Nowadays, iPod is very popular, more and more people are keen to use iPod to enjoy music anywhere as well as anytime. Sometimes, they need to transfer music between iPod and computer.
Although according to Apple, iTunes is supposed to be the primary manager of all iPods and iPhones --
iTunes:
It's a proprietary digital media player application used for playing and organizing digital music and video files. The program is also an interface to manage the contents on iPod as well as iPhone. Additionally, iTunes can connect to the iTunes Store via the Internet to purchase and download music, music videos, television shows, applications, iPod games, audiobooks, podcasts, feature length films and movie rentals, and ringtones. It is also used to download applications for iPhone and iPod.
-- Other software has been created that can be used to sync or update iPods and iPhones with different media, often to work around restrictions in iTunes - for example, if a user transfers music to an iPod using iTunes, they cannot transfer the music from the iPod to another computer (or even the same computer after reinstalling the operating system).
This kind of software - iPod Manager Software can help people manage their iPod. It is usually called iPod Transfer, iPod Rip, iPod Manager, iPod to PC and so on.
I've tried several iPod Manager Software, now I will make a simple evaluation to compare them.
The five iPod Manager Software:
1. Xilisoft iPod Rip
2. AVCWare iPod to iPod/Computer/iTunes Transfer
3. Cucusoft iPhone iTouch iPod to Computer Transfer
4. Aiseesoft iPod to Computer Transfer
5. Tansee iPod Transfer
I will compare them in six aspects: Download & Install, Interface, Functions, Advanced Settings, Transfer Speed and Price. And then I'll score the five products in each aspects (5 points each, total score 30 points).
Test Environment:
· OS: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
· CPU: Pentium D 2.80GHz (2 CPUs)
· Memory: 2046MB RAM
· Display card: ATI RADEON X300 SE 128MB HyperMemory
Products' basic information:
I. Download & Install
All of the five products are easy to download and install:
1. Xilisoft iPod Rip
Just a few minutes, the downloading will finish. And it’s easy to install, too.
2. AVCWare iPod to iPod/Computer/iTunes Transfer
Smaller then Xilisoft iPod Rip, so, the downloading and installation time are faster.
3. Cucusoft iPhone iTouch iPod to Computer Transfer
Larger download size and bigger install size.
4. Aiseesoft iPod to Computer Transfer
The largest download size and install size.
5. Tansee iPod Transfer
Smallest download size and install size makes it’s downloading and installation time is all faster than the other four.
Summary:
II. Interface
Just look at the pictures below:
1. Xilisoft iPod Rip
2. AVCWare iPod to iPod/Computer/iTunes Transfer
3. Cucusoft iPhone iTouch iPod to Computer Transfer
4. Aiseesoft iPod to Computer Transfer
5. Tansee iPod Transfer
Summary:
Xilisoft iPod Rip and Aiseesoft iPod to Computer Transfer have similar arrangements: basic information of iPod is shown at left side; detailed information of iPod is shown at right side; the buttons of basic functions are laid at the bottom and there is a navigation bar at the top; AVCWare iPod to iPod/Computer/iTunes Transfer set the buttons of basic functions at the top and has no navigation bar; Cucusoft iPhone iTouch iPod to Computer Transfer’s interface seems a little bit unprofessional; As to Tansee iPod Transfer, it is relatively simple, so that there is no bright spot and its functions are not shown clearly.
III. Functions
In order to let you see more clearly, I put all the main functions of the five products listed below:
Summary:
These main functions are all fundamental. We can see from the table: Xilisoft iPod Rip provides all these functions; AVCWare iPod to iPod/Computer/iTunes Transfer supports all of them but doesn’t contain a filter; Cucusoft iPhone iTouch iPod to Computer Transfer, Aiseesoft iPod to Computer Transfer and Tansee iPod Transfer do not support neither importing files from computer to iPod nor creating & managing playlist; But Aiseesoft iPod to Computer Transfer supports exporting files from iPod to actual devices and iTunes.
IV. Advanced Settings
There is a table to compare the five iPod Manager Software in advanced settings:
Summary:
As you see, in the aspect of supporting language, Xilisoft iPod Rip and Cucusoft iPhone iTouch iPod to Computer Transfer are all outstanding, the other three only support English; as to other advanced settings, Xilisoft is the best, AVCWare and Cucusoft are better, Aiseesoft and Tansee do not support any of the advanced functions.
V. Transfer Speed
Now, I'll test the five products' transfer speed. The export file's basic information is as follows:
File's basic information:
· File name: 21 Guns
· File format: MP3
· File size: 12.1 M
· Duration: 5'18''
· Bit rate: 320kbps
· Channels: 2 stereo
· Audio sample rate: 44 kHz
The five products I tested are all not registered.
Summary:
We can see from the data, relatively, Tansee iPod Transfer performs the best but the trial version is too limited; compare with it, Xilisoft iPod Rip and AVCWare iPod to iPod/Computer/iTunes Transfer are better; Aiseesoft iPod to Computer Transfer takes more time to transfer file, but it's trial version supports export 10 files; Cucusoft iPhone iTouch iPod to Computer Transfer's trial version can only export the first 3 files per playlist.
VI. Price
Just look at the table:
Conclusion:
In conclusion, although almost all of these iPod Manager Software is able to meet the customers' basic requirements, such as export files from iPod to PC, quick search, filter files, etc., however, the software which has the best overall performance and gain the highest score (27 points) is Xilisoft iPod Rip.
In my opinion, if you need professional and powerful software, you can choose Xilisoft iPod Rip or AVCWare iPod to iPod/Computer/iTunes Transfer; if you want a product which is useful but cheaper, please choose Aiseesoft iPod to Computer Transfer; and if you just want to transfer your files stored in iPod to computer, try Tansee iPod Transfer or Cucusoft iPhone iTouch iPod to Computer Transfer (I prefer the former, since its price is lower).
At present, almost all of software (not freeware) is shareware, so I suggest you try the software’s trial version to see whether it can meet your needs before buy it.
