Dilemma

[dingster1]

Hey guys!

I'm getting my 86 year old mom(she's in full use of her faculties) a refurb'd iPad1. She misses her old webtv and wants to be on the internet. Now I already have an iPad1. Here is where I need help. As I will be the guru for this and she lives 3 hours away, should I make here a NEW iTunes account to sync or just use mine? She doesn't have access to a PC in the nursing home where she is, so I'm it. I will activate Find My iPad for her. She likes gospel music and I have all the pictures, and music on mine. So...? I'm leaning towards just keeping one iTunes account. You thoughts and thanks

 

[Don Kosak]

Well, there aren't a whole lot of reasons ~not~ to setup a second iTunes account for her. You can authorize your computer for that account as well as your own iTunes account.

You can sync the iPad with both accounts, although it's a little more work to get all of your content arranged. I doubt you will be sharing playlists or music as your tastes are different.

She'll have WiFi access, right? You might want to put one of the good cloud photo apps as her main photo app. (MobileMe Gallery, or the like.) That way you can collect family photos and share them via the web -- rather than having to re-sync the iPad to get photos across.

 

[dingster1]

I forgot to mention its wifi+3g (going to add to my Verizon plan).

Thanks Don

 

[Capt T]

The 3G iPad 1 is only AT&T. The Verizon ones had a Mifi you would get with it.

The only thing about it being on your account is when she wants to purchase something. If that isn't a big deal then it may be easier for you to just have one account.

 

[Ecoh]

I have set up my 84 yo father with his own iPad. It is easier with 2 accounts. You can sync each one on your computer and not have to worry about putting apps or music or whatever on one iPad that is not wanted on the other. I think an iPad is really more of a personal device and everyone customizes it for their own personality, so 2 accounts helps keep things sorted.

You can supply her with iTunes gift cards to make purchases.

The cloud for photos is a great idea.

My father uses his iPad so much, he will not let it out of his hands long enough for me to update it, so he is about 2 versions behind in the OS.

 

[Night Spring]

I have set up my 84 yo father with his own iPad. It is easier with 2 accounts. You can sync each one on your computer and not have to worry about putting apps or music or whatever on one iPad that is not wanted on the other. I think an iPad is really more of a personal device and everyone customizes it for their own personality, so 2 accounts helps keep things sorted.

2 accounts only help keep things separate if each user has their own computer. OP has indicated his mom doesn't have a computer and he intends to sync her iPad with his computer. In such a case, I don't really see any advantage to having 2 accounts. Only point for having 2 accounts I can see is if each person wants to be responsible for buying their own apps/media. But if OP is going to be assuming the financial responsibility for that, then I see absolutely no point in his mom having her own account.

 

[L0ADING]

somewhat off topic but if you have two different accounts can you share apps or no? my girlfriend has an iphone 4 and she bought me an ipad 2 for our anniversary and i want to make my own itunes account for when i get an iphone (waiting for 5) and so im just wondering if i made and account and bought apps would she be able to use them on her phone?

 

[Janet1]

I have my mom on my account and my nephew as well, along with my neices ipod touches. They all sync to my account.

However you can authorize your itunes account on up to 5 computers, so I authorized their computers for my itunes account as well.

My mom's in her 70s, lives in Florida, over a 1,000 miles from me, so I can't really "guru" but this way I can monitor the account and any purchases and can question anything that looks strange or unusual, and just recently there have been a few of those.

I also took off safari and put a browser with parental controls on it for her, and monitor her internet activity. I also set up an email account for her and have access to it as well. All of which she knows and agreed to.

 

[Night Spring]

somewhat off topic but if you have two different accounts can you share apps or no? my girlfriend has an iphone 4 and she bought me an ipad 2 for our anniversary and i want to make my own itunes account for when i get an iphone (waiting for 5) and so im just wondering if i made and account and bought apps would she be able to use them on her phone?

She can, but you'll need to give her your iTunes account password. Or the two of you need to be syncing from the same computer, that is authorized with both accounts.

 

[dingster1]

Well the iPad came in and its charging now. I think I'm just gonna go with the one account. We actually have the same taste in music for the most part. I'll put some pics on it for her and send it off tomorrow or Monday to her.