It’s all or nothing for those holding off on Lion and iOS5!

iCloud is the latest incarnation of Apple’s online services, replacing MobileMe which is due to be discontinued in the middle of 2012. iCloud is a free service which replicates most of MobileMe’s functionality, such as syncing email, contacts, calendars, bookmarks and notes between multiple desktops and gadgets.

Other existing Apple features such as Back to My Mac (remote file access), and Find my iPhone (remote location check) have also been brought across to iCloud. Apple has also added a range of new features such as document storage and sync, photo syncing, and iTunes Music for accessing your music in the cloud.

You must be running the latest iOS5 to make this a reality. iCloud makes it quick and effortless to access just about everything (full list below) on the devices you use every day. iCloud automatically and securely stores your content (up to 5 GB FREE) so it’s available to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC. Your purchased music, apps, books, and TV shows, as well as your photo stream, aren’t counted against your free storage. iCloud also keeps your email, contacts, and calendars up to date across all your devices. No syncing or management required.

Here are some of the features of iCloud:

iTunes in the Cloud:

• New purchases. Automatically everywhere.
• Your past purchases. Available on all your devices.
• iTunes Match (coming soon)

Photo Stream:

• Your photos everywhere. In a flash!
• 1000 of your latest photos. With you all the time.
• Master photo library. On your Mac or PC.
• Make your photos a big deal with Apple T.V

Documents in the Cloud:

• Every document, every edit, everywhere.
• Apps made for iCloud.
• Documents in the Cloud. And on your Mac or PC.

Apps, Books & Backup:

• All your apps. Always with you.
• Books you never have to put down.
• A smarter way to back up your info.
• iCloud backs up your:
  • Purchased music, TV shows, apps, and books.
  • Photos and video in the Camera Roll.
  • Device settings
  • App data
  • Home screen and app organization
  • Messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS)
  • Ringtones

Calendar, Mail & Contacts:

• Calendar:  A calendar that keeps up with you.
• Mail:  Mail that delivers. Free.
• Contacts:  Make connections everywhere you go.
• Bookmarks, notes & reminders: Always up to date. Always with you.
• icloud.com: Your place on the web.

Find my Friends & Find My iPhone:

• Find My Friends:
  • Your friends mark the spot.
  • Friends for a day.
  • Seek (and hide).
  • Keep them safe.
  • Find My iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac:
    • Start looking here.

For more information and details on the above features please visit,  http://www.apple.com/icloud/what-is.html.