I would NEVER use this interways thing. I've copy and pasted my remarks from over on another forum where I put this head to head with MobileMe, and it just isn't a solution that fits me. I'll also add that my remarks were originally made in late September/early October, and it's been working beautifully for me for weeks now, over two Macs, two PCs, and my iPhone.
Lovers of this service seem to tout that the first month is free. I don't care that the first month is free. MobileMe's first TWO MONTHS are free. If you don't want it, you uncheck a single box and you're never charged. End of story. And for those that stick with it after 60 days, they get four months free in the first year. Those that have shamelessly defended this other service, and can't seem to deal well with others pointing out potential or real shortfalls. I don't shamelessly defend MobileMe, and I am the first to point out its shortfalls. Desktop push is coming. They really botched the launch of the product, but the concepts and designs of the service are really spot on. It's just what is needed in the industry. Some people just can't accept the vision. Prince McLean really articulates it all well in his six-part Inside MobileMe series on Appleinsider.com.
I don't think the majority of people are happy with interways anyway, as in the poll on their homepage, where they ask how happy people are with the service, 31% say "not so much", more than any other category. Red flag! They're also a German company--I prefer to deal with American companies.
Anyway, back to my point. You failed to articulate how, with other services, paid or free, I can get all the functionality that MobileMe brings. It's much more than e-mail...more than calendar and contacts sync. And let's see: I can choose iwm.me, air-mail.cc, electrogramm.com...etc...all lame domain names, as is interways.net. So, until you can show me, piece by piece, how I can duplicate the functionality and tight integration MobileMe provides for my Macs, my iPhone and Windows XP at work, it's all nonsense to me. Most people want one solution, not 10. That's why this service is not a one-to-one replacement. I can't even agree it's a solid e-mail and calendar replacement. I don't want to change my e-mail address, for one. Therefore, I'd have to go search and find other services that piece together perhaps 50% of the functionality. No thanks. I'm not going to provide money to more than one company for what I already get for a reasonable $8.33/month, and that's that.
I do wish MobileMe provided the ability to host more than photos on my own domain name. However, I think they should stay out of that business--too messy and other companies do it well.
I'm glad some are happy with this other service--but there are reasons for wanting one or the other. At the end of the day, the end user will have to decide what works best for them.