The Cloud - How do I join up my phone and computer??

[OwlMother]

Just that really, I have an iphone 4 and a macbook pro. How do I make it so my calender can be seen and updated on both?

How old is your Macbook? Or at least, what operating system does it have on? You need Lion to use the iCloud; if you bought your Mac in the last year or so you should have it already.

To turn it on for calendar sharing, go to your iPhone and choose Settings --> iCloud.

I think its a year or so old. where would it say what o/s? Dont think I have lion, or at least i've not spotted it! Think my dh has already set up the iphone end of it, that all looks ok in settings.

If you click on the Apple button on the top left of your screen, you can choose 'About this Mac' from the list. It will display the version of the operating system and you need to be on 10.7.x.

If you don't have Lion, I would use a Google account to set up sharing of mail, calendar etc unless you want to fork out for both Lion and some of the accompanying software (Documents, iPhoto) to make it all work like in the adverts.

I've just bought lion from the app store. If nothing else it will show dh that i can do some sort of techie thing without him. I'm hoping it has an idiotproof install thing!

LOL well if it's worth it to prove your point then go for it, I bought it for the hell of it and the only real downside is the fact the scrollpad now works the other way from before installing Lion. You get used to it but jeebers, Apple, who does that?!

I don't remember the install being too hard, just rather long.

Oh god is that what makes it do that?! My DH is techie boy, we have every apple product known to man and he recently did some thing to the kids imac that made the scroll on the mouse go the wrong way. Needless to say the kids adapted but I didn't so he changed the preferences (or something?) on my profile so it works like normal.

He is always tinkering with the computers and I guard mine like crazy, he offered to do the synching thing for me but I said I was sure I'd manage. Fatal last words! The problem is that whenever he tries to teach me how to do anything I revert to stroppy, grumpy teenager! Might yet have to eat humble pie!

Well that's okay, you can change the preferences on this Mac too - have faith! Bosh easy peasy.

Thanks for the advice, fingers crossed!

Yes, good luck! You can make it through - it's not as bad as childbirth

Can always ask one of the DC!

Very true! I'm just not good at admitting when I can't do something!

But you can do this, you wait and see. I'm in the fortunate position of not being out-techied by my 6-year-old yet, although one of his first words was 'download' (I honestly don't know why).

It's all working!!! Had to give up and go to bed last night as the install was taking so long. And you're right, nothing too tricky to master. I've spent all morning putting days in ical on my phone and watching them appear on the laptop! Thanks so much for all your help. Is there anything else worthwhile knowing about Lion, can't see much difference? ( although I have already sorted the counter-intuitive scroll pad issue!)

There's a few interesting-looking new features, Owl, at least according to Apple's blurb. The Airdrop thing might be quite useful for you with your multi-Mac household. iCloud will do a lot more sharing than just calendars, I hope you knew that before you splurged on the Lion upgrade although you will also need to update iPhoto, I seem to recall, before using the iCloud photo sharing malarkey.

Lots more gestures you can learn, if you feel like waving your hands madly at the computer. But perhaps the appropriate gesture is the one to DH for doubting you could do this without his tech support