Activate iPad without computer

[Learjet035]

My Grandmother received an iPad as a gift and cannot activate it.

She plugged it into her 4 year old MacBook pro and it's telling her she needs 10.6
Isn't there a way she can get it going without having update her OS?


It's frustrating that they dont make it work out of the box. Now I have to tell her she has to buy software to update her laptop??
This is why older people don't use this stuff.
Sorry for the rant, I'll take it back if there's a work around.

Thanks

 

[yetanotherdave]

According to apple.com/ipad/specs/

Mac system requirements
Mac computer with USB 2.0 port
Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later
iTunes 9.1 or later (free download from www.itunes.com/download)
iTunes Store account
Internet access

is her iTunes up to date? OR maybe she is still on Tiger?

It's a one time activation, once activated you don't need to plug it in again unless you want to do a restore or update.

 

[adnoh]

Make sure her itunes is up to date.

Also if activation is a pain then get it done in an Apple store. I did that as my MB was in for repair but wanted to start using my ipad straight away.

 

[Learjet035]

I had her check for software updates but she had none.
That would show an itunes update right?
she may be on tiger os but not 100%

She lives hours from an apple store.

How many people are getting iPads this Xmas that are going to be paper weights? I bet a lot.

For tech savvy people all this stuff is no biggie but for others it's a real pain.
I think the pad should "just work" outta the box and if you want to sync you have the option.
So it sounds like I need to order her Snow leopard and then talk her through and upgrade. What a pain.

 

[Piggie]

I had her check for software updates but she had none.
That would show an itunes update right?
she may be on tiger os but not 100%

She lives hours from an apple store.

How many people are getting iPads this Xmas that are going to be paper weights? I bet a lot.

For tech savvy people all this stuff is no biggie but for others it's a real pain.
I think the pad should "just work" outta the box and if you want to sync you have the option.
So it sounds like I need to order her Snow leopard and then talk her through and upgrade. What a pain.

I fully agree with you.

It's very very naughty of Apple to sell a product in this way.
At the very VERY least this should be on the literature in store next to the price tag, and also on the box that the product will not be able to be used without 1st connecting it to a computer running iTunes.

Let's be honest, people would go crazy if other things were sold in this manner, it's just Apple can seem to get away with it.

They need to work on this really and allow it to do it itself when you turn it on and are near a WiFi point.

Allowing you to register and start using the device, but then also saying you should connect to a computer running iTunes at your earliest convenience.

Of course, in an ideal world, and maybe one day it will happen. the iPad will have iTunes running on itself built into the OS at some level. Perhaps when it grows up a bit more this may happen?

 

[MaxBurn]

This is the top reason in my mind why this isn't a computer replacement and never was indented to be from the word go. You must have a computer to get proper functionality of any iOS device, no matter how big it's screen is.

Still any friend or neighbor with a computer including the apple store can get it running. I wonder if the apple store will assist in doing an iOS upgrade? I would assume so...

 

[Consultant]

Gift her the $29 Snow Leopard.

Apple Store activates it for free, so it's not "paper weight."

 

[AppleGoddess]

It's sad, I wish they did it like unlocked droids, through the air updates.