Alternatives to iTunes for an iTouch

by Tim Hesse
You don't have to use iTunes to manage files on your iPod Touch.

You don't have to use iTunes to manage files on your iPod Touch.

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Although iTunes does a decent job of managing all of the files on an iPod Touch, all of the programs bundled with iTunes can make the program a burden to your computer. Additionally, Apple has never offered a version of iTunes for Linux. Alternatives to iTunes for the iPod Touch include MediaMonkey, gtkpod iPod Manager, SharePod and Banshee.

MediaMonkey

MediaMonkey (see Resources) is an advanced media player and manager for Windows that also runs on Linux under a windows emulator (WINE). MediaMonkey supports all of the audio formats that iTunes does, including audiobooks and DRM-protected media, with additional support for WMA, MPC, FLAC and OGG files. MediaMonkey uses Replay Gain and MP3 Gain to provide playback normalization similar to the way Sound Check does in iTunes, and has many free add-ons and plugins that expand on the program's basic features. MediaMonkey comes in both free and premium versions, but the free version has all the functionality necessary to manage the content on your iPod Touch.

gtkpod iPod Manager

Though gtkpod iPod Manager (see Resources) does not officially support the iPod Touch or iPhone, it generally works with both devices. The gtkpod program features tag editing and two-way drag-and-drop copying and syncing of audio files, video files, playlists, contacts, calendar and notes. The program uses libgpod to read from and write to the iTunes database, and supports multiple iPod libraries. Unlike iTunes, gtkpod allows you to switch between libraries without re-entering different account information.

SharePod

SharePod (see Resources) is a portable app for Windows that requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2. SharePod allows tag editing and two-way copying of playlists, audio, video and image files, and can import files into your existing iTunes library without running iTunes. If you configure iTunes to mount your iPod Touch as a disk, you can drag the SharePod directory to the iPod Touch and configure it to launch upon connecting to any Windows system. This lets you manage your iPod at work, on a friend's computer or any other location without installing any additional software.

Banshee

Banshee (see Resources) is a media player and iPod manager for X-based operating systems including Linux, OS X and FreeBSD. Features of the program include tag editing, two-way drag-and-drop copying, and smart playlisting. Like MediaMonkey, Banshee supports third-party plugins such as a scrobbler for Last.fm. Unlike MediaMonkey, Banshee is an open source project.

About the Author

Tim Hesse has been writing professionally since 2000. He has written and edited for a variety of print and online publications, including Salon.com Tech Tips, FOXSports and Automated Homefinder. Hesse enjoys covering music, film, the open-source movement, education and the arts. He studied cinema and television production at the University of Southern California.

Photo Credits

  • Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images