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Thank you very much for your detailed answer, Knut. It was very helpful.
You wrote:
Notice (
) you must have an iTunes account to set it up. So if she has no computer whatsoever, she must be able to set up her own iTunes account on a Mac or PC from somewhere to even turn the iPad on.
So, it's not only the backup then. It seems she won't be able to use it at all. I wonder why her colleagues who have iPads did not explain that to her already.
I believe it is said that the initial connection to iTunes is to "install the latest software", I cannot tell exactly what is installed in the process, but it seems to be unavoidable (as I recall, anyway). However, she will need an iTunes / AppStore account anyway to get any app software, it is the only way to get software onto the iPad.* So she could create an iTunes account on a friend's Mac/PC, log in to that and connect the new iPad, and then log out and run the AppStore account only from the iPad thereafter, I believe that is quite possible, she would just lose the backup option.
* except for "jailbreaking", a process I know virtually nothing about. And no, I think you asked if she can inherit software from others, you cannot. You can however download purchased apps to multiple entities that are logged in with the same AppleID - maybe to a limit of five iPads?
-- In the meantime, we have found out that the biggest problem is the Internet connection. She would need an iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular; and even with Cellular we still don't know if she will receive enough signal at home. In her office it's OK.
Depending on signal quality (3G/4G) and subscription details, it is generally preferable to do any large transfer, including apps / upgrades, and certainly media streaming only when on wifi. On 3G it is barely possible and will quickly use up your included data download subscription. This of course also applies to the Macbook Air, if she has internet cable at home for the Air, it is normally straightforward to add a wifi router.
How do you back up your iPad? I guess, if I had one, I would sync everything with my MacBook Pro and then back up the MacBook as usual on an external disk. Thus I would have the (iPad-)data 3x: Once on the iPad itself, once on the MacBook and once on an external disk. Is that the way to go?
That is what I do, yes. The iPad automatically backs up to iTunes over my home wifi to my stationary Mac whenever I plug in the iPad's power cable, and iTunes is then backed up again to Time Machine like everything else. You can in most cases only access the data on the iPad though (depending on the app).
How much storage does your iPad have (16, 32, or 64 GB)?
I bought 32 GB, and am now regretting it; I will certainly go for the latest 128 GB next time; lately I have had to clear out older apps and data regularly just to stay afloat. Apps alone - they are so cheap, you tend to throw in a handful ever so often just to see - take up about 2/3 of my current disk, the rest are e.g. movies I have downloaded to watch offline - a GB or so per film, so the more gigas, the larger the library, and magazines, pdfs are normally more "heavy" than books and add up space. In particular newspaper apps tend to accumulate the editions you have read, taking up more and more space until you manually remove them, or even reinstall the app. I do not have any music on the iPad, on the iPhone that is another storage hog. You can stream through Spotify or iTunes Match (or iRadio!), but only when you are on wifi, see above. Pictures maybe also, although the iPhone is rather more convenient as a camera. So, like always, you will always need at least the double of what you intitially plan.
Knut
Buying more storage later is impossible. I don't know why Apple expects iPad users to know exactly how much storage they will need before they buy. I had, for example, no idea how much storage I would need when I bought my MacBook Pro with 500 GB. I soon replaced it with 1 TB disk, because it was far too small for me; and now I'm having three 4 TB external disks additionally; and I still have the feeling I need more. :-)
Kind regards,
Žorvaršur