MP3 Insider

The Microsoft Zune HD is a beautiful device and truly one of the best alternatives to the iPod we've had the pleasure to use. But if you're really thinking about hanging up your iPod and going Zune, you'll need to think about how to take your iTunes library with you.

I'm not going to lie to you: some stuff just isn't coming with you. Your DRM-ed AAC audio files, iTunes movies and TV shows, and even those iTunes audiobooks, just can't survive outside of the iTunes/iPod universe. So quell those fantasies of uninstalling iTunes, because you'll still need it to play your protected iTunes purchases.

The good news is, most everything else from iTunes is fair game, including your unprotected AAC and MP3 files, podcasts, unprotected videos, and playlists. Even your iTunes Smart Playlists can be reconstructed with a decent resemblance.

To see how it all works, check out the video guide and slideshow I created to ease the transition.

If you're a Zune veteran with more tips to share, please feel free to add them in the comments section.

Make the switch from iTunes to Zune (screenshots)

In spite of its unassuming size, the Apple iPod Shuffle is a surprisingly sophisticated MP3 player. With voice feedback, headphone control, playlist management, and podcast support, the iPod Shuffle is in many ways more advanced than the original brick-size iPod.

You don't need a PhD to get started with your first iPod Shuffle, but even seasoned iPod veterans could use a few pointers on this buttonless beauty. Just as we did with the iPod Touch and the iPod Nano, we've put together a video and a slideshow tutorial on setting up the iPod Shuffle.

If you have any additional tips to share, feel free to plug them into the comments section.

How to set up an iPod Shuffle--photos

Whether it's a two-hour Grateful Dead concert or a 45-minute DJ mix, we all have an MP3 in our music collection that gets skipped for being too long. Tragically, there's usually one or two great songs in these recordings that would otherwise be in heavy rotation if they weren't tied to such a tediously long file.

Well, today we're going to show you how to cut these songs loose by opening up and editing your MP3s in Audacity. The whole process is relatively painless, and if you set it up correctly, you can easily drag and drop files directly from iTunes, chop them up, and spit them back out.

We have a video and slideshow with all the details. If you have any other techniques to share, please suggest them in the comments section.

How to edit an MP3 audio file

These days, there is a plethora of audio content available to stream over the Internet. Even traditional terrestrial radio often offers content streamed over the Web, diversifying the choices for how consumers can enjoy music and other audio. Although the legality is questionable, there are--and will always be--ways to record these streams. Streamed audio recordings for music are not going to offer the same sound quality as a ripped CD or even a purchased MP3, but it's a good option for talk programs and mixes that might not be available in other formats. This tutorial will show you how to record streamed audio as an MP3; just be sure to read the usage rules for any recording source before beginning.

Editors' note: This tutorial was completed using Windows XP.

Cost: Free

Time commitment: Varies

System Requirements: Windows

How to record streaming audio

The Apple iPod clinched an early success over the MP3 player market by making it dead-simple to load and manage music onto a portable device. Ease of use still defines Apple's products, but when you're talking about a do-it-all device like the iPod Touch, there's only so much you can do to keep things simple.

As Apple's hottest-selling iPod, there are a lot of newcomers to the iPod Touch who may be a little surprised at its complexity. Compared with the iPods of yesteryear, the Touch is practically a handheld computer.

Last week I gave you an overview of setting up an iPod Nano. This week, we're giving the third-generation iPod Touch the same video and slideshow treatment.

If you have your own tips to share, feel free to add them in the comments section.

How to set up an iPod Touch--photos

There's an entire hardware industry built of products that ease the pain of recording audio to a basic home computer. But the truth is, you really don't need things like USB turntables, USB cassette decks, or USB microphones in order to make decent digital audio recordings.

A willingness to experiment and $15 PC microphone or $3 minijack cable should be enough to get you up and running with computer audio recording. The trouble is, most people just don't know where to begin. I can't promise that he following How To video and slideshow will turn your computer into a full-fledged, multitrack digital recording studio, but at least it'll demystify a few things and get you pointed in the right direction.

How to record audio onto a computer

Once a song is turned into an MP3, you can almost guarantee it will play on your mobile phone, iPod, or computer. But if you're looking for one universal video format that will work with all of your devices, you may as well forget about it.

On the surface, there's nothing about a digital video file that looks any more complicated than an MP3. But anyone who's tried to play a YouTube FLV file in iTunes, or a BitTorrented DivX movie on their Zune, has probably experienced the brain-melting frustration of working with digital video formats.

There are dozens of video conversion applications out there designed to magically convert any given video format for your particular device. But if you really want to understand the root causes that make video files so fickle to work with, I've put together a video and slide show tutorial to shed some light on things.

Have your own digital video nightmare to share? Feel free to vent in the comments section.

How to make sense of digital video files

As CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 player reviews, you'd think I'd be losing sleep over the fact that the majority of the mobile phones on the market include some form of integrated music playback. But in spite of manufacturer's efforts to fashion the mobile phone into a portable music powerhouse, there's still a lot of confusion out there when it comes to transferring music from a computer to your phone. Sure, most of us can figure out how to transfer music from iTunes to an iPhone, but what about loading music on your sister's LG enV Touch, or your dad's old Blackberry?

There's no fool-proof method for getting music onto any mobile phone, but I've put together a video and slideshow demonstrating a handful of techniques that should come in handy in most cases. Feel free to share other recommendations in the comments section.

How to load music onto a mobile phone

To really be a Jedi-level iTunes guru, you must master the art of the Smart Playlist. The most enlightened of all the playlists (don't let Genius Playlists fool you), Smart Playlists can be used to quickly create genre playlists, sort out your least favorite tracks, or keep your kid's insipid music from infecting your iPhone.

To help you on your way toward total playlist domination, I've put together a little video and a slideshow to get the ball rolling. If you've got a favorite Smart Playlist tip to share, please be kind enough to drop it in the comments section.

How to create a Smart Playlist in iTunes