I'm a huge iPod fan. I take mine wherever I go, and have it loaded with almost the full 30 gig worth of music and video. The only thing that pisses me off about my iPod is the lockdown Apple put on it, and the content I can, and apparently can't, put on there.

Yeah, I know, there's a workaround for everything. My chief tech geek figured out how to get rented DVDs ripped, compressed, and loaded. (And I deny having any knowledge of how it's done, or how those movies got onto my personal iPod. As far as I know, one day, they were just there.) So while I can get what I need to on it, sharing stuff is a bit of a problem.

You PC users now have a legitimate app that'll let you unlock your iPod, and allow you to get some good stuff on there, off there, and let you share what you want.

Podmaxx '07 was just released and while I haven't used it, it looks like something you PC iPod users will want to check into.

Podmaxx '07 was designed to fill a long list of demands from frustrated iPod owners and it's key features include:
• Shop for music at any online store
• Copy music from any iPod
• Make any iPod song your ringtone
• Rip DVDs directly to your iPod
• Burn audio CDs straight from any iPod
• Burn files to CD straight off their iPod
• Protect music collections from loss with full PC backup
• Carry news, weather, movie info
• Backup an entire PC

And at $29.99, it seems like a good deal. You can download it from their site, or buy it at Circuit City, Fry's, Comp USA, Micro Center and other major retailers, which is a good sign. And some of the online tech blogs have given it good reviews. I say give it a try. Let me know what you think.

www.podmaxx.com