14 DAY TRIAL // Today I have ripped 2 CDs for easier use and for listening while I was working. As I was in a real hurry, I used the WMP to copy the content of the audio CDs on my PC which ended up as anyone could guess, in 2 folders containing WMA files. Since I wanted MP3 and had not the time to do extensive searching in softpedia.com's databases, I have looked very briefly and directly for a freeware MP3 converter.
Why freeware? Because of some very simple reasons: first of all, I wanted ALL the resulted WMA files converted in the MP3 format and only the freeware (thus full working) softwares offer this feature from the very beginning; then I was not looking for some certain program to be exquisite-looking or have god knows what special and amazing features: I just needed a software to do my job fast, easy and reliable. I just needed decent MP3 files without too much of a fuss related to them: after all, I had the original CDs at my very hand in front of me, on my desk, so it was not about extreme quality or things like this.
I really did not look much and I downloaded the first software which appealed my sight and which also promised it would do what I needed it to do as I wanted it to do. So I got to install the Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter and set it to work and as I had nothing especially prepared for today's writing it suddenly struck me that I could very well do my work on it. As you can see, I really meant that...
The Looks
The Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter looks really nice, even though I was not searching for a "pretty face": in fact, it is a very neat and orderly design with care for the sober image and having functionality in mind.
A software running in one main window, with no menus and absolutely no futile graphic elements, Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter has impressed my with its (almost shy) simplicity: with a silvery-grey color and no options to alter the GUI, large and highly-readable buttons, Jodix is definitely one conversion tool suitable even for children.
The settings panel is also very simple in both design and information clarity: dropdown menus will help any user get what he/she wants from the present software. Everything is so really simple and so clear that one must really know absolutely nothing about PCs or audio formats to fail in using Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter. There are 3 ?sectors" in Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter: the task list, like an usual playlist which displays the WMA tracks you are about to convert, the Conversion Settings and the operating buttons; all XP-style, but without being too fancy at all.
I will give Jodix a good mark for graphics and GUI-related issues, because I must admit I really loved what I have seen: a very well-balanced ?face" and everything designed with functionality as the first important thing in mind.
The Works
There is really not too much to write down about a software so simple, but I am going to try and describe what's going on inside the Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter once it's been set in motion.
The purpose is at least obvious: turning your WMA files in MP3 ones. What is really nice is that the software, simple as it is, also allows you to set up the parameters for the resulting MP3s, from CBR to VBR ranging between 8 and 320 kbps, samplerate of 32, 44.1 and 48 Khz while channel distribution can be easily set up for mono, joint stereo, stereo or dual channel, technically allowing you to produce MP3 at any quality you could dream of.
What's really nice in the way Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter works is the fact that it is a batch converter: you can drag and drop lots of files in the Task List area. Should you want to convert an entire album, as I needed, this thing comes in even more handy: the program will prompt you for general ID data and then offer to apply the same data to all the tracks you are about to work on, therefore asking you to enter the ID data only once. Cool thing for a freeware software!
After you have all parameters set up the way you want (including the output locations), all you have to do is press ?Start" and Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter will initiate the conversion process while displaying both the in-file and overall progress. Another cool thing is that the batch conversion process can be paused and resumed at any time if it's necessary. The Conversion Settings pane displays handy info on both input and output file, MP3 settings, duration and even size of the resulting track.
The Good
The best things in Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter (besides the freeware attribute, ha-ha) is the fact that it is dead-simple and easy to use and learn program: it looks very sober and very neat, it works fast and produces a good (and when needed - large) amount of results.
The Bad
No bad things about Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter except 2 things which can easily be mended in the next versions: a typo (Stero instead of Stereo) and the way items are deleted from the task list. Should this removal operation be able to be carried out using the Del key things could be even better and faster.
The Truth
Truth is that Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter is one hell of a tool: free, fast, reliable. Lucky me: I really needed such a software in a moment of haste and I found it. I also tested it while in fact working with it. And I saw that it was good.
Catch the snapshots below and get to know more on the Jodix Free WMA to MP3 Converter:
