Is iCloud supported?

We don't know. SOME features will require Lion and minimum Vista on the PC side, that's what Apple says thus far.

However as far as they are abandoning lots of stuff at the moment I would mentally prepare for the worst case.

Hmm. Let's think about this. Apple have invented this cool technology called iCloud that they want to sell to as many people as possible. They say in their publicity that it's always accessible on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac, or PC.

Will they exclude all those users who have PPC and 32 bit Intel Macs who therefore can't run Lion? What do YOU think?

Bob

From the bottom of the iCloud announcement pages:

Features are subject to change. Access to some services is limited to 10 devices. See www.apple.com/legal/itunes/ww/for more information. Some features of iCloud require iOS 5 on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation), iPad, or iPad 2, or a Mac computer with OS X Lion or a PC with Windows Vista or Windows 7 (Outlook 2007 or 2010 recommended). Some music features of iCloud are available in beta now in the U.S. only and require iOS 4.3.3 on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 (GSM model), iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation), iPad, or iPad 2, or a Mac or PC with iTunes 10.3. Download iTunes 10.3 free.

Note it states Some features. We will have to wait and see.

I just want to ask.

If you have a G5 with 10.5+ and a MacBook with 10.6+ and are thinking of getting an iMac with Lion. How can you access icloud from all, as I believe once you convert it isn't available in the old form, that 10.5 and 10.6 can see?

Does Apple expect to you dump all your old computers and iphones and upgrade all to Lion?

They should at least allow continued connection to older systems and computers.

You can use some features of iCloud in Snow Leopard, such as calendar and contacts syncing because it simply uses CalDAV and CardDAV for that purpose. You need to figure out what URL to use for both, but that's not all that difficult. 10.5's iCal may even work.

That said, iCloud integration is really a new OS feature. You need the new OS to fully leverage it. Apple expects you to upgrade the OS if you want to use it. Devices not upgraded are not adversely impacted, they simply don't have the feature. It's unfortunate that the PowerPC platform support has been dropped, but Apple indicated their intent to do so as far back as 6 years ago.

Rob Snow wrote:

I just want to ask.

If you have a G5 with 10.5+ and a MacBook with 10.6+ and are thinking of getting an iMac with Lion. How can you access icloud from all, as I believe once you convert it isn't available in the old form, that 10.5 and 10.6 can see?

JD McIninch covered that well.

Does Apple expect to you dump all your old computers and iphones and upgrade all to Lion?

They should at least allow continued connection to older systems and computers.

Any PowerPC based system can only advance to 10.5.8. Like the other JD pointed out, iCloud is a feature of the OS married to servers. Older systems running older OSs will have limited ability to also access those new server features. Sometimes with mixed performance. If you take into account that the average full-function life span (not durability / operating) of a computer system is on average 4 years, Apple is not asking you do anything drastic, just like any other computer company they expect you to upgrade at some point. That being said, I still use older system for specialized tasks, including a 11 y.o. scanning station. Because of their age I wouldn't dream of wanting Lion to run on them. Rather the thought makes me shudder, as I know they would be unbearable to use!

edit: As far as iPhones, only the pre iPhone3G models are unable to upgrade to iOS 5 and use iCloud features. Because of their age, they are probably, if not already, needing a battery upgrade. This comes at a service fee. You can currently obtain a FREE iPhone 3GS with a new/renewal contract. So that shouldn't be a complaint for anyone as you save money and get a faster, newer device.