Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Android Contacts - importing them from iCloud (iphone -> android transition 2)

Common preamble: I'm looking to break my Apple iDevice addiction so I can get off the expensive hardware treadmill. So I'm transitioning to Android. I have a MacBookPro running 10.8.x as my main device. I'm currently on an iPhone 3GS after I sadly lost a pristine iPhone 5 in the woods, and my wonderful mother donated her used Samsung Galaxy S3 when she upgraded, so here we go.

Once I figured out the most basic thing outlined in the first android transition post, namely how to make it so I plug the phone in and it doesn't suck, then how to transfer files, I'm ready to get my data on there. Let's start with contacts

I'm going to assume you have about 4 different google apps accounts set up, because you're a smooth operator too, so you're fine with google storing your contacts. But right now they're all in icloud, because when you have a mac and an iphone, that's just what you do, right?

What you need to do is figure out a way to get the Contacts app on your mac to have a connection to both your google contacts storage area, and the icloud.

That's not an obvious thing to do, but you can add a "CardDAV" provider to Contacts, pointing at your google account following these instructions here: http://android.appstorm.net/how-to/synchronization/keep-android-and-ios-in-sync-part1-data-email-contacts-and-calendar/

Then by selecting all the cards in your "All iCloud" area and dropping them on to the "All Google" area, you'll force Contacts to essentially freak out, work super hard, but transmit them all to google successfully whereupon they will slowly trickle over on to your android phone in a background sync.

This worked with me with 960 cards (each one of them a dear friend).

Anyone know any better ways, or does this work for ya'll too?

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