Syncing between multiple i-devices? (also Messages/FaceTime)

I am in the process of switching from an Android/Windows ecosystem to Apple. At the moment I have my email/contacts/calendar on Google and sync that with my phone and tablet. I use the browser to access this from any desktop machine.

I have bought an iPhone 5, iPad mini and iMac and I want to keep all of these in sync whilst using the native applications for the best user experience.

Now I am thinking it might be best to keep my email on Google but move my calendar and contacts to iCloud. Is that a bad move? I would like to use notes and reminders and have these sync between my devices too. It is my understanding that I can't do this using Google as my cloud - is this correct?

This would require me to have two accounts sync'ing on my mobile devices. Exchange for my email and an iCloud account for my calendar, contacts, reminders and notes. Will this significantly drain my battery life?

From what I understand iCloud can sync: contacts, calendar, notes and reminders. Have I missed any? Is there anything else that I am about to have in sync between all my i-devices?

How would I get my information from Google in the first place?

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Another question I had was to do with the messages app. I've heard that I can also have all my messages sync between all my devices? Does that include SMS messages or is it only iMessges? If they do sync, does the history persist across all devices?

My account seems to have a phone number and email address attached to it. I take it that if anyone sends a message to either of these that they are sent to all my devices, even though my iMac and iPad mini don't have a phone number?

What happens if someone try's to FaceTime me, does it ring (and can I answer) on all and any device?

Cheetah05 said:

Now I am thinking it might be best to keep my email on Google but move my calendar and contacts to iCloud. Is that a bad move?

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That's fine. Mail (the program) syncs to iCloud regardless of where you get your mail FROM.

I would like to use notes and reminders and have these sync between my devices too. It is my understanding that I can't do this using Google as my cloud - is this correct?

Click to expand...

If you're using Apple's Notes and Reminders program, then of course you can't use Google's cloud service -- you need to be using iCloud.

This would require me to have two accounts sync'ing on my mobile devices. Exchange for my email and an iCloud account for my calendar, contacts, reminders and notes.

Click to expand...

No, this is incorrect. Mail will handle all your email accounts, and works with iCloud. Just use Mail.

From what I understand iCloud can sync: contacts, calendar, notes and reminders. Have I missed any? Is there anything else that I am about to have in sync between all my i-devices?

Click to expand...

Here's a list of some of the other things that can (optionally) or will (automatically) be synced:

1. Bookmarks from Safari. Also, open tabs.
2. Photos you put into your personal Photo Stream
3. Purchases from iTunes are automatically backed up and available for re-download.
4. Any documents you save to iCloud will be available for your other devices or synced if you wish.

Another question I had was to do with the messages app. I've heard that I can also have all my messages sync between all my devices? Does that include SMS messages or is it only iMessges? If they do sync, does the history persist across all devices?

Click to expand...

Only iMessages.

My account seems to have a phone number and email address attached to it. I take it that if anyone sends a message to either of these that they are sent to all my devices, even though my iMac and iPad mini don't have a phone number?

Click to expand...

Only iMessages, but yes.

What happens if someone try's to FaceTime me, does it ring (and can I answer) on all and any device?

Click to expand...

You can answer on only one device, but it will ring on all three if you have it set up to do so. When someone tries to FaceTime call me, it "rings" on my Mac, my iPad and my iPhone.

That's fine. Mail (the program) syncs to iCloud regardless of where you get your mail FROM.

Click to expand...

No, this is incorrect. Mail will handle all your email accounts, and works with iCloud. Just use Mail.

Click to expand...

Very confused by what you mean. Currently I have a Google Apps email account (eg. [email protected]). Are you suggesting that iCloud will sync this with my devices for me? If so, how do I set that up?

You can answer on only one device, but it will ring on all three if you have it set up to do so. When someone tries to FaceTime call me, it "rings" on my Mac, my iPad and my iPhone.

Click to expand...

How do I set this up?...as someone called me on FaceTime yesterday, but only my iPhone rang even though my iPad was on and next to me.

Cheetah05 said:

Very confused by what you mean. Currently I have a Google Apps email account (eg. [email protected]). Are you suggesting that iCloud will sync this with my devices for me? If so, how do I set that up?

Click to expand...

Sure. All you have to do is add the POP or IMAP information about the account to Mail, and then sync Mail with your iPad and iPhone.

How do I set this up?...as someone called me on FaceTime yesterday, but only my iPhone rang even though my iPad was on and next to me.

Click to expand...

Under the iPad's settings for FaceTime, add both your phone number from your iPhone AND your Apple ID/email address. If you can't, see the first message in this thread:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4395236?start=0&tstart=0

chas_m said:

Sure. All you have to do is add the POP or IMAP information about the account to Mail, and then sync Mail with your iPad and iPhone.

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Just so I am 100% clear. By simply adding my Gmail account to Mail.app on my iMac, iCloud will automatically sync all the emails to my iPad/iPhone without me having to add the account to my iPad or iPhone.

How does that even work? What happens if my iMac is switched off? The email won't sync?

Under the iPad's settings for FaceTime, add both your phone number from your iPhone AND your Apple ID/email address. If you can't, see the first message in this thread:

Click to expand...

I have done this, when someone calls on my number it only calls my phone