cannot be reached from the AIM servers.
In most other cases an Apple ID is based on a Non Apple Email Address that is used to access Discussions, iTunes Store, the On-line Store and a few other places within Apple's web sites.
It is these Non Apple email IDs that are Apple IDs that are not AIM Valid Screen Names.
Summary of the Apple IDs
Ends in @Mac.com - Is an Apple ID and and AIM Valid Screen Name
A MobileMe (Ending @me.com) is an Apple ID, Valid Email Address and an AIM Valid Screen Name
Any other email Address ending is going to be an Apple ID only.
At one time you could use the email you use as an Apple ID to create an iChat @Mac.com name.
As @Mac.com name now also become Apple IDs (when creating a new one) the system does not allow you to link two Apple IDs in this way.
Mail, iChat and older @Mac.com names
@mac.com names came about when Apple ran the .Mac service.
At the point MobileMe started people were offered the chance to keep their @Mac.com name and link them to their MobileMe account.
This works in Mail (You can tell people your @mac.com name and the Apple Mail Servers allow you to collect it via @Mac.com and your MobileMe name.
However as far as iChat and th AIM Servers are concerned these are two separate Screen Names.
Hope that is clear enough.
8:41 PM Tuesday; April 12, 2011
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