hello and much thanks in advance.
This is my first question on iPad forums. I am buying a new iPad3 for a graduation present for a 16yr old niece. I would like to send it to her with some pre-purchased apps on it.
Can I use my iTunes account and buy some apps and download them directly onto her new iPad ? I am not going to sync the new ipad on my computer - just buy them and download them
directly onto her ipad. The other concern is - is there a simple way for her to be able to retain and keep these pre-purchased apps without losing them when she syncs the new ipad onto
her computer? I've done some online research and it does not seem a very simple process, and I don't think she is that computer savvy. She does not have a mac computer - it's a PC.

Is there some software that makes it easier to keep what has been pre-downloaded on a new iPad?
Also, if I use my iTunes account to buy some apps on the new ipad - will that affect the way she will order apps in the future. I don't want her to use my account to order apps or
have her iPad dedicated to my iTunes account.

thanks again

I would create a new itunes account for her and use a itunes prepaid credit to buy apps on that account. So she gets the ipad with its own account which she can add her own card details to.

Thanks for all the help and yes AQ OC I had thought of that option. I guess it is the best one. And I am going to send her an iTunes gift card. I had just wanted to put some apps on there that she could use as a student (educational ones, as well as a book or two - that she might not purchase herself ). I know she does not have a current iTunes account. Is it not possible for one iPad to have more than one iTunes account?

Someone else mentioned gifting her an app? What exactly do I need to know to Gift her an app in the future ?

Thanks again for all taking interest in my dilemma.

Thanks DefBref. Could you give me a bit more information on how to do that? Is it possible to have two separate iTunes accounts on one iPad? Ideally, I would like to be able to gift her apps or books to her ipad using my account now and in the future. I don't want her to have access to my account, but still want her to be able to set up her own account. thanks

Or the Spam filters got it.

I gifted an app to my Mother once. It sat in her mailbox until I went over, opened mail on her iPad and redeemed it for her.

You could load some of your own apps on to the gift iPad if you register it to yourself as one of your five permitted devices, but after you give it to your niece she won't be able to update them unless you let her have your Apple ID password.

Thanks Grytpype, I was intrigued by your reply to my gifting apps question. You said,
"You could load some of your own apps on to the gift iPad if you register it to yourself as one of your five permitted devices, but after you give it to your niece she won't be able to update them unless you let her have your Apple ID password. "

I didn't realize that I can share an app I bought with someone else. Maybe I can if I register her iPad as one of my 5 permitted devices. I guess that would limit her permitted devices to 4, but that wouldn't be a problem. I was also under the assumption that anything I loaded onto her iPad would be un-synced and lost once she synced her new iPad to her computer. I know there are 3rd party computer programs that download apps from the iPad to one's computer, but I don't think she can manage that.

I was wondering if I could buy some apps and download them directly onto her iPad using my Apple ID and password without syncing to my computer. I'd be just buying the apps when I'm in some WiFi spot.
I'm trying to just give her a few fun games or programs to use when she turns on her iPad. How difficult would I make it for her ( my niece is 16yrs old ) to set up her own ID and password if I buy something on her iPad having previously used my Apple ID and password? From what you are saying, any apps I buy is associated with my Apple ID and cannot be updated unless she has my password. So apparently, the iPad can distinguish one app from another depending on who bought it. But my apps and her apps can both reside on her iPad apparently.

I'm not so concerned if she can update an app or not. But if I can put a few apps/programs on her iPad I would really like to do so. I know I can give her an iTunes gift card, but that is not the same as opening a new iPad and playing with it right off.

thanks again for your thoughts on this

It's possible, because I've done it. There are no security problems.

@ Blurij, I sent you a PM earlier — hope you got it OK.