Syncing Question - iTunes

[wigsajumper]

Have a question about iTunes and the iPad2

I have a work laptop and a home computer both have iTunes installed on them and they are authorized (same account).

Here is the question. I need to add a few pdf/ebooks to ibooks if I sync using my work laptop will all of the podcasts and songs that are on the iPad2 get erased?

Currently at work and I don't get home until tomorrow and there is stuff on the iPad that I need for work (trying to reduce how much I carry around for reference material).

Thanks for your help.

update - did some more reading and was able to add video files to VLC (via sync) and PDFs to iBooks (via dropbox)

 

[twerppoet]

Trying to sync with two computers isn't a good idea.

Instead try mailing the documents to yourself. When they show up on the iPad tap on them and wait for it to finish downloading. Once it does tap and hold for a list of compatible apps. iBooks should show up for pdf and ePub files.

For the future you might want to look into DropBox as well. By using it you can copy files to the web and then download them on your iPad.

GoodReader is also a great app, and has a multitude of ways to get your files on and off the iPad. If your iPad can join you work network, you can have GoodReader act as a website and use your work computers web browser to transfer files. There is another app called GoodReader USB that you can load on a computer to move files on and off the iPad.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of solutions you can use that will avoid the complications of using two computers to sync the iPad.

 

[wigsajumper]

twerppoet,

Thanks for the heads up.

GoodReader website is blocked from work network. So is the Dropbox website but the dropbox app on the laptop and the iPad work great.

I have been using Dropbox for a while now and it works great. Just wish that the iPad didn't have to recognize the format in order to allow a program to open a file.

I was able to use iTunes on the laptop to move the video files onto VLC on iPad without having to actually Sync the iPad. This worked out great because at work I have a ton of Seminars for my job that I watch at night but they are not in the format that is compatible for iTunes.

Thanks again

 

[twerppoet]

If you set up GoodReader to access your DropBox account you can download files whether they are recognized or not. What you can do with them then? Depends on what other apps you've got loaded. Use the Open In... button in the Manage Files section to access compatible apps.

You set up the DropBox under the Connect to Servers section.

GoodReader is in the App Store. You don't need to go to their site, but it's worth visiting when you can, just to read some of the instructions.

GoodReaderUSB is actually made pay Softpedia. Download GoodReaderUSB 2.0.0 Free - Desktop client for GoodReader - Softpedia

I'm glad you worked it out. I didn't know that the File Sharing part of iTunes would work without paring the iPad with the computer first. Thanks for letting me know. I can recommend that in the future.