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An awesome situation for making iPad WiFi an iPad 3G!

mobilehavoc

mobilehavoc

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 30, 2007
377
12
I have a 32GB iPad WiFi and I just recently ordered a phone for myself and wife to switch to Verizon (currently on Sprint). I pre-ordered the HTC Incredible (naturally) and I got the Palm Pixi Plus for her. The Palm Pixi Plus is $29.99 with free activation and free overnight. The data is $30 (which is required anyway and will be used by her no matter what) BUT the kicker is they are currently offering the 3G mobile hotspot app on the device for FREE (usually $40/mo)

This is nuts, I went with my iPad to a Verizon store and turned the app on on one of the Pixi Plus' in the store and within seconds my iPad was connected to the internet at Verizon 3G speeds!

So the way I see it, my wife gets a phone and I get free 3G broadband for upto 5 devices for FREE! I'm so glad I didn't get a 3G iPad now...:D
 
mobilehavoc said:
I have a 32GB iPad WiFi and I just recently ordered a phone for myself and wife to switch to Verizon (currently on Sprint). I pre-ordered the HTC Incredible (naturally) and I got the Palm Pixi Plus for her. The Palm Pixi Plus is $29.99 with free activation and free overnight. The data is $30 (which is required anyway and will be used by her no matter what) BUT the kicker is they are currently offering the 3G mobile hotspot app on the device for FREE (usually $40/mo)

This is nuts, I went with my iPad to a Verizon store and turned the app on on one of the Pixi Plus' in the store and within seconds my iPad was connected to the internet at Verizon 3G speeds!

So the way I see it, my wife gets a phone and I get free 3G broadband for upto 5 devices for FREE! I'm so glad I didn't get a 3G iPad now...:D
Click to expand...

So, if I understand you correctly you're saying you don't have to pay an extra data charge for the mobile hotspot you use for the iPad? That's a good deal indeed and worth checking out.
 
Mobilehavoc,
I am just curious, did Sprint not have 4G where you live? I do realize that they do not have it most places at this point. If they do, or would soon, it seems you would have been better off waiting for the EVO in June and used it as you local hotspot on the 4G network.
 
barkomatic said:
So, if I understand you correctly you're saying you don't have to pay an extra data charge for the mobile hotspot you use for the iPad? That's a good deal indeed and worth checking out.
Click to expand...

Yes, so to break it down -
$99 for 700 minutes/unlimited text family plan - 2 lines
$29 for unlimited data on my line (required)
$29 for unlimited data on wife's line (required)
$0 for unlimited data on wife's line for 3G mobile hotspot
- 22% corp discount
= about $126 + taxes

jtara said:
For how long?
Click to expand...

As long as you have the phone, it's part of the 2 year contract. The ipad connected to the Pixi's WiFi hotspot instantly and the Verizon 3G speed was pretty fast but most importantly I'll have stable/consistent 3G in more places.

My biggest fear with getting the 3G iPad was AT&T's unreliability (I'm in NYC area), the last thing I want is to have the iPad on EDGE!!!

P.S. I know AT&T 3G still sucks because I have a Blackberry Bold for work (3G on AT&T) and it still frequently drops to EDGE for no apparent reason and 3G speed is slow.

To each their own. :D
 
jtara said:
For how long?
Click to expand...

For the life of the device.

My wife just picked up a Palm Pre Plus from verizon and it can act as a mobile hot spot with no extra charge.

Basically, Verizon is sitting on a lot of Palm devices and so to get the moving they've waved the $40 per month charge that originally was attached to to the mobile hot spot service and are now just giving it away for free. We were debating between the Pre and the Droid and the free mobile hot spot was one of the things that pushed her over the edge to the Pre.

So my wife's monthly bill is $70 ($40 for regular service + $30 for the data) and it allows up to five devices to wirelessly connect to the phone and use the 3g data.

I'm still on the fence about getting an iPad, but if I break down and get one it will definitely be just a wifi model as her phone will give me all of the 3g connectivity I need.
 
pkdoyle said:
Mobilehavoc,
I am just curious, did Sprint not have 4G where you live? I do realize that they do not have it most places at this point. If they do, or would soon, it seems you would have been better off waiting for the EVO in June and used it as you local hotspot on the 4G network.
Click to expand...

I seriously contemplated that. A lot. But the problem is that Sprint has already stated that they will be charging $ for the tethering feature AND the data plan for 4G will be somewhat higher than it is now.

With my situation at Verizon, I'm getting $40-$60/mo plan for free which is hard to beat over 2 years. The Pixi Plus basically becomes a Mifi/broadband wireless router which most carriers charge $40-60/mo for.

Also I live in the NYC area, and I'm sure Sprint's 4G rollout will be in Manhattan itself or concentrated areas. Even their 3G isn't rock solid here.
 
I had the same idea when I saw the Palm Pixi and Pre go way down in price and include the wifi hotspot app for free. I think its a perfect situation for the iPad, because you already take your phone with you everywhere, and already have a data plan on it, so you get 3G into your ipad for free basically, and don't have to pay ATT $30 a month on the 3g iPad.

Another similar solution is jailbreaking an iPhone and using the wifi hotspot app, but I really, really wish Apple would just allow a wifi hotspot app natively on the iphone!
 
ob81 said:
Will your wife have the wifi in her phone, or is it on your phone?
Click to expand...

Her phone, I couldn't help myself and had to get the HTC Incredible. This just means I have to make sure I take my wife along with me whenever I take my iPad ;):D
 
Bodhi395 said:
I had the same idea when I saw the Palm Pixi and Pre go way down in price and include the wifi hotspot app for free. I think its a perfect situation for the iPad, because you already take your phone with you everywhere, and already have a data plan on it, so you get 3G into your ipad for free basically, and don't have to pay ATT $30 a month on the 3g iPad.

Another similar solution is jailbreaking an iPhone and using the wifi hotspot app, but I really, really wish Apple would just allow a wifi hotspot app natively on the iphone!
Click to expand...


The problem with the iPhone is it's a hack and against AT&T's TOS so they can shut you down or charge you $$$ if they find out. People did this (I was with AT&T for 5 years) in the past with phones prior to iPhone and they all eventually got busted. Most ended up with massive data bills and some had their AT&T contract terminated and couldn't rejoin for a period of time.

At least with the Pixi Plus, it's a sanctioned carrier tethering solution so no worries! :)
 
HEY OP can you get the mobile spot for the Incredible as well?
I also preordered Verizon's Incredible (coming from an iphone3gs)
 
mobilehavoc said:
I have a 32GB iPad WiFi and I just recently ordered a phone for myself and wife to switch to Verizon (currently on Sprint). I pre-ordered the HTC Incredible (naturally) and I got the Palm Pixi Plus for her. The Palm Pixi Plus is $29.99 with free activation and free overnight. The data is $30 (which is required anyway and will be used by her no matter what) BUT the kicker is they are currently offering the 3G mobile hotspot app on the device for FREE (usually $40/mo)

This is nuts, I went with my iPad to a Verizon store and turned the app on on one of the Pixi Plus' in the store and within seconds my iPad was connected to the internet at Verizon 3G speeds!

So the way I see it, my wife gets a phone and I get free 3G broadband for upto 5 devices for FREE! I'm so glad I didn't get a 3G iPad now...:D
Click to expand...

Congrats man! That sounds like a helluva deal! (I'm still waiting for the next iPhone though!) :)
 
That's awesome!

One of many reasons why I keep telling people I know not to get the 3G iPad. Although I'm living in HK, I tell my friends back home to get the wifi version. I got myself a pocket wifi (MiFi) device and the HSDPA speeds are faster than my iPhone 3GS. I'll get more battery life out of my iPad and I can share the wifi across 4 other devices. Importantly, the iPad won't be restricted to 3G technology this way since 4G is here and just around the corner for the rest.
 
For those that have an iPhone and unlimited data, you can achieve the same thing by jailbreaking your phone (takes 5mins and is completely reversible if you need Apple service) and installing myWi. I was surfing with my wifi iPad on the bus yesterday (iPhone was in hotspot mode in my backpack) and I got a few WTF looks.
 
imacdaddy said:
That's awesome!

One of many reasons why I keep telling people I know not to get the 3G iPad. Although I'm living in HK, I tell my friends back home to get the wifi version. I got myself a pocket wifi (MiFi) device and the HSDPA speeds are faster than my iPhone 3GS. I'll get more battery life out of my iPad and I can share the wifi across 4 other devices. Importantly, the iPad won't be restricted to 3G technology this way since 4G is here and just around the corner for the rest.
Click to expand...

This is a HUGE point, people miss. By relying on a different device like a MiFi or phone with tethering, you have a little hassle of carrying something else around BUT you are future proof. When 4G LTE Mifi's come out, guess what now you have a LTE iPad! Sure the 3G iPad can do the same but then the built in 3G is useless.

That's why I refuse to buy a laptop with built in cellular/3G modem...it'll be obsolete much faster than the laptop.
 
smacman said:
For those that have an iPhone and unlimited data, you can achieve the same thing by jailbreaking your phone (takes 5mins and is completely reversible if you need Apple service) and installing myWi. I was surfing with my wifi iPad on the bus yesterday (iPhone was in hotspot mode in my backpack) and I got a few WTF looks.
Click to expand...

Most probably the smoke coming from your backpack due to the iPhone over-heating whilst tethering lol
 
mobilehavoc said:
This is a HUGE point, people miss. By relying on a different device like a MiFi or phone with tethering, you have a little hassle of carrying something else around BUT you are future proof. When 4G LTE Mifi's come out, guess what now you have a LTE iPad! Sure the 3G iPad can do the same but then the built in 3G is useless.

That's why I refuse to buy a laptop with built in cellular/3G modem...it'll be obsolete much faster than the laptop.
Click to expand...

You got a point there, makes a lot of sense.
 
mobilehavoc said:
The problem with the iPhone is it's a hack and against AT&T's TOS so they can shut you down or charge you $$$ if they find out. People did this (I was with AT&T for 5 years) in the past with phones prior to iPhone and they all eventually got busted. Most ended up with massive data bills and some had their AT&T contract terminated and couldn't rejoin for a period of time.

At least with the Pixi Plus, it's a sanctioned carrier tethering solution so no worries! :)
Click to expand...

Rogers in Canada allows free tethering on iPhone data plans of 1gb per month. I'm paying $30 for 6gb of data, and tethering the hell out of my iPhone using mywi. Actually I'm typing this very post with my iPad connected to my iPhone data connection. Good times!
 
I've been really contemplating this..

I'm currently using "MyWi" but it's not an "Officially Sanctioned App" so you have to worry about AT&T sending you a "surprise" bill or suspending your account..

Or you have to worry about Apple coming out with a new phone or software update that if it can't be jailbroken would just render the app useless....

Sure, the Pixie or any other phone that allows hotspot creation isn't an iPhone but there's a little bit of comfort when using an app that is sanctioned through the carrier..

And I know it's not the iPhone, it's AT&T crippling the device..
 
imacdaddy said:
That's awesome!

One of many reasons why I keep telling people I know not to get the 3G iPad. Although I'm living in HK, I tell my friends back home to get the wifi version. I got myself a pocket wifi (MiFi) device and the HSDPA speeds are faster than my iPhone 3GS. I'll get more battery life out of my iPad and I can share the wifi across 4 other devices. Importantly, the iPad won't be restricted to 3G technology this way since 4G is here and just around the corner for the rest.
Click to expand...

If you go into the Maps app while you're using MiFi pocket wifi, is it still able to accurately determine your position?
 
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