Family Plan with Multiple Computers

[Small White Car]

Anyone here using the Family Plan with multiple computers?

My wife and I each have our own Mac with our own music libraries. I was looking to see who's done something like this. Do you activate one phone first and then the other on the other computer? Or both on one computer and then re-sync the 2nd one on the 2nd computer?

We don't even have iPhones yet, but these are the kind of things I like to know before buying something. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[sanford]

We kinda sorta of this set-up, except we sync both iPhones on my Mac because my wife doesn't keep up with her calendars and our family contacts too well.

But activation and syncing association or independent of the Mac.

You could activate both your iPhones on the family plan on your your Mac, just because you'll be sitting right there in front of it with both iPhones. You'll do that one at a time. Do the first one, select the family plan you want, let it activate. Then do the second one, *add it* to the *existing* family plan, then let it activate.

Once activated you can sync willy-nilly with any computer you want. Just like an iPod, you have to totally switch the sync authorization to the new Mac or refuse it completely and just charge it there, but this doesn't effect the phone service.

Only "problem" I've noticed is that if you two have duplicated contacts and you've set special ringtones on your iPhones for those people, when those contacts are overwritten in the new sync process, you'll have to set the special ringtones again.

Otherwise, easy like Sunday morning...

Anyone here using the Family Plan with multiple computers?

My wife and I each have our own Mac with our own music libraries. I was looking to see who's done something like this. Do you activate one phone first and then the other on the other computer? Or both on one computer and then re-sync the 2nd one on the 2nd computer?

We don't even have iPhones yet, but these are the kind of things I like to know before buying something. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Small White Car]

Just like an iPod ... but this doesn't effect the phone service.

That's what I needed! We're familiar with the ins and outs of multiple iPod syncing, but I was un-clear how the phone service would be affected. Knowing this makes it all clear.

 

[sanford]

That's what I needed! We're familiar with the ins and outs of multiple iPod syncing, but I was un-clear how the phone service would be affected. Knowing this makes it all clear.

Only cautionary measure: if you do activate both on the same Mac, just wait until your wife's has received the activation signal -- you'll now because you'll be able to unlock it and use it and it will display a message -- before trying to swap it to her computer for syncing. This should take about two minutes but could take longer, especially if you are transferring numbers from another carrier. If it's not activated when you swap it to her Mac, her iTunes will probably want to activate it, which if you don't proceed should do nothing, but just to be safe, wait.