How to sync an iPhone over WiFi without iTunes

Now that the Zune has upped the ante by including WiFi syncing out of the box, it looks like owners of other devices are starting to rig up solutions of their own -- and the iPhone setup developed by eddanx seems to come closest to the ease of the Zune. The system relies on the WinAmp plugin ml_ipod, which supports syncing to shared folders, and requires a jailbroken iPhone and a little SSH / SFTP softshoe. Of course, by giving up iTunes, you give up contact, calendar, movie, and phone syncing as well, but who cares -- you're wireless now, baby. Check the read link for the full instructions.

PS: We'd imagine this would also work on an iPod touch -- anyone care to try?

[snitch @ Nov 21st 2007 3:33PM]

Who Cares about Wifi Syncing if you have to be by your PC or real close to it anyway. not to mention its 50x slower than a Usb cable, on the New zune it is

[thethirdmoose @ Nov 21st 2007 4:25PM]

On my Archos, it's just as fast

[eddanx @ Nov 21st 2007 5:32PM]

snitch wrote "... if you have to be by your PC or real close to it ..."

Now that's just wrong, with the VNsea VNC client for the iPhone I could sync with a computer on Sealand as long as it's hooked up the Internet.

Yes, I'm stretching it now.

[Mark Deab @ Nov 21st 2007 3:35PM]

Another really simple thing Apple could of done in the first place...

[kL @ Nov 22nd 2007 5:04PM]

But what's the point!? You have to put cable in to charge it! I don't mind that charging cable also carries data.

Wireless sync will be great once they figure out wireless electricity or batteries that need to be charged once a month/year, not day.

[PG @ Nov 21st 2007 3:36PM]

"Of course, by giving up iTunes, you give up contact, calendar, movie, and phone syncing as well"

Why the hell bother???

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 3:39PM]

Exactly my thoughts. What a useless "hack".

[Sam Stone @ Nov 21st 2007 4:03PM]

Pfft...not a real gadgets man.

The question isn't why. Its the answer....because I can....

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 4:38PM]

@ Sam

The next time you go over a bridge, why not jump off it. Why you ask?

Because you can!

[Sam Stone @ Nov 21st 2007 4:47PM]

Noiced I said gadgets.... And not suicide ;)

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 4:59PM]

Same principle applies....but just because you can do something, doesn't mean you always should. ;)

[Sam Stone @ Nov 21st 2007 5:27PM]

Have you been paying attention to engadget?

A see through toaster, countless USB toys etc. Gadgets are not about why would I use it. You would use a see through toaster - just because you could.

[underwhelm @ Nov 21st 2007 3:39PM]

What the heck are you synching, if not "contact, calendar, movie, and phone"?

[Sam Stone @ Nov 21st 2007 3:49PM]

Music....:P

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 3:58PM]

It's the whole "iTunes is crap" mentality that drives these loons to coming up with Mickey Mouse solutions such as this.

There's nothing wrong with iTunes, no I'm not an Apple fanboy, yes your life will be more enriched and enlightened from using iTunes.

[Azsori @ Nov 21st 2007 4:27PM]

"your life will be more enriched and enlightened from using iTunes."

Yeah, we believe that your not an apple fanboy...nice way to hide it.

iTunes is fine for the everyday user, it's supposed to be easy to use - and it is. But it isn't always the best solution. It's not about iTunes sucking or not, it is about doing what you want with the hardware you bought, instead of being limited by software...

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 4:38PM]

@ Azsori

I guess you've never heard of sarcasm.

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 4:39PM]

@ eddanx

Quicktime only takes over your computer if you blindly click OK/Next while going through the installation.

[iofthestorm @ Nov 21st 2007 8:54PM]

How the heck did the posts get out of order? lol.

[eddanx @ Nov 21st 2007 4:34PM]

I agree with you, but it's just as a previous person said; it's because one can. Besides, I can't stand how Quicktime takes over my computer when installing iTunes on Windows.

[Mike @ Nov 21st 2007 4:39PM]

I hate iTunes with a passion (first time I ever installed iTunes was the day I picked up the iPhone it it made me), but as soon as there is a way to sync at least my contacts and calendar (I don't do too many movies and when I do it is once a month or so) via wifi, I'll reluctantly stick with iTunes.

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 4:57PM]

@ eddanx

Fair enough......however why do you think Apple now offers Quicktime and iTunes as separate downloads? ;)

[eddanx @ Nov 21st 2007 4:46PM]

@Khris: I have to disagree with you there, as afaics Quicktime (at least back when I installed iTunes 7.0) was installed silently in the background when I installed iTunes. The most annoying part would be it integrating into Firefox. I might have a bad memory, but I've never ever clicked "Ok" to that during the install.

[Zeus the God @ Nov 21st 2007 4:53PM]

I'm sorry, but iTunes seriously sucks. Worst media player ever. Its so hard to use, and all the tedious things it makes you do to organize your library if you don't have an internet connection is ridiculous. Hell, even if you have an internet connection, its a bitch!

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 4:57PM]

I have absolutely no problems at all managing my iTunes library.

Perhaps in your case, the PEBKAC?

[Terc @ Nov 21st 2007 9:20PM]

I agree, it's soo hard to make a playlist by dragging music to the name of the list.

oh, and playing songs... don't get me started
You have to DOUBLE CLICK to start playing, unless you decide to use that goofy "play" button, then pausing involves clicking the _PAUSE_ button! Are you freaking kidding me!?

Just try adding music to iTunes, you have to either drag the music to iTunes or go to File->Import?! Waay too difficult.

Sorting music by name, yeah, it's crazy hard, clicking on the column you want to sort is just way too out of the way.

Yeah, all those other media players are _obviously_ much more simple to use than this!

[eddanx @ Nov 21st 2007 5:10PM]

@Khris:

"Fair enough......however why do you think Apple now offers Quicktime and iTunes as separate downloads? ;)"

Haha, best comment today!

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 6:34PM]

And also why your argument of Quicktime taking over your computer, is no longer valid.

[eddanx @ Nov 21st 2007 6:43PM]

@Khris:

Now I'm beginning to wonder if you weren't sarcastic at all when you made that comment. Installing iTunes means also installing Quicktime. Period.

[Khris @ Nov 21st 2007 6:49PM]

If you install iTunes first then it will install Quicktime (but it should still give you the opportunity to set file associations). If you install Quicktime first, you 100% get the change to set file associations.

[Rick Roberts @ Nov 21st 2007 6:29PM]

iTunes doesn't take over your computer, frigtard. What a goof! Set preferences what what app should handle what file types.

[iPodiPhone @ Nov 21st 2007 6:46PM]

Is that even possible to sync with out wifi. I use http://www.ipodtunesdownloads.com for all my ipod and iphone music, movie and game downloads

[KingdomOfFish @ Nov 21st 2007 8:55PM]

I've actually managed to sync my iPT to my linux computer using wifi... it wasn't easy but I did it :P

[triple @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:18AM]

It -does- work with a 1.1 jailbroken ipod touch. Pretty sweet.

[Whitetiger @ Nov 22nd 2007 5:23AM]

This is old news... Us linux users have been doing this for months!... The only really useful part is that you don't need to use iTunes, with Linux I use GTKpod and it is more like a click and drag interface as opposed to syncing up, I prefer this over iTunes.

[zzz @ Nov 22nd 2007 7:28AM]

You could do that already with sshfs + Amarok or Gtkpod.

[David @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:32AM]

I don't really think this hack is terribly useful.

My major inconvenience is the fact that I have to carry a laptop with me whenever I travel just to sync my podcasts. If they could let it sync over the wireless network so I can really be portable I'd finally buy one.

[eddanx @ Nov 22nd 2007 5:32AM]

Install MobileCast on the iPhone, excellent podcast app that syncs over the Internet. Just remember that podcasts you download to your iPhone using MobileCast, won't sync back to your computer, it's just for use on the iPhone.

[Tarek @ Mar 22nd 2008 1:43AM]

#8822825

[Tangarie @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:40PM]

I think it would be really cool to have one of these phones.. with the lattest technology you can practically do anything with a touch of a button.

[Leo @ Feb 11th 2008 12:17AM]

事情的爭辯的重點常常被曲解!
如果一樣可以傳輸，速度相差無幾，你要有線還是無線的?
這樣問題不是很明白了嗎?!