no update available..and yet there are...?

[kikboxa]

hi,
i use an iMac running OS X 10.6.8.
i wanted my contacts to backup to iCloud and when i was unable since i do not have the icloud icon in the "interner &wireless " section of 'system preferences' , i went to icloud help, where it said i must run v10.7.4 or later .

when attempting to update with 'software update'

it simply says that there are no update available.... any ideas how to solve this, or just simply how to activate icloud on my mac without updating?
also, ive read here that the updates make the mac crash and cause other problems, so im worried about messing up my system.....

thanks in advance.

 

[dhlizard]

You are running SnowLeopard

The next version is Lion, then Mountain Lion

Both are paid upgrades.

As the saying goes, if you want to play, you have to pay !

PS: You would have to check your Mac hardware to see if it is capable of running Lion or Mountain Lion.

 

[kikboxa]

ahaaaa.... ok thanks! does that mean i cannot backup to icloud? that seems kinda silly....is there any other way i can back up to i cloud?

 

[madsci954]

that seems kinda silly

Why? Lion and Mountain Lion are major software revisions and not just simple updates. Like Windows going from XP to Vista to 7, you need to pay for the major revisions. At least is the price isn't huge like with WIndows.

 

[kikboxa]

Why? Lion and Mountain Lion are major software revisions and not just simple updates. Like Windows going from XP to Vista to 7, you need to pay for the major revisions. At least is the price isn't huge like with WIndows.

silly that icloud would offer its services only to certain iOS users, since i can run it on my iphone and ipad , which are both over a year old, but cant on my mac. seems like i should have a product i can use on all my devices.
maybe its another way to get me update and buy. -not a bad reason, or that its not worth the cash,- just seems like i should be able to use the cloud on alll my devices , regardless of type and version....im my opinion

 

[midnightMachine]

Well
(A) this probably should have been posted here seeing as it is an OS X "issue": https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/69/

(B) you still have access to iCloud.. if your iOS devices support it, then choose one of them to iTunes sync your contacts to it, then turn on the Contacts option in you iCloud settings on that device when you are done.. unless I'm wrong, that will sync those contacts to iCloud and now both of your devices can sync from there.. Yes, this won't allow your Mac to access those, but Apple isn't not allowing you to use the service.. you just have an OS X version that isn't compatible with it. You could debate all day long about whether or not iCloud is capable of running on your OS, but Apple developed it as part of a later version than the one you have, and if it is a feature you want, then pay for it. iOS and OS X are different parts of Apple, and frankly I don't see how you're entitled to something that was released after the software that you own. Your car doesn't get the new and improved gas milage of the new one that comes out the next year does it?

 

[kikboxa]

Well
(A) this probably should have been posted here seeing as it is an OS X "issue": https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/69/

(B) you still have access to iCloud.. if your iOS devices support it, then choose one of them to iTunes sync your contacts to it, then turn on the Contacts option in you iCloud settings on that device when you are done.. unless I'm wrong, that will sync those contacts to iCloud and now both of your devices can sync from there.. Yes, this won't allow your Mac to access those, but Apple isn't not allowing you to use the service.. you just have an OS X version that isn't compatible with it. You could debate all day long about whether or not iCloud is capable of running on your OS, but Apple developed it as part of a later version than the one you have, and if it is a feature you want, then pay for it. iOS and OS X are different parts of Apple, and frankly I don't see how you're entitled to something that was released after the software that you own. Your car doesn't get the new and improved gas milage of the new one that comes out the next year does it?

thanks ,just synced my ipda with my imac through itunes! dunnow why i dint think of that... i think its cos i set my blackberry to sync through google and not directly with my imac cos it always got all my appts doubled on the ical.... so i did the same for my ipad. ....
and about the car metaphore, well i wouldnt be entitled to the better gas milage, but i could still use gasoline, even if its a new improved gasoline, especially if that kind of new gasoline became a standard being sold in the market. it makes sense gas stations would want every car to pull in, not only new ones, especially since theres more older cars than new ones, id think.....
thanks though for ur help!

 

[midnightMachine]

I'm glad you got it working.. but gas seems more like the electricity to run the device.. or the internet used to access these services.. how your device(car) utilizes the internet(gas) is based on what you've bought.. The software on your Mac just doesn't make the same use of the internet that your iOS devices.. A newer version(model) would. And while I love iCloud.. it isn't some new standard that is replacing something in the entire industry.. things still sync fine the old fashioned way. And now that you have things synced.. you should be able to keep the two iOS devices in sync with one another through iCloud.