If you own an iPod with a Click Wheel and you use Windows XP/2000, definitely check out Migo Personal for iPod. This amazingly handy application automatically copies your Outlook data (including your e-mail and contacts), the files and folders on your desktop, and your IE browser settings so that you can view them on any Windows XP/2000 computer. The program allows you to carry around the most vital elements of your computer (or your "personal computing environment") in a device the size of, well, an iPod. Simply connect the iPod to any system running either of the aforementioned versions of Windows, and the existing desktop will transform into your own familiar one--even your wallpaper can follow you.

Installation and setup are effortless; however, your iPod must be formatted for Windows and must be in disk mode. Once connected to your PC, a tiny application opens, and you'll be asked to designate which folders or files to synchronize. You can also select which elements of Outlook (2000, 2002, or 2003) you want copied, such as your e-mail, contacts, calendar, and so on. It's up to you to choose what critical data to store on your iPod, although the program won't copy the applications themselves.


Easily select and sync any file and folder, as well as Outlook, Internet Explorer, and desktop items.

When you connect your iPod to a friend's PC or even a public terminal, a small Migo graphic will appear at the top of the screen indicating the progress of Migo's data transfer. In a matter of seconds, the host computer will look virtually identical to your own, at least on the surface. The browser will be populated with your personal bookmarks, browsing history and cookies (convenient for logging into e-commerce sites or Web-based e-mail), and your personal data, including Word documents, photos, and MP3s, will appear just where you would expect to find them.

The best part, in our opinion, is the fact that you don't have to configure Outlook to send e-mail. Simply address, compose, and send. Any changes you make to your data will be reflected the next time you sync with your own computer. And when you log out of the host computer, the password-protected Migo will leave no trace of your personal data or activity. You can even carry around multiple computing profiles such as Home, Work, or Play. And if you lose your laptop or your hard drive fails, you know you have a backup of your most critical files. One thing to be aware of is the fact that users cannot copy files from an iPod to another computer using Migo. For example, you can't copy a photo file to a computer within the virtual Migo interface; you'll have to do this by using your iPod in disk mode. Hopefully, the makers of Migo will fix this drawback.

Migo Personal for iPod is one of those programs that gets better and more indispensable every time you use it, and it certainly supercharges an iPod. The application costs $29.99 and can be downloaded here. If you're curious, give the 30-day free trial a spin.

Verdict

The good: Lets you carry around the most important elements of your own computer in an iPod; secure software leaves no trace on a host computer; automatically syncs data and updates changes on your computer; lets you use any PC in a familiar environment.

The bad: Works with only Windows XP/2000 and Internet Explorer; doesn't copy actual applications, only data; cannot copy files from iPod to another computer using Migo.

The bottom line: There's more to an iPod than just music. A Migo-powered iPod transforms any Windows XP/2000 system into the image of your own. And it works well.