OT: iPad question

[Cygnus64]

We were told at the Apple store (by a salesgirl who knew next to nothing) that we couldn't hook up our iPad2 to my computer, which is used for i-Tunes for my iPod. Is there any truth to that. The girl said it would "wipe out" the iPad. True? False?

[Joe Muscara]

Huh? That makes little sense to me. The only time a computer might "wipe out" an iOS device is if you try to sync it with a different computer and not have the same stuff on it. But that wouldn't harm the iPad, just remove the apps and media at worst. You could then resync later, I believe.

 

[Apple people are usually very well-trained, so her comments are surprising.]

[Cygnus64]

Huh? That makes little sense to me. The only time a computer might "wipe out" an iOS device is if you try to sync it with a different computer and not have the same stuff on it. But that wouldn't harm the iPad, just remove the apps and media at worst. You could then resync later, I believe.

 

[Apple people are usually very well-trained, so her comments are surprising.]

 

Well, in a sense isn't that what we are doing? Will i-tunes fire up automatically on my computer if I hook up the iPad?

[Mark Zeger]

That seems false. When I connect my iPad to the computer I use with iTunes, I sync the music library only with my iPod. If I don't, I would end up with a duplicate library on the iPad. The sync doesn't "wipe out" the iPad.

[J. Dan]

When my iPad was brand new out of the box, you couldn't do a thing with it until you hooked it up to a computer with iTunes. Then it synced and was ready to go.

[Cygnus64]

When my iPad was brand new out of the box, you couldn't do a thing with it until you hooked it up to a computer with iTunes. Then it synced and was ready to go.

 

This one has never been hooked up to a computer. It was opened in the store, they activated i-Tunes from the i-Pad (my gal lost her ID or something). You don't need to charge it with USB.

[J. Dan]

OK, I just plugged my iPad into my computer to see what it does (couldn't remember). It simultaneously opens the windows thing that asks you if you want to sync files, open a folder to view files, etc. and iTunes. iTunes automatically starts syncing stuff, telling you there's an OS update available, etc. But you have to log in with your username and password first. I suppose if you didn't log in it wouldn't do anything. Plus, the sync seems to be two way - it told me there were items on my iPad that were not in my iTunes library and told me I should sync them before doing the OS update to the iPad. So I don't think you would lose the stuff on the iPad, but I think the account on iTunes on the computer needs to match the account you use on the iPad. Just my take...I'm a PC guy.

[J. Dan]

Thinking about it more....

 

If the iPad had one iTunes account, and you plugged into a computer with a different iTunes account, and there were purchased items that were not authorized on the other iTunes account, I supposed it's possible it wouldn't sync them. So then I don't know if that means they would be wiped out, or if you'd have to connect to the other iTunes account to be safe.

 

Either way, the best think I think would be to login using the iTunes account that exists on the iPad. I think you can have multiple accounts on one computer, but I've never done it. I'm sure there are others on here who can answer that question.

[Phil Aiken]

The computer will "ask" you if you wish to sync the iPad to it, assuming it was set up by another computer. It even does that on the same computer if you are using a different partition than the one it usually syncs to. I think something got lost in the translation somewhere, and she mispoke.

[Bridog6996]

Good to see that Apple is keeping things "nice and simple"

 

So glad I never have to deal with iTunes.

[therealvicz]

ITunes will quite happily manage as many IOS devices as you like. I currently have three ipods, an iphone and an ipad sync'd to mine and they all work fine. For each device you can make your own decisions about what and when to sync or you can leave it to default. I set my music up by playlists because I don't want all my music on the iPhone or all my contacts etc on my ipod, this is just a matter of ticking a few boxes the first time you do it. ITunes backs up and can restore each device separately and manages software updates for each automatically as they come along. ITunes lets you authorise up to 5 ITunes devices (computers) to play purchased music, and you can authorise/deauthorise computers as you wish. You can choose whether to automatically sync on connect and whether to automatically start iTunes when you connect your USB. I think that just about covers it.

[Cygnus64]

If the iPad had one iTunes account, and you plugged into a computer with a different iTunes account, and there were purchased items that were not authorized on the other iTunes account, I supposed it's possible it wouldn't sync them. So then I don't know if that means they would be wiped out, or if you'd have to connect to the other iTunes account to be safe.

 

This is one of the things I want to do: put my purchased iTunes on the iPad, in addition to the iPod. There's other ways to do it of course, that would be the simplest way. At this point I'll probably just hook up the iPad to the other computer.

[therealvicz]

Still confused about what you want to do. If you want to copy purchased music off your ipad into a different computers ITunes, it will warn you before wiping your ipad music. If you want to keep it you need something like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senuti

[Cygnus64]

Still confused about what you want to do.

It's what I don't want to do, which is to do something stupid and destructive.

 

I have my desktop downstairs, where I sync/update/charge my iPod. I would like to use the same desktop to update the Pad and put tunes on it. My gal is somewhat of a luddite and won't get the whole update/sync thing unless I do it, it would be easier to do it on my desktop than hers. For some stupid reason, the Apple store activated her ITunes account at the store.

[linwood]

I got the " An Evening with Dave Grusin" app today.( $9.99) It a great companion for the DVD or CD. just sayin'

[Cygnus64]

I got the " An Evening with Dave Grusin" app today.( $9.99) It a great companion for the DVD or CD. just sayin'

 

Wow, that looks really cool. I've only scratched the surface of the app world. I've been downloading classic books and short stories, I figure that will help me more in life than watching my usual fare of Chucky and Ghostbusters.

[therealvicz]

Still confused about what you want to do.

It's what I don't want to do, which is to do something stupid and destructive.

 

I have my desktop downstairs, where I sync/update/charge my iPod. I would like to use the same desktop to update the Pad and put tunes on it. My gal is somewhat of a luddite and won't get the whole update/sync thing unless I do it, it would be easier to do it on my desktop than hers. For some stupid reason, the Apple store activated her ITunes account at the store.

 

Then as per my original reply, just plug it in and you will be fine.

[Cygnus64]

Still confused about what you want to do.

It's what I don't want to do, which is to do something stupid and destructive.

 

I have my desktop downstairs, where I sync/update/charge my iPod. I would like to use the same desktop to update the Pad and put tunes on it. My gal is somewhat of a luddite and won't get the whole update/sync thing unless I do it, it would be easier to do it on my desktop than hers. For some stupid reason, the Apple store activated her ITunes account at the store.

 

Then as per my original reply, just plug it in and you will be fine.

 

Thanks. We'll try it today, I'll let you know how it turns out.

[NoahZark]

ITunes will quite happily manage as many IOS devices as you like. I currently have three ipods, an iphone and an ipad sync'd to mine and they all work fine. For each device you can make your own decisions about what and when to sync or you can leave it to default. I set my music up by playlists because I don't want all my music on the iPhone or all my contacts etc on my ipod, this is just a matter of ticking a few boxes the first time you do it. ITunes backs up and can restore each device separately and manages software updates for each automatically as they come along.....You can choose whether to automatically sync on connect and whether to automatically start iTunes when you connect your USB.

 

This.^^^^^^^^^

 

Think of it this way, Cygnus: You can sync multiple iOS devices (iPods, iPads, iPhones) to a single iTunes library, but you cannot sync a single iOS device to multiple iTunes libraries.

 

The iPad, iPhone, etc. can only be synced to a single library, and if you try to sync it to a different library, it will give you a warning that it will wipe your device if you continue with the sync.

 

This is intended, presumably, to make it a bit harder for people for illegally copy music, etc. from a machine other than their own, although there are, as one might expect, several relatively simple workarounds to that issue as well.

 

Noah

 

P.S. There's one thing that is wrong in therealvicz original response (and I deleted it from the piece of his response that I quoted above). He mentions that you can only authorize 5 devices to play iTunes downloads, but that limitation relates to the number of COMPUTERS that you can authorize to play stuff you've downloaded (recognizing that people may have multiple computers in their homes and want access to their iTunes purchase on all of them). To my knowledge, however, there is no limitation to the number of iOS devices that you can sync to your iTunes library on your computer. I've had multiple iPods over the years, and I'm currently syncing to my library my wife's iPod, my kids' two iPods, my iPod, and my iPad, and I've never been told that I need to de-authorize any devices in order to be able to sync more of them.

[therealvicz]

P.S. There's one thing that is wrong in therealvicz original response (and I deleted it from the piece of his response that I quoted above). He mentions that you can only authorize 5 devices to play iTunes downloads, but that limitation relates to the number of COMPUTERS that you can authorize to play stuff you've downloaded (recognizing that people may have multiple computers in their homes and want access to their iTunes purchase on all of them). To my knowledge, however, there is no limitation to the number of iOS devices that you can sync to your iTunes library on your computer. I've had multiple iPods over the years, and I'm currently syncing to my library my wife's iPod, my kids' two iPods, my iPod, and my iPad, and I've never been told that I need to de-authorize any devices in order to be able to sync more of them.

 

Yes you are right and I have edited my original post accordingly.

[J. Dan]

Not meaning to hijack, if in fact this is a hijack, but I have a question....

 

I originally set up my iTunes account on my desktop. Through my divorce, I had moved out (and my desktop stayed home) and I started doing more with my work laptop. I got my iPad free from work as a sort of prize at a sales meeting. You HAVE to connect to iTunes to start it up, so I installed iTunes on my work laptop using my EXISTING iTunes account. However, over time, I have bought things on my laptop, plus I have a whole librarly on my desktop. I have ONLY synced the iPad with my laptop. Eventually, I will need to merge these libraries. They are the SAME iTunes account, but different libraries on each computer - how do you merge them?

[RABid]

I'm not really clear about something. Is the account they put on the iPad the same account you use on your iPod or did they create a new account? There are pro's and con's to using a single family account.

 

Pro's - One purchase enables a song or app on all devices. If you buy something directly on the iPad the next time you sync it will upload to your computer and then be available for the other devices.

 

Con's - Divorce or kids growing up, moving away, etc... No way to split the account and purchased items later. If you use one account make sure it is in your name.

 

We have everything on one account. I tunes is great about letting you assign what will manually load on each device, and what will automatically load on each device.

[RABid]

Not meaning to hijack, if in fact this is a hijack, but I have a question....

 

I originally set up my iTunes account on my desktop. Through my divorce, I had moved out (and my desktop stayed home) and I started doing more with my work laptop. I got my iPad free from work as a sort of prize at a sales meeting. You HAVE to connect to iTunes to start it up, so I installed iTunes on my work laptop using my EXISTING iTunes account. However, over time, I have bought things on my laptop, plus I have a whole librarly on my desktop. I have ONLY synced the iPad with my laptop. Eventually, I will need to merge these libraries. They are the SAME iTunes account, but different libraries on each computer - how do you merge them?

 

The easiest way (IMHO) is to use an external HD. Connect it to your desktop and copy the iTunes library to the external HD. Move the drive to your laptop and copy files back to that library. It gets a bit more complicated trying to merge playlists and song ratings. If you just want the songs and apps just copy them. If you cannot find them, open iTunes, right click on an item and look at the info. That will tell you where they are stored.

 

You really should be backing up your purchased items anyway. If you don't have a lot you can write them to CD or DVD.

[kanker.]

Not meaning to hijack, if in fact this is a hijack, but I have a question....

 

I originally set up my iTunes account on my desktop. Through my divorce, I had moved out (and my desktop stayed home) and I started doing more with my work laptop. I got my iPad free from work as a sort of prize at a sales meeting. You HAVE to connect to iTunes to start it up, so I installed iTunes on my work laptop using my EXISTING iTunes account. However, over time, I have bought things on my laptop, plus I have a whole librarly on my desktop. I have ONLY synced the iPad with my laptop. Eventually, I will need to merge these libraries. They are the SAME iTunes account, but different libraries on each computer - how do you merge them?

 

The easiest way (IMHO) is to use an external HD. Connect it to your desktop and copy the iTunes library to the external HD. Move the drive to your laptop and copy files back to that library. It gets a bit more complicated trying to merge playlists and song ratings. If you just want the songs and apps just copy them. If you cannot find them, open iTunes, right click on an item and look at the info. That will tell you where they are stored.

 

You really should be backing up your purchased items anyway. If you don't have a lot you can write them to CD or DVD.

Alternately, network the two computers, mount the desktop on the laptop, and drag the stuff from the iTunes folder on the desktop into the actual iTunes program on the laptop. Pretty simple, but do have a backup or 3 lying around.....