Is 3g really worth it?

[spiralynth]

I'll make the same argument I've always made in other threads, forums, and to my friends since the iPad was announced:

The ONLY guaranteed financial hit of the 3G iPad is the $130 upfront fee.

People with 3G iPads can still hack and tether - every single time they want, and never, EVER, pay AT&T's $15, or $30 data plan.

EVER.

In the event they can't tether - for whatever reason - then and only then, and for only those times, they activate the iPad's 3G.

In the end the only guaranteed loss is $130, minus the higher resale value the 3G brings in ... say $65, leaving you with a net loss of $65.

$65 to have 3G whenever or IF ever you can't tether, even if never?

C'mon now ...

 

[CarboysDesire]

Wifi is widespread. Even when I was in the backwoods Poconos I found a wifi hotspot. The iPhone covered the rest of the time.

Keyword there is FOUND. You had to seek out a Wifi hotspot (easy enough) but then you had to physically go there (assuming you weren't there already)...and stay there.

3G is a no-brainer for me!

 

[meagain]

I'll never ever use the 3g on the iPad. I'll tether my phone wirelessly.

However I think I want that GPS chip for being on the road, using Navigon, and having accurate location. Without that chip, it's not going to work. Satellite images, etc.

I hate to spend $130 on just the GPS chip though but I've not much choice if I want all the accurate location goodness.

If I'm missing something - please set me straight.

 

[davidlw]

The iPad 3G is half of the cost of the AT&T air card per month so I cancelled the Air Card and ordered the iPad 3G. I will be using is as a road salesman, so it will be perfect for my needs.

 

[melman101]

I gotta say, I chose to go 64GB Wifi over 32GB 3G and I am definitely not regretting it. As most people said, we have a 5GB data limit. I will never even come close to approaching that even with tethering. I never stream video, netflix, or anything like that

As for GPS, I have location services in most places, and if I need a gps for the car, I have my iPhone still. I find myself not taking it everywhere, so my iPhone is still King. But I am at a conference right now, and I see everyone plugging their laptops into walls and I'm just loving the battery life. I think 64GB wifi was the right choice for me. When I'm in my hotel room, i just keep my phone plugged into the wall and tether. Has been great so far. 3G not so great and would be pissed if I was paying $60 instead of $30 LOL

 

[e²Studios]

The iPad 3G is half of the cost of the AT&T air card per month so I cancelled the Air Card and ordered the iPad 3G. I will be using is as a road salesman, so it will be perfect for my needs.

Isn't it $30 for 5GB of data? I pay $39.99 for my aircard and 5GB of data, plus I can use said data plan for my laptop as well as other devices, not tied to one device.

I fail to see the "half the cost" argument.

 

[e²Studios]

I gotta say, I chose to go 64GB Wifi over 32GB 3G and I am definitely not regretting it. As most people said, we have a 5GB data limit. I will never even come close to approaching that even with tethering. I never stream video, netflix, or anything like that

As for GPS, I have location services in most places, and if I need a gps for the car, I have my iPhone still. I find myself not taking it everywhere, so my iPhone is still King. But I am at a conference right now, and I see everyone plugging their laptops into walls and I'm just loving the battery life. I think 64GB wifi was the right choice for me. When I'm in my hotel room, i just keep my phone plugged into the wall and tether. Has been great so far. 3G not so great and would be pissed if I was paying $60 instead of $30 LOL

3G from a data device and 3G from a phone are night and day different in experience. My iPhone with 3G is not so snappy, however from my aircard you really see the speed com through when you are using it on a laptop. My iPad is even fairly snappy, tethered from my MBP I'm still getting a bit over 1mbps, which isn't too bad imo.

 

[Hmac]

Isn't it $30 for 5GB of data? I pay $39.99 for my aircard and 5GB of data, plus I can use said data plan for my laptop as well as other devices, not tied to one device.

I fail to see the "half the cost" argument.

What am I missing here? The iPad is $30 for unlimited data.

Yes, I'm aware of the 5 gig soft cap AT&T imposes on many of their other "unlimited" data products, but they've gone out of their way to state that that 5 gig limit won't apply to the iPad.

http://mobile.venturebeat.com/2010/04/08/att-confirms-ipad-3g-will-have-no-data-limits/

http://www.dtechgadget.com/att-confirms-ipad-3g-will-have-no-data-limits/

http://www.techjackal.net/gadgets/2...pply-atts-ipad-data-plan-really-is-unlimited/

 

[CarboysDesire]

Isn't it $30 for 5GB of data? I pay $39.99 for my aircard and 5GB of data, plus I can use said data plan for my laptop as well as other devices, not tied to one device.

I fail to see the "half the cost" argument.

If you are talking about the iPad 3G, then no, it is not limited to 5GB. It's unlimited:

"Interesting. According to Gearlog, AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel has gone on record as saying anyone who plunks down $29.99 per month on its prepaid unlimited data plan for the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G will not be subjected to the carriers typical fair use policy it upholds for other devices. So go ahead and feel free to spend endless days watching and rewatching every single episode of LOST through ABC’s iPad app. If someone from an AT&T call center phones you to complain, just tell ‘em Mark said it was cool."



LINK: http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/04/07/att-unlimited-ipad-3g-data-literally-means-unlimited/


Here is a second article that confirms it:

LINK: http://mobile.venturebeat.com/2010/04/08/att-confirms-ipad-3g-will-have-no-data-limits/


I found other articles as well. The data package is unlimited.

 

[e²Studios]

What am I missing here? The iPad is $30 for unlimited data.

Yes, I'm aware of the 5 gig soft cap AT&T imposes on many of their other "unlimited" data products, but they've gone out of their way to state that that 5 gig limit won't apply to the iPad.

http://mobile.venturebeat.com/2010/04/08/att-confirms-ipad-3g-will-have-no-data-limits/

http://www.dtechgadget.com/att-confirms-ipad-3g-will-have-no-data-limits/

http://www.techjackal.net/gadgets/2...pply-atts-ipad-data-plan-really-is-unlimited/

They say that with their aircards too, the 5GB softcap. However I have known a few people to get warnings for exceeding 5GB 2 months in a row. No charges, just warning. I went over one month by about 2.5GB, I never heard a thing from AT&T. That said, 5GB of transfer is more than most people think especially from a device that is mainly used for email and web.

There is no such thing as "unlimited" don't let marketing spin fool you.

One thing you are failing to see is for $9.99 more I get a 3G USB Aircard that can be used on any device that will support the 3G aircard, including tethering that connection to my iPad. Also included in the fee I get free access to any AT&T WiFi hotspot.

 

[CarboysDesire]

They say that with their aircards too, the 5GB softcap. However I have known a few people to get warnings for exceeding 5GB 2 months in a row. No charges, just warning. I went over one month by about 2.5GB, I never heard a thing from AT&T. That said, 5GB of transfer is more than most people think especially from a device that is mainly used for email and web.

There is no such thing as "unlimited" don't let marketing spin fool you.

One thing you are failing to see is for $9.99 more I get a 3G USB Aircard that can be used on any device that will support the 3G aircard, including tethering that connection to my iPad. Also included in the fee I get free access to any AT&T WiFi hotspot.

1) So even though they have gone out of their way to say it is TRULY UNLIMITED with no 5GB cap, we should believe you that it isn't.

2) Do you have the option to turn off the $39.99 monthly charge at your will? On the 3G we can pay $0, $15, or $30 each month. It's our choice.


There's not one right answer here. Each individual has their pro's and con's but for me...the 3G ipad is too good to pass up.

 

[Detlev_73]

Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

 

[e²Studios]

1) So even though they have gone out of their way to say it is TRULY UNLIMITED with no 5GB cap, we should believe you that it isn't.

2) Do you have the option to turn off the $39.99 monthly charge at your will? On the 3G we can pay $0, $15, or $30 each month. It's our choice.


There's not one right answer here. Each individual has their pro's and con's but for me...the 3G ipad is too good to pass up.

I'm not in a contract I could cancel and reinstate service at will via AT&T's website.

Nothing is unlimited, there is a 5GB soft cap attached to all AT&T data accounts. Chances are very few iPad users will see that 5GB cap, and from my own as well as others experience with it the cap is fairly loosely managed and is there more to weed out the abusers than penalize the average user.

 

[Hmac]

They say that with their aircards too, the 5GB softcap. However I have known a few people to get warnings for exceeding 5GB 2 months in a row. No charges, just warning. I went over one month by about 2.5GB, I never heard a thing from AT&T. That said, 5GB of transfer is more than most people think especially from a device that is mainly used for email and web.

There is no such thing as "unlimited" don't let marketing spin fool you.

One thing you are failing to see is for $9.99 more I get a 3G USB Aircard that can be used on any device that will support the 3G aircard, including tethering that connection to my iPad. Also included in the fee I get free access to any AT&T WiFi hotspot.

Nah...you're off the beam. iPad is truly unlimited, unlike the soft cap they reserve for some of their other data products. Read the links. They're pretty locked in. Not that it matters...5gig is a lot of data.

The two data plans for the iPad include free AT&T HotSpot access too.

 

[vw195]

Nah...you're off the beam. iPad is truly unlimited, unlike the soft cap they reserve for some of their other data products. Read the links. They're pretty locked in. Not that it matters...5gig is a lot of data.

The two data plans for the iPad include free AT&T HotSpot access too.

That unlimited is going to be funny for AT&T once the iPad is jail broken and it's serving up wifi for every other device.

 

[biomathdude]

WOW. I had to register because I keep hearing people talk about how much 5GB data is. That's nothing to me. I typically use between 15-20 GB easily on my iPhone per month. I stream audio and some video all day every day at work. I have never, ever, received a communication from ATT and don't expect to on the iPad especially since they have come out and stated that it is umlimited unlike the iPhone.

Also, yes the 3G is worth it to me since I am dropping the iPhone to a paid cell phone for emergencies only. I simply never used the iPhone much for voice I just wanted the data Also, the idea of tethering if you are keeping your iPhone would make the 3G iPad a whole lot less attractive for sure. Some of my friends have even gone with the Clear service here in Dallas where you can get a device that turns the 4G signal into a Wifi hotspot locally. Again, I would not want to carry around 2 devices but hey it works

 

[Hmac]

That unlimited is going to be funny for AT&T once the iPad is jail broken and it's serving up wifi for every other device.

I don't understand "serving up wifi for every other device". What does that mean and how is that funny for AT&T?

 

[freddy425]

I contemplated getting the wifi + 3g but then realized that I don't need the 3g ( I realize everyone doesn't feel the same way).

I rarely plan on taking my iPad out and around with me all day, the iPhone covers that, that being said if I ever needed to look something up if I was downtown then I wouldn't want to waste the time to pull my iPad out of my backpack and fumble around with that, when I can simply pull out my iPhone 3gs and search and find the answer in the time it could take me to get the iPad out of a bag.

Also I rarely intend to take the iPad anywhere where their wouldn't be wifi, a hotel, house, apartment, even airlines are going to offer wifi at a price.

I just cant justify the extra $130 + the service fees, when I can use that on apps, books, movies, and cases.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Jaro65]

I was going to pass on the 3G, but I realized that one of the main reasons I'm buying the iPad is for travel. And hotels have wifi, but often you have to pay $10 a day to use it. $10 a day adds up quickly, and if I have the option of paying $15.00 a trip to turn on my 3G, I think I'll be happier overall....

So I'm waiting! I hope it comes soon!!!

Same here. Travel is the main reason to go with the 3G version. Will be super handy to use it as a map and also to help discover some local attractions and events.

 

[jaycee520]

At first i was gonna get a WIFI model BUT what happens sometime in the future you wish you could use it out and about and you would have to live with that regret . Thats why i recommend going with 3G you get the best of both worlds.

+1

 

[Travisimo]

Aside from the initial startup cost, you can't go wrong with the 3G version. You can use it however you want (deactivated, 250gb@$15, unlimited@$30) and you also get the gps receiver on board. Just think of turn by turn navigation on this huge screen when you're on the road! Of cowrie, we still have to wait for iPad native versions of these apps, but you KNOW they're coming.

Furthermore, one could argue that it's better to have built in 3G (especially with the ipad's phenomenal battery life) than having to carry a separate device that will have it's own battery life issues when using 3G service.

Now for someone who needs 3G access on a lot of devices simultaneously, then something like a MIFI makes sense (though if you are using the iPhone on ATT in the US, you'll still be paying for separate data anyway).

 

[vw195]

I don't understand "serving up wifi for every other device". What does that mean and how is that funny for AT&T?

Perhaps funny is not the word, but when people start sharing their wifi through their iPad to notebooks and start running bittorrents and other high bandwidth situations, AT&T is going to wish they had a 5g limit

 

[Hmac]

Perhaps funny is not the word, but when people start sharing their wifi through their iPad to notebooks and start running bittorrents and other high bandwidth situations, AT&T is going to wish they had a 5g limit

It makes sense to me that if they start seeing abuse of their data product, then they'd institute a cap of some kind.

 

[macswitcha2]

My smartphone supports wireless tethering, so no need for the 3G version for me.

I have to admit that I know very little about Tethering about accept that of course its about getting wireless internet via your phone's wireless service.

How do I do this? Is there a cost?

 

[vw195]

It makes sense to me that if they start seeing abuse of their data product, then they'd institute a cap of some kind.

Then it's not unlimited