I am a happy @gmail.com user and do not plan to switch to @me.com in the foreseeable future, still I do have a Mac and an iPhone and I do want to keep all my info in sync.
So far I used the Gmail Exchange setup (m.google.com method) because this allowed me to sync calendar and email.
What is the best way to use Gmail contacts and calendar with Apple OS X and iOS?
As I do have an active iCloud account, does it bring any new functionality for a gmail user?
How can I sync tasks and notes from Gmail with iOS?
Best Answer
Using iCloud doesn't really add new features for a Gmail user.
Contacts
Contacts on iOS are perfectly synced when using Google via Exchange.
Contacts on Mac OS X are synced using Address Book "Sync with Google" feature.
Calendar
Calendar is a bit more tricky.
On iOS, you have to activate each calendar individually in http://m.google.com/sync. But then, it syncs perfectly.
On Mac OS X, it can also be added to iCal, except it's via "Delegates".
It works but doesn't feel as just work as iCould does.
Mail
Mail has it's quirks, too.
On iOS, via Exchange, it doesn't bring all the Gmail goodness (archiving, etc.). And it miss push via the Gmail template.
On Mac OS X, via Mail, it's the same, archiving puts the mail in an "Archive" folder instead of the "All Mails" one.
Using an app like Sparrow resolve this issue.
To conclude, iCloud, like using the iWork suite instead of say Office, doesn't add value, but it feels more integrated with the OS (whether it's Mac OS or iOS).