Gag! Apps from iPhone onto laptop

[GoingforGoingforGOLD]

im trying to update the operating system on my iPhone. But my aps ate on the phone not my computer and it says I'll lose them if I proceed without transferring them
That's all well and good but how the buggery bollocks do I get them and my podcasta from my phone onto the laptop

It's not obvious

Shameful typos

When you plug your phone in to your computer, it appears on the left hand side menu in iTunes. Right click on the phone's name and choose 'transfer purchases'. The stuff you've bought on your phone will then be copied onto your computer. It's a good idea to also do a backup, as this should save all your settings.

thanks rustybear, i figured that bit out, saved my apps as it told me to, did the shizzle with the updates and now.....i think i've lost all my contacts, photos, notes, messages, calander. why didn't it tell me to back those up too? with hindsight i should've known, but if it told me to save apps, why didn;t it warn me? or will they be stored somewhere in itunes? i can't find them the bloody apps are replaceable, my pictures aren't

I think that the backup saves your calendar messages and contacts, possibly the notes, but not the photos. Depending on which version you had before the update - did you have iCloud and Photostream? If so, you might find your latest photos at least on there?