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Google chairman writes decent iPhone switching how-to

Google chairman Eric Schmidt has written a how-to guide to switching from iPhone to Android. Nick Hide, who commissions how-tos for CNET UK, rates his work.

Nick Hide Managing copy editor
Nick manages CNET's advice copy desk from Springfield, Virginia. He's worked at CNET since 2005.
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Nick Hide
2 min read

Presumably unhappy with the huge number of articles available just by typing 'how to switch from iPhone to Android' into his own website, Google chairman Eric Schmidt has written a guide to making the big mobile switch. And as the person who commissions how-tos for CNET UK, I grudgingly admit he's done a pretty good job.

"Many of my iPhone friends are converting to Android," Schmidt writes on his Google+ page. "The latest high-end phones from Samsung, Motorola and the Nexus 5 have better screens, are faster, and have a much more intuitive interface. They are a great Christmas present to an iPhone user!

"Like the people who moved from PCs to Macs and never switched back, you will switch from iPhone to Android and never switch back," he promises, "as everything will be in the cloud, backed up, and there are so many choices for you."

Schmidt then gives a succinct step-by-step guide to logging in to your new Android phone and importing your iPhone's contacts, via iCloud, then uploading your iTunes music to Google's Music service. He neglects to mention that you'll have to buy all your apps again.

Don't give up your day job, Eric

It's detailed, easy to follow, and has some useful nuggets such as adding two-factor authorisation, and turning off iMessage on your iPhone (so that other iPhone users have to send texts to your phone number instead of sending iMessages sadly into the ether).

Funnily, he assumes everyone now has a Mac as their main computer, but overall I'd give him 7/10 and maybe commission a more advanced Android how-to to see how he gets on. His copy could do with better formatting and I would definitely edit out the smiley face, but it's clean enough.

The real thing

If you'd like some professionally written tech guides, you can find dozens on our CNET How To page, including these useful ones on Google's latest software, Android 4.4 KitKat:

Have you made the switch from iPhone to Android? How have you found it? Could you do better than the chairman of Google? Give me your best tips in the comments below, or over on our helpful Facebook page.

Image credit: Corriere.it