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Ipad 3G any advantages?

MrWillie said:
I agree with the free wifi. But quit a few people confuse need with want or obsession. Do you NEED Internet access while on the road? OP doesn't care about data plan (neither do I.) My wifi ONLY iPad is in no way crippled. I don't take it everywhere with me. I also Use a plain ole cell phone, NO FU%^*#}*ing camera either. A cell phone with a camera is a crippled machine. (Can't take image capturing devices into some of the places where I work).

Basically OP wants a iPad, not data plan and a GPS. Hmmm. Wifi iPad and a $100 TomTom should suit his needs and save some money.
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I agree that wi-fi ONLY may be good for some people. Not for me and I'm sure not for others. Where I work they have the network (including wi-fi) locked down big time because we do mil application stuff. So during lunch hour I want to check my e-mail, check the stocks and so forth. I would have to drive into town to do that. Not going to happen.

I'm waitng for the wife that's at a doctors appointment and want to check my e-mail. Wait I can drive a mile down the road to a Panaras. Not going to happen. I do take my pad to a lot of places and need access.

So... wi-fi only is good for some and not for others. But I wonder how many wi-fi only defenders will admit to times when they wanted access and didn't have it because of no wi-fi. Or they wanted to show their new toy to someone and couldn't access because of no wi-fi. It must happen.

With all the apps coming out, it's logical to think that there will be more chances of needing access at more times.

If I spend $800 freaking dollars on something I'm not going half way. I want it to work all the time.
 
I was in the same boat as you OP but I splurged and got the 3G. I decided on the 3G because I travel about twice a year wanted to have access to the internet. Once I found out that the iPad can handle my work Exchange email, calendar, and contacts I activated 3G and now take the iPad everywhere. It has almost replaced my cell phone - and if I didn't need a cell phone to place and receive all my phone calls I would have ditched it as well.
 
The iPad 3G is the way to go. You will find yourself so often with apps that won't even load unless you're connected. However the 3G I unboxed today has the yellow tint while my Wi-Fi one doesn't. Does anyone know if this is a 3G "feature?" :rolleyes:
 
ubercool said:
The iPad 3G is the way to go. You will find yourself so often with apps that won't even load unless you're connected. However the 3G I unboxed today has the yellow tint while my Wi-Fi one doesn't. Does anyone know if this is a 3G "feature?" :rolleyes:
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More like a :apple: quality control failure.

Like George Carlin said: "Quality Control, why control it??"
 
Having 3G makes my iPad exponentially more usable. Around the house, which is probably around 75% of my use, wifi works like a champ. But when I am out and about, having 3G handy has come in extremely useful just about every day to look something up, kill a little time, fire off a quick email - highly recommended.
 
Jethrotoe said:
So... wi-fi only is good for some and not for others. But I wonder how many wi-fi only defenders will admit to times when they wanted access and didn't have it because of no wi-fi. Or they wanted to show their new toy to someone and couldn't access because of no wi-fi. It must happen.

If I spend $800 freaking dollars on something I'm not going half way. I want it to work all the time.
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Wi-Fi sucks on the iPad. At least on my Wi-Fi model. Could be better on the 3G version I just got, because of the plastic at the top. I continue to have non-stop Boingo log-in problems with the Wi-Fi model at ATL and MIA airports. No problem whatsoever using iPhone or MacBook Pro in those places. :(
 
I got the 3G version as the price difference wasnt too great. If you want to save, save on the internal storage.

I bought a prepaid sim card using a casual data plan, chopped it up to microsim and it working great. I have the cellular data turned off when im at home and on weekends or outings that fit, i take it out and turn the data on. everything works flawlessly. The g/f, whom didn't think much of it before just hijacked it for a business trip =)
 
iCrosoft said:
I have wifi only and use mobile hotspot to access the internet on my iPad from anywhere I get reception on my cell phone. 3G model is a waste.
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Idiotic response. You left out those of us who don't have cell phones to tether from, or who don't want to carry another device around to make the other device work. So if your cell phone is not available or out of power, you are SOL. You can then ask one of the 'wasteful ones' to look at their screen.
 
hcho3 said:
I am considering to buy ipad 3G because it has GPS. I can careless about AT&T network with their Tiered pricing. Should I just go for wi-fi model? Any of you guys having benefits from GPS on ipad 3G? Please share.
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It is better to have the 3G option just in case you are in a pinch. Alternatively depending on what phone you have you could always tether with that.
 
I think the Ipad is an amazing machine, whichever version that you get. But for me, $15/mo is a nominal amount of money to pay to have the ability to always have connectivity available if I need it. Nothing is more frustrating than when you need/want to connect to the internet and are not in a WiFi hotspot. And yes, you can use your phone in the car, but it simply dosen't compare to the Ipad experience, especially on longer trips.

And for a device that will probably have at least 3 years of use, I don't feel the $130 upgrade fee for a 3g radio is alot at all.
 
GPS on the 3G iPad would be the single reason i would want it, many apps have location data i might want to use and those wifi positioning systems don't work outside the US

However, if I get to choose 629$ for a 16GB 3G+Wifi or a 32GB Wifi one for 599$ I'll take the 32GB one anytime, 129$ is way too much for that feature even if i will miss it, also battery life is worse on the 3G one
 
Alvi said:
129$ is way too much for that feature even if i will miss it, also battery life is worse on the 3G one
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While that's certainly the decision that needs to be made ($129 for 3G and GPS) "battery life is worse" only applies to using 3G. The devices are otherwise identical. If you don't subscribe to 3G or shut it off when not in use, there's no impact on battery life.
 
TraceyS/FL said:
Maybe because he touted it in about 10 threads yesterday morning.

BUT, it gets old seeing it, I guess people can't grasp that not everyone has an iPhone that owns an iPad. It's not shared as a personal opinion, "sharing my data on my jail broken device and violating my TOS by not paying tethering charges works for ME, you should try it", it is instead delivered as "do this or you are stupid."

(and yes I know that outside of the US sharing the data isn't violating the TOS for some, but it is for AT&T and obviously everyone has their own levels of comfort doing such)

So tout your opinion, but own it as a solution that works for you and might not be something the poster is interested in or own a device to make it happen.

Even if I had a smartphone with data it wouldn't work for the way I use my iPad most times, so why have two data plans?
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I'm right there with you. I have an iPhone and didn't want to jailbreak or pay the tethering fee. Besides, everyone in my family uses the iPad and when we are out and about it might be a little difficult dealing with having my phone always near the iPad especially if I wasn't around. Not everyone in my family has an iPhone to jailbreak or tether.

3G was convenient for me and my family needs.
 
Like others have said, WiFi is good for most but the GPS was, alone, worth it for me. I did get the smaller 3G plan and use only half as I do have WiFi around me. BUT, when I have to have it, 3G is there for me!:)
 
g/f rang me last night and was saying how glad she was that she had taken my iPad 3G on her trip cause not only did it give her access to the internet and webmail but she had to find a place to eat in a foreign city and the GPS guided her there perfectly. (yeah iphone coulda done that too but she doesnt have one haha)
 
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