Download: iTunes 11

If you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod, you'll be using iTunes to synchronise music and apps. Even if you don't have one of these devices, iTunes is worth downloading as it is one of the better media players around, especially if you want to subscribe to podcasts.

Read more: Music software downloads

The iTunes interface has been greatly simplified with a drop down menu replacing the column that used to appear on the left hand side of the window. A button on the right hand side of the toolbar switches between your library and the iTunes Store.

The search tool now looks at all of the content in the Library including movies and TV programs.

One of the reasons we use iTunes over other media players is to subscribe to podcasts. Podcasts are shown in the iTunes Store and there is a mix of both audio only and video podcasts. There are lots of options for deciding which episodes should be copied to an iOS device. Subscribing to video podcasts can quickly fill devices so there are options for only copying over a certain number of unwatched episodes.

There is a mini player that is good for showing the current track and keeping control of playback without taking up too much screen space. There are icons for showing more of the current playlist and quickly accessing the search function.

The minimised player in the Taskbar has been simplified with fewer but larger buttons. This makes a lot of sense as screens and resolutions get larger. An extra menu gives access to selecting repeat and shuffle modes.

It's no surprise that only iOS devices are supported by iTunes, but it is a shame given how useful it is for downloading podcasts. Alternatives include gPodder, which doesn't look as polished and is more basic when it comes to deciding what to copy to devices.