iCloud vs Google Calendar... To move or not to move?!

[BlueSquidDoug]

I'm a hardcore user of Google's cloud services, but now that iCloud is here, I'm wondering if I should put all of my eggs in the Apple basket and move my calendars over there.

I'm currently syncing iCal on my Mac and iPad with CalDav, so I can still access my Google Calendars offline, but they don't show up in iCloud.

So! Should I make the jump?!?
If so, is there an easy way to transfer all of my appointments to iCloud?
Will space be an issue? (I'm not paying for either service currently.)

So what do you think?

Peace, Love, Apple.

 

[Tearabite]

I've beet sitting on the same fence.. But after reading that syncing calendars on Outlook/MS-Exchange to iCloud is virtually the same as it was on MobileMe (worthless) I've decided to stay on Google for my calendars..

 

[BlueSquidDoug]

I've beet sitting on the same fence.. But after reading that syncing calendars on Outlook/MS-Exchange to iCloud is virtually the same as it was on MobileMe (worthless) I've decided to stay on Google for my calendars..

Huh.
Is there a way to have Google Calendars still live on Google, but sync with iCloud?

 

[DarwinOSX]

Huh.
Is there a way to have Google Calendars still live on Google, but sync with iCloud?

Yes. You can use both at the same time. Look in accounts under iCal.

 

[Matthew Yohe]

The crummy part about syncing with Gmail is that it's over Exchange, and Exchange only supports 3 types of people relationship fields. Manager, Spouse and Supervisor.

That means if you say "My mother is X" Siri will try to save that, but it never actually occurs because Exchange only supports those very limited relationships and cannot add custom relationships.

Syncing contacts to iCloud remedies this.

 

[TLewis]

Right now, google calendar is a bit better then icloud calendar:

• Google's web interface is faster/easier to use.
• However, icloud calendar is "pretty".
• Backing up google calendar data is actually pretty easy (slightly tedious, but easy enough). I don't know if you can backup icloud calendar data.
• On the PC, you're stuck with outlook if you want to access your icloud calendars from an application. With google calendar, you have a choice.

On the other hand, contacts are a bit better on icloud. Fortunately, you can use google for calendars and icloud for contacts.

(On the other hand, icloud contacts is slightly brain-dead compared to mobileme contacts )

 

[ugahairydawgs]

(On the other hand, icloud contacts is slightly brain-dead compared to mobileme contacts )

not really sure what that means.

 

[TLewis]

not really sure what that means.

Before, it was really easy to tell what group a contact was stored in. Now, there appears to be no non-painful way to tell.

This is important because, if you're viewing "all contacts", and you add a contact, icloud adds the contact to "all contacts". I really want that contact added to a specific contact group, but, when entering the contact, I'll often not have the time to switch from "all contacts" to the correct group. Later, I'll want to move that contact to the correct group, but I won't be able to find that contact because I'll often not remember the name, and searching though the hundreds of contacts is nothing but pain and wasted time.

Mobileme, on the other hand, would just add new contacts to a group called "contacts". If you refiled the contacts in "contacts" and keep it empty, it's easy to see newly-added contacts.

 

[miles01110]

I don't see how anyone that is truly a "hardcore Google services user" would even think about switching to iCloud, especially given iCloud's recent problems. When's the last time Google services were down?

I'm a hardcore user of Google's cloud services, but now that iCloud is here, I'm wondering if I should put all of my eggs in the Apple basket and move my calendars over there.

I'm currently syncing iCal on my Mac and iPad with CalDav, so I can still access my Google Calendars offline, but they don't show up in iCloud.

So! Should I make the jump?!?
If so, is there an easy way to transfer all of my appointments to iCloud?
Will space be an issue? (I'm not paying for either service currently.)

So what do you think?

Peace, Love, Apple.

 

[ugahairydawgs]

I don't see how anyone that is truly a "hardcore Google services user" would even think about switching to iCloud, especially given iCloud's recent problems. When's the last time Google services were down?

February for Gmail. Last month for Google Docs.

 

[TLewis]

February for Gmail. Last month for Google Docs.

While google may have other issues, I still think google is a zillion times more reliable than icloud/mobileme.

 

[macjunkie33]

If it aint broke dont fix it

Google has proved it is very reliable and that is one of the main reasons so many people use it. I wish Apple would wake up and realize millions of iOS users use Gmail and don't want to switch. Give us some better Gmail features and calendar options and I'd be a lot happier with my iPhone. Not that I could get much happier with it but searching on Mail and Calendar support is no good.

 

[199708]

I'm trying to find a way to combine both services.
Currently using my gmail, as I use it with my work domain address, 1500 family/friends/clients on there.
Reason I really like gmail for contacts is that what ever is in 'my contacts' is kept on my phone, and everything else is in groups. If i need a contact from exchange then I can access it without it being on my phone.

Really hardpressed with this icloud/gmail contacts atm.

 

[rowley]

For calendar and contacts, Im sticking with Google as I'm currently using macs which cannot be upgraded to lion, and an old ipod touch which does not support ios5/icloud.
Even if I was fully Lion-ed and iOS5-ed I'd still stick with it - it's been reliable for as long as I remember.

 

[TLewis]

I don't understand what everyones' problems are.

If you want to use google calendar/contacts, you can. If you update them in iOS, they get automatically updated in the cloud (assuming that you have a wifi/3G connection), and vice-versa. (This assumes that google's services are accessed via the recommended google sync.)

If you want to use iCloud calendar/contacts, you can. If you update them in iOS, they get automatically updated in the cloud (assuming that you have a wifi/3G connection), and vice-versa. If you ever plan on using Siri, you should use iCloud contacts, as these contacts can store extra information, such as family relationship.

If you want to use both, you can. However, you've got to designate one or the other as the default, and new entries go there by default, but you can change/control that. In the case of calendars, it's like having multiple paper calendars; you can change any one calendar, but changing one doesn't change the others.

Contacts is slightly special, though: normally, changing one does not change the other. However, if you have multiple contact sources, such as iCloud and google contacts, iOS can create a THIRD set of contacts for advanced users, called "linked contacts"; changes to this third set will change both the iCloud and google contacts (for example). If you're not careful, you can really confuse yourself or maybe screw yourself over.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I've resigned myself to believe that nothing will ever be perfect for me. I use Google Apps/Voice so iCloud isn't going to make me happy. I've learned to work within the limitations of Google.

 

[rowley]

Currently all my stuff is in Google.
This is partly because I am using a Snow Leopard machine, a ipod touch 2nd Gen, an iphone 3gs with ios5.0, two machines running linux and xp.

With such a diverse list, the only thing in common amongst them is Google Cal, Contacts and Email (using imap)

Until I manage to ditch the linux and xp, upgrade my mac to run Lion (with with a new purchase, or ram upgrade and os update), and a new ipod touch, then I'll stick with Google. It works for me in the interim.

On another note. My iphone does have an icloud account for backup, bookmarks and reminders. I recently got it replaced under warranty, and restored my icloud backup onto it, which included all my account details (bar passwords), for google - contacts and calendars re-appeared without problem.

So I guess the choice is ultimately yours,

 

[TLewis]

Currently all my stuff is in Google.

If you're happy with google, there's probably no reason to switch:

• Google calendar is just as good as icloud calendar (if you count the ease of backup/restore, google is better than icloud).
• Gmail is better than icloud mail. Searching is much more powerful, and the google web mail interface is much, much faster than the glacial icloud web mail. From an iOS device, you can also access gmail via the mail app or safari (safari gives you much more powerful access); with icloud, you're forced to use the mail app.

However, while the contacts functionality is similar, icloud contacts are significantly better than google contacts in two areas:

1. Siri. If you ever plan on using Siri, icloud contacts are a must (note that you can simultaneously use both google and icloud contacts, but you'll likely eventually end up with duplicates if you do). This is because only icloud contacts have the special relationship fields (father, sister, wife, etc., etc.). Google contacts doesn't support this.
2. Contact groups. Most people don't use contact groups but, if you do, you can only use contact groups with icloud. Note that this is a Google sync issue -- one that only google can fix; although google contacts does support contact groups, the google sync interface only feeds contacts to iOS as one big, lumped, group.