Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' review
There are a lot of music jukeboxes out there that aren't iTunes that work with iPods. Cross-platform Floola is one of the few, if only, portable music players that not only works with your iPod, it will work from your iPod, too. The program's fully compatible with your desktop iTunes installation, but can be run from the iPod itself.
The features it offers are comprehensive and robust, including music, video, note taking, and photo support. The latest version includes Google Calendar synchronization. The interface is simple, bordering on simplistic, and is rife with minor imperfections. Don't let that keep you from checking it out, though, because there's an incredible amount that you can do with Floola. It can also copy songs from your iPod to your computer, grab videos from the Web, and, if you want, convert them to audio-only. It supports podcast catching, playlists, and will tell you if a song is not on a playlist. The Edit Song window lacks tags, but will--among its many features--reveal the absolute location of the song on the iPod, cracking Apple's labyrinthine system.
Floola is a work in progress. The conversion utility is buggy, and newer iPods won't be compatible with the iPod-specific fwid hardware code. Instructions on how to obtain it are available in the Floola FAQ. Floola also doesn't play well with non-Apple jukeboxes, and you might need to use the iPod firmware repair available in iTunes or Floola to get it to work. Despite these problems, Floola is truly portable and works well enough to be considered a strong iTunes alternative.
Publisher's Description
From Floola:
Floola is a freeware application to manage your iPod (any model except iPhone and iPod touch). It requires no installation and runs nicely under Windows (98 or newer, including Vista), Mac OS X (10.3.9 or newer) and Linux. With Floola you can copy, rename, delete your music, videos and photos, add artwork and lyrics, manage playlists and keep your favorite podcasts updated. But there's a lot more, like on the fly conversion of incompatible files, support for YouTube and MySpace videos, duplicate detection and now even keep your Google calendars synched. All with one single click. It now supports integration with Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm!
What's new in this version:
- expiration removed
- improved linux support
- improved podcast support
- added support for podcasts over secure http
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All versions:
3.2 starsout of 9 votes
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Current version:
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Results 1-8 of 8
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"Wouldn`t work on my 'puter; I DID meet the requirements"
Version: Floola 2011r3
Pros
Not sure; wouldn`t work on my computer.
Cons
Not sure; wouldn`t work on my computer.
Summary
I downloaded this after checking the requirements, only to find that it wouldn`t "work in this environment"...frustrating!
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"Excellent replacement for iTunes"
Version: Floola 5.2
Pros
Free, fast loading, no installation, able to add video and audio direct from youtube, converts between formats and won't keep trying to sell you things like a certain other iPod management program. Well done to the programmer involved.
Cons
Nothing. For a free, I have no complaints
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"Terrific program that gets around using iTunes. Hooray!"
Version: Floola 4.9
Pros
Eliminates the need for iTunes.
Cons
None that I know of.
Summary
Great.
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"Free...and worth every penny I paid for it."
Version: Floola 3.1
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
I wouldn't buy this software at this stage. But it is great for a freeware program. Communist jerkwads at Apple try to prevent you from syncing your ipod at home and at work. So this software is a hero in that it lets you load music off your pod to your work computer. Its not as organized as itunes but it works basically the same. The two programs cant be running at the same time. Whatever you do DO NOT LET FLOOLA 'set up' your ipod to "work correctly" with floola. Its a BOOSHWACK! Do not seek the treasure! It will only jack around all your album artwork so that your often played Celine Dion song will have the album artwork of your not-so-often played Whitesnake. Which is kind of funny if you think about it, but no good if you don't want that happening.
I recommend this for mac users at home and work. Its not perfect, I wouldn't pay for it but it does bypass the Che Guevera Apple Maggots limitations on computers that you can sync an ipod with.
Andrew Hamilton
Hamilton International Productions
Convention Videographers Las Vegas
http://www.hiproductions.com -
"Not compatible with my iPod Nono 3G"
Version: Floola 1
Pros
I think if it worked with my Nano it would be terrific. It would not work with the new Nano 3G. So I am now forced to rip my music to Cds and then import them into iTunes. Just some extra steps that Floola would have eliminated.
Cons
When it did work the interface was terrific and it was great. But there was still a bug, it kept saying that my fwid was not correct. In trying to fix this bug, then it would not work at all with my Nano so I gave up on it. Mabe there will be a new release of it soon and I will try it again. It is definitely something that is needed.
Summary
null
I love this program and my rating was an error; I wanted to give it the highest rating possible. When I got an iPod I did not want to use iTunes. This program is terrific. Allows me to put music on an iPod in mp3 format. I recemmend this program to friends/relatives with iPods (mps players).
Updated on Mar 15, 2009 -
"A bit slow on PC at times, but an EXCELLENT iTunes replacement for Video iPods!"
Version: Floola 1
Pros
1. You can transfer music AND VIDEO files to and from your iPod and any computer.
2. Floola runs directly from the iPod so you can plug into any computer and manage files- add them to iPod, or add them to computer.
3. Keeps album art, song ratings, and smart playlists (unlike many other managers).
4. UNBELIEVABLE SUPPORT! I had to fill out this review because I had a problem with programs detecting my iPod this morning. I contacted Floola by email, and literally in 3 minutes someone had emailed me the simple solution (transfering one file from one folder to another on the ipod) to get Floola to detect the iPod again. All the other programs now etect it as well.
5. It is completely FREE!
Cons
There are some minor cons. Sometimes it is very slow on a PC when deleting files (although I hear it is not slow on a Mac). It gets hung up on automatically updating the artwork on files on my iPod. However, the pros so heavily outweight the cons that I love this program. I am sure that future versions will fix these problems. There may be better options for some iPods, but when it comes to an iPod video, by being able to add videos and running directly from the iPod on any computer, it does far more than the other options.
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"Yamipod?"
Version: Floola beta 21
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
I this just rebranded yamipod? it looks very similar -
"Yamipod?"
Version: Floola beta 21
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
I this just rebranded yamipod? it looks very similar
