Play video on your iPod

Before you go any further, make sure to back up all the music and any other files on your iPod.

If your iPod syncs up with iTunes automatically, backing up is simple. In fact, you're already done. Your iTunes library and your iPod library should be identical, so you can transfer all your tunes from iTunes to iPod if anything goes awry.

However, if you're like me, you may have your iPod configured for manual updates. I have two computers with different iTunes libraries, and I like to pick and choose songs from both libraries for my iPod. As such, my iPod's library isn't replicated by either of my iTunes libraries; it's a hodgepodge of songs from both machines.

Luckily for me, and for anyone else who manages their iPod manually, there are ways to create a backup directly from your iPod. We recommend the following iPod backup utilities to keep your playlists safe if any data goes missing.

• For Windows XP machines, CopyPod and iPod Agent are downloadable apps that let you copy music from your iPod to your hard drive. Both applications are free to try; the full versions cost about $15 each after your trial period expires.
• For Mac OS X machines, music editor James Kim recommends PodWorks (free to try and $8 to buy) or iPod Access (free to try, $15 to buy).