iPad: Multiple Devices on one account?

[AgRacer]

Is the only good way to manage music/video/books on multiple iPods/iPad off one PC and one iTunes account to do it manually?

Unless I'm just missing something, it seems like it's pretty much impossible to do it automatically. If I tell iTunes to auto sync then iTunes will sync EVERYTHING in iTunes (or whatever is "checked") with whatever device is plugged in at the time. So if my wife plugs in her iPad, she'll get all my son's music, which she definetely does not want.

About the only way around this - sort of - is to set up a play list for each device (like Son#1 iPod, Son #2 iPod, Wife iPad) and drag/drop musit into that play list, then drag/drop that play list manually onto the specific device.

For books/video/aps it's all manual drag/drop.

Since my kids are still kids I'm not at the point where I want them having their own iTunes account and e-mail.

[ChristianJapan]

The play lists actually working pretty ok for this use case. Once defined you assign the list to one or more device and sync.

When you buy a new song and assign it to a list it get synced next time.

This way I handle the songs for the iPod my wife is using and my iPod and iPads.

Keep in mid that you can't transfer purchase items from one account to another. Maybe you should create an account for your kids but keep control until they are old enough.

[turbotoes]

Once you've set up what you want on each device, then iTunes remembers those settings. I've got 2 nanos, a touch, an iPhone, and three iPads set up on one account and they all hold different apps, music etc.

[zhenya]

It may seem difficult at first, but it's the way to go in the long run. Otherwise you are going to have to manage different user accounts in iTunes or in your OS to keep libraries separate, and purchases can't be transferred across accounts. With one account, everyone can share everything and you just need to manage subsets of your entire content library to each device. Once you have it set up it's easy to manage.

[Night Spring]

Originally Posted by AgRacer

About the only way around this - sort of - is to set up a play list for each device (like Son#1 iPod, Son #2 iPod, Wife iPad) and drag/drop musit into that play list, then drag/drop that play list manually onto the specific device.

For books/video/aps it's all manual drag/drop.

You don't drag and drop the playlists. You check "sync selected playlists," and then check the playlists you want synced. This also works for videos. I haven't tried this with books. Hmmm, perhaps I should try later. Apps are annoying, since there isn't a "playlist" function for them, but as other posters have said, once you set up each device with the particular apps you want them to have, then iTunes remembers the settings. Just make sure to uncheck "automatically sync new apps."

[mantan]

Originally Posted by Night Spring

You don't drag and drop the playlists. You check "sync selected playlists," and then check the playlists you want synced. This also works for videos. I haven't tried this with books. Hmmm, perhaps I should try later. Apps are annoying, since there isn't a "playlist" function for them, but as other posters have said, once you set up each device with the particular apps you want them to have, then iTunes remembers the settings. Just make sure to uncheck "automatically sync new apps."

A playlist for Apps would be great. This is one area where the usability iTunes could really be improved. With more and more families having multiple devices and even family members having multiple devices - it's still a bit clunky to set up what you want on each device, which things you want to share etc....

[Night Spring]

Originally Posted by mantan

A playlist for Apps would be great. This is one area where the usability iTunes could really be improved. With more and more families having multiple devices and even family members having multiple devices - it's still a bit clunky to set up what you want on each device, which things you want to share etc....

It really is clunky, isn't it? Those little boxes you have to scroll through to check/uncheck things are really annoying. It seems like the people designing that interface imagined use cases with only about a dozen or so movies, apps, books, tv shows etc, when I quickly amassed apps and books in the hundreds, and my collection of movies and tv shows are also increasing at an alarming rate.