After using a WiFi-only iPad and accessing 3G through his smartphone, ZDNet’s Matthew Miller writes, “I realized that integrated 3G is actually the way to go for power users and I have five reasons you should consider a 3G iPad.”
Here are five reasons why you should consider a 3G iPad:
1. Battery life
2. Integrated saves time
3. iPad has large antenna system
4. iPad 3G has a GPS receiver
5. Integrated 3G could be cheaper
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
I guess it makes sense to use a 3G iPad vs. tethering to your iPhone. On the other hand, if it’s just easier to find a wi-fi hotspot around the city (as is the case in NYC) and use it there, then there’s not really a case for that.
GPS is the primary reason for me. That 10 inch screen makes for an awesome navigational device.
I’m pretty sure that iPhone 4 tethering will supply iPad 2 with GPS data, it was news last week.
Yes, but only with one minute updates. For me, for sailboat racing, I want much faster refresh rates than that.
My iPhone has just died and I’m waiting on the new one before deciding on my next purchase, but in the meantime I needed to use GPS for a journey I was taking to used my iPad, I was charged £0.06 for the data I used whilst connected. Most months I’m on £0.00 because I use my iPhone. For what it costs to get the 3G I think an awful lot of people just won’t justify it. Of course, with the stupid prices charged for tethering it might end up being cheaper in the long run, but either way it’s expensive for many people to get occasional data connections outside of wi-fi.
3G plans for the iPad can be purchased month by month so you can buy a month when you’re traveling and then let it lapse when you’ll mostly be close to wi-fi.
Exactly! As the comment before yours states, they used about a dollar of data but were forced to pay for an entire month!
I call bullshite on that!
I bought a 32GB Wi-Fi+3G iPad 2 for a couple of reasons. My first iPad was a 16GB Wi-Fi unit.
First, I will use Wi-Fi wherever possible, but it is convenient to use 3G when there is no other choice. Also, the AT&T post-pay option works well for my billing purposes.
Second, I believe going with 3G will make it easier to sell (along with AppleCare) as I intend to keep it no longer than a year or so. It’s also the reason why I went with the Micro-SIM version (vs Verizon) as I could sell my unit overseas.
Reason Number 1 for buying a 3G iPad 2
Buying any other brand of Tablet will make you look like an idiot.
3G is only for road warriors.
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As an iPhone owner, 3G on the iPad is kind of redundant. Without an iPhone it would be more of selling point.
For iPhone users it comes down to paying twice for the same service.
For iPad 3G owners, buying an iPhone is redundant.
It comes to paying twice if you already have a cheap phone that does phone calls only.
I suppose so. To me it seems like a rip-off if I’m paying a large sum every month for my phone, just to be asked to pay an additional fee for the iPad. Kind of like when you were supposed to only have the internet running on one computer at a time. I don’t like the concept of double dipping.
So I would get the wifi iPad. The only thing I can see needing a a 3G iPad for (if you have an iPhone already) is watching a netflix movie on a big screen. If you just can’t wait to get to a wifi spot to watch the movie. Otherwise all the functionality you need (maps, phone emergency stuff), you already have on your iPhone.
Obviously the correct solution is a single data plan for iPhone and iPad.
Yes I agree with all 5 points to some degree, still going only buy wifi only version because Internet tethering in Canada is free. I never ever go anywhere without my iPhone and I never use up all my data per month, why pay more. The only part I don’t get is battery life would it not be the same or better with out 3G ?
No thanks I’ll tether from my Iphone and save wasting extra $$ on a 2nd data connection for no reason. My iPhone data plan is way over my actual monthly usage anyway. It would be foolish to waste that, and then pay for additional data for my iPad.
I’ll be upgrading to an iPhone 4 (or 5) this summer so I’ll be able to ‘tether’ my iPad, but I’ll still be buying a 3G iPad2 so I can have an alternate carrier on that devise.
For the $20+ for the month, it’s more than worth it to improve reception probability when sailing during that time. Rogers & Telus cover different areas here and only having one link could be a problem.
ive been using a iPad 3G for the last 8 months. It’s the best gadget I’ve ever bought. I’ve used it on mifi and integrated. Integrated is better. My iPad gets abetter cell reception than my iPhone 4. And I’ve tested it quite a few times. Battery live is better on integrated. But the reason I got a 3G version was sat nav. I wanted a 10 inch display. I had navigon before so when they made it iPad compatible I was laughing. It works really well I just need to the perfect car dock.
I have been searching for a good iPad mount. Have you found any that you like? I just bought the cigarette mount over at mountguys.com, so we will see how that works out.
mountguys.com? i can’t believe that is not a porn site.
When you need your ipad you need your ipad, you dont want to be messing around looking for a WiFi hot spot or setting up tethering, #G is the only way for me. I get 2GB per month of data on a 20.00 per month plan. Mostly I only use 500mb per month but it is worth it for the convenience.