Smartphone switchover tips: Making the jump between Android, iPhone and BlackBerry that bit easier

Did you upgrade from one smartphone to another over the Christmas period? Maybe you jumped from one operating system, like Google’s Android, to Windows Phone 7 from Microsoft or iOS with the iPhone?

But it doesn’t have to be that way! Follow a few simple steps, and your new smartphone will up and running with all the info you need from your last one in double-quick time. Today, we bring you a How-To guide from gadget helpline specialists the Geek Squad, who list five simple steps for an easy smartphone switchover.

1. Email and Calendars
If using your phone to access your email and calendar then the last thing you want is to see messages and appointments dropping out of your inbox. Transferring onto a commonly used system like Gmail could help you seamlessly transfer not only your email, but also your calendar and phone directory from one phone to another, because the system is compatible with both Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS software platforms. Apple’s iCloud service is also a useful tool, as it allows iPhone users to access third party systems like Google’s Calendar and Mail services, meaning you won’t miss out on your appointment or message.

2. Messaging services
Many phones offer access to social messaging services such as Twitter or Facebook – it’s relatively simple to switch over your account onto a new device, but do make sure it’s been disabled on your old phone to stop any ‘friends’ accessing your feed! The only exception to this rule is Blackberry Messenger which is a service that only Blackberry supports, so if you’re leaving the RIM world to join Android or Apple, you won’t be able to take your BB friends with you. Consider alternative instant messengers like Twitter and Windows Live Messenger, both of which are supported across multiple platforms beyond mobile alone.

3. Text Messages
Text messages often hold some of our closest memories these days – from organising a first date to a heartfelt message from family, so the last thing you want to do is throw away those memories when you make the switch. Unfortunately transferring your old SMS text messages to your new phone can be a bit tricky. There is some nifty third-party software out there, which does the job for a small premium. Try SMS Export, available through the App Store. The App allows you to export your SMS messages in text format, which can then be transferred onto the MicroSD card in your new Android phone. Finally, download an App from the Android market like SMS Migrator to complete the process.

4. Music
Smart phones are being used more and more as our portable music players, and with downloads available direct to the handset it’s important you don’t lose any of your collection when you switch phones. The best way to do this is to use a music library on your computer – iTunes or Window’s Media Player are the easiest to set up and use. It’s simply a case of plugging in your old phone, transferring the music to your library, and then transferring your collection over to your new phone – you can always edit out any musical mistakes when you make the transition!

5. Data
Users tend to particularly worry about losing their data when switching or upgrading their phone, but it’s important to remember that things can go wrong at any point, even with a tried and tested handset that you’ve owned for months, which is why it’s a good idea to regularly back up. You can change your preferred settings so that your phone is automatically backed-up to a Cloud service, which means you can forget about needing to sync using your handset USB cable or any potential data loss.

For more gadget help from the Geek Squad, check their site here.