Apple's iCloud Exits Beta, Now Open to All Users

Apple's iCloud.com cloud service has graduated from beta, and is entering the real world.

Following in the footsteps of the iCloud mobile and desktop versions, iCloud.com had added the Reminders and Notes apps, which can sync with the iPhone and iPad, and made some additional upgrades.

The new Reminders and Notes functions perform similarly to the Mountain Lion and iPad versions, MacStories reported, with some added features.

Notably, the Find My iPhone app supports Lost Mode in the upcoming iOS 6, allowing the user to send a number to a lost device, hoping that whoever finds the phone will gallantly call that number and return the smartphone. The handset will lock itself remotely once the Find My iPhone feature is enabled, allowing the finder to see the message and phone number you sent, but not otherwise access any data.

A new Web version of the Mail app also adds iOS 6's VIP feature, which will gather messages from VIPs in a specific iOS Mail folder, while "Guided Access" locks down your device so kids, or anyone else playing with your phone, can mess around without deleting important documents.

A silver iCloud lining prohibits non-members from accessing the new page, which shows dimmed app icons against a Mountain Lion-y background. Just log in with your Apple user information, and start syncing.

Meanwhile, the iCloud app was hit with an outage Tuesday, knocking about 2 percent of the 200 million iCloud users offline. The system is now up and running again, according to 9to5Mac, which reported that the disruption ended around 12:15 a.m. ET Thursday.

An apparent consequence of the blackout: Apple marked all user emails from the last few days with a "12/31/69" date, and jumbled subject lines, the site said.

A similar outage in April left less than 1 percent of iCloud users without access to the Mail or Notes apps.

For more, see PCMag's review of Apple iCloud.

For more from Stephanie, follow her on Twitter @smlotPCMag.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2409743,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05039TX1K0000749

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