PUTTING A COPY OF your contacts file—also known as your computer’s address book—on your iPod is easy with the help of iTunes. (iPod Touch owners using iCloud to sync contacts and calendars [Set Up an iCloud Account] can skip to Track Time: The iPod as Stopwatch.)

Windows users need to store their contacts in Outlook Express, Outlook 2003 or later, Windows Contacts, or the Windows Address Book (used by Outlook Express and some other email programs).

Mac folks need to have at least Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) and the Mac OS X Address Book (shown below), which Apple’s Mail program uses to stash names and numbers. You can also use Entourage 2004 or later and Outlook 2011, but you have to link before you sync: In the mail program, choose Preferences, and then click Sync Services. Turn on the checkboxes for sharing contacts and calendars with Address Book and iCal (Apple’s calendar program) to have the shared info synced up with Address Book and iCal.