Hey,

I have had it with iCloud/MM. I need webmail, but iCloud is just as terrible as MM, not being able to add external calendars, no pupblic access api.... Regardless of the all the small things, I just can't use the webmail interface anymore. Anyway, I don't want to debate the merits of iCloud, just need some advice on an alternative.

I know I could just ditch iCloud mail, and use it for everything else, but I like having my contacts, and calendar synced to the same place I get my mail. I was thinking about gmail, but my biggest fear is for my contacts. Years ago when I synced gmail with my ical/icontacts, and iphone, I kept getting duplicate contacts, and the fields didn't all line up correctly, resulting in weirdness. Is anyone using this setup? How do you find it?

Alternatives?

Im not a big fan of gmail for contact syncing, I use and love it for email, but hate how it auto adds everyone you email as a contact. I also found that some fields don't sync properly, so in general I just disable it.

Here is what I did for anyone else wanting to switch.
1. Export all contacts as a vCard.
2. Publicly share all calenders.
3. Use wget to download each calendar as an ics file.
4. In gmail delete all contacts.
5. Import contacts from vCard.
6. Create the calendars in gcal.
7. Import each ics file into correct calendar.
8. Go to m.google.com/sync and check all the calendars you want to sync.

Seems to be working great so far. Make sure you use Exchange not GMail account to get contact syncing. Initially it only synched 50 contacts, but then I went to m.google.com/sync on phone, and changed calendar settings, then all contacts synched.

Just reporting back: this is working very well. Having never really used gmail's web interface before (I always used IMAP) I am blown away by how much better of an experience it is than MM/iCloud. The exchange setting also pushes messages faster than MM/iCloud did, though it is close enough it is not really an issue.

Glad to hear it worked out for you. I've never had any problems with MM mail or iCloud or syncing*. I do have issues with Google however.

*okay, I had duplicated iCal entries once. It took me a minute or two to figure out what I was doing wrong. It was my fault.

I have had google issues in past, but it has been solid this time so far.

I'll admit iCloud/MM was a rock for me, never screwing up. My main beef with it is the webmail. If you don't need that, then I would stick with iCloud.

~S