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I hope the 3g ipad motivates verizon to offer their Mifi at $30 a month with no contract lol id be all over it.

If Verizon did that, a TON of people would be all over it! So many, in fact, that I predict Verizon's network couldn't handle the load. Those in congested areas would have connection problems.

In other words, that isn't going to happen! :)

Mark
 
ml2k1, I thought about doing that but I read many people saying that you will be lucky if you get 2 hours of tethering from your iPhone.


I figure if I am going to spend 700 to 800 dollars (64GB) for a device that should last me 3 years or more, I shouldn't skimp and pass on a feature that increases the functionality dramatically like 3G.

I HATE the feeling of regret!!! :(

yeah when the phone's not connected, the battery life isn't "ipad great" but I'll test it out and let you guys know. I just tried it like an hour ago for 5 minutes... but man.. it was an awesome 5 minutes knowing that i'm finally making use of my 3g data plan :p

P.S., if the iphone's like connected to the pc, the battery actually charges so it's not as bad as back then when the battery would continue to die even if it was plugged in.
 
If Verizon did that, a TON of people would be all over it! So many, in fact, that I predict Verizon's network couldn't handle the load. Those in congested areas would have connection problems.

In other words, that isn't going to happen! :)

Mark

I don't think that many people would run out and get a mifi. your still paying monthly for it. plus im sure verizon already has some time of limits in place for the mifi so it wouldnt be a free for all.
 
If Verizon did that, a TON of people would be all over it! So many, in fact, that I predict Verizon's network couldn't handle the load. Those in congested areas would have connection problems.

In other words, that isn't going to happen! :)

Mark

Verizon's network is too slow and according to PCWorld's tests, is not as reliable as AT&T (13 cities tested). AT&T is speeding up to 7.2 Mbits. That also is substantially faster than Sprint's 4G. For me it doesn't matter, I'm not paying another cent for internet access to anyone. It has become ridiculous:mad: If I can't find WiFi I'll use my iPhone. But, thats just me.

http://images.appleinsider.com/pcworld-100223.png
 
You know, this is a silly reason but its kind of valid to me.

I bought myself a 64GB wifi version. Now, I have the 16GB 3GS. I never use the content on my phone because I always have the Internet. I'm hoping that without constant internet, I can get threw the 64GB of content I have loaded on my device. LMAO! I figure, in the places with no wifi, I can read comics, books, watch movies, music, or tv shows.

Now it might seem silly, but I really do want to get threw my content :).

And like most people said, I think tethering will be sufficient for me. Might invest in a portable battery thingy for the iPhone. I thought 250mb of data would be sufficient but it's not. And I don't want to add $30 on top of all the other mobile internet I have.
 
Tethering is a useful workaround that will help in specific situations, but if you want things to be easy and pleasant, just get the 3g version.

If you tether, you are going to be living in a world of either making sure your iPhone is fully charged before you ever might want to tether, and then doing whatever you want to do pretty quickly, and then your iPhone battery being low until you get a chance to charge it again ... ie it'll be fine for some situations and lousy for others.
 
Hmm. Lanman did you ever hear of such as thing as a iPhone battery pack? You know those things that you can buy that plug into your iPhone to recharge the battery while you are on the go? Yeah, those things!

Believe it or not you can spend $40-$75 dollars to get one such as this (http://www.imaxpower.com/product-p/imp880.htm) and it will provide you with enough power to last all day long or enough for multiple days of use.

Instead of bending over and handing Apple an extra $130 + AT&T $30 per month or $360 per year, or $1080 over 3 years, not counting taxes. Why not just spend a teency tiny fraction of that and get a portable iPhone battery?

Unless you are going to carry your iPad around everywhere you go these battery packs are small and easily fit into a bag as the one I referenced above weighs only 180 grams. Which of the following is more regrettable?

Buying a a Wifi iPad now, which you get to use right away without waiting, and tether it to your iPhone at no additional cost with cheap add-on battery pack OR seeing an extra $500 less in your pocket come this time next year after you've spent all of that extra loot on the iPad 3G and a year of service?

I'd have to say that waiting for the iPad 3G would be the more regrettable decision, as if you get the WiFi version and this setup doesn't work you can always sell it and upgrade later. Otherwise, if this setup does work out you save $500 by next year which can pay for your second generation iPad.

Personally, I'm lovin' my WiFi iPad tethered to my jailbroken iPhone with MyWi hotspot app and I'll also be lovin' all of that extra money that I'll have in my pocket to spend on other things besides giving Apple and AT&T more of my money. If for some reason I find that this setup doesn't work well, then I can always upgrade to a 3G and bend over for the big boys.






ml2k1, I thought about doing that but I read many people saying that you will be lucky if you get 2 hours of tethering from your iPhone.


I figure if I am going to spend 700 to 800 dollars (64GB) for a device that should last me 3 years or more, I shouldn't skimp and pass on a feature that increases the functionality dramatically like 3G.

I HATE the feeling of regret!!! :(
 
There's a ton of people, myself included, that have horrible AT&T coverage. My first gen iPhone never saw full signal. My entire neighborhood is a dead zone. Why would I pay $130 upfront and $15-30/month for an AT&T enabled iPad? Instead, I'll use my Palm Pre on Verizon as a mobile hotspot to tether my iPad and take advantage of the mobile Internet I'm already paying for.
 
Hey Potdude (Cool name)

I like your solution but I am trying to simplify things and I am willing to pay for the 3G when I need it. I am very fortunate that my company pays for my existing iPhone so I don't mind paying an occasional $30 a couple times a year. (Even if they didn't I am at a point in my life that $30 is really not that big of a deal.)

It sounds to me that you would have regretted waiting for and purchasing a 3G iPad so you definitely made the right decision for you.

Enjoy your iPad!
 
Yeah ... carry around an extra battery pack ... make sure it's charged and on you whenever you might possibly need it ... jailbreak your phone if you haven't ... then sit there with your iPhone on a table plugged to a battery pack ... click the right buttons on both devices to start the tethering ... If the $15/$30 per month is really distressing, that will work. Just puzzled why people want to take a device that exists to be simple and go down this route.

Being able to buy an iPad today vs. in a couple of weeks seems like a non-factor to me. A couple of weeks is not long.

To each his own.
 
Yeah ... carry around an extra battery pack ... make sure it's charged and on you whenever you might possibly need it ... jailbreak your phone if you haven't ... then sit there with your iPhone on a table plugged to a battery pack ... click the right buttons on both devices to start the tethering ... If the $15/$30 per month is really distressing, that will work. Just puzzled why people want to take a device that exists to be simple and go down this route.

Being able to buy an iPad today vs. in a couple of weeks seems like a non-factor to me. A couple of weeks is not long.

To each his own.

This is exactly what I meant by "trying to simplify things".

Thanks
 
I love my 64gb wifi, but every day with it makes me more certain that I want the 3G as soon as it comes out. Any chance of getting Apple to waive the restocking fee when I return it since I will be reserving a 3G, or am I just totally out of luck? Has anyone tried this?

I'm going to do it either way. Would just love to save the 10%.
 
I love my 64gb wifi, but every day with it makes me more certain that I want the 3G as soon as it comes out. Any chance of getting Apple to waive the restocking fee when I return it since I will be reserving a 3G, or am I just totally out of luck? Has anyone tried this?

I'm going to do it either way. Would just love to save the 10%.

I spoke with sales guy at Apple about this. The official line is you'll have to eat the restocking fee. I'm holding out until the last possible day. I have a hacked iPhone with mywi, but who knows when I will get locked out.

3G is the way to go if you ever think you will need it. There will be a glut of refurbs coming soon think.....
 
the main reason i'm tethering rather than getting a 3g is because when you tether, apple/att can't dictate how apps use my internet connection... it's just an internet connection via wifi, like any other. so, if i want to use voip, download itunes contents, etc, i'm not restricted from using the 3g connection i pay good money for every month.

as you mention, it's not as elegant and simple... but since the ipad isn't a device i'm carrying around in a pocket, having to have a small battery pack on day-long excursions really isn't too onerous since i'd have my bag with me anyway.

at the end of the day, i'm just glad we all have these excellent choices available, regardless of which we make!
 
Yeah ... carry around an extra battery pack ... make sure it's charged and on you whenever you might possibly need it ... jailbreak your phone if you haven't ... then sit there with your iPhone on a table plugged to a battery pack ... click the right buttons on both devices to start the tethering ... If the $15/$30 per month is really distressing, that will work. Just puzzled why people want to take a device that exists to be simple and go down this route.

Being able to buy an iPad today vs. in a couple of weeks seems like a non-factor to me. A couple of weeks is not long.

To each his own.

I completely forgot about the battery pack, you could just charge the battery pack and leave the iPhone alone since the pack'll be good for at least 2 or 3 charges. And unless you jail broke your phone, you won't realize how awesome your 3GS/3G can be...like having the lock screen show the weather , mail, SMS, etc. and not just the "slide to unlock" screen. Also prior to tethering I rarely pass 100 mb per month on my iPhone, now I'm using 100 mb per day. I like to think that I'm tethering so that I can make use of my $30 data plan :D And enabling mywi for 3G data is as simple as clicking the app and sliding from "off" to "on" I think people are making jail breaking and tethering more complicated than it really is.
 
To each his own is the way to go, but are you going to be carrying around your iPad in your hands all day? If so, then by all means pony up and pay the extra cash for the iPad 3G and the monthly service costs as Apple and AT&T sure need as much money as you want to give them!

Yes, waiting a couple of weeks to buy until the 3G iPads are released is not a long time, considering that human beings have lived on this Earth without iPads until last week, but it's really more about not spending more money than you have to than waiting longer to get a 3G iPad.

Maybe you're rich and giving these companies more money than necessary is no big deal to you. If you're not going to be carrying around the iPad in your hands all day and not rich, then getting a iPhone battery pack that is a great choice if you're carrying your iPad around in a bag.

The battery pack that I've mentioned in my previous post is the best by the consensus of others from a MacRumors thread of iPhone battery packs, and as long as you remember to charge that battery pack one time, that charge provides you for at least 6 recharges of your iPhone!

It requires very little effort to jailbreak ones own iPhone and turning on or off the mobile hotspot also requires little effort. You can also just keep your iPhone in your bag all day connected to the charger and only disconnect it from the charger if you have to make or receive a call.

And to be realistic, how many hours in a day will a person use their iPad in an area where there is no WiFi connection available? Most people have WiFi in their homes as well as in many businesses, and so if you happen to be in a non-wifi area for a while it's not a hassle to tether.

Furthermore, who knows what the battery life will be like on the 3G iPad? Apple is claiming 9 hours, but what if Apple really didn't release the 3G version early because of an FCC approval delay, but are actually releasing it later because the WiFi version has a much better battery life?

Perhaps when everyone buys their 3G iPad's, they'll find that the 3G model battery drains at a far faster rate than the 9 hour claim. You may find yourself not only paying extra for the 3G iPad + $30 each month, but you'll also need to carry around a battery pack for your 3G iPad!



Yeah ... carry around an extra battery pack ... make sure it's charged and on you whenever you might possibly need it ... jailbreak your phone if you haven't ... then sit there with your iPhone on a table plugged to a battery pack ... click the right buttons on both devices to start the tethering ... If the $15/$30 per month is really distressing, that will work. Just puzzled why people want to take a device that exists to be simple and go down this route.

Being able to buy an iPad today vs. in a couple of weeks seems like a non-factor to me. A couple of weeks is not long.

To each his own.
 
Every laptop I have owned doesn't have 3G and I survived. My ipad doesn't and I will survive. I always have Internet with my iphone on the off chance I absolutely must use the Internet at a certain time and place which is rare.

I know our society has become one of instant gratification but I just don't understand the need for a 3G ipad with another monthly fee unless I Truly underestimate how important it is to be connected to the infernet for some posters.

I do love the ipad but for me I'm not whipping the ipad out if I need to look something up quick. That's a job for the iPhone in my opinion.
 
iPad 3G is not a panacea

I ran into a situation today where my iPhone 3GS wasn't getting a good 3G signal and there were no WiFi hotspots nearby for it or the iPad WiFi. Thankfully I had the Sprint Overdrive with me. It had a strong 4G signal so both the iPhone and iPad were able to access the internet.

That has convinced me that the iPad 3G could be frustrating if you have neither 3G or WiFi in a specific venue. Having the Sprint 4G (WiMax) network as a backup would be a nice internet security blanket.

I've decided to "hobble" along with the iPad WiFi + 4G Overdrive until Apple and A&T (or Verizon) get their 4G act together.
 

Spoke with a colleague yesterday who bought two 64GB wifi iPads (one for him, one for his wife) on launch day. His first comment to me when I asked him how he liked it was to wait until I could pick up the 3G model if I was interested in getting one.

I wind up too many places where either the wifi performance is poor or non-existant. I'll seriously consider getting the 3G model for my wife and I to use at home and while traveling as soon as they're released.
 
Well yeah

I knew this scenario from the word go

Which is why I am waiting patiently for my 3G :D

I am waiting IMPATIENTLY for my 3G! If I go into an Apple Store I might need to leave my credit cards at home, else I will be a wifi owner for sure.
 
Haha, "rich" is defined as spending $30 a month. Or $360 a YEAR. Wow, that's like a week paycheck for 3G all year everyday everywhere on what is practically your computer. I'm far from rich and that sounds like an excellent deal.

iPhone tethering has too many shortcomings and it's just not as seamless as I'd like it to be. Draining my phone's battery, having to carry it everywhere if I just want to go out for a bit with my iPad. Having to connect and pair them up every time you just want to check an email for three seconds.

$30 a month (or might even go for the $15/mo, which is nothing) to just be able to go "Oh, no WiFi?" then you just click on Safari and you're off. No unofficial solution jumping between tethering apps. It's already there, you're connected, you're good.

Solution is clear as diamond to me. The economy really is tanking if only the rich can afford $30/mo. I fail to see how that's so much and it's easily worth it to me.
 
Even if your not "rich" $30 a month is still 30 dollars a month. What can a person do with an extra $30 to spend a month? Plenty of things!

Why would a person "need" to spend that extra $30 per month to have a second device that provides you with a 3G connection when you already one device that is perfectly capable of providing that second device with the same connection?

Instead of spending that extra $30 per month on a second 3G connection, a person can tether their iPhone with little hassle and spend the $30 saved each month for dinner at a fancy restaurant, go see some movies, get a lap dance, and the list goes on and on.....

Granted, a iPad 3G would be nice to have so that you don't need to bother with the minor inconvenience of tethering, assuming the battery life on the 3G iPad is as Apple claims, but is the 3G iPad something that you really need and cannot live your life without?

No way! and if you're spending your extra money on the 3G iPad and an extra $30 per month plus taxes on service you are either rich enough to afford it or your wasting you're money on something completely unnecessary that you could be spending on other things in your life.

Don't let the Apple hype machine effect your brain. There are more places that you can spend your money than just giving it Apple or AT&T. If we lived in a better world tethering for existing iPhone customers would be free, but companies are greedy and only want your money.

While I could some day buy the iPad 3G and pay $30 per month for service, there is no actual need to do so and certainly no rush to do so, when tethering the iPad to a jailbroken iPhone works so well with no additional costs on your existing iPhone data plan as it should be!


Haha, "rich" is defined as spending $30 a month. Or $360 a YEAR. Wow, that's like a week paycheck for 3G all year everyday everywhere on what is practically your computer. I'm far from rich and that sounds like an excellent deal.

iPhone tethering has too many shortcomings and it's just not as seamless as I'd like it to be. Draining my phone's battery, having to carry it everywhere if I just want to go out for a bit with my iPad. Having to connect and pair them up every time you just want to check an email for three seconds.

$30 a month (or might even go for the $15/mo, which is nothing) to just be able to go "Oh, no WiFi?" then you just click on Safari and you're off. No unofficial solution jumping between tethering apps. It's already there, you're connected, you're good.

Solution is clear as diamond to me. The economy really is tanking if only the rich can afford $30/mo. I fail to see how that's so much and it's easily worth it to me.
 
I feel the same way. Tethering is a better eco-plan IMO. However, since my 64g wifi has some connectivity issues, I am willing to try to see if I can exchange it for a 32gb 3g version. I just don't find myself the need of another 32gb, however, still like the option to have a built in 3g connections whenever I fee like to.

Another thing is, even if one buys a 3g ipad, it doesn't necessary mean he/she needs to use the 3g connection. I agree that extra 30 bucks is too much on top of the iPhone data plan. Nonetheless, debating whether that related to the wealth of a person is not related. Just a matter of personal choice and lifestyle. :p

My humble 2cents

Even if your not "rich" $30 a month is still 30 dollars a month. What can a person do with an extra $30 to spend a month? Plenty of things!

Why would a person "need" to spend that extra $30 per month to have a second device that provides you with a 3G connection when you already one device that is perfectly capable of providing that second device with the same connection?

Instead of spending that extra $30 per month on a second 3G connection, a person can tether their iPhone with little hassle and spend the $30 saved each month for dinner at a fancy restaurant, go see some movies, get a lap dance, and the list goes on and on.....

Granted, a iPad 3G would be nice to have so that you don't need to bother with the minor inconvenience of tethering, assuming the battery life on the 3G iPad is as Apple claims, but is the 3G iPad something that you really need and cannot live your life without?

No way! and if you're spending your extra money on the 3G iPad and an extra $30 per month plus taxes on service you are either rich enough to afford it or your wasting you're money on something completely unnecessary that you could be spending on other things in your life.

Don't let the Apple hype machine effect your brain. There are more places that you can spend your money than just giving it Apple or AT&T. If we lived in a better world tethering for existing iPhone customers would be free, but companies are greedy and only want your money.

While I could some day buy the iPad 3G and pay $30 per month for service, there is no actual need to do so and certainly no rush to do so, when tethering the iPad to a jailbroken iPhone works so well with no additional costs on your existing iPhone data plan as it should be!
 
Im returning mine as well. Was the return painless? I've never returned an apple product :) but def want the 3G version. The way i look at it is, i spent about 50 bucks to rent the 16gb iPad for a test drive.

And well...it's been a hell of a ride!
 
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