But the problem is longstanding, ever since the old cassette tape players were used to record music, straight from the radio.
So, what should you do if your computer with all your iTunes goes on the bum, or even worse, just breaks. You're stuck, without any way to transfer your tunes to your new computer.
Until now!
As technology goes, there are always folks who will find a way to beat the system, and this article will outline 25 options for transferring your tunes from your beloved iPod to your computer. Some are either freeware or shareware and the others of course, come with a nominal price tag.
A couple of the links are actually for transferring photos from your iPod to your computer so I included the link below as an extra. It allows you to transfer tunes and videos between iPods. Lots of folks have more than one iPod and would like to simply copy thier favorites from one iPod to the other or thier friend's iPod.
iPod 2 iPod
http://www.topshareware.com/iPod-2-iPod-download-39933.htm
Many people own more than one iPod. iPod 2 iPod is an application that allows you to transfer your music and video between them.
Macintosh Operating System
iLinkPod
http://www.ilinkpod.com/
iLinkPod is first of all a unique tool that creates a permanent and direct access from your Desktop (and your iPod or wherever you want) to the hidden folders in which iPod stores your audio files. So you don't need iLinkPod or any other utility to access your hidden audio files on the iPod, you'll have access to them through a common folder on your Desktop (and iPod too).
iPod Viewer 3.0.1
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/15864
Transfer songs to and from your iPod.
Expod0.3
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/30994
With Expod you can copy any or all of your songs (or videos) off your iPod, using whatever file naming convention you like.
PodView 1.5
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/29287
Play music, movies, photos at full screen and import content from your iPod.
iPodDisk
http://ipoddisk.ourbiti.com/index.php/download/
iPodDisk is a tool designed to make it easy and intuitive to copy music from your iPod. You copy music off your iPod in the Finder, like a regular disk drive.
Senuti
http://www.fadingred.org/senuti/
Get music off of your iPod onto any computer.
PodUp 1.0.0
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/31475
PodUp is an application which copies all your music files from your iPod to a folder of your choosing, without having anything to do with iTunes.
Mac and Windows Operating System
iPodRip
http://www.thelittleappfactory.com/application.php?app=iPodRip
iPodRip supports recovering your songs and playlists, playback of audio files and much more. iPodRip is compatible with Mac OS X 10.2 and later, and Windows XP and 2000. Trial version available.
Music Rescue (Upgrade to the previously called PodUtil)
http://www.kennettnet.co.uk/software/podutil.php
Music Rescue is a shareware utility for copying songs from your iPod to your computer. PodUtil is compatible with Mac OS X and 9.x, and Windows XP and 2000.
iPod Music Liberator
http://www.zeleksoftware.com/products.htm
The iPod Music Liberator allows you to copy music, playlists, and ratings from your iPod to any computer, filling in a missing feature of iTunes. It supports Mac OS X and Windows XP, 2000, NT and 98.
TuneRanger 0.9.5 Build 270
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/32865
TuneRanger connects iTunes-running computers over a network, allowing music, video, and playlists to be merged from one iTunes library to another seamlessly.
iPod Access Photo 1.2
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/32383
iPod Access Photo allows you to select individual photos and albums to be moved back onto your Mac computer or an external hard drive.
iPod Access
http://www.ipodaccess.com/ipodaccess/upgradeofferWin.html
The premier application for copying music, videos and playlists from your iPod back to your Windows PC.
Microsoft Windows PC
Microsoft Windows PC
iPodCopy
http://www.topshareware.com/iPodCopy-download-42821.htm
iPodCopy allows you to copy music, video, podcasts and photos from your iPod back into iTunes or onto your PC hard disk. Also can copy playlists, artwork, ratings and play counts from your iPod into iTunes.
xPort
http://www.topshareware.com/xPort-transfer-19893.htm
xPort is the ultimate backup tool for your iPod. It enables you to easily transfer your all your songs from your iPod to your PC and it enables you to download lyrics, list your songs, create m3p playlists%u2026
CopyTrans (formerly CopyPod)
http://www.copytrans.net/
CopyTransTM is the ultimate backup and recovery tool for your iPod songs. It requires Windows XP or 2000.
CopyTrans Photo
http://www.topshareware.com/CopyPod-Photo-download-39841.htm
CopyTrans Photo allows you to transfer, backup, copy or download your photos from your iPod to your PC effortlessly.
xPodClone
http://www.topshareware.com/xPodClone-download-37702.htm
xPodClone is the ultimate backup tool for all your devices, it clone easily folders, dvds, cds, directories, ipod. You only have to drag and drop your files into the xPodclone window.
Xplay 2
http://www.mediafour.com/products/xplay/
XPlay makes it possible to not only add music to your iPod but copy music back off the iPod. With XPlay you can use both Mac and PC formatted iPods.
iGadget (formerly iPod Agent)
http://www.ipodsoft.com/index.php?/software/ipodagent
You'll be able to transfer all kinds of data to your iPod, including driving directions, contacts, appointments, email, notes, tasks, podcasts, RSS news feeds, weather forecasts, daily horoscopes, movie show times, gas prices and more! You will have the tools necessary to copy songs off your iPod and back onto your computer.
Tansee iPod to PC Transfer
http://www.topshareware.com/Tansee-iPod-to-PC-Transfer-download-45653.htm
Transfer music from iPod to computer.
Tansee iPod Photo Transfer
http://www.topshareware.com/Tansee-iPod-Photo-Transfer-download-45654.htm
Backup/transfer photos from iPod to computer.
Tansee iPod video to PC Transfer
http://www.topshareware.com/Tansee-iPod-video-to-PC-Transfer-download-45655.htm
Transfer video audio from iPod to computer.
iBack
http://www.topshareware.com/iBack-download-49338.htm
Copy your songs & videos from your iPod to any computer.
Kandalu X Cube
http://tc.versiontracker.com/product/redir/lid/1007753/sendform.php3
Kandalu X Cube is a user friendly utility that quickly and easily allows the transfer of music files from your iPod to the computer.
In Summary
There you have it, all the resources you need to get your tunes and pictures off your iPod. There are other more expensive options available, but these are a very good starting point, especially since most are either free or have a very nominal fee attached.
If I had to pick only one, I'd pick the iGadget because it's a full featured utility with so many other useful functions in addition to the file transfer function.
