Solving an Apple ID problem if I move to iCloud
After many years of being a Mac user, I still contend the most un-Apple like thing they do is the restriction process of Apple IDs. I might be wrong, and hopefully I am, but here is my current situation and how I'd like to change it.
1. I'm currently a Google Apps user (because I can use my own domain) so I now live in the Google Cloud. That said, now that I've switched from Android to the iPhone 4S and I'm about to get an iPad, I would rather just be "all Apple" (you'd think Apple would like this and make it easy for people to come back 100% into the Apple corral...but they don't).
2. My current (and only) Apple ID is my Gmail email address, as is my iTunes ID. But if I dump Google completely and move everything to Mail.app, iCal, iCloud, etc. I'll "forever" have to use my old Gmail email address as my Apple ID and iCloud login (I think I can change my iTunes one to my @me.com address, though...not even sure about that).
3 In a perfect world, I'd like to simply make my current Apple ID disappear and use my @me.com email address as my Apple ID for everything on iCloud and iTunes. One thing I will not do is move everything over to iCloud and then have to use an old Gmail address as my Apple ID for the rest of my life.
I'm sure I know the answer to number (3.) is "no", but thought I'd ask anyway, just in case there is some magic that can be worked. If not, does anyone know if Apple is ever going to change things to allow changing the Apple ID? I know there are thousands out there with the same issue...all you have to do is Google the problem. Thanks for any help or ideas.
MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.3), 256GB - 24" LED Cinema Display