Original iPad launch owner wants to switch to unlimited data plan

[Awalp]

Yep, post again in six months after consistently going over the 5 gig 'soft' cap limit.

I am glad you were able to get on the unlimited plans.

Post a thread every now and then letting us know how you are doing using the iPad as your only computer and how it's doing on your journeys...

My real goal is to be able to travel the country. I'm taking my college classes online so I need to be able to go to class from anywhere. I need the iPad to work with forums and to be able to type up essays (using external keyboard) and watch video lectures and read entire ebooks.

So far the iPad needs some work. I'm going to need to secure and alternative browser that works better with the online college platform.

I plan on downloading the iWork iPad app and a new browser that can do multitasking of websites reliably. The only thing missing is flash which I'm not sure if i need or not. I could setup a remote desktop server to login to flash browsing if needed.

Hopefully I'll be able to go backpacking and camping, stuff like that, and not have to luge around a laptop with cellular Internet. Yet still be going to class.

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I'm happy. AT&T held up their original promise without any problems. Which is the first time I've ever had a positive experience with AT&T.

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Just a last random thought, I'm a computer networking engineer, with a lot of cisco work. Hopefully cisco will port some useful tools to the iPad and not try to market their cisco cius for a possible portable network diagnostics toolkit.

If i can know without a doubt i can complete all coursework on the iPad maybe someday soon I'll be going to class sitting on the top of a mountain.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

You will be screwed if the teacher requires your tests to be taken using a lockdown app. You need a real computer for that. Hopefully you can be near a kinkos/fedex office at test times!

Hopefully it works out for you, but there are going to be a few snags.

Good luck!

 

[Awalp]

I wonder if apple's 1ghz iPad processor has enough juice to emulate a simple stripped down windows XP environment with enough of the OS there to run simple things like a lockdown app?

XP requires

233mhz x86
64mb Ram

I could always leave a computer on with a broadband connection somewhere and use remote desktop from the iPad for that also.

 

[nixiemaiden]

I wonder if apple's 1ghz iPad processor has enough juice to emulate a simple stripped down windows XP environment with enough of the OS there to run simple things like a lockdown app?

XP requires

233mhz x86
64mb Ram

I could always leave a computer on with a broadband connection somewhere and use remote desktop from the iPad for that also.

That would really suck if your 1,000 miles away and the power goes out or something. Unless you have someone who can check on it and possibly turn it back on if it needs it.

 

[Sinfire]

If you are traveling, you should be taking advantage of the free wifi hotspots that are scattered all over the place. This includes hotels, restaurants, stores, etc. On top of that, if watching movies thru iTunes, you should be downloading the movies to the iPad.

I travel regulary for work and have my wifi turned on. On average I use about 250 mb of data a month.

I always had the unlimited data plan... in the form of it being automatically purchased if I ran over 250mb. Before AT&T changed things, why would anyone buy an unlimited plan for $30, if they could buy 250mb for $15, and pay another $15 if they went over.

The unlimited plan was always there if I ran over 250mb. Now it is not, and I want to sign up to it permanently.



It is the only internet plan you need if you only use an iPad. I think that was the idea behind unlimited data and a portable tablet computer you could bring anywhere.

I definitely want to be able to actually USE the iPad for what it is designed for. If I go on a road trip I wanna be able to watch a movie through iTunes. If I go on a month long road trip 2GB isn't gonna cover it, and I need to be on unlimited.

I actually bought an iPad because I wanted to be able to travel the country and still have a computer and internet connection.

 

[Awalp]

If you are traveling, you should be taking advantage of the free wifi hotspots that are scattered all over the place. This includes hotels, restaurants, stores, etc. On top of that, if watching movies thru iTunes, you should be downloading the movies to the iPad.

I travel regulary for work and have my wifi turned on. On average I use about 250 mb of data a month.

The only problem with downloading a movie through iTunes using wifi, is the bandwidth would saturate the connection for other users. At places where it is already congested and slow like a coffee shop, it would be no where near the speed of the 3G connectIon.