Iill admit it: Iim an information junkie. Much to my delight, and chagrin, there are plenty of applications out there to turn my Mac into an Internet data siphoning monster. The trick is finding one with the right balance of flexibility, ease of use, and portability - something like Life2Go 1.6.4.
 Life2Go |
|---|
Life2Go is a clever little application that downloads news from RSS feeds and loads the information on your iPod so you can stay up-to-date while on the go. You can add as many RSS feeds you want, and Life2Go will dutifully download them - just remember that the more news you push to your iPod, the longer the process takes. It includes an extensive list of RSS feeds, but you can also add your own.
 Life2Go comes with lots of built-in RSS feeds. |
|---|
If taking your current news with you isnit enough, it includes modules that let you download weather forecasts, movie listings, stock quotes, gas prices, music lyrics, and driving directions. It also includes a data backup feature that copies the files you specify to your iPod, a notes feature that converts plain text, RTF, PDF, HTML, and Microsoft Word in iPod-compatible notes.
Life2Go can also work as an alternative to iSync. It updates your iCal and Address Book information on your iPod, and copies your Safari bookmarks and Stickies data over, too. Even Mail junkies can get their fix: Life2Go can transfer message text to your iPod, but itis read only, so youill have to go back to your Mac to reply.
 Life2Go displays a progress dialog when it syncs. |
|---|
Advanced users can take advantage of the Launcher to run AppleScripts, Automator Workflows, or other applications when Life2Go syncs your iPod. Hereis an example: You need to review information from a Web site that doesnit include an RSS feed, so you create an Automator Workflow that downloads the information, and adds it to a note that Life2Go syncs to your iPod. Since the Workflow runs every time you sync your iPod, the data you are reviewing is always up to date.
Life2Go also includes a menu bar item that lets you initiate a sync, sync a single category, and open the Life2Go application. Using the menu bar item means you donit need to keep the Life2Go application running all the time.
 Life2Gois menu bar options. |
|---|
The downside to Life2Go - and this is a minor issue - is that your iPod must be in disk mode. If you are used to unplugging your iPod without ejecting it, youill have to change your habits.
The Bottom Line
If reading news on the go is your thing, and you have an iPod, Life2Go makes it easy for you to keep up to date without carrying your Mac everywhere you go. Thanks to its ability to sync your contacts, schedule and email, your iPod really can become a portable data hub. And your Windows friends donit need to feel left out - thereis a version for them, too