Microsoft have a couple of ways of syncing and managing content on a Windows Phone and Windows. There is the Windows Store version for Windows 8 and Windows RT and then there is the desktop version for Windows 7 or Windows 8. The desktop version has been in beta since it was first released back in November but now it has been updated and lost the beta status.

The new version of the app seems to have the a couple of new features like better podcast syncing with iTunes. The desktop version seems to have more features than the Windows Store app but as a Windows Phone mounts as removable storage I find you don’t really need an app to move files around on it but it’s great to have two ways of doing it.

  • Expanded podcast support. Support for iTunes podcasts has been a useful feature in the preview versions of the app, but many people get their podcasts from other sources. Now, as long as your podcasts are saved in a folder, you can automatically sync them to your phone.

  • Simplified updates. Previous versions of the app required you to install updates from windowsphone.com. Now the app tells you when improvements are available, so you install them with a click.

  • Flexible library selection. To provide more flexibility, the app can now sync files from any library or folder on your computer, even if they’re on an external hard drive.

  • Many bug fixes. We’ve rolled up your feedback on the preview versions and made fixes to improve performance.

The app is available from WindowsPhone.com

Features

The Windows Phone app for Windows desktop makes it easy to:

• Sync music, photos, movies, TV shows, and podcasts from your existing Apple iTunes library or your Windows Libraries to your Windows Phone 8.*
• Automatically import pictures and videos you’ve taken with your phone to your PC.
• See at a glance how much space you’re using for each type of content, so it’s easy to make sure you never run out of room on your phone.
• Get your playlists on your phone.
• Find songs that will work as ringtones and add them to your phone.

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