Hack Attack: Add music and movies...

The Hack Attack article is useful to some extent, but I found it lacking for some strange reason. Maybe it’s just me, maybe not – who knows?

Adam Pash’s article makes a few good points. iTunes is limiting with its “lock-in…to one music library” and there should be alternative methods that can be used so you don’t remain within that one, single music library.

Floola seems like an interesting alternative as is the Winamp iPod plugin that I have been hearing about. However, I doubt that I really will try it out – perhaps someday but so far I can’t be bothered to care. The interesting thing that I found about Floola is how you can add music from any computer and how you can manage your music. You can manage your music via iTunes, though it takes longer, but at least it can be done. Unfortunately, iTunes can’t add music from any computer – I found that out the hard way. Thank goodness I managed to fix that problem.

Everything else is only mildly interesting like how you can get a myPodder for downloaded podcasts and a Pod Player to play your music if you don’t have your iPod with you. It was nice enough to read, but nothing too exciting. I haven’t really use podcast via iTunes, although my boss frequently visits the site. I only visited the place once or twice but it was only amusing to watch the videos available to watch in there. As for Pod Player, I don’t see the need – I almost always have my iPod in hand so why would I need it? If I don’t, oh well.

Lastly, there is the CD to MP3s with CDex. I haven’t used it before; instead I chose to use Easy Ripper, another freeware that can also convert music CDs. There are other available softwares available, but I suppose the author simply mentioned one because it works for him.

What I found strange was how he mentions all these applications from all types yet he doesn’t mention one for videos, only music. With the current iPods available, it would be safe to assume that there are people with the video iPods. However, he hasn’t mentioned one and I wonder if it’s because he would be hesitant to suggest within the article.

Overall the article was informative and the suggestions welcome. But I have gotten used to iTunes, and I have found my own ways to make it work for me and my iPod. Floola and Pod Player sound interesting enough and may actually be better to use, but after months of using iTunes I have learned to live with it. Others, however, may find the article worth their while.