+1.
An iPad is closer to an iPhone in typical usage case, which means it can substitute one in situations where a laptop cannot. It's really pointless to argue about this any further.
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Cellular radio In laptop
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+1.
An iPad is closer to an iPhone in typical usage case, which means it can substitute one in situations where a laptop cannot. It's really pointless to argue about this any further.
I don't know why you are arguing at all.
Putting a cellular radio in the iPad was a smart move and it would be equally smart to offer one in the lightweight portable laptops.
The fact that there are people who are pulling out their phone and a cable and connecting it all together proves that point. This isn't 1982 anymore...
Maybe to you, but apparently not to Apple, otherwise they would have done it. Who knows, maybe they will do it sometime in the future, but for right now they have made their decision clear.
Tethering a smartphone isn't a huge hassle. It takes 2 seconds to plug it in and the phone's battery won't be used up by it. I actually prefer the convince of sharing my smartphone's data plan instead of having a separate one for my laptop, and yes I do tether it from time to time (using the WiFi Hotspot feature I might add, which certainly isn't perfect on Yosemite).
. Apple doesn't do a lot of things that the end user would benefit from. The best we can do is show an interest in it and hope they will someday do it.
You're right, it's not a huge hassle, but it is an unnecessary inconvenience. Apple knows that people don't like to tether, which is why they make an iPad with a 4G option. Hopefully they realize there is also the same interest for their laptops.
My 4G iPad shares my iPhone's data plan, it's costs $10 extra per month and well worth it. I would do the same with the laptop if Apple allowed me.
In the end, having it as an option won't hurt you or the other naysayers, which is why I find it amusing that you go to such lengths to discourage it.
That article is from 2011 and is quoting Steve Jobs from 2008. Afterwards, in 2012, Apple decided to put a cellular radio into the iPad, so apparently they changed their minds. Hopefully they do the same with the light laptops.
The reasons quoted in the article are still perfectly valid today, perhaps even more so since it's now easier to tether a phone to your laptop. I will add that all those reasons were also mentioned in motrek's post.
I don't think so. Carrier lock-in is not big issue anymore since we now have multi-band chipsets that work with all carriers, and they don't take a lot of room either. See cellular iPads. I don't think it has technical reasons.
Maybe, but things change, just like it did with the iPad. They were able to fit a cellular radio into the iPad, which continually gets smaller and smaller. They were also able to deal with the different cell carriers. So it seems like those problems that Steve Jobs had in 2008 have been ironed out.
No, that is going in reverse. It's like saying that it's easier to run ethernet cables around your home than to connect to the wireless network. That's silliness.
That's true, I forgot carrier lock-in is not as much of an issue as it used to be.
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No, likening a phone 2 feet away with a router in another room is silliness. If my iMac and router were to be in the same room I would for sure wire it up, just to have the added speed and reliability.
It's funny how some people will continue to grasp at straws while arguing against something just because they themselves don't need it.
No one is saying to include a cell radio in all laptops, no one is telling you to buy it. If it's an option, it won't hurt you.
When the cell iPads came out, it didn't hurt the WiFi models.
No one is saying to include a cell radio in all laptops, no one is telling you to buy it. If it's an option, it won't hurt you.
When the cell iPads came out, it didn't hurt the WiFi models.
I never said that you were. I was merely pointing out the huge hypocrisy in you making a longwinded post of pure speculation, and then ending it by saying "it's pointless to speculate"
All of your posts have been pointless I never said that you were. I was merely pointing out the huge hypocrisy in you making a longwinded post of pure speculation, and then ending it by saying "it's pointless to speculate"
As opposed to your posts? You started this thread by asking a question that only Apple employees could possibly answer and they're legally prevented from doing so. What was the point of that?
Because A) I didn't know that only Apple employees had Apple information, I thought this was Macrumors, a place filled with Apple information.
And B) showing interest in something can never hurt.Next?
I'm just trying to explain some reasons why cellular data still isn't an option, it has nothing to do with objecting to there possibly being one in the future (which I won't deny is always possible).
Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were continually agreeing with motrek's silliness of using a cable to connect a computer to a phone for Internet access like it was 1909
Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were continually agreeing with motrek's silliness of using a cable to connect a computer to a phone for Internet access like it was 1909
How often are you using your laptop in a situation where you don't have wifi access?
Personally I use tethering less than 5% of the time. Mostly at a coffee shop that I go to once in a while that doesn't have wifi and at certain airports that charge for wifi access. Otherwise I'm on wifi and I don't have to plug anything into anything else.
What are you doing with your laptop that you have to tether so often that plugging in your phone is such a huge hassle?
You see, here you go again. Why must you question me? Just like the beginning of the thread, you are going to try and tell me what is better for me, as if I can't make that decision for myself.
I would like a cellular radio in my laptop, as would other people. We don't have to answer to you.
So don't buy a laptop with a cellular radio. Isn't that easy? Just like you have the option with the iPad.
Since I am such a nice guy, I am going to do you a favor and list just some of the times I use my laptop and outside of WiFi access.
I often pull my laptop out to use for a minute or two while in my vehicle, no WiFi.
I often use my laptop at a various supply house, no access to their WiFi.
I use my laptop frequently inside of commercial and industrial buildings for PLC/control work, no access to their WiFi.
I use my laptop often inside of residential customer's houses, no access to their WiFi.
I am absolutely NOT willing to pull out my phone and cable in these situations in which I want to pull something up on the computer quickly, often while holding the laptop in the air because there is no where to put it down.
As I said in my first post, I was super happy to switch to a cellular iPad, it made everything so much easier. But I often need a full computer instead of the iPad, so I wish I had a cell connection on that too.
Here is where you make excuses and tell me how I should do it your way instead of just saying "The guy has a point, a cell connection would work for him".
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Try to follow the conversation. I wasn't talking about cellular anything, I was replying specifically to this comment you made:
"motrek's silliness of using a cable to connect a computer to a phone for Internet access like it was 1909"
I'm explaining that most of the time, I don't "use a cable" to connect to the Internet. And I doubt you do either.
Why would I EVER use a cable to connect a computer to a phone? Who does that? If you have that need, you should have a computer with a cellular radio in it.
As I explained earlier in the thread, I am not asking for solutions. I actually made it very clear in the first post that I am aware that I can use my phone as a hotspot, but don't like doing it.