iTunes with more than one device
Posted by: Dungassin on 14 April 2012
My new toy is winging its way to me (iPad3). Up to now I have been using my iPhone to control the NDX, but having tried n-Stream on my daughter's iPad1, there is no doubt that the iPad works much better for this purpose! I don't want to have all my iPhone apps, playlists etc installed on the iPad, so how have those of you who already own both gone about having different apps on the iPad / iPhone? I've looked on the Apple help etc, but they all go on about having different playlists rather than what I want to do.
There appear to be various ways of configuring 2 devices separately (I've cut and pasted from an Apple page here). Bear in mind I am using a Windows 7 laptop :
Method One
If you share your computer with other people, you can maintain separate user accounts for each person who uses the computer. This is useful especially if each user has different tastes in music or other media; users can maintain separate, personalized iTunes libraries and can customize their devices' sync settings accordingly.
Mac OS X users:
Learn how to set up additional user accounts.
Windows users:
Look in your computer's Help documentation to learn how to set up additional user accounts. To locate this information:
- Click the Start Menu, and then click Help or Help and Support.
- Enter "new user" in the Search field.
- Press Return.
If you create multiple user accounts on one computer but want the same media to be available in iTunes for all users, see iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer.
Method Two
You may use multiple devices on a computer without the need to create multiple user accounts. To do this, you can set iTunes to update each device with only certain playlists. This method allows you to put all your music on, say, your iPod and keep your iPod shuffle updated with only your workout music. Here's how to do this with iTunes:
- Create new iTunes playlists that contain all the music that you want to sync to each device.
- Learn how to sync your device.
Note: iTunes for Windows does not support syncing multiple iPod devices at the same time.
Method Three
Create a separate iTunes library for each device. Note: It is important that you make a new iTunes Library file. Do not just make a copy of your existing iTunes Library file. If iTunes is open, quit it.
- Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes. Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
- In the dialog that appears, click Create Library.
- Name and save the alternate library file. iTunes opens with your brand new library file.
- Open iTunes Preferences. Choose iTunes > Preferences (Mac) or Edit > Preferences (Windows).
- Click the Advanced tab.
- Deselect the "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" checkbox if it is already selected and click OK. This will prevent iTunes from creating duplicates of your existing media files in the new library folder.
- Add the specific media files you want on your device to iTunes either by dragging them into iTunes or choosing File > Add to Library (Mac) or File > Add File to Library or Add Folder to Library (Windows).
- Once you have the iTunes Library just how you want it, connect and sync your device.
- Once the sync is complete, quit iTunes.
- Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes. Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
- Click Choose library.
- Choose your original iTunes Library and click Choose (Mac Users) or Open (Windows Users). You can now switch back and forth between the different libraries for different devices.
Which of these options would you suggest? I assume method one would also involve setting up a separate Apple ID for the iPad (or am I wrong?)
Right.... but the most annoying thing is that you cannot sync with more than one computer. Worst aspect ever of iTunes and iOS devices.
I guess it's Apple's way of trying to stop easy file sharing? For example, not being able to dump your iPod contents on your mates computer.
Right.... like they cant figure out a way to prevent that 
. That is a weak explanation for why i cannot sync my contacts and calendar in 2 places.
you cant explain this one away.
Right.... but the most annoying thing is that you cannot sync with more than one computer. Worst aspect ever of iTunes and iOS devices.
I guess it's Apple's way of trying to stop easy file sharing? For example, not being able to dump your iPod contents on your mates computer.
Right.... like they cant figure out a way to prevent that . That is a weak explanation for why i cannot sync my contacts and calendar in 2 places.
you cant explain this one away.
My understanding is that Apple's answer is iCloud..... So desktop/laptop isn't needed. And all your devices (either mobile or *top) can select from the full set of stuff you've uploaded. [And if you buy from them then you won't need to do that]
A key dependency to get that really working is deployment of 4G for mobile and fibre comms coverage to a really high percentage of homes/premises.
To be clear - I'm not recommending this in any way, just sharing the story that Apple have started pushing. Since cloud technology is the next Big Thing in computing, Apple's approach is not even very radical - just easier to use (well, maybe not yet). Success for Apple probably doesn't include catering for audiophiles...