Is there a good alternative to iTunes, that includes "backup all apps, music, and contacts" for iPhone?
August 15, 2011 8:25 PM   Subscribe

Is there a good alternative to iTunes, that includes "backup all apps, music, and contacts" for iPhone?

I've been using Copy Trans for transferring of files, but it doesn't have backup option for iPhone.
I also tried iPhone Explorer but it also doesn't have a backup option.

I've tried several of the free programs floating around and didn't find anything that seemed to work how I wanted it to.
Basically a drag and drop for music/videos, and a backup option is all I want.

Any recommendations?

P.S. my phone is an iPhone 3GS
posted by Patrick Leo to Technology (12 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
What is it about iTunes that doesn't work for you?
posted by Oktober at 8:51 PM on August 15, 2011


Response by poster: It works, it is just propietary, and it sucks.
Also it is very difficult to use iTunes on multiple computers, or multiple iPhones on one computer.

Also it's iTunes, iTunes sucks.
posted by Patrick Leo at 8:59 PM on August 15, 2011 [2 favorites]


It might not still be possible, I've ignored the pleas for updates, but if you uncheck "syncing" options in iTunes it becomes much more useful. I found it on the general menu for my iPod once it's plugged in.
posted by EtzHadaat at 9:17 PM on August 15, 2011


It's not really meant for the purpose of daily backups a la iTunes, but PhoneView will definitely let you copy all of your apps, music, and contacts off your phone.
posted by ignignokt at 9:22 PM on August 15, 2011


This was listed in one of the questions linked at the bottom.
posted by EtzHadaat at 9:22 PM on August 15, 2011


If you use gmail, have you considered google sync as a contact backup system? Once you turn that on it'll back your iphone contacts up to your google account. With icloud coming in september/october the app question will be moot as well - everything will be in the cloud with that.

Seems like you can combine icloud + google sync + copy trans to get what you want.
posted by jourman2 at 9:38 PM on August 15, 2011


>Also it is very difficult to use iTunes on multiple computers, or multiple iPhones on one computer

I have no trouble doing either of those things [for what I do with iTunes, which may not match up with what you do], and would be happy to discuss what I do if you have specific questions.
posted by chazlarson at 10:02 PM on August 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


Wait (potentially) a few weeks for iOS 5 and you can use iCloud exclusively. I don't know if it'll work on a 3GS, but that phone will be doubly obsolete soon and presumably you got it two years ago and will thus be eligible for an upgrade
posted by Patbon at 10:06 PM on August 15, 2011


Doubly obsolete? It is still being sold right now by Apple itself.
posted by davar at 4:16 AM on August 16, 2011


...or multiple iPhones on one computer
As long as everyone has their own user account, there should be no problem with this.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:31 AM on August 16, 2011


Copytrans sort of does a backup. IF you pick backup to folder it will place the photos,movies, and books to that folder. It just does not do apps.

Have you tried emailing the copytrans team? They usually get back to email request and are a pretty cool dev team.

They have a program for regular ipods that seemsto be what you want but has not been updated. Maybe ask them for an iphone version?
posted by majortom1981 at 7:57 AM on August 16, 2011


Doubly obsolete? It is still being sold right now by Apple itself.

They'll take your money, but it's obsolete in the companies eyes, which is plain from their attitudes, marketing, and feature set for iOS4 and 5
posted by Patbon at 8:27 AM on August 16, 2011


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