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If you’re one of the many people who decided to make the switch from Apple to Android over the holiday season you’re probably wondering just what you need to do in order to get your iTunes Library on your new phone. We won’t lie, the process isn’t straightforward, but you don’t need to be a computer science major to figure it out either. Here are a few different ways you can finally enjoy all your music on your Android phone.

One of the concerns former Apple users have when they make the switch to Android is the fear of losing all the music they currently have stored in their iTunes library. Most people have hundreds if not thousands of songs currently saved on their iPhone or iPod. Sure there are music streaming services available, but these cannot entirely replace your music library.

However, there are several methods you can use to put the songs saved in your iTunes Library onto your Android phone. These aren’t the easiest methods in the world but with a little gumption you can soon be able to enjoy your favorite songs from your iTunes account on any Android phone.

Drag and Drop

The most straightforward method of moving music involves a task you’re probably already familiar with, dragging and dropping files. Alternatively, you can also copy and paste them, the choice is yours.

Start by connecting your Android phone to your laptop. From there, you will need to create a new folder on your Android phone from your laptop where you will place your music and open it up. Once that is completed, you should then open iTunes and highlight the songs you want to move. From there you can either drag and drop the files directly into the newly created folder on your Android phone, or select copy and then paste them into the folder. The results will be the same either way and your music will transfer over to your phone. Remember, if your laptop is a Mac you will need the Android File Transfer app available from Android in order to do this.

Apple Music

Apple Music recently made its way to Android and in addition to the streaming music service you are also able to access the songs you have purchased through iTunes. When you open up the Apple Music app you should be able to see your playlists from your iTunes Library show up when you go to My Music > My Playlists. There are two things you will want to take note of when considering Apple Music for Android. First, it is $10 a month to subscribe to the service and use the app. Second, the app is still new and Apple has not quite worked out all the kinks just yet according to reports.

Google Play Music

If you don’t need the physical files on your phone and are happy having access to your music via the cloud, then Google Play Music is a solution you might want to consider. For starters, it comes pre-loaded on all Android phones so the first step is already taken care of for you. You’ll need to download the Google Music Play app on your laptop (it’s compatible with both Mac and PC), and then connect it to your iTunes library which will help you during the setup process. You can store up to 20,000 songs on your Google cloud at any given time which should be enough space for most people.

The downside of Google Play Music is that you’ll need to be connected to the Internet in order to have access to your music, which means this solution isn’t ideal if you’re on a plane for a long time or in another scenario where Internet access isn’t readily available.

If you’re thinking about switching from iOS to Android phones for your business then why not give our experts a call. We can help make sure your transition a smooth one.

One of the biggest, and arguably most useful, hardware trends is touch. It seems like almost every piece of new tech, from computers to tablets, and even to fridges or car navigation, comes with touch screens. The main way to interact with the majority of these devices is through the gesture, and if you have an iPad there are a number of important gestures you should know about.

Every new iPad, and many of the older ones, run the latest version of iOS – Apple’s mobile operating system. For those running iOS 7, gestures are the main way you interact with your device. While it may look weird to people who don’t use them, waving your hands around, spreading your fingers, and even pinching are normal to you!

One of the greatest plus points about gestures is that when used properly, they make it simpler to interact with your device; speeding up your overall productivity. So, if you are looking to increase productivity while using your device, you should know and practice different gestures. Here are six of the most important:

1. Swipe one finger from the top

If you place your finger on the top bezel (above the viewable area of the screen) and swipe down onto the screen you will open, or slide down, the notifications center. From here you can action notifications. When you are finished slide up from the bottom of the screen to close the notifications.

2. Swipe one finger from the bottom

If you place your finger on the bezel (below the viewable area of the screen) and swipe up onto the screen you should bring up the Control Center where you can control the important settings on your iPad. To close simply swipe down.

3. Swipe one finger down

Place your finger anywhere on the viewable area of the screen and swipe down. This will open up the Search bar where you can search for almost anything on your iPad, including apps, emails, music, and more. To close this bar, simply tap the home button, or tap anywhere on the screen other than where the keyboard or search bar are.

4. Swipe four fingers up

If you place four fingers anywhere on the screen you will bring up thumbnails that represent the apps that you have open. If you swipe up on a thumbnail, you will close the app.

5. Swipe four fingers left or right

With apps open, you can place four fingers on the screen and swipe to the left or right. This will switch to other open apps. You can swipe the opposite direction with your fingers to go back to another app, if you sweep to the left again, you should bring up a list of recently used apps.

6. Grab with five fingers

If you are in an app and want to quickly get to the homescreen place all five fingers on the screen and pinch them together. This will shrink the app into your home screen. You can open it again by swiping four fingers up and selecting it.

If you are looking to learn more about using your iPad in your business, contact us today to see how we can help.

Almost every Apple device bought is linked to an Apple ID. It is with this account that you can purchase apps, download updates, and even back up accounts and recover devices. This ID, or account, is vitally important and it is worthwhile making a concerted effort to remember it. If you do happen to forget it then you could encounter some problems.

What is an Apple ID?

Your Apple ID is how Apple identifies you. It is what you use to access and download apps on iTunes, enable iCloud, purchase from the Apple Store, and even book appointments with Apple Store representatives and tech support.

When you first set up a new Apple device, say an iPad, you are asked to sign up for an Apple ID. As with most other online accounts, you will set a password and the usual recovery questions to ensure that you can gain access to the account should you forget your password, something that happens to the best of us.

What do I do if I forgot my Apple ID password?

If you remember your Apple ID but can’t remember the password you have two options. The first works if you have access to the email address you’ve linked your Apple ID with.

1. Go to the Apple ID website on your iPad.
2. Click Reset your password, enter your Apple ID and click Next.
3. Select Email authentication followed by Next.

Check your email and there should be a message from Apple with instructions on how to reset your password.

The second option you have available is to reset your password by answering the security questions you created when you setup your account.

1. Go to the Apple ID website on your iPad.
2. Click Reset your password, enter your Apple ID and click Next.
3. Select Answer security questions and click Next.
4. Setting the birthday you used for the account and clicking Next.
5. Answer the security questions you picked when you set the account up.

If you answer these successfully, you should be able to reset your password and access your AppleID again.

How to recover your Apple ID if you’ve forgotten your email address and questions

If you are not able to remember your recovery email address, password or security questions it may feel a little hopeless, but fear not, there is a way that might work.

1. Go to the Apple ID Support page and select the Start your support request online link for your country.
2. Click on Forgotten Apple ID security questions and follow the onscreen prompts.
3. When you get to the next screen select either of the two options. Schedule a Call will allow you to pick a time for an Apple tech to call you, while Call Apple Support Later will allow you to enter your information and call Apple at some future point.

When you do talk to an Apple representative they will ask you questions about your account and personal information you provided when you first signed up for your ID. In many instances, the representative will be able to unlock your account or reset your password. Another option is to schedule a time to go into an Apple store or retailer for an appointment to see if they can help.

Looking to learn more about using your iPad, contact us today to see how we can help.