iCloud -- What Should It Do and How Do I do it?

[Hrothgar]

Ever since I first got my Macbook I've been frustrated that Apple doesn't seem to think it has any obligation to explain how to use its products.

So, here's what I would like to do. I would like to sync all of my contacts and calendars so that if I make a change in one, it appears in all. And I don't have duplicate, triplicate, quadruplicate and quintuplicate entires. (If I get hexuplet entries I'll live with that.)

Here's what I have: Macbook with Lion and iCloud; iPad I, iPhone 4S, Gmail account, yahoo account, MS Outlook 2003.

Over the years, I've imported contacts and calendars between apps, and always ended up with many duplicates (and worse). More important, with the exception of my Outlook/BB connnection, I was never able to sync very well. That is, if I added a contact on Outlook, it would appear promptly on my BB. I couldn't get it to Gmail or Yahoo, etc.

I was hoping that iCloud would solve this. Does it? If so, can someone please tell me how to set it up?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Weaselboy]

iCloud will sync nicely between all the devices you listed, but when you start to add in all those secondary sync sources it gets complicated. I do know you cannot sync iCloud and GMail contacts at the same time. If you try you will get a popup in Lion telling you so.