Dumb Question from a Newbie

[wvkawboy]

I recently got the new Ipad 3 64gb 4g as my first Apple purchase & really love it, now my wife is soon to get an Ipad 2 32gb Wifi model. Mine was purchased at an Apple store a few hours away & was setup in the store by an employee. I haven't even installed Itunes on my computer yet but have only downloaded free apps directly on my Ipad so far. When my wife gets her Ipad 2 either at a local store or online, can she & I share or access the same Itunes account so if I "buy" an app for my Ipad 3, she can also install it on hers & vice-versa or would she have to also "buy" the app too to get it on her Ipad 2? Sorry for the dumb question, I am an Apple seedling... LOL.

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[KevinJS]

If both iPads share the same AppleID, you will only need to buy the apps once. In all other cases, you will have to buy them for each iPad.

[KevinJS]

There are various methods for using software such as FaceTime as though the iPads were independent of each other, so don't worry about receiving each others emails and calls. We can work through those issues later on.

You don't actually need iTunes on a computer to run iPads since iOs5 was released, but it is useful. If you decide to use iTunes let us know, so that we can help you set up without losing anything.

[wvkawboy]

Thanks for your reply, Kevin, I really appreciate it. That would be great if we can share the same Apple ID but she has her e-mail account on her Ipad2 & I have mine on my Ipad3. We will be putting itunes on our home computer as I have tons of music saved & am wanting to load it on my Ipad and even though she likes a lot of my songs, she doesn't like ALL of them. But if she can be able to load just the songs she likes from my collection plus we can only purchase Apps the one time between the two of us & we both can pick & choose exactly which apps from what we've bought together that we individually want to install, that would be great. I probably will have a lot of questions when I get to that point of actually installing itunes & doing what I plan. Thanks again for your help.

[KevinJS]

Thanks for your reply, Kevin, I really appreciate it. That would be great if we can share the same Apple ID but she has her e-mail account on her Ipad2 & I have mine on my Ipad3. We will be putting itunes on our home computer as I have tons of music saved & am wanting to load it on my Ipad and even though she likes a lot of my songs, she doesn't like ALL of them. But if she can be able to load just the songs she likes from my collection plus we can only purchase Apps the one time between the two of us & we both can pick & choose exactly which apps from what we've bought together that we individually want to install, that would be great. I probably will have a lot of questions when I get to that point of actually installing itunes & doing what I plan. Thanks again for your help.

No problem. You can share the same ID without it affecting your email. My sons iPod is set up with my ID, and his email account/FaceTime settings etc. The email address used as your ID is simply to identify you to Apple, so it can be used on any iDevices you own (up to 5, I believe). There are settings on the iPad to ensure that your emails go only where you want them to.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

[wvkawboy]

That sounds great, Kevin, thanks again. I also plan to get the iPodTouch5 if & when it ever comes out possibly this Fall so I would like to put "some" of the same apps on that too.

[paulvalerio]

I actually had this same question, but figured it out. My father has an iPad 2 and I purchased the iPad 3 but wanted to share apps. I do have iTunes downloaded on my computer, but don't use it that often. Anyways all I do when I want to purchase and share apps is log into his I.D. On my iPad and buy the app, when it's finished downloading, I log out of his I.D. And back into mine. I set the I.D. Up on my iPad as my own, email, game center, etc. The only affected thing is updating the apps and rating them, you have to log back into the I.D. Used to purchase the apps to rate and update. Now this usually puts the apps I purchased on his iPad as well but if he doesn't want them he simply deletes off his iPad. I am kinda worried about what will happen when I set up my own iTunes account on my computer and quit using his on his computer.

[KevinJS]

You will have to authorize your computer using your father's Apple ID, otherwise you will have to buy all of the apps again. App purchases are tied to a particular ID, not to a particular computer. Just make sure you are in control of syncing. You can't afford to have anything happening automatically.

[paulvalerio]

I think I authorized ot, how do I do that? How do I make sure I am in control of syncing?

[KevinJS]

In iTunes, go to Store/Authorize This Computer... Then follow onscreen prompts, making sure you enter the Apple ID exactly.

Control syncing by making sure nothing is happening automatically. Go to Edit/Preferences/Devices and check the box "Prevent iPod, iPhones and iPads from syncing automatically.

You should then be able to add content to either iPad from either computer without losing anything.