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scorpio1973

macrumors 6502a
Aug 5, 2009
560
23
LTE tablets are stupid.

If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130!

Unless you have an LTE phone with grandfathered unlimited data that you would lose by enabling the hot spot feature. For me, the extra $130 was worth it.
 

MacDarcy

macrumors 65816
Jul 21, 2011
1,011
819
Mine is saying the 19th

I hope they bump mine up too. Still says the 21st. Don't get me wrong, I'll be happy to just get it...but it would kinda suck to have preordered it a month ago...and people will be able to get it before me in the stores. Kinda defeats the whole purpose of pre-ordering it. Lol.
 

Medic311

macrumors 68000
Jul 30, 2011
1,659
58
iPad 4, 64GB LTE-Verizon pre-ordered literally hours after it went live.

still says processing


what gives...
 

MacDarcy

macrumors 65816
Jul 21, 2011
1,011
819
Unless you have an LTE phone with grandfathered unlimited data that you would lose by enabling the hot spot feature. For me, the extra $130 was worth it.

I am grandfathered in on an unlimited data plan with my original iPad. I'm gonna transfer it to the LTE iPad mini when I get it. No need to tether...heck! No need for an iPhone even! I'm gonna use VoIP apps and a google phone number to make free calls and send free texts using iMessage. The iPad mini is not really that much bigger than some of the new big smartphones out there now. I tested it at the apple store. That puppy fits easily into my back jeans pocket or coat pocket. Oh yeah baby. Take that greedy telecom companies! You ain't gonna lock me into no overpriced contract. Heh heh heh :->
 

bogatyr

macrumors 65816
Mar 13, 2012
1,127
1
There is a significant impact. You are pretty much operating at the medium end of 3g speeds on the device that's connected via bluetooth.

Additionally bluetooth limits your connection to one device at a time compared to Wi-fi allowing multiple devices.

That being said, he has a good point about it keeping an always alive connection so for low bandwidth usages like email it's a good option.

It's so typical of many of the posters here to call something stupid just because it's not something they would do/use, like the guy who called LTE in tablets stupid. At this point, I will buy an LTE enabled mobile device over Wifi only, every time, but that's just me

Thanks for the clarification. And thanks kycophpd for the info too. Always nice to have helpful posts :).
 

dohspc

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2008
436
755
Plano, TX
Mine says the 16th on the Apple notice and it said the 16th last night on FedEx but today it says 19th on FedEx. Most likely it will get here by the 16th as the package makes its way through the system.
 

scorpio1973

macrumors 6502a
Aug 5, 2009
560
23
I am grandfathered in on an unlimited data plan with my original iPad. I'm gonna transfer it to the LTE iPad mini when I get it. No need to tether...heck! No need for an iPhone even! I'm gonna use VoIP apps and a google phone number to make free calls and send free texts using iMessage. The iPad mini is not really that much bigger than some of the new big smartphones out there now. I tested it at the apple store. That puppy fits easily into my back jeans pocket or coat pocket. Oh yeah baby. Take that greedy telecom companies! You ain't gonna lock me into no overpriced contract. Heh heh heh :->

This is even better! Wish I had purchased an original iPad w/3G.
 

MacDarcy

macrumors 65816
Jul 21, 2011
1,011
819
This is even better! Wish I had purchased an original iPad w/3G.

Yeah, I remember I was gonna cancel it, but a few months after AT&T offered the unlimited data plan they got rid of it, so I figured it'd be a good thing to hold onto. Glad i did! I use 3G on the train when going to work...and it did come in handy during the blackout after Hurricaince Sandy. LTE will be even better!

AT&T legally can't cancel my unlimited plan...but they DO throttle my speeds if I use it ALOT. Bastards! Lol. Still...I am glad I have it.

I make a lot of calls on my iPad first gen...but it's kinda big to actually use as a phone. The iPad mini however is much more portable and I definitely will be using it as a phone. In fact, I Haven't had a Regular cell phone in over a year.

Heck, I know some people who even use an iPod touch as a phone replacement. Especially if they live in a city that is covered in wifi, which many are these days.

As much as I love the iPhone, it's the telecom companies I hate.
 

MacDarcy

macrumors 65816
Jul 21, 2011
1,011
819
I'm happy with my iPad 3 since it still has twice the computing power of an $8,800,000 Cray-1 Super Computer.

Heck, I'm still happy with my iPad first gen!! So I have no doubt you are happy with your iPad 3. It's an awesome tablet with a killer screen.

I passed on the 2nd, 3rd & 4th gens, But I just felt it was time to upgrade to the mini. Mainly for its portability since I travel a lot. But I am psyched to finally get a camera! I didn't have a retina display, so I'm not gonna miss that...besides, I checked it out at the store, and because of its smaller size, the screen looks sharper than my old iPad and on par with the retina to me. I'm also looking forward to it being faster with more memory than my iPad first gen. Not to mention the new lightning connector which will help future proof it.

Apple will update its iPads every year, so it's pointless to get caught up in iPad envy. As long as one is being productive on what they got and are happy...there is no point. I waited nearly 3 yrs to upgrade mine.

It's all goooood.
 
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cbronfman

macrumors 6502
Feb 24, 2008
432
15
Washington DC
+1 - looks like AT&T models are shipping first

My Verizon Slate 64GB is still "Processing" is everyone getting shipment notifications have the AT&T model or is it a mixture of both models?

I ordered a 32 GB black slate Verizon iPad Mini (decided to try Verizon since I had an iPad 2 with AT&T and all the iPhones I've had ("2G", 3GS, 4S) with AT&T. Verizon may be better for people in Washington DC who live/work in concrete and steel buildings.. I thought I'd try. But mine still says "processing" expected delivery 11/21. That's fine - I'll live, although a surprise on Friday would be awfully nice.

It may be AT&T forced Apples hand by whatever they said about the 16th.
 

raremage

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2005
548
0
Orlando, Florida
LTE tablets are stupid.

If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130!

What about those times when you're actually on the phone on your Verizon phone, and tethering therefore isn't going to work until you end the call...?

To me, I want ubiquitous access all the time. I'm glad I have the option to tether, but I prefer not needing to do so. It's well worth the hundred bucks plus another ten per month to me for the convenience.
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,343
4,867
LTE tablets are stupid.

If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130!

I am grandfathered in on an unlimited data plan with my original iPad. I'm gonna transfer it to the LTE iPad mini when I get it. No need to tether...heck! No need for an iPhone even! I'm gonna use VoIP apps and a google phone number to make free calls and send free texts using iMessage. The iPad mini is not really that much bigger than some of the new big smartphones out there now. I tested it at the apple store. That puppy fits easily into my back jeans pocket or coat pocket. Oh yeah baby. Take that greedy telecom companies! You ain't gonna lock me into no overpriced contract. Heh heh heh :->

Same here--lucky enough to have signed up for unlimited data on my original iPad and will not turn it off until AT&T forces me to. Since AT&T doesn't have a formal policy on throttling these old unlimited plans, it's my go to device for streaming, both audio and especially video (VERY useful with young kids ;)).

That being said, even if I didn't have unlimited data, the convenience of having data immediately available is worth it for me (and true GPS), especially as I use my iPad all the time outside my house.
 

nsayer

macrumors 65816
Jan 23, 2003
1,249
775
Silicon Valley
Not us

I ordered one in early November. It doesn't appear to have shipped and is still quoting arrival on the 21st.

I did call Apple and they could do nothing for me, they said. We too are traveling on the 21st and the house-sitter will just have to sign for it, I guess.

EDIT: Got an e-mail today with a Friday arrival date! Yay!
 
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iluomo

macrumors newbie
Sep 13, 2009
12
0
Called Apple, delivery bumped sooner by one day

My mini order status was saying the 21st, which was going to be inconvenient as we need to head out of town for Thanksgiving that day.

After reading this article, I gave them a call. They immediately bumped it to the 20th. Although I'd prefer it to get her sooner, this is very helpful and I'm really appreciative.

So call if you want it sooner. It may actually help.
 

waldobushman

macrumors regular
Mar 3, 2011
110
0
Email differs from FedEx tracking

The deliver date for my iPad LTE differs between the email and FedEx tracking. Though the email says Nov 16, FedEx says Nov 19.

Either way, the delivery will be sooner than previously stated -- I like that.
 

iAco

macrumors regular
Sep 19, 2012
132
0
Unless you don't have an LTE phone, or need one, and your tablet is being used as a work tool and needs an always on connection instead of tether that sucks your phones battery life. Or a hundred other reasons why you'd want data connectivity on your tablet without the need for a secondary device :) That's why they make these things, otherwise they'd all be WiFi only

Anyone in the UK had a change in status. Mine is still showing: Processing Items Dispatched: Late November. Ordered on the 1st of November

Don't be silly. Free WiFi is almost everywhere.

People just dont get it.
 

bevo

macrumors regular
Jul 19, 2002
238
12
The deliver date for my iPad LTE differs between the email and FedEx tracking. Though the email says Nov 16, FedEx says Nov 19.

Either way, the delivery will be sooner than previously stated -- I like that.
Ditto.
Although 16 > 19 > 23
 

Haswell

macrumors regular
Nov 9, 2012
245
280
USA
I am grandfathered in on an unlimited data plan with my original iPad. I'm gonna transfer it to the LTE iPad mini when I get it. No need to tether...heck! No need for an iPhone even! I'm gonna use VoIP apps and a google phone number to make free calls and send free texts using iMessage. The iPad mini is not really that much bigger than some of the new big smartphones out there now. I tested it at the apple store. That puppy fits easily into my back jeans pocket or coat pocket. Oh yeah baby. Take that greedy telecom companies! You ain't gonna lock me into no overpriced contract. Heh heh heh :->

I am guessing that A LOT of people are thinking about doing this. Since it's going to be anywhere between 1/3 to 1/2 the price of an iPhone. Both times I was at the Apple looking at the iPad mini two people asked the sales rep if you can make phone calls on the iPad mini. Of course the sales reps said no (which is true), but I was smiling thinking to myself about Google Voice. :)

$80 to $90 bucks a month for an iPhone (as well as any other smartphone) is WAY too much money! It would be nice if the phone companies offered data only plans for the iPhone. But data only plans for the iPad mini is the next best thing.
 

yegon

macrumors 68040
Oct 20, 2007
3,405
1,982
LTE tablets are stupid.

If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130!


Nonsense. Tethering kills your phone battery firstly. Secondly, the whole idea of a tablet, and this more the case than ever with the mini being so portable, is being able to pick it up and browse or whatever in an instant. Tethering is a ballache in this regard. Fine if you rarely take your iPad outside, pita if you take it out a LOT like I do.

Besides, not everyone is shafted for data like in the US. I have unlimited data and tethering on my phone, while data sims can be bought for £10, for 3gb lasting 3 months. 3gb is fine for browsing, easily lasts 3 months, and for more intensive data hogging activities I just tether it to my phone.
 

martin_m

macrumors newbie
Apr 28, 2004
4
0
Delivery date

When Apple sent me a tracking number, I checked and it was due on Friday the 16th. Next day (today) I checked again and FedEx shows it's now Monday, the 19th. Same as a few other posts above. :)
 

AzN1337c0d3r

macrumors 6502
Sep 13, 2010
448
2
When Apple sent me a tracking number, I checked and it was due on Friday the 16th. Next day (today) I checked again and FedEx shows it's now Monday, the 19th. Same as a few other posts above. :)

My Fedex tracking number was sent to me today and the delivery date is indeed Nov 16 by 1030AM according to Fedex's tracking website.

iPad 4 32 GB Verizon.
 
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