BeatScanner for Windows

This freeware app helps you find the most suitable music for your workout, but it doesn't create a playlist so much as it saves selected music to a destination of your choice.

BeatScanner's commonplace interface is easy to operate, but we did find a design flaw under the Save Playlist dialog box. It's minor, but the drop-down list overlaps the text label. Still, the program quickly scans specified locations on your computer for MP3 or WMA files. You also have the option to search MP3s on Bestworkoutmusic.com, but there is a fee attached. BeatScanner rapidly identified the beats per minute (BPM) of our selected songs, processing 10 within just a few minutes.

However, we're disappointed to find that the program doesn't actually create a playlist file, but rather saves each individual audio file to a specified location or device. Despite some shortcomings, BeatScanner is great for workout buffs looking to coordinate their music for warm-ups, cool downs, and all things in between.