Getting mp3s and such onto the ipad

Hi,

With the great new iCloud and the fact you dont need to sync to iTunes anymore do you still need iTunes at all?

I have a CD I just bought and ripped to MP3 so my wife can listen on the iPad (That she doesn't get until Xmas)

Yes, you still need iTunes on a computer to sync to if you want to move music you didn't buy from iTunes onto an iDevice.

If this is your wife's first iDevice, I would recommend that you set her up with her own iTunes account. I would also suggest her iPad sync to HER computer (I'm assuming she has one). You can copy the MP3 files over to her machine using a thumb drive or some such and then sync them to her machine.

Personally (and this may be too late), I'd leave the new iPad pristine in the box until Xmas and then you and her have the discussion about whether you want to share an iTunes account or have separate ones, etc. and then let her set up the machine the way she wants it. I know there's a temptation to play with it and add apps, etc first but really I have found through experience that people really appreciate having such a personal gift pristine at first and going through the process themselves.

Hi Chas,

Thanks for the info. Its a shame we all have to be locked into iTunes. I mean why? I personally don't need half of what it offers and now with backing stuff up to the free iCloud its, well, I feel like its forced on you and I hate that.

Before years ago I had an iPhone and 'HAD' to have iTunes to back my iPhone up too. When you consider there's no reason why you couldn't just drag and drop the contest of your iPhone via USB onto your hard drive, I mean to a computer plugging a phone is no different than camera or a humble USB stick.

So the only conclusion to draw is Apple forbid you from doing this. Why?

Only reason I can think of is the fact it makes it very easy and tempting to stumble onto the iTunes store and start buying. All the wrong reasons for me. Sorry to rant on but things like this get my back up.

Yeah, I hear you re letting her set things up herself. Good point. Its not too late and I think il follow your advice.

Thanks again for the reply.

While the idea that you might buy stuff is certainly one factor, I think another is consistency and ease of use. Having multiple ways to load an iPad is just going to be inconsistent, not to mention that if you're not going to use a computer then ... what? Add a disc drive to the iPad? Not likely ...

Apple's system means you either use iTunes on a Mac or PC to move music onto the iPad, or you buy your music from the iTunes store and "cut the cord" completely. Both of these seem very reasonable to me, since nobody's forcing you to buy anything ... except your lack of willpower ...