iPod to Computer Transfer Software: A Comparison Shopping Analysis

Are you looking for full-featured and easy-to-use software that will allow you to upload your iPod music, videos, pictures and podcasts from your iPod to iTunes quickly and easily? If so, it is important to remember that any iPod data transfer software offerings on the market today do this relatively quickly. However upon closer examination there are key differences are in the ancillary features that allow you to backup data, transfer data from your computer to iPod or iPhone (which means you can also transfer music from one iPod to another via your computer), and have a menu that is easy to learn and use.

Many popular iPod to iTunes/computer software packages fall short in these areas, most notably in the lack of computer to iPod or iPhone data transfer capability - a critically important feature if a mishap to your iPod or iPhone should occur and you lose the data, or you are doing a computer operating system reinstall and need to readd your music playlists and other data. 4Videosoft iPod to Computer Transfer 3.1.08, iPod to Computer Sender 1.2.2.3150, iPodRobot 4.5, 3herosoft iPod to Computer Transfer 3.0.5.0208, iPod to Computer Transfer 5.3, Music Liberator 5.4 and iPod video/audio to computer 2.3 are just a few of the many iPod data transfer software products that fall into this category. However, there are a few companies offering full featured software packages that allow you copy, sync, back up, and restore your iPod, iTouch, and iPhone files both to and from your computer. Two of the leading full-featured iPod to iTunes/computer software packages on the market today are MediaWidget Easy iPod Transfer 4.0.16 from Bootstrap Development and 4Videosoft iPod Manager 3.1.08 from 4Videosoft Studio. Both of these full-featured iPod to iTunes/computer software packages offer iPod and iPhone to and from computer/iTunes data transfer capability, and are equally priced at $24.99. The key difference between these 2 software packages lies in the user interface and overall ease of use, where MediaWidget 4.0.16 excels with a more intelligently organized and comprehensive array of features. In the end, Bootstrap Development's MediaWidget offers a larger array of features, better performance and the greatest ease of use over all other iPod to computer data transfer software packages. It is also competitively priced and has a free trial download available on the Bootstrap Development website or on the major software download websites such as Tucows, Top Downloads, Cnet and ZDnet among others.

Taking advantage of the free trial downloads is an important part in determining which software is right for you. However, it's important to note that in electing to purchase iPod to computer software that does not include the ability to upload data to your iPod or iPhone from your computer. Software that does not support both iPod to computer and computer to iPod data transfer opens up the risk of losing your iPod data altogether in the case of loss, theft or operating system reinstall. Or in other words, you may eventually need to purchase a different iPod data software package that supports dual iPod to computer and computer to iPod data transfer if you want to upload data to your new or repaired iPod or iPhone. When shopping for software that allows you to upload data to your computer, it is important to remember that all software packages can upload data from your iPod to your computer but many do not include the ability to upload data back to your iPod or iPhone from your computer. Upon closer examination, it's our view that it is well worth the extra $5 to have this added functionality, both as a safeguard to your iPod data as well as the ability to transfer data between multiple iPods and iPhones. Remember that not all iPod to computer software is created equal!

by Chuck Matthews