DoubleTwist: Like iTunes for your cell phone
Yesterday, I blogged about how the forthcoming Droid won't be an iPhone killer because it lacks the simple sync interface provided by the iTunes desktop application. I neglected to mention an excellent application called DoubleTwist, which offers the easy sync experience of iTunes for a much wider variety of devices, including all the Android phones currently on the market, most BlackBerrys, Sony's PlayStation Portable, and a huge range of other non-Apple products--as well as the iPod and iPhone, if you're so inclined.
DoubleTwist has a large orange Sync button in exactly the same location as iTunes.
Created in part by Jon Lech Johansen (aka DVD Jon), who's best known for helping crack the encryption system used on video DVDs, DoubleTwist is available as a free download for both Windows (including Windows 7) and Mac. Plug in any supported device, and DoubleTwist immediately recognizes it, lets you choose content to sync (pictures, videos, and either all your music or select iTunes playlists), and then begins syncing that data with a single click of a button. It also boasts integration with Amazon's MP3 store, giving you a rough equivalent to the iTunes Store. DoubleTwist also has an interesting sharing feature that lets you select any piece of content from within the program and e-mail a link to a streaming version of that content to your friends (the content itself is stored on DoubleTwist's servers). This feature integrates with e-mail address books from Gmail and Yahoo Mail if you want to spread that latest remix far and wide.
DoubleTwist co-founder Monique Farantzos e-mailed me specifically about yesterday's post, so it's a safe bet that the application will support Droid. More to the point, as phone makers continue to miss the importance of iTunes, DoubleTwist is essentially becoming iTunes for those devices. There's one crucial difference: Apple either ships a disc with iTunes with its devices, or prompts you to download iTunes when you install them. For these other phones, you have to know where and how to get DoubleTwist.
Matt Rosoff is an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, where he covers Microsoft's consumer products and corporate news. He's written about the technology industry since 1995, and reviewed the first Rio MP3 player for CNET.com in 1998. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network. Disclosure. You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattrosoff. 
The biggest complaint I hear about iTunes is the need for an apple account to download free apps. This is because I am in Japan where the iPhone just took off this year, so many friends have just been introduced to Apple and iTunes.
doubletwist is jabbing apple for their business practices but employing some of the same practices.
Why should I need an account to copy music that is local on my mac to my phone that is physically connected with a cable?
PS: OMG OMG CNET requires an account for posting comments. Hypocrites!
PPS: If that's the biggest complaint you hear about iTunes, then you and your circle of friends need to get out more and perhaps even interact with members of the opposite sex.
My so-called "Rant" is simply pointing out the fact that Jon criticizes Apple's way of doing things in general. I did not say that Jon criticizes apple's requirement for an account, specifically.
Jon requires you to register to use the software locally - without touching the internet. Apple does not. This is a fact, not a rant. Do you understand?
Since many of my friends do not spend so much time on computers for recreational purposes (but rather tend to "get out" instead), many are just now being introduced to Apple's way of doing things. Many have now just created their very first Apple ID. And they say to me, "stevicus, why must I register and give all my personal info? All I want to do is DL a free app."
And I say, "that's just the was Apple does it. Live with it or buy something else or jailbreak your device."
PS: Jon deserves much thanks from many people for giving them ability to use their purchased - I mean "licensed" media in the way they want. If the account requirement is part of a monetization plan, that is fine with me - they should just say so. Great code doesn't write itself you know... Or do you?
PPS: You need a little bit of world perspective. And it appears a stiff drink to calm the nerves - if you are of legal drinking age that is - wouldn't want to contribute to the delinquency of a minor. ;-)
I have heard it called worse by Mac users , too.
- by stevicus October 21, 2009 11:45 PM PDT
- Just realized doubletwist doesn't copy iTunes album art that is stored in a separate folder. Salling Media Sync does handle the album art but the free version doesn't sync - it recopies all items. But album art downloaded from itunes is copied to the phone. The paid version is a bit expensive, $22US.
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