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Apple launched its iCloud.com beta tonight. The beta is intended for developers to test their iCloud syncing functionality, though there has been some confusion about who exactly had access. Early on, it seemed that Apple inadvertently allowed access to more than just developers, but we now hear that Apple has started shutting out these non-developer users.
iCloud is Apple's upcoming syncing and storage service for both iOS 5 and OS X Lion. iCloud (the service) stores your music, photos, apps, calendars, documents and keeps it in sync across multiple devices. iCloud.com (the website) represents Apple's MobileMe website replacement that gives users online access to their Calendar, Email, Address Book, Find My Phone and iWork data. The entire interface borrows heavily from iOS and Lion and incorporates many nice graphical flourishes and animations.
This quick walkthrough video by helpfulmactips2010 shows the different pieces in place:
Apple has also revealed the pricing for additional iCloud storage. iCloud comes with 5GB of free storage, and the additional pricing is as follows:
• 10GB Additional, $20/year
• 20GB Additional, $40/year
• 50GB Additional, $100/year
Apple has said that purchased music, apps, and books, as well as Photo Stream, don’t count against your free 5GB storage.
Much more about iCloud should be revealed as the launch nears. Apple has promised that iCloud will launch this fall alongside iOS 5. OS X Lion will also need an update to fully support iCloud.
Top Rated Comments
Ok, first of all:I'm finding it hard to care, I'm not paying apples prices for music. Amazon and the used record stores have helped me accumulate my 110 gb's of music. My iPod video does a very good job of playing that music. Call me old school but I dont feel like paying at least 100 bucks a year to store my music hat I already own and have stored in three places.
It costs $25 a year, not $100, to store your music in iCloud. Stop being so ignorant.
Secondly, if you have 3 places to put your music, then that's all good. iTunes Match isn't for you. Its meant to make your music iCloud compatible. If you don't find the service to fufill your needs, don't complain about it. No one said you had to get it. :rolleyes:
Gotta love how so many are willing to jump on the "convienence" of paying apple to rent 100 gigs of space when 2TB can be had for that price, forever minus the convienence.
Huh? iCloud is a sync tool that leverages storage. We all know we can buy local storage cheaper but that's not going to keep our data in sync now.I think people are getting confused. iCloud's focus is on sync and using cloud storage to cache metadata and handle conflicts. It's not there to put up your entire music library or porn collection.
This would have been great a couple of years ago. Today I use gMail, Google Calendar+Contacts, and Spotify.
Which is essentially saying I use crappy web apps because they are free.If iCloud works only with OSX Lion, then I'll stick with Dropbox for now. Wirelessly syncing photos and music at night while my phone is charging is enough for me.
Still using my MacBook 1st generation (Core Duo) for 5+ years, and running Snow Leopard just fine!:D
Happy mac is BACK!
I think music match for $25/year will prove to be a dud. With wireless syncing, do you really need music match? I think with the 5GB free iCloud service, Apple will give Dropbox, Google and others some competition. I think the vast majority of us will take advantage of this free service and only a small percentage of us will pay for the service, and with competitions heating up, you never know what service will be free in the future, especially when Google is involved!
I am planning on paying the $25/yr for 3 reasons. #1, it is more clean with all the correct information and cover art for all the music. #2, it is an upgraded sound for most of my library. #3, if I ever happen to lose all of my music from my mac I can just legally download it all from iTunes again! (HUUUGE plus in my opinion!)
- Joe
WOW, revolutionary!
It looks just like MobilMe with out the things I liked best, Photo Gallery, and Idisk!
If people didn't like MM why in the hell would they go for this, probably because they will be forced to.
Kind of sucks, Apple giveth and Apple taketh away.
Uh because it's free?