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Do I really need iCloud?

Do I really need iCloud?... What do I do.


I still want my Apple ID that I use for everything Apple... Purchases through the store, purchases through iTunes, purchases through the App store.


I have 3 macs, one iMac that I need to leave with 10.5.8 for various reasons. The iMac is our primary computer for iTunes and our iPhones and iPads.


I have two MacBooks, one in regular use, one occasional but kept up to date.


All our computers are set up as authorized through my Apple ID so I can purchase and play music on any of them.


All our iPhones and iPads (one for me, one for my wife) are set up as authorized through my Apple ID for the same reason.


Between us we have four Apple email addresses one mac.com (the Apple ID) and three me.com


We sync everything through the iMac, and don't have that many calendar or contact changes that we need online push sync sevices. Never used Mobile Me sync services because they just did not seem to work correctly, so I don't really need it.


I don't want or need iTunes music match or photo streaming, I would rather just not have push or streaming anything.


All I want or need is three things.


1. Most important -- to maintain our Apple ID and email addresses.

2. Convenient -- iTunes re download purchased music and what ever else is allowed.

3. Convenient -- App store re download 10.7 Apps for the computers that use 10.7


Right now, the iTunes cloud download and App store download works without an iCloud account. Will this continue after June 2012?


So the last thing is...


What happens to my email addresses after June 2012?


Thanks,


Andy

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Oct 16, 2011 9:42 PM

Reply
17 replies

Nov 23, 2011 6:20 PM in response to Alancito

What about the situation of a member of the family plan who does not want to move to iCloud but has to keep the .Mac.com address? Can she keep the .Mac address and do nothing else = does that require her to use another email client [she's running SnowLoeopard] or what??? She doesn't want to upgrade to Lion right now and yet has to keep the .Mac address. thanks.

Nov 23, 2011 7:42 PM in response to Victoria Herring

She can do that for now Victoria,


At the end of June 2012, she will need to cross-convert her mail to iCloud, But she still does not have to upgrade her hardware.


Mail will be accessible, as it is now, on iCloud even with her older OSX and hardware. Also she will be able to access her mac.com eMail on iCloud through a browser if need be.


But all of the Mobile Me facilities will be shutdown at the end of June 2012. After that, all these facilities will need to be acccessed through the WEB (or Mail.app) at the point of cross-conversion. Think of it as moving her mail data from the Mobile Me (.MAC) system to the iCloud system. Same mail program, different behind the scenes storage location.


Of course she will not be able to take advantage of the OSX based iCloud features except via the WEB. But again, Mail will operate as you would expect.


-Alan


ps. I would suggest not waiting until the last minute, but maybe wait until March 2012 then converting to iCloud when life is a little more comfortable.

Nov 23, 2011 8:09 PM in response to Alan Edinger

Finally, an answer that means something! She doesn't now use the MobileMe stuff so just wants to keep her Mail .Mac til she upgrades...and not feel pushed == tho I want to upgrade now or at least soon.


Is it possible for ME to upgrade to iCloud without messing her up? I'm the lead family member but from my reading that is not a role any more = everyone is on a free account on MM til June 2012 and if I upgrade it won't affect family member info. Right?


Thanks much.

Nov 23, 2011 8:47 PM in response to Victoria Herring

Now some of this is finally starting to make sense. From all this here is what I *think* I can do.


Convert to iCloud for email services.


Turn off all the other iCloud services as I do not want or need them. I just want to keep my computers and iDevices in sync and up to date manually without ant automatic intervention as to how someone else thinks I should keep my devices synced.


Maybe this is finally starting to make sense.


Thanks,


Andy Zd

Nov 23, 2011 10:55 PM in response to Victoria Herring

Correct Victoria,


For the purposes of 'Data' each MobileMe ID is separate, but for the purposes of Accounting ($) the Master family member is the billing account and the control account.


Since iCloud is largely free, once any MobileMe account has its Data cross-converted (moved over) to iCloud, at that point it becomes independent.


Any portion of a MobileMe family account can cross-convert at will and it will not affect or force another family member into a bad situation.



-Alan

Nov 23, 2011 11:30 PM in response to AndyD

Hi again Andy,


I just read your original post after I answered your secondary question a few minutes ago.




Right now, the iTunes cloud download and App store download works without an iCloud account. Will this continue after June 2012?


Yes it will.




So the last thing is...


What happens to my email addresses after June 2012?



Your e-Mail address is the new account ID concerning all things Apple now. So, iTunes Store, iCloud, Apple Store etc.


So, nothing will happen to it.

.

.

.


However, if you want your existing online mail, you absolutely must cross-convert it from the .MAC/MobileMe system to the new and separate iCloud system before the end of June 2012.


And if you don't care about any current mail, but do want your actual e-Mail address to be used for purposes of e-Mail then you must open an iCloud account at some point in time, either before or after the end of June 2012.



-Alan

Nov 24, 2011 5:49 AM in response to Alan Edinger

Just a little confused again....I can and will convert MY MM to iCloud and that's fine. Our daughter doesn't want to so she can just keep her .mac account for now and that's true until the end of June next year. But as of that date, she MUST convert [even if only mail] to iCloud??? She does not need to use the other things iCloud offers but to keep her .Mac email address she has to move to iCloud == is that it???


In other words the .Mac email addresses are good to 6/31/11 but not after unless one uses iCloud? I'm just trying to help my daughter keep her address....Thanks again for all the very good help!

Nov 24, 2011 8:24 AM in response to Victoria Herring

Hi Victoria,


It looks like your daughter will need to do as I plan to do.


Convert the email account to iCloud, which will retain her .mac email account, then go through the preference pane and uncheck all the iCloud stuff she doesn't want.


Me, I don't want or need any of the cloud features so I just retain my .mac email address.


Most of it finally makes sense to me, I hope this helps you as well.


The only confusion I still have is the other three (3) family plan email addresses. Adam stated that the email address become your Apple ID, well, we only use one email address as an Apple ID to make purchases, we just use the other 3 as email addresses.


What conversion is necessary for email addresses that are used only as email, not to purchase?


Thanks,


Andy D

Nov 24, 2011 9:32 AM in response to AndyD

The problem, however, is that my daughter can't upgrade to iCloud [doesn't want Lion = I may convince her yet but she's happy with SL and doesn't like techie things].


So, the two family members I am worrying about, one I can upgrade since he only uses his iPad and iPhone and doesnt' need to get into OSX really. But the daughter is resisting upgrading = so the Q still remains what happens to MM people with .mac or .me addresses who cannot or will not or should not upgrade to iCloud - before and after 6/31/12


Thanks for your thoughts.

Nov 24, 2011 11:32 AM in response to Victoria Herring

Victoria,


You can move over now, and she can move over later.


#1. Her e-Mail address will not go away.

#2. At the end of June 2012, she will still have her e-Mail address, but she will not be able to access the actuall e-Mail themselves via the older MobileMe system.

#3. If she wants to use her e-Mail address for the purposes of sending and receiving mail, then she will have to move over to iCloud.


I hope that is more clear.


Blessing for Thanksgiving.

-Alan

Do I really need iCloud?

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