Why use iCloud if Exchange manages my information?

I'm like you and keep all my stuff using MS Exchange so I have contacts, calendar, etc. turned off. But I still back up to iCloud because I'm out of town a lot and if something happens and I need to restore I don't have to wait until I get back home to my pc. So if you are completely invested in the Apple ecosystem then it will certainly be more useful but there are still reasons to use it.

iCloud is aimed at consumers as a personal syncing solution. Most consumers don't use (predominantly) business-based Exchange accounts, so iCloud offers those people the ability to sync wirelessly.

Google also offers wireless contact, calendar & email syncing. It's good to have choice. You use which one suits you best.

Most of the people I know and myself use Exchange and iCloud together. iCloud support some extra functions that Exchange does not support:

1) Reminders (tasks) that are location based, i.e. remind me to pick up the dry cleaning when I leave work.

2) Safari Bookmark: Exchange does not sync bookmarks.

3) Contacts: Customised Contact Relationships for Siri, e.g. mom, dad, kids, mistress 😉

4) Notes: iOS does not sync Exchange Notes.

You also get Find my iPhone/iPad/Mac, Back to my mac, Photo stream and other stuff with iCloud.

Greetings,

They will work hand in hand - each dose things differently, than each other, and there are feature differences. I've had Exchange at work since the very first version of it, years ago, and I've had .Mac. and .Me, nearly as long.

My .Mac. and .Me worked fine for me, although there were a few bumps along the road with .Me. We all found ways to work around the quirks, made adjustments, etc. But there was nothing Earth shatering with the .Me stuff.

Now we have iCloud - it doesn't do a lot, but what it does do, works fine, is fun to have and use, and has been real handy in just the few days we have had it.

Cheers,

M.

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Hello,

I'm using Exchange at work but, as RichardY said, I'd like to "merge" it with iCloud to be able to use the additionnal functions (not the mistress of course... 😝).

However, this does not work...

I checked "contacts" on my exchange account AND on iCloud, but contacts do not show on iCloud...

Someone can help ?

Thanks 😉

I use my Exchange as main account. Whenever I want to add related contacts other than the three provided by Exchange (Manager, Assistant, Spouse), I create a contact on iCloud with the same name and add related information there.

iOS does this "Unified Contact" for you when they found two contacts with the same name on two different carlendars. However your contact on Exchange and your contact on iCloud stay as seperate entries, and there is no syncing between the two.

I would recommend using Exchange as your main account if you already have an Exchange account, and only create an iCloud contact to provide supplimentary information when needed.

Best,

Richard

Thank you very much, Richard, for this prompt answer.

As far as I understand, I only have to create MY contact on iCloud (so that iOS can unify both), since I'm the only person I want to set up relationships for.

Is that correct ?