Integrating iCloud with Google Sync?

[damian]

For a long time, I've had my iPhone sync with Google Calendar and Google Contacts via Exchange. I've also had iCal and Address Book on my Mac sync with Google Calendar and Google Contacts using their own built-in Google synchronization options.

Now that I've upgraded my iPhone to iOS 5, and I'm about to upgrade my Mac to OS 10.7.2, I'm nervous about how well iCloud, Exchange, and the Mac-Google syncing options will cooperate. I don't want duplicates and I definitely don't want to lose any data.

Has anyone else successfully handled this configuration? Any suggestions?

 

[sasj15]

Here is what I have experienced with iCloud:

I used to have MobileMe synced with Address Book app on my Mac. Google contacts was also synced with Address Book app.

Whenever I update or create a new contact on google, the update would take effect on MobileMe.

Now, iCloud won't allow this happening. I imported all my contacts from Google contacts. When I linked my iCloud account, it asked me to turn google contacts off as it cannot be synced together!

I'm totally disappointed of this since I was always getting updated avatars and new contacts via gmail and so my other iDevices using MobileMe sync.

I hope I explained well

 

[damian]

When I linked my iCloud account, it asked me to turn google contacts off as it cannot be synced together!

Interesting. That could be good if it prevents conflicts/duplicates, but it could be bad if it reduces functionality.

My situation is similar to yours, but different because I've been using Exchange (for my iPhone) and the built-in Google sync features for iCal and Address Book, so I'll be interested to see what someone with the same configuration as mine has to say about this situation.

 

[madmusician]

I think I've got almost the same set-up as you: Mail and Calendars syncing via Google Sync. I synced Contacts to my Mac using just iTunes/the USB cable.

What I've done so far is to set up a new iCloud account too, but keep my GMail and Calendar using Google Sync. (My contacts have become iCloud-ised, as they were never done through Google anyway.)

I'm interested to see if I should move my calendar over to iCloud or just leave it on Google. I'm thinking the latter for now, as I can't see any good reason to change it (I'm keeping my @gmail.com email for the same reason).

Hope this is of some use - I'm very interested to hear of other people's set-ups.

 

[damian]

Thanks, MadMusician. I too will be interested to hear other people's setups. I'll be particularly interested to hear whether syncing with Google (Calendar and Contacts) via Exchange works in conjunction with iCloud and syncing with Google via Address Book and iCal's built-in syncing capabilities (perhaps these are removed with the introduction of 10.7.2?).

Perhaps it would make sense to continue to use Exchange, start using iCloud, and have iCal and Address Book sync via iCloud instead of syncing them directly with Google? (I've always been unimpressed with how slow iCal and Address Book are to sync with Google anyway; I'm guessing that iCloud would make the sync instantaneous.)