Google is similar in that you can have multiple devices synced to one Google account. The difference is that your Google account is not just your music/video files and apps--it's your email, calendar, docs, etc. As far as I know, iPhones and iPads don't have something like an "iMail" app that is limited to syncing with some kind of Apple-only email account, akin to Gmail--they have an email app that you can use to sync with whatever email services you have, which is just like the Android native Email app.
And with Android, you're not burdened by a bloated clunky program like iTunes (at least, it's bloated and clunky on PCs).
The solution that MJKearney and I suggested of making a new family Google account and syncing all devices to that account is very similar to having one iTunes account with multiple devices associated with it. You just have to accept that you can't use the Gmail, Calendar, or People apps to directly access your own personal information--however, you can always use the native Email app to connect to your Gmail account, and I'm sure there are tons of 3rd party calendar and contacts apps in Google Play that can access your personal account info on a device that is registered to a family account.
Diddy,
Not arguing the points about iTunes, or App Store - especially the latest incarnation but want to clarify something early in your post.
Apple does have an ID that links to Apple's (designed for one per user - iCloud) mail, calendar, contacts, reminders, notes, photos, etc. that is the equivalent of the Google (Gmail) account. It's called the
iCloud ID and it basically gives you the same features as Google's account, online access, it will also do backups of the devices documents, photos, etc.
If you want, you can
share an
iTunes account (can be different from the iCloud account) which would allow one purchase of games, apps, etc to be shared by different devices like the OP has asked and everyone would have their own setup for mail, etc while only having to purchase apps, games, etc. one time and use across apps.
But, if the OP bought the Nexus (or Nexii?) then he'd still have a
couple of hundred dollars to spend on extra apps, games, etc. per account.
I am also new to Android but am enjoying my Nexus 7 very much so far even though I have only scratched the surface (not even any widgets yet! - so I have a long way to go).
xSprinterx - in the long run the separate accounts will be a blessing, we just migrated my college bound son to his own iTunes account and he had to lose some past purchases of songs (we also wanted to only do things legally). Like you said though, not the end of the world.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram