Amarok

Amarok is based on KDE and provides a place to connect your Ipod, build and manage a music library, newer versions even work with K3B, one of the top CD/DVD Burn/Rip applications. A few more features include quick drag and drop playlist creation, multiple sound engines supported, 10 band equalizer, automatic cover art download, powerful context browser, full lyrics download, visualizations, 10 band equalizer, cross fading, and more.

Upon downloading Amarok and opening the program you will noticed the First-Run wizard window that looks like this.

After reading the welcome message pressing the Next button on the First-Run Wizard window we can set our music folder.

Now we see the database setup screen, I left the default SQLite setting and selected the Next button.

Now we see a congratulations message confirming Amarok is ready for use.

After clicking the Finish button on the First-Run wizard window, you will see the clean, resizable window of Amarok.

Cover Art

I enjoy having things presented graphically but not if it doesn't work smoothly and with album art it rarely works smoothly. I usually hope to find an option to turn it off in the music managing program I'm using because of the inaccuracy etc. This is not the case with Amarok, I found that it efficiently gather cover art for me or let me use my own. No need to turn it off if it works right.

Lyric Support

This was nice because, like other features in Amarok, it worked pretty well. Although at first glimpse i assumed this feature would be very limited, it worked a lot better than i thought it would and i will continue to use it.

Integrated Wikipedia

Where do you go to look something up online? Wikiepedia. Where do you go to look something up about your favorite band? Now just open your Amarok music software. That's right Wikipedia in your Amarok window just a few clicks away. This gives you instant pictures, links, and text from the almighty information source, Wikipedia.

Full Context Browser

Another features i would normally shy away from due to it slowing me down. I found the Context Browser useful in some areas like just to check what similar music is out there and other collection expanding options.

Collection Statistics

Although this isn't the kind of stats I'll be planning my future around, i do know it was nice to see this displayed accurately, and have many categories or options to choose from.

Device Support

Many devices are supported by Amarok, My Ipod was a breeze, I went to Settings --- Configure Amarok ---Media Devices and then selected Apple Ipod. A few more devices that work are iRiver iFP and T players, Creative Zen and Nomad players, and generic USB and MTP players just to name a few.