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How useful is G3?

W

wacomme

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 21, 2009
293
34
I'm looking to buy two ipad 2's - one for my wife, one for me - 64 mb version. Our phone carrier is T-Mobile and we use Blackberry 9700's - bad tethering possibilities without jailbreaking.

How useful is the G3 option? We'll likely use G3 service occasionally for trips, etc., but not on an ongoing basis. I'm been reading a lot of discussion on this topic, but still can't make up my mind. I'm gravitating to G3 Verizon due to greater coverage, but the wifi option is enticing for its lower cost. I really don't know how often I'd sign up of a month's worth of G3 service. Not having owned an ipad before, I don't have any real-world experience to make a decision.

Thanks for your help.
 
wacomme said:
I'm looking to buy two ipad 2's - one for my wife, one for me - 64 mb version. Our phone carrier is T-Mobile and we use Blackberry 9700's - bad tethering possibilities without jailbreaking.

How useful is the G3 option? We'll likely use G3 service occasionally for trips, etc., but not on an ongoing basis. I'm been reading a lot of discussion on this topic, but still can't make up my mind. I'm gravitating to G3 Verizon due to greater coverage, but the wifi option is enticing for its lower cost. I really don't know how often I'd sign up of a month's worth of G3 service. Not having owned an ipad before, I don't have any real-world experience to make a decision.

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

The "usefulness" of 3G is specific to the user, which is why they offer it both ways.

Ask yourself the following:

Will I use my iPad outside the home frequently and, if so, will I need email and Internet access on my iPad when I'm out and about?

Is GPS and GPS-enabled browsing useful for my needs?

Will I be taking any load road trips with my iPad?

Will I travel outside the US with my iPad?

If it's a "no" to all, then don't bother.
 
wacomme said:
I'm looking to buy two ipad 2's - one for my wife, one for me - 64 mb version. Our phone carrier is T-Mobile and we use Blackberry 9700's - bad tethering possibilities without jailbreaking.

How useful is the G3 option? We'll likely use G3 service occasionally for trips, etc., but not on an ongoing basis. I'm been reading a lot of discussion on this topic, but still can't make up my mind. I'm gravitating to G3 Verizon due to greater coverage, but the wifi option is enticing for its lower cost. I really don't know how often I'd sign up of a month's worth of G3 service. Not having owned an ipad before, I don't have any real-world experience to make a decision.

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

G3, in the context of Apple iDevices, usually means Generation 3.

I think you mean 3G.
 
poloponies said:
The "usefulness" of 3G is specific to the user, which is why they offer it both ways.

Ask yourself the following:

Will I use my iPad outside the home frequently and, if so, will I need email and Internet access on my iPad when I'm out and about?

Is GPS and GPS-enabled browsing useful for my needs?

Will I be taking any load road trips with my iPad?

Will I travel outside the US with my iPad?

If it's a "no" to all, then don't bother.
Click to expand...

1) Outside home - don't really know. I have wifi at home and work. However, I coach forensics (speech & debate), and often wish I had an internet connection at weekend tournaments (rarely open-access wifi). I easily can check email on my Blackberry, but web access is very limited.

2) I have GPS on my phone. I don't know if it would be useful on an ipad.

3) Road trips are limited.

4) I rarely travel outside the USA.
 
wacomme said:
1) Outside home - don't really know. I have wifi at home and work. However, I coach forensics (speech & debate), and often wish I had an internet connection at weekend tournaments (rarely open-access wifi). I easily can check email on my Blackberry, but web access is very limited.
Click to expand...

Sounds like it would be useful to you.
 
wacomme said:
Are you implying the Verizon 3G isn't useful?
Click to expand...

Verizon 3G is slow as hell...Just saying. The iPhone 4 had to come out on Verizon before people really understood how much better HSPA is over CDMA2000...I mean jesus how many times do you get over 3MB's on EVDO? Yeah...sure its a crab shoot with a crappy HSPA network but AT&T has gotten better and at least they have the potential to go over 3MBs downlink where verizon has no plans to improve other than LTE.
 
nateo200 said:
Verizon 3G is slow as hell...Just saying. The iPhone 4 had to come out on Verizon before people really understood how much better HSPA is over CDMA2000...I mean jesus how many times do you get over 3MB's on EVDO? Yeah...sure its a crab shoot with a crappy HSPA network but AT&T has gotten better and at least they have the potential to go over 3MBs downlink where verizon has no plans to improve other than LTE.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Everyone I know with a Verizon iPad or iPhone is constantly whining about Verizon's horrible 3G. My iPhone flies on AT&T 3G. It's definitely far superior.
 
nateo200 said:
Verizon 3G is slow as hell...Just saying. The iPhone 4 had to come out on Verizon before people really understood how much better HSPA is over CDMA2000...I mean jesus how many times do you get over 3MB's on EVDO? Yeah...sure its a crab shoot with a crappy HSPA network but AT&T has gotten better and at least they have the potential to go over 3MBs downlink where verizon has no plans to improve other than LTE.
Click to expand...

Shall we see how many more fubears we can generate in this thread? ;)
 
As a geek who hears people flub names of technical terms all the time, this thread is making me laugh so much! Fubears and Crabs run amuck in this thread. Hide your children!
 
darngooddesign said:
Verizon is great where ATT's 3G sucks; which is a lot of places in the US.
Click to expand...

In allot of places Verizons EvDO network is little better than AT&T's EDGE...and if Verizon doesn't have 850Mhz spectrum in the area you can just forget about it. Yes I do test these things...
 
I will say this. I bought a 3G iPad when they first came out, as it was the only thing I could get my hands on, and I was debating between a 3G anyways for GPS. Now I'm on vacation with my wife's family, and they don't have any Internet here, and I'm so glad if only for this week I bought a 3G. That said, if it where me even for 2 weeks a year. I would still have bought the 3G.

Just my thoughts.
 
nateo200 said:
In allot of places Verizons EvDO network is little better than AT&T's EDGE...and if Verizon doesn't have 850Mhz spectrum in the area you can just forget about it. Yes I do test these things...
Click to expand...

And a lot of places Verizon has 3G while ATT doesn't even have edge. I know this for a fact.
 
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