The thing that has kept me from switching fully to iCloud is the lack of ability to send from my own domain using Apple's email. On Mavericks, the situation has gotten even worse as account setup has been moved out of Mail.app preferences into a badly dumbed-down "internet accounts" preferences pane in system preferences. This abrupt loss of the ability to manage my email is one reason I don't use iCloud, despite the fact I really wish I could like it better than gmail.
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Gmail or iCloud Mail?
- Thread starter dmk1974
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Finally I'm already in the process of switching to iCloud 
Since my mail use is rather personal/casual, I don't face some of the mentioned issues.
Just a simple rule in Gmail was enough to receive everything now in iCloud, with push. Plus the re-creation of the folders in iCloud, which has been btw a good clean-up of some old useless ones.
Now it will take some time until I change all my subcriptions/accounts to the icloud address, since the automatic forwarding from Gmail should be a temporary workaround.
Since my mail use is rather personal/casual, I don't face some of the mentioned issues.
Just a simple rule in Gmail was enough to receive everything now in iCloud, with push. Plus the re-creation of the folders in iCloud, which has been btw a good clean-up of some old useless ones.
Now it will take some time until I change all my subcriptions/accounts to the icloud address, since the automatic forwarding from Gmail should be a temporary workaround.
I'm kind of trying to decide the same.
iCloud vs Outlook vs Gmail
Everything is Apple BUT the phone - which my carrier only has Android so I'm using a S4.
I need push email (preferably on all devices), and something that is good for both Apple and Android. I'd love to get away from Google completely but it can't be done I'm stuck with Android for now.
Any thoughts?
iCloud vs Outlook vs Gmail
Everything is Apple BUT the phone - which my carrier only has Android so I'm using a S4.
I need push email (preferably on all devices), and something that is good for both Apple and Android. I'd love to get away from Google completely but it can't be done I'm stuck with Android for now.
Any thoughts?
I think there's a good outlook.com application for Android. I think it even does push. I can't say the same about iCloud email on an Android device.
I've had a .mac address since 2000, when iTools debuted. I'm all Apple at home, but it's a Windows world at work. My girlfriend and I both have iPhones and iPads all running iOS 7, and three Macs between us, all running Mavericks. For me, silent email filtering, both outbound and inbound, concerns me, but as far as I know, nothing critical has ever gone missing (of course, how would I know!?). Gmail is more robust, but I find it better to pick an ecosystem and stick with it, so I've gone iCloud for everything. It's been pretty solid for me. Just to be sure, though, I do weekly backups of contacts, calendars, reminders, notes to Dropbox, and hourly email backups to an external hard drive via Time Machine. I rely on the icloud.com website at work, and I find its features lacking, but it gets the job done.
If you know the correct settings you can have icloud email with push on android.
Thanks!
Since my original post, I have switched my main emailings over to Outlook.com. I left my Gmail open for Android, and I do use Google Talk, G+, and YouTube of course.
Simply put - I love Outlook.com! I've even started using SkyDrive instead of Google Drive. I love the web interface of Outlook, and I feel a bit more secure with Outlook. And push works great on my iOS and Android devices equally. And with MailTab for Outlook I get instant notifications on my Mac too.
Not impressed with outlook.com anymore. Their implementation of IMAP on mac mail does not delete messages unless you quit or erase deleted mail. Also I have noticed that push on my iPhone/ipad does not work at times..... I get a batch of outlook.com emails when one of my other email accounts connect. Strange.
I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for letting me know.
Excellent, glad I could help.
if anyone wishes to know these are the settings, they work perfectly with K9 email client http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fsck.k9
Incoming server -
Username - main icloud email address without the @icloud.com
Password - icloud password
IMAP server - imap.mail.me.com
Security - SSL/TLS (if available)
Authentication - PLAIN
Port - 993
Have 'Auto-detect IMAP namespace' ticked.
Outgoing server settings -
SMTP server - smtp.mail.me.com
Security - STARTTLS (if available)
Port - 587
Have 'Require sign-in' ticked
Authentication - AUTOMATIC
Username - full main icloud email address including @icloud.com
Password - icloud password
You can even set icloud alias emails in K9.
Incoming server -
Username - main icloud email address without the @icloud.com
Password - icloud password
IMAP server - imap.mail.me.com
Security - SSL/TLS (if available)
Authentication - PLAIN
Port - 993
Have 'Auto-detect IMAP namespace' ticked.
Outgoing server settings -
SMTP server - smtp.mail.me.com
Security - STARTTLS (if available)
Port - 587
Have 'Require sign-in' ticked
Authentication - AUTOMATIC
Username - full main icloud email address including @icloud.com
Password - icloud password
You can even set icloud alias emails in K9.
Personally I don't like gmail, not least because there are always issues trying to keep everything synchronised across my devices. I'd really like to drop gmail entirely and stick with my .me account and alias addresses.
But it is not possible!! Why? Because Apple won't let me use my .me address for app store or book store purchases.. My Apple id won't accept a .me address. That is frankly annoying, even if I was required to have a second apple address for that purpose.. Something else we're not allowed to do..
But it is not possible!! Why? Because Apple won't let me use my .me address for app store or book store purchases.. My Apple id won't accept a .me address. That is frankly annoying, even if I was required to have a second apple address for that purpose.. Something else we're not allowed to do..
Thanks, I was wondering in case I went someplace else for my phone besides Apple.
I couldn't agree with you more! I did drop gmail for outlook as my AppleID though. I use outlook.com for my AppleID and .me as my main email. I hate how gmail isn't supporting push to iPhones anymore, hate the gmail layout, and I like how outlook is, and it's not bad at all. I like how outlook also has the 2 step verification like Gmail does. I wish Apple would let me use my .me for my Apple ID and put a 2 step verification for the email as well.
I truly can't understand why Apple force us into using an external mail client. I actually like my Mac and IOS systems and would prefer to stick only with them.
I used to be a Microsoft customer, and moved away because I didn't like the way it controlled what I did and how I did it, Hotmail was a honey pot for spam mails.. I could go on. Suffice to say I have no real wish to keep using their products either..
Why oh why can't we at least have an option to be entirely Apple?
I used to be a Microsoft customer, and moved away because I didn't like the way it controlled what I did and how I did it, Hotmail was a honey pot for spam mails.. I could go on. Suffice to say I have no real wish to keep using their products either..
Why oh why can't we at least have an option to be entirely Apple?
They got their information from the Apple document (posted soon after the iCloud release) iCloud: Mail server information.
I have gone back and forth on this. iCloud works well but just something about Google/Gmail that keeps calling me back. One of the reasons I went back to Gmail was that if I were to get an invite to my iCloud accout from someone non-iCloud and they made any updates, I would not receive them. Only calendar updates I'd receive were iCloud to iCloud. That being said I would recommend either one. I'm going with gmail though, at least this week anyway
Ive been away for a while. Gave up on Gmail again and I think that was my last attempt. Not having push in the native email app just doesn't work for me. Ive returned to outlook.com and hope to stick with it for email, contacts, and calendars. If not outlook.com then iCloud... I think both are very reliable and both integrate flawlessly with the iPhone.
I googled this MANY times over 2011 and 2012 because I considered it a big deal to change. Early this year I decided to switch to iCloud Mail and haven't had a single problem yet. I haven't had any outages and receive all my mail. I changed all my internet accounts over and set my gmail to forward the occasional message that goes there to my iCloud account.
The only downside is mail is slower to send with iCloud. For example when I hit "send" a message would be sent in about 5 seconds whereas iCloud takes about 15, but it isn't an issue with me.
Giving it a try.
I am currently switching my mail email from Google to iCloud. I got gmail when it was only open to invited people, and it has beed a great service over the years.
The reasons I am changing are as follows;
I'm hoping that there isn't a negative side to moving, if there is I will report back here.
I am currently switching my mail email from Google to iCloud. I got gmail when it was only open to invited people, and it has beed a great service over the years.
The reasons I am changing are as follows;
- A lot of services (including spammy ones) got a hold of my gmail address).
- You cannot email the new files for iWork through gmail because it thinks its spam or harmful software (also it might benefit Google Docs for them to never fix that).
- I know for certain that Google reads my emails for advertising purposes, there is a chance that Apple doesn't.
- Emails show up on my phone and iPad faster through iCloud.
I'm hoping that there isn't a negative side to moving, if there is I will report back here.
Sorry for bringing this old thread to life but I'm curious if you fin iCloud email better than Outlook or Gmail? I'm thinking on closing my Outlook (hackers [crazy ex girlfriend]) and switch everything to iCloud. I also have requested Apple for two-step authentication for my Apple ID.
Thanks in advance.
Well, IMHO, it all depends on what you define as "better". I think Gmail is the gold standard in its functionality and reliability. iCloud works just fine for me, and the fact they don't have ads, nor do they scan my email to serve ads to others, means I'm the customer. Emails are pushed to all my Apple devices just fine, and it gets the job done. Better integration if you're all Apple. I don't know about Outlook.
I just recently began to switch to iCloud as my main email service. As my entire ecosystem is Apple it just made sense.
I still have a gmail account for Youtube and the G+, I also utilize GMX mail service but due to the lack of push with GMX I switched to iCloud.
I haven't had any issues and all my devices receive the emails which is what I wanted without having to do any hacks or tweaks.
Now if only I could use the iCloud address as my Apple ID I would be set. Until that day occurs (if ever) I still have my GMX address as secondary backup.
I still have a gmail account for Youtube and the G+, I also utilize GMX mail service but due to the lack of push with GMX I switched to iCloud.
I haven't had any issues and all my devices receive the emails which is what I wanted without having to do any hacks or tweaks.
Now if only I could use the iCloud address as my Apple ID I would be set. Until that day occurs (if ever) I still have my GMX address as secondary backup.
That is exactly what I wanted, I started to switch all my stuff to iCloud mail but I can't use it as my main Apple ID which is a bummer since I planned on closing my Outlook account.
I've actually switched back to iCloud after using Gmail for a fair amount of time. I think Gmail is fine, but also have no problem with iCloud. I just like the consistency of using Apple products when I have an iPhone. It just makes more sense with Safari, Reminders, iWork, etc. Having everything in one place matters to me. Probably my biggest problem is I use apple mail for my work email, and I'd prefer a different APP for iCloud, so I've started using Mailbox and it's great.
I don't mind this route anymore. I used my outlook for anything important like banking, iTunes, and others and @me for friends mad family. I went this route due to iCloud lacking 2 step verification (maybe coming soon), so anything financial or important is protected my @outlook 2 step verification.