iTunes

You've just bought a shiny new computer, and you want your iTunes library on it. Migrating your iTunes library from your old computer to your new one can be a little tricky. Here is the best way I've found:

1. Open Edit>Preferences.
2. Click on the Advanced tab, and select "Keep iTunes Media folder organized." This will organize your media files into Album and Artist folders and name the files based on disc number, track number, and song title.
3. Open File>Library>Organize Library and select Consolidate Files.

In an attempt to prevent copyrighted content from flowing freely between different computers, Apple makes the process of transferring media files from your device to different computers complicated. If you don't do it correctly, you can end up erasing your entire media collection. You can install iTunes on multiple computers and authorize up to 5 computers to transfer files from the device to the computer. (But you have to do it one computer at a time.) Let's say that you buy a new computer and want to transfer purchased music on your device to it.

If you've downloaded music from another source or ripped it from a CD you own, you can transfer it to iTunes in a couple of ways.

Transfer it using iTunes:

This is described thoroughly in "Importing existing music into iTunes" (page 68).

Use a third-party program to transfer music:

A number of third-party computer programs let you do this. Check out the following:

• PhoneView (Mac only, $19.95, ecamm.com/mac/phoneview): This program replaces iTunes as a music player and media transfer system.

You may have purchased music directly from your device and want to integrate it into the iTunes library on your Mac or PC. This is easy to do, using the iTunes syncing feature: ?

1. Connect your iOS device to the computer using the USB sync cable. iTunes should open automatically, sync with your device, and transfer the songs on your device into iTunes. If it doesn't, continue with these steps.