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Ipad wifi vs 3G

F

fairlysteady

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 15, 2010
22
0
HELP, i am so close to ordering a wifi Ipad as i cant wait for the 3G grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, i have always said ill wait for the 3G but i cant think off any advantages to having a 3G over a wifi, what are your guys thinking of this? what advangtes are there? if i need to use ipad whilst out and about ill just use mywifi from my iphone,

all help would be great
 
Honestly, if you have the iPhone with MyWi, I can't think of any advantages of an iPad 3G over WiFi-only. Hmmmm, you can conserve battery on your iPhone? But then you have to pay for another data plan over what you're already paying for your iPhone. You can have internet on the iPad even if you don't have your iPhone with you? But then do you ever go anywhere without your iPhone?
 
ipad + wifi phone here. I'm glad this is a easy decision for me. Saving money even makes the ipad purchase better.
 
I considered the wi-fi originally but GPS only exists in the 3G version. If you never activate the 3G service you'll still have access to the GPS chip in the 3G version. Even if you may not think you'd use it now, it would be an option if you reconsidered sometime later with the 3G model. It's just like the amount of storage. Once you make your decision to purchase you're stuck. I'd recommend going with the most options that might be a need. There are so many location-aware applications available with many more coming. People will try to sell you on wireless will give you the same thing but that simply isn't true. Wireless locating requires an access point to be recorded by Skyhook. If you go back to the original 2G iPhone (which didn't have GPS) threads here you'll see the huge amount of complaints about how poorly Skyhook worked. It was an awful system that assumes no wireless access point ever moves. If one does, you get horribly inaccurate results.
 
fairlysteady said:
HELP, i am so close to ordering a wifi Ipad as i cant wait for the 3G grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, i have always said ill wait for the 3G but i cant think off any advantages to having a 3G over a wifi, what are your guys thinking of this? what advangtes are there? if i need to use ipad whilst out and about ill just use mywifi from my iphone,

all help would be great
Click to expand...

I'm going to use the Wifi iPad with a Wifi hotspot through my Droid. Verizon 3G and no additional fees, plus a cheaper iPad to boot. Best of both worlds in my opinion. I don't really care about the lack of GPS in the WiFi iPad.
 
I have pretty much been on the fence as well. Anywhere I go outside my home, I have my phone with me. I don't hang out much at places that don't have wifi. I use the library and maybe a starbucks. Not sure if anyone would need to whip out the ol' ipad to do something using 3G, especially if they already have an iPhone for that.

Do I need gps on 2 devices?
It may be nice to use the ipad while at the park, which I already do with my iPhone.

The resale on the 3g version may be a lot better though.

Truth be told, if they came out with both at the same time, I would go with 3G.
Hard to wait. :(
 
I've selected the 3G version for a few reasons.

An extra $100 for the ability to access internet anywhere isn't bad as an insurance even if I rarely use it. I'd rather be able to have the option available then to regret not having it when I really need it. I actually do foresee using this a lot, particularly from work where I wouldn't want to use the corporate internet.

Also, I tend to use a lot of GPS enabled apps on my iPhone and am looking forward to using similar apps that take advantage of the larger iPad screen.

For instance, Apple will be offering a Find your iPad feature through MobileMe in addition to the Remote Wipe and notifications that are currently available on the iPhone. While this will work approximately with a Wi-Fi only iPad the precise location will be available only to iPad 3G models.
 
I've never really seen the iPad as a portable device, unless someone was truly using it for work purposes. I have an iPhone for mobile needs.
 
G4R2 said:
I've selected the 3G version for a few reasons.

An extra $100 for the ability to access internet anywhere isn't bad as an insurance even if I rarely use it. I'd rather be able to have the option available then to regret not having it when I really need it. I actually do foresee using this a lot, particularly from work where I wouldn't want to use the corporate internet.

Also, I tend to use a lot of GPS enabled apps on my iPhone and am looking forward to using similar apps that take advantage of the larger iPad screen.

For instance, Apple will be offering a Find your iPad feature through MobileMe in addition to the Remote Wipe and notifications that are currently available on the iPhone. While this will work approximately with a Wi-Fi only iPad the precise location will be available only to iPad 3G models.
Click to expand...

+1 agreed!

the $129 dollar insurance is well worth it. Also, I'd rather wait 30 days for a 3G iPad, then live 335 days without the iPad that I really wanted. I'll wait the 30 days :).
 
I went with Wifi. Most of my travels are by air which I won't need 3G for and honestly the $129 premium for me to have 3G "just in case" doesn't make sense for me.

However, I will possibly look into doing what others are doing and using my phone as a wifi hotspot if I happen to go on a 4 hour road trip or something.

I'm honestly sick of paying for internet. I realize I pay $around $60 a month for home service, then between texting and data on my iPhone, thats another $50 dollars and I just can't stand the idea of paying for internet on another device again.

I really hate all these cell phone companies.
 
rtabdo said:
I went with Wifi. Most of my travels are by air which I won't need 3G for and honestly the $129 premium for me to have 3G "just in case" doesn't make sense for me.

However, I will possibly look into doing what others are doing and using my phone as a wifi hotspot if I happen to go on a 4 hour road trip or something.

I'm honestly sick of paying for internet. I realize I pay $around $60 a month for home service, then between texting and data on my iPhone, thats another $50 dollars and I just can't stand the idea of paying for internet on another device again.

I really hate all these cell phone companies.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. I see the iPad as a portable device that I can carry around the house. And inside the house, WiFi is much faster and more battery efficient than 3G. I don't see the iPad as a portable device to carry like an iPhone. On planes, you can't use a cellular radio but many airlines are starting to offer WiFi. Hotels offer WiFi. Some vacation spots we go to don't have cellular reception so what good is 3G? And the cherry on top is that WiFi is free. Or rather it's already paid for. The CEO of AT&T more or less acknowledged that 3G will not make sense for the majority of consumers.
 
Spudracer said:
I'm with you. I see the iPad as a portable device that I can carry around the house. And inside the house, WiFi is much faster and more battery efficient than 3G. I don't see the iPad as a portable device to carry like an iPhone. On planes, you can't use a cellular radio but many airlines are starting to offer WiFi. Hotels offer WiFi. Some vacation spots we go to don't have cellular reception so what good is 3G? And the cherry on top is that WiFi is free. Or rather it's already paid for.
Click to expand...

How about while waiting in the airport? That cost money at most airline terminals. As for WiFi on the plane, that also cost money (not that you can use 3G up there either though).

I will find 3G useful when I'm in the car going on road trips. I will find the GPS useful as a lot of programs use that.

My main reasoning is that I don't want to miss out on any apps and having both 3G and GPS make it worth it to me. I figure, $65 for the 3G and $65 for the GPS ;-).
 
The 3G version was hard to resist. So I ordered it even though it meant a longer wait over the Wifi only version. I think the availability of open Wifi or even paid for access points vary greatly depending upon where you live or travel. I'd rather have a back-up for Internet access via 3G.

That said I do worry about 3G coverage. I have to remind myself that I can't always get access to 3G with my iPhone. It certainly dies in my area as soon as I leave the city limits. So the dream of tooling down the highway with 3G access isn't going to happen here in the Midwest (USA).

How useful the access to the AT&T Wifi network (that comes with the paid AT&T iPhone 3G service) is something I hope supplements 3G).

As I said I have one on order. So I don't think I'm going to really be able to check out the whether the extra money was worth it for 3G service until I have one in my hands.
 
jazz1 said:
That said I do worry about 3G coverage. I have to remind myself that I can't always get access to 3G with my iPhone. It certainly dies in my area as soon as I leave the city limits. So the dream of tooling down the highway with 3G access isn't going to happen here in the Midwest (USA).
Click to expand...

But you still have Edge access, or that old standard that's even slower than Edge -- I forget what it was called. That's still better than no internet at all, which is what you get with the WiFi only model if you aren't within reach of a WiFi hotspot.
 
I am hoping Europe has good 3g coverage. I guess I can't count on 3g coverage while visiting any national parks. Too bad about the midwest. I've got a son going to IU. I guess it would be too much to ask for a site that shows recent 3g coverage. The sites I found are so convoluted that I've given up.
 
rtabdo said:
I went with Wifi. Most of my travels are by air which I won't need 3G for and honestly the $129 premium for me to have 3G "just in case" doesn't make sense for me.

However, I will possibly look into doing what others are doing and using my phone as a wifi hotspot if I happen to go on a 4 hour road trip or something.

I'm honestly sick of paying for internet. I realize I pay $around $60 a month for home service, then between texting and data on my iPhone, thats another $50 dollars and I just can't stand the idea of paying for internet on another device again.

I really hate all these cell phone companies.
Click to expand...

+1, $129 for something that I rarely use or don't need. I can tether using my phone.

all of these companies try to riff consummers off as much as they can. how in the world can anyone pay for ihome internet, iphone internet, ipad internet? that is madness.

you have only 2 hands and 24 hours to use internet. 3 devices does not mean you will use more.
 
What's the latest word on the 3G release date, late April...?

If it's just 3 weeks, probably worth the wait.

I am pretty much in the same boat as the OP, was planning to wait but reserved one for release day. Now I'm struggling with a decision.
 
The original announcement said that the iPad would be available online, at Apple Stores, and select other retailers. Apple has a 14 day return period on its products, but Best Buy's 14 day period is for computers... if the iPad is sold as a being an entertainment device (more like iPod touch than computer) then the return period jumps up to 30 days.

IF Best Buy has the wifi model at launch, and IF it is not in their system as a computer, then it might be possible to buy it at launch, enjoy it for 29 days and then return/exchange it for a 3G model if you've decided it is worth it (In theory).

Thoughts?

I'm still really torn between the iPad and waiting even longer for the Slate or Adam... :-\
 
raremage said:
What's the latest word on the 3G release date, late April...?

If it's just 3 weeks, probably worth the wait.

I am pretty much in the same boat as the OP, was planning to wait but reserved one for release day. Now I'm struggling with a decision.
Click to expand...

Not to belabor the point, but if you have an iPhone, Droid, N1 or similar smartphone that can operate as a WiFi hotspot, it seems to make very little sense to me why you'd want to buy the 3G version.
 
robotkiller said:
Not to belabor the point, but if you have an iPhone, Droid, N1 or similar smartphone that can operate as a WiFi hotspot, it seems to make very little sense to me why you'd want to buy the 3G version.
Click to expand...

Except that at least as far as the droid goes, you're not really supposed to use it as a Wifi hotspot (have to root the phone, violates your license and service agreement with Verizon...blah..blah..blah) I guess if you wanted to do things consistent with your existing contracts, and without the hassle the 3G version makes sense...
 
cwlaw84 said:
Except that at least as far as the droid goes, you're not really supposed to use it as a Wifi hotspot (have to root the phone, violates your license and service agreement with Verizon...blah..blah..blah) I guess if you wanted to do things consistent with your existing contracts, and without the hassle the 3G version makes sense...
Click to expand...

Point taken, but I would imagine that anyone nerdy enough to frequent a Macrumors iPad forum would have very little difficulty or concern about something as trivial as rooting a Droid.
 
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