iCloud Only

[bgl321]

Is there anyone out there that uses iCloud exclusively for their mail, contacts, calendar, docs, etc. versus using a variety of services? Trying to simplify my life and use only one service for everything. Having just purchased a Mac and already owning an iPhone I thought iCloud would make the most sense. I currently have a some things on Google, OneDrive/Outlook.com and iCloud. Anyone else use iCloud only and if so would you recommend it?

 

[Just_Me_D]

I did use iCloud exclusively, and it worked well. Heck, I still use it exclusively for my reminders, calendars, contacts and primary email account. Having said that, I also have a few other accounts for email purposes only simply because I don't want certain email messages clogging up my iCloud account.

 

[bgl321]

Is there anyone that uses outlook.com exclusively? Do you find it a better alternative to icloud and google? Seems to offer more free storage and it looks a lot better than google. Really want to just choose one service for email, contacts, calendar, reminders and storage.

 

[luminosity6]

Hi - I have used outlook.com exclusively for several years straight although right now and I am in the process of switching over to iCloud for email, contacts, calendars and notes because I like them so much.

Outlook.com mail always worked well and had good search results for me. It also imports mail from other providers very quickly compared to other imports I've seen. Outlook.com calendar works well and syncs to the mobile phones well but I just never cared for the web interface at all. Same with the contacts. The one thing that absolutely rules with using the Outlook.com is the OneDrive for photos. They keep improving the photos functionality and it works just great. It has all the the features you want such as a drive/folder on your computer, a camera roll backup on your phone (that you can delete a photo off the phone but not online if you want), and the best albums sharing ability I have found yet. And finally, I tried to use OneDrive for all my files (in lieu of Dropbox) and I had syncing errors and conflicts occasionally. This has never happened to m with Dropbox so I am staying put with them. So, to sum up, I have tried at one point to use several providers as my "one" provider and there is always something that prevents this. So I am still using the best of each. I am happy to answer anything else I can about outlook.com for you from my experience. I am moving away from Microsoft products in general as a matter of preference and planning to get Macbook (yay). But until this past year I have been a big Microsoft fan. : )

 

[Khizer Hayat2]

I am using my outlook.com email as my icloud ID now when i download apps and some need accounts so is it safe to use my outlook.com account for apps on my iPhone

 

[Ledsteplin]

I am using my outlook.com email as my icloud ID now when i download apps and some need accounts so is it safe to use my outlook.com account for apps on my iPhone

If you mean is it safe to use your Outlook email address for your iTunes ID, yes it's safe.

 

[Soapm]

I currently use Google but am considering switching like OP. I don't like what Google does to my notes and I'm hoping to get rid of Evernotes after this years subscription expires...

 

[bgl321]

Hi - I have used outlook.com exclusively for several years straight although right now and I am in the process of switching over to iCloud for email, contacts, calendars and notes because I like them so much.

Outlook.com mail always worked well and had good search results for me. It also imports mail from other providers very quickly compared to other imports I've seen. Outlook.com calendar works well and syncs to the mobile phones well but I just never cared for the web interface at all. Same with the contacts. The one thing that absolutely rules with using the Outlook.com is the OneDrive for photos. They keep improving the photos functionality and it works just great. It has all the the features you want such as a drive/folder on your computer, a camera roll backup on your phone (that you can delete a photo off the phone but not online if you want), and the best albums sharing ability I have found yet. And finally, I tried to use OneDrive for all my files (in lieu of Dropbox) and I had syncing errors and conflicts occasionally. This has never happened to m with Dropbox so I am staying put with them. So, to sum up, I have tried at one point to use several providers as my "one" provider and there is always something that prevents this. So I am still using the best of each. I am happy to answer anything else I can about outlook.com for you from my experience. I am moving away from Microsoft products in general as a matter of preference and planning to get Macbook (yay). But until this past year I have been a big Microsoft fan. : )

I appreciate the feedback. I'm currently using Google for mail and photos/docs. I use iCloud for calendar, contacts and reminders. I'm not exclusively a Apple user yet as a still have a Windows desktop. If I was exclusively Apple then it would probably be iCloud all the way although I a little hesitant to rely solely on iCloud as I have had some mail not arrive when it was being forwarded from my gmail account.

Google services have always worked well for me but the system just seems messy. Can't really put my finger on it but Apple and Outlook.com just have a cleaner feel to them. I do use OneDrive as another backup for photos and files. I wish iCloud came with the amount of free storage that Google and Outlook.com did. I think the choice would really be simple for me then.

 

[luminosity6]

I agree about Google services feeling messy. Before outlook.com I used Google since gmail came out. It was fine for a long time (many years!) but the changes over time were not in my favor. Drive is now an abysmal abyss for example. Also you log in one day and can't find anything, lol. Same with outlook.com now for me. I notice the smaller things I guess and they grow over time. About the storage amounts - Google gives you a ton and great technologies because they want you to stay. You may already be aware of the outlook.com recent storage reduction for people who did not opt out. They are cutting back to the same 5 GB as iCloud. So for my files I am staying with Dropbox upgraded to a paid plan because I find them worth it. For now, iCloud photos is too confusing although I would gladly pay for additional iCloud storage if they had similar photo storage/functionality as other providers. Even then I think I'd still feel comfortable keeping my files on Dropbox but maybe one day can try iCloud instead because I, too, would love to have all in one. For the record - I am still a Windows user for now but I am so unhappy with some of the changes in Windows 10 it has provided the push to go to a MacBook! : )