I would challenge you on this fact. I have not talked to an Apple rep but I have a 3G version iPad 1. I do not currently active data plan. If I turn on 3G data and turn off wifi, I get a great GPS lock in a few seconds even driving around. It is faster when I have active 3G because of A-GPS. Still I think that the GPS works as long as you have Cellular Data on. I think that also activates your GPS chip. Please educate me if I am wrong but I tried it again just now and drove around to test. I did not get the blue circle but only the blue dot.
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How many of you are just going to tether to a WiFi iPad 2?
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I would challenge you on this fact. I have not talked to an Apple rep but I have a 3G version iPad 1. I do not currently active data plan. If I turn on 3G data and turn off wifi, I get a great GPS lock in a few seconds even driving around. It is faster when I have active 3G because of A-GPS. Still I think that the GPS works as long as you have Cellular Data on. I think that also activates your GPS chip. Please educate me if I am wrong but I tried it again just now and drove around to test. I did not get the blue circle but only the blue dot.
His answer was complex, but essentially the GPS chip works with cellular data. If you're on wifi, it used the wifi location which is (forgive me if I misspeak) some kind of triangulation based upon the wifi locations and it can even use cell tower positions via 3g.
But the GPS chip doesn't work with wifi, according to the tech. That is why it is not offered in the wifi only models.
Long but not very informative chat. The GPS in the iPad 3G will work just fine with cellular data turned off and Wi-Fi only, it just takes a couple of minutes (as opposed to seconds) for the GPS to find its initial location. From that point on it works normally. Period. Dot. End.
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He may have made generalizations. He may have simplified. But according to him, they don't work, at least in terms of the performance they need to see. I asked him if they would ever offer GPS in the wifi only and he said "not unless we change a number of things first."
I am not a GPS expert, nor an apple expert, it's just what was conveyed to me.
Excellent point, I didn't of that but even if resale isn't as much it would probably be easier to sell a WiFi only, well maybe.
but the iPad plan is unlimited. how does it help to share 4GB with the phone? you never exceed 4 GB on a phone I guess. and saving 5-10 bucks a month is not worth draining the phone battery and always having to have the phone close by. it's just a lot more convenient to have the iPad do the connection automatically.
The iPad plan is only unlimited if a person is grandfathered in. The current iPad data plans are 250mb and 2GB.
Here is the basic breakdown of data charges assuming you will own the iPad 2 for one year.
iPad WiFi+3G & No Tethering
iPad 3G Premium = $130
2GB data = $25/month = $300
Total = $430
iPad WiFi Only & Tethering
2GB data = $20/month = $240
Total = $240
So, if you choose a 3G iPad, you will pay an additional $190 for the first year ($130 one-time premium charge and $5/month for data).
Also of note, the 2GB/month from adding tethering is in addition to your 2GB/month iPhone plan, totaling 4GB/month to share. This means that depending on your iPhone data usage, you could presumably use more than 2GB of data on your iPad each month for less money.
Of course you sacrifice GPS and iPhone battery duration. It all depends on what tradeoffs you find more important.
You can only get an unlimited data iPad plan if you bought the first generation within 45 days of release. New customers can't sign up for unlimited, at least on AT&T, I don't know about Verizon.
I read in another thread that you can turn it on/off for ATT and I believe it is even prorated on the usage for the month. That's how my Sprint EVO works. Not sure about Verizon - you may have to purchase a month at a time, but it is still a feature that you can turn on/off w/o any fees.
I bet you can turn it on and off every month just like you can change your data plans without a problem.
Another thing that's making me lean towards teathering is the possible upgrade of the iPhone 5 to hspa+. This will increase the speed of streaming. Only thing holding me is battery life of the iPhone and the fact I still have the unlimted data ipad plan.
The part about the performance makes sense.
The amount of time it takes my iPad 3G GPS to find its position when there is no cellular signal can be several minutes, which (performance-wise) probably isn't fast enough for Apple.
I've taken my iPad 3G on several Jeep trips through forests where I had no cellular coverage for days. The GPS works fine, once it's had a few minutes to working on acquiring the satellites. I use the MotionX app to store the map data locally. Works great!!!
I just thought of another reason to get the WiFi only iPad, it doesn't have that ugly black piece on the back that a Smart Cover won't cover up.
By the way I made a thread with a poll for which iPad 2 you are going to buy, check it out: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1112071/
By the way I made a thread with a poll for which iPad 2 you are going to buy, check it out: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1112071/
Unless you'd lose an unlimited plan on either device which I'm not willing to give up yet ...
But if you add tethering then you'll lose unlimited plan. So yes your right I wouldn't give up unlimited either but your statement doesn't necessarily apply here.
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Sorry I phrased that weirdly, I was saying if you already have an unlimited plan you can't just change it month to month or add tethering so basically you can't modify it. And I don't want to give up an unlimited plan so I won't be changing it most likely and therefore have to spring for the 3G.
I have my iPhone 3G with unlimited data plan. I was planning to upgrade it for the upcoming iPhone 5 but I guess I can't continue my unlimited data plan if I buy a new iPhone. Is that right?
If so, I guess I will JB my iPhone 3G and keep it just for the sake of the unlimited data plan since I am buying a iPad2 wifi and want to tether. Is that a good thinking or I am not getting this right?
Thanks.
If so, I guess I will JB my iPhone 3G and keep it just for the sake of the unlimited data plan since I am buying a iPad2 wifi and want to tether. Is that a good thinking or I am not getting this right?
Thanks.
I have my iPhone 3G with unlimited data plan. I was planning to upgrade it for the upcoming iPhone 5 but I guess I can't continue my unlimited data plan if I buy a new iPhone. Is that right?
If so, I guess I will JB my iPhone 3G and keep it just for the sake of the unlimited data plan since I am buying a iPad2 wifi and want to tether. Is that a good thinking or I am not getting this right?
Thanks.
You can keep your unlimited plan if you upgrade to another iPhone. But if the iPhone 5 is 4G or LTE or something AT&T may make you sign up for a 4G data plan upon purchasing the iPhone 5 that would make you give up your 3G unlimited. I don't know this in any way for sure but it have thought about it for the future.
I have my iPhone 3G with unlimited data plan. I was planning to upgrade it for the upcoming iPhone 5 but I guess I can't continue my unlimited data plan if I buy a new iPhone. Is that right?
If so, I guess I will JB my iPhone 3G and keep it just for the sake of the unlimited data plan since I am buying a iPad2 wifi and want to tether. Is that a good thinking or I am not getting this right?
Thanks.
No you can continue it on the same type of device but just not downgrade and then upgrade back to it or add/change features like tethering apparently. Def get an iPhone 5 and as someone said earlier in this thread, smooth talking peeps at AT&T goes a long way
.
No you can continue it on the same type of device but just not downgrade and then upgrade back to it or add/change features like tethering apparently. Def get an iPhone 5 and as someone said earlier in this thread, smooth talking peeps at AT&T goes a long way
OK, cool thanks!
So I guess I will buy the new iPhone 5 and just request AT&T to keep the unlimited plan and JB it. Then I am set. Let's hope it happens.
I know I'll be considered the village idiot, but I plan on buying and testing the iPad 2, 3g, Verizon.......And if it does what I need, I am dropping my iPhone4 plan and getting a generic phone. I have the unlimited plan through iP 4, but I don't have the time to deal with jail breaking, updating, crashing, and the other issues associated with jb. I would love to tether, but the work involved seems, to me, to out weigh the cost. That's just my spot, though. I do plan on testing all of this (including the jb ideas ****WHICH THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SHARED THE SUGGESTIONS****), then make a decision. Anyway, that's just me...
After trying out iOS 4.3 which was just released today (2 days early) on my iPhone 4 and playing around with the HotSpot feature I've decided to get a wifi-only iPad 2 and plan on tethering.
For once Canadians are not being gouged by their telecoms. HotSpot is totally free to use and I can share my 6GB iPhone data plan (of which I only use about 1GB monthly at the moment) with the iPad.
My reasoning is simply cost vs convenience. HotSpot being free, currently only using 1 out of my 6GB 3G data allocation, and the fact that I have wifi almost everywhere (home, work, airport, hotels etc...), it just doesn't make any sense financially to me personally to opt for the 3G model and sign up for data what with so little 3G data I foresee myself using.
I figured the only major negative with this is no GPS on the iPad 2 but frankly it's a small price to pay and I have Garmin in all our vehicles with Lifetime Maps and I do occasionally use my iPhone's GPS when on foot so really no big deal at all.
For once Canadians are not being gouged by their telecoms. HotSpot is totally free to use and I can share my 6GB iPhone data plan (of which I only use about 1GB monthly at the moment) with the iPad.
My reasoning is simply cost vs convenience. HotSpot being free, currently only using 1 out of my 6GB 3G data allocation, and the fact that I have wifi almost everywhere (home, work, airport, hotels etc...), it just doesn't make any sense financially to me personally to opt for the 3G model and sign up for data what with so little 3G data I foresee myself using.
I figured the only major negative with this is no GPS on the iPad 2 but frankly it's a small price to pay and I have Garmin in all our vehicles with Lifetime Maps and I do occasionally use my iPhone's GPS when on foot so really no big deal at all.