Question about Itunes account

[mrudman]

I'm a little clueless on how the itunes accounts work if you have multiple devices synced to the same computer.

My older dd is going to be getting a Touch for her birthday next month.. I already have a Touch that is linked to my bank account for any purchases I make (although will be switching that over shortly to a gift card instead cause I feel uncomfortable having it linked to bank).

But when we set up dd's for her, is it possible for her Touch to be "separated" from mine, but still under the same itunes account, so that we can share the programs either of us buys. But to have it so that she does not have access to my gift card/bank acct, and only to a gift card I would buy for her?

Thanks for any help!

 

[got2sammies]

Hi..
Please note I am not an expert but I will share with what I know
You can have multiply devices to one Itunes account..when you sync her ipod make sure to name it as hers. Then you can sync all the apps you have already downloaded and music you have in your library (we have three devices linked to one itunes account). All of your devices will be listed.
As far as payment goes I am not sure if you can one device set up to your bank and another to a card. I have always bought a card and applied to my account. Each device (after it syncs) shows the balance in the itunes account. Dont be too worried about DD buying all kinds of stuff AS LONG AS DD dos not know your itunes password (great parental control). The app/music wont download without.

 

[mrudman]

Thanks for the reply,

Guess my concern is, I'd like her to be able to make her own purchases when she wants to (part of learning to be responsible for her own money), and would like to get her a gift card to be able to do that.. but would like that gift card to be hers alone, and not shared with my account. Not sure if that makes any sense... I know not to let her know my password, but will it be the same password for her acct then, thus blocking her from being able to buy anything on her own?

 

[zoemurr]

but yes, that's how ours is set up. We all use the same password and are woking off the same GC. Maybe just tell her she has $20 and she needs to keep track?

 

[vicki_c]

If you want to share apps/music (without using the Home Sharing thing - I really don't know how that works, we don't use it) - you need to have one account on the iTunes store. That account can only be linked with one payment method at a time, and one password.

 

[Irin997]

Thanks for the reply,

Guess my concern is, I'd like her to be able to make her own purchases when she wants to (part of learning to be responsible for her own money), and would like to get her a gift card to be able to do that.. but would like that gift card to be hers alone, and not shared with my account. Not sure if that makes any sense... I know not to let her know my password, but will it be the same password for her acct then, thus blocking her from being able to buy anything on her own?

If this is what you want then she will need her own Apple ID - BUT you will not be able to share apps, music, etc unless you turn on Home Sharing. Even then you will need to know each others ID's and passwords if the app needs updating.

 

[mrudman]

If this is what you want then she will need her own Apple ID - BUT you will not be able to share apps, music, etc unless you turn on Home Sharing. Even then you will need to know each others ID's and passwords if the app needs updating.

Hmm, ok.. I'll have to look into that Home Sharing and see if it would be worth it to use that, thanks!

Come to think of it, I wonder how ICloud works.. since we'll both have the newest version.. wonder if I set us up with separate Apple ID's, would I be able to send an app up to my "cloud", and have her download it from there... assuming she would have to know my acct info, but wonder if that would be possible.

 

[Irin997]

Hmm, ok.. I'll have to look into that Home Sharing and see if it would be worth it to use that, thanks!

Come to think of it, I wonder how ICloud works.. since we'll both have the newest version.. wonder if I set us up with separate Apple ID's, would I be able to send an app up to my "cloud", and have her download it from there... assuming she would have to know my acct info, but wonder if that would be possible.

From my playing with my iPhone 4 w/ iOS 5, you cannot access other people's clouds. I may be wrong here, but basically the iCloud is just a way to backup your device as well as sync multiple devices you may have. IF you use the same Apple ID on each device, they will sync. But you don't want her calendars, contacts, etc on your device. The purpose of iCloud is this: let's say you own an iPhone, an iPad, and a Mac computer. This allows your contact, calendars, documents, and apps to be on all devices without having to connect. Make sense?

 

[mrudman]

From my playing with my iPhone 4 w/ iOS 5, you cannot access other people's clouds. I may be wrong here, but basically the iCloud is just a way to backup your device as well as sync multiple devices you may have. IF you use the same Apple ID on each device, they will sync. But you don't want her calendars, contacts, etc on your device. The purpose of iCloud is this: let's say you own an iPhone, an iPad, and a Mac computer. This allows your contact, calendars, documents, and apps to be on all devices without having to connect. Make sense?

Thanks for the input!! I was pretty sure it was going to be that you couldn't share "clouds", but was hoping you could, But I guess if Apple made it so that you could, then what would be to stop everyone from sharing every app, makes sense.

Didn't even think about the contacts/calendars/etc part of it.. so by having a shared Itunes acct, I would be syncing with her calendars, etc? Wouldn't want to do that.. so maybe separate accts. would be the best way to go. It's a shame though that any apps I've bought though would not be able to be given to her then.

 

[Irin997]

Thanks for the input!! I was pretty sure it was going to be that you couldn't share "clouds", but was hoping you could, But I guess if Apple made it so that you could, then what would be to stop everyone from sharing every app, makes sense.

Didn't even think about the contacts/calendars/etc part of it.. so by having a shared Itunes acct, I would be syncing with her calendars, etc? Wouldn't want to do that.. so maybe separate accts. would be the best way to go. It's a shame though that any apps I've bought though would not be able to be given to her then.

Actually, you can share an iTunes account/Apple ID for purchases but each have separate Apple ID's for iCloud to avoid syncing contacts, etc. My husband and I share an iTunes Apple ID but we each have our own iCloud ID's for syncing and backing up.

 

[Order66]

Yes, my 2 kids have their own Itunes accounts. They get gift cards and can buy whatever they want. I also have their ipods sync'd to my library so we can share what I have....but I put it on for them and they don't have my password, so that they cannot make purchases on my account with my CC. My kids do have their own computers so they do have their own libraries as well.

To have an apple ID you will have to enter your child as at least 13. That's the minimum age to have an account.

regards