Apple → iCloud Extra Storage Extended

Just received in an email:

quote:

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Dear ,

When you moved your MobileMe account to iCloud, we provided you with a complimentary storage upgrade beyond the standard 5GB that comes with an iCloud account to help you with the transition. Originally, this storage upgrade was set to expire on September 30, 2012.

As a thank you to our former MobileMe members, we will continue to provide you with this complimentary storage upgrade at no charge, for an additional year, until September 30, 2013. No action is required on your part. For complete details, please read this article.

Thank you again for using iCloud,

iCloud Team

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Nice! Too bad that 9/30/50 date didn't stick, though.

Yeah...got the same email. Kinda sucks they couldn't just give it to those of us that were iTools members way back when.

It's gonna suck next year when I either have to delete a bunch of stuff or pop for the extra storage.

I got the email as well. Big woopie!

I just wish that I could transfer the extra space to one of my friends who actually uses it. I see no use for iCloud in anything I do. My computer and extra hard drives are all I need.

May I ask what people are storing in iCloud that is taking up so much space that they're blowing through the available allotted space?
If I'm not mistaken, it stores contacts, documents, calendar, etc.
What is it that is causing storage issues? iCloud isn't set up to store photos, videos or music, right? If this is correct, why is this an issue?
I just checked, my iCloud is 5 GB and 4.1 GB is available.
I set up free accounts with Box, DropBox, SkyDrive, Google Drive and SugarSync (I was bored one day and thought I'd grab free stuff) and I think I have upwards of 40-50GB of free storage. It took ten minutes to get all the storage.
Easily, any power user could do the same. While its not an optimal solution, its not too difficult for an advanced user to manage multiple cloud based services.
Alternatively, one can buy a decent amount of storage for less than the cost of texting (and if you need massive storage, iCloud sells 50GB for $2/week).
That is really not cost prohibitive for someone to purchase all the storage that one wants. Folks wait on line to spend $4 on a latte and a gallon of gas costs $4.50 ...basically, enough to drive your car for one day.
I'm confused as to why iCloud's storage limits are a topic of concern.
What am I missing?

I have multiple iDevices and they are setup to backup to iCloud. I'm using about 3.6GB of space so far. I do believe that your Camera Roll does get backed up.

Camera roll is backed up and videos are in your camera roll as well. HD video burns through 5GB quick.

For me, I have 4+GB of iOS device backups. I don't store anything else in iCloud (yet), so the added storage is not necessary, but it's certainly welcome if iCloud ever becomes useful for document storage.

For people that have stuck with iTools/.Mac/MobileMe over the years (like my parents), they may have accumulated multiple GB of e-mails over the years. My mom's iCloud account has 15GB of old e-mail, so the extended storage is extremely helpful. SkyDrive/Dropbox/etc won't help for that, I refuse to use gmail for anything personal.

Interesting. I didnt know how much stuff is backed up to iCloud for me, I have like 4gigs from my camera roll alone. I would think my iPad would be taking up more space, but my iPhone is. I take alot of pics and video apparently

Camera Roll is supposed to be a temporary folder. The name evokes the obsolete film rolls that were brought in for development and then discarded, in this case syncing "develops" the film (when you connect to iTunes/iPhoto).
It is designed to be emptied each time you sync. Of course you're free to use it as you like, but if you're having storage issues, just sync and empty.

Tell that to my wife who never syncs, but insists on taking thousands of pictures & videos and never doing anything with them.

Just so I understand this. I thought that syncing to iCloud was an alternative option to syncing to a PC/Mac. But it sounds like that isn't the case?

You backup to the cloud and you can restore from the cloud backups.
You don't sync to the cloud.
Yes, iCloud meshes some items (such as contacts, calendar, Pages or Numbers document, etc.) with other iDevices or iCloud.com, however it doesn't sync everything.
If you buy a song, add an app or book on your desktop computer (from iTunes), the item will not find its way to your iDevice until you sync (connect cord to computer or do a WiFi sync).
Good tip is to set up iCloud and let it do it's thing, but still perform periodic iTunes syncs. It's easy to set up WiFi automatic syncing (it will sync if iTunes if open on desktop and your iDevice is plugged into a charger while inside the same WiFi network as computer).
However, photos wont be removed from Camera Roll and added to iPhoto until you do a cable sync.

Actually, music, apps and books do find their way to your other devices. I buy stuff on my MBP quite frequently and they magically appear on my iPad and iPhone without syncing to iTunes. You just have to have automatic downloads enabled on all your devices.

That's true, but my example was mainly to instruct the basics of backup vs. sync, etc.

Thanks. So it appears iPhoto is a Mac program, so as a Windows user, syncing my iPhone with iTunes doesn't move the photos out of the Camera Roll.

While iPhoto is an Apple product, I believe when you set up iTunes, etc. Windows should ask you where you want to sync it to...presumably My Photos (or My Pictures, not sure, I'm 6 years post-Windows).
If I'm not mistaken, it should provide the same functionality for Windows users (just an extra step or two on set up).
Photo Stream sharing, a new feature in iOS 6, doesn't require an iOS device, it can be shared to friends who can view it in any browser.