Import iPod to iTunes

iTunes is designed for a one-way transfer of data--from iTunes to the iPod. It is not designed to import from your iPod. I didn't really understand this until I unknowingly accomplished several things:

1. Wiped my iPod and about 5 GBs of data clean
2. Created great anxiety and sweaty palms
3. Had to re-rip my entire song and Podcast collection
4. Then figured out I better backup my iTunes library on several servers
5. Took a day off from work to search the Apple support site

I don't find any clear attempt by Apple to message, what I would call a technology anomoly. Or provide clear answers on how to fix this; or how about a link to iPodsoft? Why would you make a consumer product/application a one way data stream? I don't have the answer to that question but it must be about DRM or something. Nevertheless, I did discover there's a utility tool available for $15 to manage this issue.

If you change jobs, buy a new machine, your machine crashes or any number of senarios where you'd need to reinstall iTunes and upload your iPod data (It is really just a really cool hard drive anyway, right?) back onto your machine, you'll need to know about iGadget.