Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What is the point of iCloud.com, really?

T

theperipheral

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 20, 2008
396
0
when i go to icloud.com, the only thing that is actually useful there is MAYBE the e-mail and the find my phone feature. what is the point of the rest of it?

i dont really understand the whole point of the cloud, in general. i guess the big idea is that the pictures i take can go to my computer without me plugging it in, is that really it?
 
I find it pretty useful for saving me from having to lug my Macbook or iPad around. I keep my Macbook at home, take my iPad on the road, and anytime I use a Windows computer like at work I don't have to worry about syncing my personal calendars or contacts, it's all right there on iCloud.com. Then, I can say start a report on my Macbook at home, edit it on the road on my iPad, then when I get to work download the documents in Word format on my work computer or on any public computer I use such as in the libraries on campus. I do have all this stuff synched to my Phone so the contacts and calendars I have anyway, but having Pages sync across devices is nice since I use that a lot.
 
I add a contact to my phone - it's automatically on my computer (in my email client) when I get home.

I take a photo using my phone - it's automatically on my computer when I get home.

The same for emails, calendar events, reminders.

I buy an app in iTunes on my computer, it's automatically downloaded to my phone.

My mobile devices are automatically backed up every single night.


iCloud is all about taking the hassle out of syncing/transferring files between your apple devices and computers. It's nothing super amazing or exciting, rather it's something that happens in the background and makes your tech life a little bit easier.
 
Simon86 said:
I add a contact to my phone - it's automatically on my computer (in my email client) when I get home.

I take a photo using my phone - it's automatically on my computer when I get home.

The same for emails, calendar events, reminders.

I buy an app in iTunes on my computer, it's automatically downloaded to my phone.

My mobile devices are automatically backed up every single night.


iCloud is all about taking the hassle out of syncing/transferring files between your apple devices and computers. It's nothing super amazing or exciting, rather it's something that happens in the background and makes your tech life a little bit easier.
Click to expand...

He's clearly talking about the iCloud website, what are you on about?
 
Objectivist-C said:
He's clearly talking about the iCloud website, what are you on about?
Click to expand...

Let's say your mac is at home and you're somewhere in the world and your phone battery needs to be recharged. You need some contacts or check your calendar. That's what the icloud.com is for.
 
theperipheral said:
when i go to icloud.com, the only thing that is actually useful there is MAYBE the e-mail and the find my phone feature. what is the point of the rest of it?

i dont really understand the whole point of the cloud, in general. i guess the big idea is that the pictures i take can go to my computer without me plugging it in, is that really it?
Click to expand...

I don't always have my laptop with me, and from time to time the battery in my iPhone actually runs out or I'm carrying a non smartphone. In these situations it's very comforting to know that I can access my calendar, address book and e-mail account from any computer.

----------
Kiwibloke said:
I'm started to think the same thing, it really is just a complete waste of time.


KB
Click to expand...

Could you explain why you think it's a waste of time?
 
hafr said:
I don't always have my laptop with me, and from time to time the battery in my iPhone actually runs out or I'm carrying a non smartphone. In these situations it's very comforting to know that I can access my calendar, address book and e-mail account from any computer.

----------



Could you explain why you think it's a waste of time?
Click to expand...
Because it doesn't work, read my post "34 hours to back up" i know there will be teething problems, but i spend a lot of time without internet and if i haven't got my spreadsheets on my iPad I'm no good to anyone.
 
hafr said:
I don't always have my laptop with me, and from time to time the battery in my iPhone actually runs out or I'm carrying a non smartphone. In these situations it's very comforting to know that I can access my calendar, address book and e-mail account from any computer.

----------



Could you explain why you think it's a waste of time?
Click to expand...

Understandable, but check this out. I have a macbook air, my contacts are on it. I have an ipad2, my contacts are on it. Anytime I go to icloud.com and sign in, i dont see any contacts. Samething with calendar. Only thing works is email.
 
I am scared to move from mm to icloud. I like mm it works why bother changing it. Does this mean that in 2 years time icloud will go and be updated to something else. I just want contact mail and calendar. I like mm

----------
hafr said:
I don't always have my laptop with me, and from time to time the battery in my iPhone actually runs out or I'm carrying a non smartphone. In these situations it's very comforting to know that I can access my calendar, address book and e-mail account from any computer.

----------



Could you explain why you think it's a waste of time?
Click to expand...

You can do this with mm? Icloud doesn't reAlly improve much for contacts mail and calendar?
 
macgrl said:
I am scared to move from mm to icloud. I like mm it works why bother changing it. Does this mean that in 2 years time icloud will go and be updated to something else. I just want contact mail and calendar. I like mm

----------



You can do this with mm? Icloud doesn't reAlly improve much for contacts mail and calendar?
Click to expand...
MobileMe DIES in June 2012. You have to convert before then to either iCloud or something else. iCloud is Apples Replacement for MobileMe.
 
I know that but whats the point in icloud. Mm did pretty much the same thing and worked
 
iCloud is Apple's answer for Google and it's increasing market share.

Give people free email, free calendars, free photo storage, safe backup, and free texting and they'll be yours for the taking.

Give them superior devices that integrate seemlessly and you'll have them trapped in your ecosystem for life.

Not so much older folk like most of us, but the youngin's. My 10 year old can walk through life PC-free with an iPhone and an iPad and a free iCloud app suite and never need to know that gmail or Google is. Microsoft, Outlook, external USB backup, Netflix too for that matter. That's the Apple endgame here. Be for mobile what Google and Microsoft are for desktop. Less than 7% off all mobile devices are smartphones. Just getting started in this space.

So, to answer your question, in order for iCloud to compete on an even playing field with Google, it needs a web presence for email, calendar, etc.

BJ
 
That is very true and I like the way you put that

Doesn't mm give apple that web presence for mail contacts and cal?
 
No just why change something that works to something that creates a load of hassle for some people. I also use google aps for my own domain and have done for a few years that's free and works and doesn't get changed every couple of years
 
Asking around about iCloud led me to many different comments but most appear to agree upon at least 1 thing, to get Snow Leopard users to spend $29 bucks to force them to upgrade just to gain access to iCloud.
 
macgrl said:
No just why change something that works to something that creates a load of hassle for some people. I also use google aps for my own domain and have done for a few years that's free and works and doesn't get changed every couple of years
Click to expand...
I agree, but I assume it was simply an internal decision on Apple's part. They could have easily just kept the same name and made it FREE and maybe add more features to it. Maybe MM had too much bad press and felt changing to iCloud would be a better name in the long run. Also, maybe easier to DROP Gallery and iDisk.
 
macgrl said:
That is very true and I like the way you put that

Doesn't mm give apple that web presence for mail contacts and cal?
Click to expand...

It did, but it got bad press because of it's launch and it really wasn't a great product. By calling it iCloud and tying it to the cool devices all the gmail people use it's a strong incentive to get them to leave gmail behind and use iCloud for the same things.

Email, calendar, contacts, chat, photos, just like Google. But with the added bonuses of free texting (hugely important to tweens), free backup (better than a $100 USB drive), photo stream (Google's Picasa can't touch this), Find My Friends (better than Foursquare or Yelp), PC Free (seriously don't need a computer anymore), and the easy iPhone or iPad setup you've got a very serious threat to Google.

BJ
 
You are 100% right when you say They may have rebranded due to bad press a clean start was perhaps whAt they wanted. I like mm and will change to icloud when he problems are sorted out. I like playing with new things and am tempted to move now but have to have something that works and has no problems. I will wait a month or so. How long is a good time to leave it?
 
macgrl said:
No just why change something that works to something that creates a load of hassle for some people. I also use google aps for my own domain and have done for a few years that's free and works and doesn't get changed every couple of years
Click to expand...

Google dominated in online apps for years and built their newbish Android mobile OS around it.

Apple dominated in mobile device OS and built their newbish MobleMe apps around it.

The kind of "change" you're referring to is exactly what a Google Android user would say about their messy operating system and myriad of devices. Both companies having the same goal (seamless online/mobile) but coming at it from opposite directions (one on the device and OS side, the other from the online apps side).

BJ

----------
macgrl said:
You are 100% right when you say They may have rebranded due to bad press a clean start was perhaps whAt they wanted. I like mm and will change to icloud when he problems are sorted out. I like playing with new things and am tempted to move now but have to have something that works and has no problems. I will wait a month or so. How long is a good time to leave it?
Click to expand...

If you're referring to MM Calendar and MM Email, you can migrate over to iCloud right now. The "problems" (in quotes because I haven't experienced any) have nothing to do with those two products. Calendar and Email are working just as well on iC as they did on MM. If you have an iOS 5 device, just hit a few buttons and it's over.

I used Yahoo for my Contacts for years. Hit a button on the iPhone, boom, set all my Yahoo Contacts up in iCloud Contacts in 20 seconds.

BJ
 
I love iCloud, think it is great that all my calendar events, my notes and my contact lists can be on both my iPad and my iPhone.

However, dont see the point in the mail part of iCloud as you cant fully convert to having it as your only email address because some bright spark at apple decided that we all have to have a seperate email address to use iTunes lol what a plank!
 
James Godfrey said:
I love iCloud, think it is great that all my calendar events, my notes and my contact lists can be on both my iPad and my iPhone.

However, dont see the point in the mail part of iCloud as you cant fully convert to having it as your only email address because some bright spark at apple decided that we all have to have a seperate email address to use iTunes lol what a plank!
Click to expand...

That's not true. We have the option of two separate email addresses as our iTunes and iCloud ID's. Apple, in fact, defaults your initial iCloud registration as your Apple ID.

In my case, the option of two separate ID's is a blessing. I use xxxx@yahoo.com as my iTunes Store ID and xxxx@me.com as my iCloud ID because my kids all use 100's of apps already purchased at the Yahoo ID and I don't want them seeing my iMessages or Calendar on iCloud.

Anyway, you can use one ID for both iTunes and iCloud if you want. Let's clear that up.

BJ
 
Kiwibloke said:
Ok when I try to go to iCloud.com it just goes straight to www.icloud.com/ welcome, what is the point of this, I've already set my iPad up.

KB
Click to expand...

By signing in at iCloud.com you can access those features from a PC. So if you want to add a Contact or a Calendar event or Find Your iPhone, you can do it from a traditional computer with a keyboard if you wish.

I'm at work now, have a PC with a keyboard. If I want to compose an email, it's easier for me to log on at iCloud.com and type it up than use the touch keyboard on my iPhone, for example.

If you are trying to access iCloud.com on an iPad via Safari, that's a waste of time as those features are embedded in the OS.

BJ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back