Since XPlay doesn't offer a standard user interface, you reach most controls by right-clicking songs or folders. To rearrange a playlist's entries, open the Playlist window in the mounted iPod, open the playlist you want, then drag and drop your selections this is much easier than EphPod's complex process. You can then send the music to an existing playlist or make a new one. To do so, you can simply select a song or a folder in your iPod's music folder, right-click, and choose Send to Playlist-a nice trick. XPlay mimics all of the standard iPod tricks, including the ability to make playlists with whatever selections you choose. Like Apple, XPlay prevents you from copying songs from the iPod, so if you're using more than one machine to play music, EphPod is the better bet. You can also copy and paste music folders directly onto the iPod window to update manually or drag and drop individual songs into the Songs folder. Thereafter, XPlay will automatically upload any music that you place in one of these folders when you connect. When you first start XPlay, you can use the autolaunching setup wizard to select folders on your computer to automatically synchronize with your iPod. If you'd rather expand your horizons, give EphPod a try. If you simply want to move music and contacts from your PC to your iPod with no hassle, go with the $29.95 XPlay. However, unlike EphPod, XPlay lacks novel features, such as Web-page syncing. And unlike EphPod, its sole competitor, XPlay has a professional, polished look and the backing of a major software developer. If you'd rather expand your horizons, give EphPod a try.įormerly known as XPod, a name Apple found a wee bit too similar to its iPod, Mediafour XPlay is the best-known app on the market that syncs your iPod with a Windows PC. Formerly known as a name Apple found a wee bit too similar to its iPod, Mediafour XPlay is the best-known app on the market that syncs your iPod with a Windows PC.

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