Check out the freewares that helps you rebuild library from iPodLET'S FACE it -iTunes is at best a necessary evil. It comes with Apple's customary elegance and is undoubtedly feature-rich.

Ironically, it also happens to be limiting in various ways.

For one, it is a resource hog and its pushing the iTunes Store is plain annoying to users -- especially given that the store hasn't opened its doors in India yet (apart from Apps). For another, iTunes does not let one copy music from the device to the computer, nor does it allow synchronising of one iPod with more than one computer.

In short, there are plenty of reasons to look for an alternative. A big one is that a system crash could leave you bereft of your entire music and video collection since you lose your iTunes library as well. Help is at hand, though, with CopyTrans (copytrans.net), a freeware that lets you rebuild your library from your iPod, including importing playlists, artworks, podcasts, audiobooks, ringtones, videos and more.

The makers of CopyTrans also have a solution for users seriously considering an iTunes replacement: Copy Trans Manager, a lightweight Windows application with full support to the iPod, iPod Touch and iPhone. Apart from the basic features of copying music and videos, organising playlists and synchronisation without limital tions, it allows editing of tags, supports artwork, has tracks previews and more. What's more, being a portable appli, cation, it can be installed on a removable media as well. And yes, it's free.

If all you need is a simple interface to manage, copy, transfer and backup music and videos, Froddle Pod (www.froddle.com) is a freeware Windows option. Don't be put off by its outlandishly vibrant interface. Its features include copying media from the iPod to your PC or an external storage medium, keeping a synchronised backup folder, deleting media from the iPod or formatting the iPod, restoring the iPod from a backup, ripping CD audio, and playing various formats supported by the iPod.

Froddle Pod can also take care of fluctuating volume levels with a sound-level normalisation feature that can be applied across the iPod, on specific folders or on individual files. At present iPod Touch and iPhone support is lacking, but is expected in future. Other features on the anvil are podcast and album artwork support, and native conversion of unsupported video formats.

One music manager that is not quite there, yet worth keeping an eye on is Songbird (getsongbird.com), an open source, cross-platform, customisable application. Available for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux, Songbird is still under active development. At present, it allows export/import of media, library organisation, smart playlists, album artwork, gapless playback, integrated browser and customisable interface. Some essential features such as video integration and CD rip are still lacking. Support of iPhone, iPod Touch and Microsoft Zune are awaited.

Overall, Songbird is very much a work-in-progress, but in true open source tradition is backed by a strong developer community. Another good reason to keep tabs on it is add-ons support.

These are downloadabe extensions adding to the application's functioning, and are categorised under appearance, playback and management, content and discovery, web browser and developer tools.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. From a plain interface for copying of media to full-featured media managers; from free, open iPod management tools to commercial apps--they are all out there, if you're willing to search.

Payal Dhar is a freelance tech writer.