Software to download from an iPod to a laptop

[Cris 09]

Hello,

Which software would you recommend I use to download mp3s from an iPod onto a laptop/hard drive?

I just bought a new 500 GB and I want to download all the music I have on my iPod as well as my wifes. I didn't store it on our computer before cause we were pressed for space. Needless to say, the computer crashed and we had to replace it. My concern is...what happens if I lose my iPod or if it get's stolen?? What if i want to upgrade to the new iPod?? I want to back up my collection of music.

I purcased this software before but since my computer crashed, I now need it again. It was like $20 with a free trial period or something.

Any recomendations??

[Kryptonite]

Officially, the iPod's USB cable is a one-way street.

Unofficially, there are many 3rd party programs online which can "reverse" that traffic and get the files off your iPod and on to your computer.

I used a program called "Recover My iPod." I didn't really look around though for any better alternatives. It gave me a few headaches with crashing, but maybe that was due to a possible bad sector in my iPod, according to the "Recover My iPod" people.

It found all the files and put them in a list. From there, I had to take the files off the iPod and put them on my computer. Unfortunately, it put them all in a single directory, as opposed to the file organizing system I had...this could be iPod's way, though.

The good thing? At one point, they were willing to do it for me (after I had paid to buy the software.)

The bad thing? I woulda had to ship my iPod to Australia for a few days. I didn't really care though, I just wanted the stuff back.

Eventually, I was able to get all my songs out of the encrypted format they were in on a portable hard drive, so I didn't even need to buy the software in the first place. :mad:

Bottom oine -- There are options out there, you just gotta look around.

[Cris 09]

Thanks for taking the time to answer...I actually found a program called "iPod to Computer". For $20 I am able to down load all my MP3s back onto my laptop! Works really well!

"Touch Copy" was the other program I was thinking of using but I liked the layout of the aforementioned more!

[peteo]

There is a freebie program I recently downloaded called iPodFolder. Give that a try. :)

[Dills]

i use an app called iGadget ... it used to be freeware, then called PodPlus. i liked it so much, that when they revamped it and started charging for it, i followed right along.

[Godalfree]

I use Copypod which charges like twenty bucks or so. One can find the serial number on the internet (look for a hacker/cracker/warez group who call themselves CORE Mafia to find a s/n if one were looking for one) because it is ridiculous to charge 20 bucks to get my mp3s back off my own damn iPod! Copypod is an alright program... They attempted to make it like iTunes (you can play songs on copypod and do other iTunes stuff), but I really only use it take files off my iPod.

[Kryptonite]

I use Copypod which charges like twenty bucks or so. One can find the serial number on the internet (look for a hacker/cracker/warez group who call themselves CORE Mafia to find a s/n if one were looking for one) because it is ridiculous to charge 20 bucks to get my mp3s back off my own damn iPod!

They do deserve to charge something (either through ads or user payments) to pay for things like servers, software development, and staffing.

Next time, just make backups onto an external (non mp3 player) source.

If I register my iPod to computerXYZ, I should be able to move my files from my iPod backto computerXYZ. Not "copy", but actually "move." That's their biggest shortcoming, IMO.

[Godalfree]

User payments of $20 seems particularly unnecessary for a program that essentially allows me to get my own files from my own external hard drive back onto my computer, but what do I know. I would have been willing to give the copy pod developers a few bucks, but they priced their product out of my range and I simply refuse to pay that fee.

I'd assume that a convincing argument can be made that people such as myself who grab/steal serials and refuse to pay developers are the very people who create such inflation in the prices. In my defense, I do not steal serials regularly (only in this case and in two or three others). This certainly seems like a nice circle, however, with companies raising prices because a number of users don't pay and users stealing serials because prices are so high.