Why iTunes on your PC?

[Solaris]

I am purchasing an iPad tomorrow and was wondering why I keep reading of the need to back up your iTunes account on your PC?

I'm actually thinking of getting rid of our laptop in the house and just going with the iPad. Is it not possible to just manage your iTunes account from the iPad and back everything up through that. Why do you need to bring a PC into the equation?

I'm sorry if I haven't explained myself particularly well but it's a subject that's confusing the heck out of me!

Thanks in advance for any help, and thansk also to many people on previous threads who've managed to answer many of my other questions.

 

[EZ-BAKED]

You will still need the laptop from time to time. You sometimes need to load stuff threw iTunes to apps like PDF readers you will need to load that PDF to the app threw iTunes. I have been able to stay away from the laptop for quite a long time but do need it once in a while.

 

[BrennB]

There is no direct link to iTunes as you know it on PC on the iPad itself. So backup to PC/iTunes will save a lot of heartache should you have to scratch the iPad and restore an OS, update an iOS, replace iOS etc.

 

[Lionroar]

Also, sometimes you HAVE to connect to itunes for something to work. For instance, if you have a 3G model and want to use a wireless carrier, after you insert the sim, you need to sync on itunes to get the carrier software.

Operating system upgrades are also delivered through itunes.

 

[lprmcnit]

Fortunately, I haven't had to deal with a catastrophic failure of my iPad... but I have with other devices, so I'm a firm believer in backing up data. Imagine that you have 1000 tunes that you've purchased from the iTune store...your device fails and you have not backed up your data. With a backup, you would be able to connect the device ( repaired, or replacement device) and restore the backup directly from your pc to the device. I'm not clear on whether or not you can re-download music from iTunes, but even if you could, it wouldn't be fun having to download 1000 songs again. Perhaps someone else can clarify whether or not it is possible to re-download music from the iTunes store in this situation. I think the other reason a backup is important is to preserve personal items, such as photo's etc, that didn't reside elsewhere. The other thing is that, say your purchase a new device in a few years. With everything backed up you could restore everything to the new device. My advice would be to back up your data.

 

[wrecklass]

Also you must use iTunes to upgrade the iPad software, which will be soon. Apple provides no way to do OTA upgrades, like Android.

 

[Solaris]

Thanks for all of your help so far. I'll obviously pick it up as I go along.

I'm still not sure I fully understand why a PC needs to come into it at all and you can't just completely manage your iTunes account via the iPad?

When I buy a laptop I can upgrade it and update it without needing to attach to anything other than the Internet. I understand that you might use an external drive to back up a laptop but the upgrades, etc, can be done by the device itself.

So the iPad is not a 'stand alone device' in the truest sense of the phrase. Good job I hadn't gooven away the laptop just yet!

As I said, thanks to everyone for taking the time to throw some answers and explanations my way.

 

[Superbike81]

Because the iPad wasn't designed to be a standalone device. I'm sure they could have added the ability to sync without a PC, but they didn't.

 

[Solaris]

Because the iPad wasn't designed to be a standalone device. I'm sure they could have added the ability to sync without a PC, but they didn't.

Yeah, I've got that now, but I've still yet to see an advert that says how wonderful the iPad is BUT... it won't work on its own. I wonder how many people have got one out of the box and then realised they need a PC/Mac to make it work?

I just did a search on Google and the following article explains it perfectly...

Why Do You Need a Computer to Use an iPad?: Apple

I must say I am a little disappointed to discover that the iPad isn't really an independent device at all.

Not that it's going to stop me from going along to the shop today and getting one of course!

 

[lprmcnit]

As an FYI I found the answer to my own question on the possibility of re-downloading music purchased from the iTunes Store....check out this Apple kb
iTunes Store: Purchased songs, videos, iPod Games, and albums can be downloaded only once

"When you buy a song, video, iPod Game, or album from the iTunes Store you are entitled to download it a single time"

 

[pallentx]

The only reason you cant is because Apple doesnt provide the option. Even though its big, the iPad is still a mobile device with a mobile OS that is not quite robust enough to stand on its own. yet.