Every few days, I see a message floating above the desktop asking if I want to sync something on my MacBook or Mac Pro. It may be something in the keychain, such as login information, or a preference in Mail or another Apple program.

That seems well and good, and I’m glad to know the feature, part of Apple’s MobileMe Web services, appears to be operating, but the results can leave an awful lot to be desired.

After accepting the sync, I will sometimes find that an email account has mysteriously become disabled, or a particular setting, such as how often I want my spam mailbox emptied, reverts to a different option.

Since I’m also co-host of a paranormal radio show, I suppose I could just blame this on some mysterious force from the unknown. No it’s not a manifestation of the occult, but a synchronization defect in MobileMe of long standing.

Story continued in this week’s Tech Night Owl Newsletter.

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There’s been an awful lot of discussion lately about whether Apple plans to enter the “nascent” netbook market. While the name should pretty much convey the meaning of the product it describes, here’s a common definition (so we get our terms straight): “A small, low-cost, mobile computing device designed for consuming content, rather than creating new content.”

Now the iPhone is actually a pretty close match to that description, but the common perception of a network is something closer to a small notebook computer. Indeed, Apple’s legendary eMate 300, a grown-up Newton, might have been one of the first products to fit into that category.

The MacBook Air doesn’t rate, because it’s really a full-size portable sporting the same sized screen as a regular MacBook and a correspondingly full-sized keyboard. The enhanced graphics capabilities of the refreshed model make it an even more complete solution for many devoted road warriors.

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So I recall all those lurid commercials of many years ago from certain high-power electronic retailers promising that they positively won’t be undersold. Of course they had so many terms and conditions in those offers that few people who requested a price match or a refund for overpayment were ever actually compensated for their efforts.

It’s a game, really, meant to reassure the customer, not a promise that they expect to have to fulfill very often.

With the economy in shreds for this holiday season, folks are talking up the claim that Apple’s own retail stores have been given the marching orders to match prices from third-party retailers.

Now I suppose you really can’t complain. After all, you will, I’m sure, take a lower price wherever you can get it for your new Mac or iPod. But, sorry folks, the iPhone 3G isn’t part of the plan.

However, according to published reports, Apple has traditionally told its managers that they do indeed have the authority to meet the competition head on, only that policy apparently hasn’t been given much publicity.

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When it comes to Apple, sometimes you don’t know what to think about some of their long-time behavior patterns when it comes to marketing and support.

In taping an interview for this week’s episode of The Tech Night Owl LIVE, author and commentator Kirk McElhearn brought to my attention the fact that Apple, after extolling the Mac OS’s freedom from malware, is actually recommending, in a tech note, the three top commercial anti-virus applications.

Now I’m sure you recall that very popular TV ad, where the dude who plays a Mac told the PC guy how Macs didn’t suffer from malware threats. Indeed, if you look at the facts, that’s essentially true. After all, as I said yesterday, the infections discovered so far have either been proofs of concept, or reflected minor outbreaks. In some cases, Apple’s own periodic security updates have patched some of the known leaks that presented potential threats.

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