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Buying iPad 2 with no computer question

V

Vikinguy

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 19, 2007
407
12
Hi guys..I feel like this is a silly question since I've already bought and sold an iPad 2 and have an iPhone 4.

Anyway..my mom's computer died today...won't even power up. I suggest she just go buy an iPad 2 and a docking keyboard. She only needs it for banging out occasional emails and surfing the web.

My question is...I can't recall if my iPad was functional out of the box...will it work OK between now and IOS5 when it can be updated over the air? Or do I need to sync it up and with my macbook?

Also I doubt she has an itunes account..can she set one up on her iPad out of the box?

Thanks so much for any replies.
 
Not sure about creating a new iTunes account, but as long as she's got wifi, should be OK. My refurb was functional out of the box, but I couldn't add any apps etc. without a computer as my wireless router hadn't arrived yet.
 
Vikinguy said:
My question is...I can't recall if my iPad was functional out of the box...will it work OK between now and IOS5 when it can be updated over the air? Or do I need to sync it up and with my macbook?

Also I doubt she has an itunes account..can she set one up on her iPad out of the box?
Click to expand...

My suggestion would be to buy it at an Apple store and ask the employees to activate it there. When I was buying mine they were setting up new ones for the buyers right on the spot with Apple accounts and everything.
 
Vikinguy said:
Hi guys..I feel like this is a silly question since I've already bought and sold an iPad 2 and have an iPhone 4.

Anyway..my mom's computer died today...won't even power up. I suggest she just go buy an iPad 2 and a docking keyboard. She only needs it for banging out occasional emails and surfing the web.

My question is...I can't recall if my iPad was functional out of the box...will it work OK between now and IOS5 when it can be updated over the air? Or do I need to sync it up and with my macbook?

Also I doubt she has an itunes account..can she set one up on her iPad out of the box?

Thanks so much for any replies.
Click to expand...

I think you will need to set it up at an Apple store, to activate it. They can also help you set up an itunes account at that time, or you can set it up from home. It will work fine until IOS5, however, we do not know if the update to IOS5 will be available over the air. Syncing it to your macbook, might not be a bad idea, incase something goes wrong with the ipad, and she needs to get it replaced.
Good luck
 
fertilized-egg said:
My suggestion would be to buy it at an Apple store and ask the employees to activate it there. When I was buying mine they were setting up new ones for the buyers right on the spot with Apple accounts and everything.
Click to expand...

yeah I asked to set it up in store as well so I dont have to go home to my pc to do that. They will gladly do it.
 
She is going to purchase at Best Buy to take advantage of no interest financing. I suppose she could just take it to an apple store..no?
 
bri1212 said:
I think you will need to set it up at an Apple store, to activate it. They can also help you set up an itunes account at that time, or you can set it up from home. It will work fine until IOS5, however, we do not know if the update to IOS5 will be available over the air. Syncing it to your macbook, might not be a bad idea, incase something goes wrong with the ipad, and she needs to get it replaced.
Good luck
Click to expand...

iOS4 does not have an update over the air capability so the initial upgrade to iOS5 would be a usual wired update.

If you don't need to buy straight away and can wait until iOS 5 is released the activation and updates will not require any computer connection.
 
As others have mentioned, it will need to be connected to a computer with iTunes at least twice. Once to activate it and set up an Apple ID, and then for the iOS 5 update. You can do it at the Apple store if need be.
 
I called best buy and they said they would activate and assist her with the itunes account. I reckon I can just take it into an apple store in September. Thanks for the replies guys..I'll post tomorrow how it went...she tends to get frustrated by technology...i figured the ipad was the perfect tool for her.
 
Looks like you have everything figured out...make sure she knows not to buy any Best Buy extended warranties, monster cables etc.!
 
We did this for my friend - I set her up an iTunes account on my computer, and I do her updates for her. Only have to do it every few months. She'll be able to update it herself once 5 comes out.
 
In order to set her up an itunes account on my computer do i just need to sign out of itunes and register her? Im about to go over there as best buy wouldn't do it because they coudln't take her credit cart info....:mad:
 
the iOS 5 revision update will NOT be OTA, however all subsequent POINT updates (5.1, 5.2...) will be available OTA
 
Alright...she's all set. I simply signed out of itunes...created her a new account..sync'd the new iPad to her account...then in September I'll downloard the new OS to her iPad and she'll be good to go. Thanks for the replies guys. :)
 
Good to hear that it went successfully. Hope your mom is enjoying her iPad. Is she having any difficulty using it?
 
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