iTunes was first introduced to users as a digital media player on 1/10/2001. After 10 years' development and Apple release so many popular products, iTunes perfectly matches with them and becomes one of the essential tools for all the Apple fans. Nowadays, iTunes is defined as a integrated software, which includes video/audio play, App store, data backup and devices management.

Download and Installation

Users can go to Apple's official website and enter iTunes page. In this page, you can see some basic functions of iTunes and you can also see the video tutorials of how to use iTunes. The first step is download iTunes. Apple's Mac OS brings the iTunes as a build-in essential tool. For Windows users you need to download and install it on your computer. It is free.

While you are installing iTunes, Safari and QuickTime are also installed on your computer. After insallation, you can see a shortcut on your desktop. Double click the shortcut you can run the iTunes easily and use it to help you enjoy your life better.

Today I will talk about some basic skill that may useful for iTunes users.

1. How to sync your iOS device's app with more than one computer?

The right of the useage of app is related to Apple ID account, one account can authorize upto 5 computers. Only the authorizen computers can sync apps with your iOS devices and the apps already on your iOS devices will not be deleted. If you have more than one account, every iOS device can authorize 5 different Apple ID accounts at one time. For example, if you have an iPhone, you can sync apps you buy from 5 different Apple ID accounts at the same time.

Run iTunes and you can find "Store" on the top of the iTunes interface, authorize the computer to your Apple ID account. After you have finished this, iTunes will show "including this one, you have authorized X computers out of your available 5". X represents how many computer you have already authorized and the max is five. If the computer is public or just for a short time, you need to cancel the authorizen before you leave.

Sometimes, you could just change computer all the time or you always use different computers and you have already authorized 5 computers and you must authorize a new computer right now. But you can not cancel other computer. Don't warry, you can use iTunes to cancel the 5 authorized computer with your Apple ID account.

After you have finish the authorizen, you can sync your iOS device with apps from different computer. (This time we only talk about app, but not music, video, and other media files.)

Step 1. First you need to connect your device to your computer and do not sync at once. If there is no iOS apps on this computer, the sync will be cancelled after you finish it. So it is necessary to have apps on your computer. The most fast way to do that is to transfer the apps from your iOS devices to your computer. Here you need to right click and choose sync purchased app.

Step 2. Then you need to go to "app" page and check the apps you want to sync. There will be a pop-up note from iTune, you need to choose "sync app". That's it. If you want to sync apps with different computers, remeber you need to transfer the purchased apps to the computer and then you can sync your apps.

2. Get a smart playlist to enjoy your iTune life better.

So what is a smart playlist? We call it smart playlist, well, it is smarter than the regular playlist. With criteria you can creat a playlist automatically, you just need to set what you want. You can assign the rules, such as artist, composer, the number of tracks, specific albums, file types and also bit rates. It can be auto updated to your iTunes. What's important is that if you do not like it, you can just delete it at all. This will not impact the actual music files and you can create another smart playlist.

3. Listen to your favorite radio through iTunes.

If you want to listen to radio, iTunes can help you to do that. Acctually, iTunes can not hear it over the air, but it can play back the internet streaming radio stations. You just need to click the radio option from the left control area and you will find you favorite radio listed here. If the list does not have your favorite radio station, you can copy the url of the station's streaming and paste it to the advanced menu and then slect open stream. Then you can listening your favorite radio via iTunes. Your stations will be listed on the main music page forever if you do not delete it.

Apple iTunes is a really nice tool for us to enjoy our Apple life, it helps us to manage our files on iOS devices and also it provides many useful functions for us. You will love it. I know there are some third party software providers also have some transfer software such as iPad transfer, iPhone transfer and also iPhone to mac transfer and iPhone ringtone maker and also iPhone sms transfer to backup iPhone sms. They can help sometimes, but iTune is always my first choice to manage my iOS devices.