Use iCloud calendar and contacts with non-Apple devices
I have a way to do this that may help your friend.  My setup does what you're describing.

I use Microsoft Exchange for work and Gmail for everything else.  I sync my iCal with Google calendar, Addressbook with Google contacts and use mail.app for all emails.  I use 4 devices and all of them have the same contacts and calendar information.  

Since Addressbook and iCal have my current information, any non-iPhone device with access to Google calendar and contacts could use what I have on my Macs.  The non-iPhone device will need to be capable of syncing with Google calendar and contacts and most apps today have that functionality.  

I also have a Comcast account that meshes fine with this setup since mail.app uses Addressbook and iCal instead of Comcast's contacts and calendar.  I sync everything by using the sync icon in the menu bar several times a week.  My setup includes an iPhone, iPad, Imac and MBP.

I'm researching iCloud to backup my Addressbook and contacts as well but I'm not in a rush since this setup performed reliably for the last 4 years.