Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

New to Apple and Considering an iPad 2 - WiFi or 3G?

For convenience I bought the 3G model but I only use that while commuting (train). But our railroad service is running a pilot with free WiFi in trains so that would be one less reason to have a 3G model. Going perhaps a bit against the grain here: if you have a phone (iPhone) with a personal Hot Spot built in and a good data plan I would use that instead.
 
I'd like just to chime in that with iPad 2, tethered to iPhone 4, you DO get accurate GPS on your Wi-Fi only iPad 2. I've tested it extensively. As well, it seems to work nearly as well tethered to a MiFi device.

IMHO the price premium for 3G is too much, especially if you are already toting around an iPhone 4. I also pay for a MiFi which is a much more convenient device, no reason to pay yet again for another data plan from Death Star. Just my two cents.
 
Well I just ordered directly from Apple!

32GB 3G ATT model.....don't have an iPhone so no tethering for me.

VERY excited! Just hope it doesn't take a month to arrive!

Thanks again to everyone for your advice! Happy to be a member here :)
 
chiefpavvy said:
I'd like just to chime in that with iPad 2, tethered to iPhone 4, you DO get accurate GPS on your Wi-Fi only iPad 2. I've tested it extensively. As well, it seems to work nearly as well tethered to a MiFi device.

IMHO the price premium for 3G is too much, especially if you are already toting around an iPhone 4. I also pay for a MiFi which is a much more convenient device, no reason to pay yet again for another data plan from Death Star. Just my two cents.
Click to expand...

Obviously, I'm a "newbie" to all this. What's a "MiFi"? I have an iPhone 3GS and just ordered the wifi only iPad 2 and am trying to figure out how I'm going to get online when there's no wifi available. I already have a huge bill with ATT so I didn't want to have another monthly bill with them and get the 3G iPad. Any ideas? I hate the idea of jailbreaking my phone.....but is that my only choice?
 
If you can afford it, I'd go with 3G. I got wifi, and I do wish now that I had 3G - but the $100 extra for the device plus service plan costs just aren't in the budget right now. Luckily, I mostly use it in places with wifi and have plenty to do on it even when I don't have internet, but there are definitely times when internet everywhere would be great.
 
The only practical reason I see getting one is if you use it while commuting or travelling and you can't tether it to your phone...

if you get it for any other reason then your an idiot

the monthly premium aint worth it.
 
We have 2 Ipads in the house and they are both 3G I would not buy One with out 3G as it is great when we travel. We activate the 3G only when we need it.

Look at it this way if you go to Disney World for 10 days $15.00 per day for internet access
or $25.00 for 2gb data for the entire month, that you can use any where any time and you can stop the auto renewal at the end of your vacation and restart at any time.
And if you go over seas you an pick up a prepaid sim and use the 3G Data .

Yes you pay more for the 3G unit but you get Gps as well so while you are driving to your destination your pasangers can look up maps and weather and any thing else the want.
 
roberthodgson said:
We have 2 Ipads in the house and they are both 3G I would not buy One with out 3G as it is great when we travel. We activate the 3G only when we need it.

Look at it this way if you go to Disney World for 10 days $15.00 per day for internet access
or $25.00 for 2gb data for the entire month, that you can use any where any time and you can stop the auto renewal at the end of your vacation and restart at any time.
And if you go over seas you an pick up a prepaid sim and use the 3G Data .

Yes you pay more for the 3G unit but you get Gps as well so while you are driving to your destination your pasangers can look up maps and weather and any thing else the want.
Click to expand...

Being from the Orlando area I want to chime in. Unless you plan on using 3G during off peak times, forget trying to use the iPad 3G. Both Verizon and ATT speeds are horrendous during peak times because of the sheer number of people at or near the parks and hotels. The Verizon iPad finally got decent speeds after 10PM on a Friday night last month. The ATT iPad finally got decent 3G speeds at 1am. Yes 1 freaking AM before I got at least 2mbs. From 6pm-10pm barely got edge type speeds and multiple time outs because of heavy congestion during busy spring break month.
 
kcmo said:
Well I just ordered directly from Apple!

32GB 3G ATT model.....don't have an iPhone so no tethering for me.

VERY excited! Just hope it doesn't take a month to arrive!

Thanks again to everyone for your advice! Happy to be a member here :)
Click to expand...

Enjoy. You will love it and probably use 3G more than you first though. Its pretty cool to take the web with you!
 
You will enjoy the having the 3G capability when you are out. All of the public WiFi networks in my part of the country are not secure. Your personal information is at risk when using them.
 
infamousjax said:
The only practical reason I see getting one is if you use it while commuting or travelling and you can't tether it to your phone...

if you get it for any other reason then your an idiot

the monthly premium aint worth it.
Click to expand...

Just because somebody doesn't agree with you doesn't make them an idiot.

I went with a 3G model for convience. Yes, I could tether to my phone, but I would just rather use one device inistead then 2. Also if "out and about", you have to make sure the battery stays up on two devices instead of just one and thethering can drain a phone battery quickly at times.
 
infamousjax said:
The only practical reason I see getting one is if you use it while commuting or travelling and you can't tether it to your phone...

if you get it for any other reason then your an idiot

the monthly premium aint worth it.
Click to expand...

Conversely, you could also argue that you should only buy the wifi one if you know you'll never want to use the internet apps outside of a place with wifi.

Statistics have recently been published showing that a majority of ipad users don't have smart phones. I don't, nor shall I get one with the iPad.

The ipad is almost a computing paradigm shift for me. I thought I'd be happy with the wifi only version, but I ended up taking it everywhere and using it for so much that I had to have the anywhere, anytime 3g internet goodness.
 
Krandor said:
Just because somebody doesn't agree with you doesn't make them an idiot.

I went with a 3G model for convience. Yes, I could tether to my phone, but I would just rather use one device inistead then 2. Also if "out and about", you have to make sure the battery stays up on two devices instead of just one and thethering can drain a phone battery quickly at times.
Click to expand...

I agree with you for the convienence and if you need 3G that much where you lose battery power from tethering. In my case, I just went with wifi version this time around based on my 3G usage on my iPad 1. When I needed to use iPad in an area where I need 3G, I only use it for no more than 10 minutes. Since I only use 3G minutes at a time tethering is fine for me, and it doesn't hurt my battery. I can use the $15 to $25 on something else. If I used 3G more on my iPad 1, I would have bought the 3G version.
 
If your laptop is dying you would be better off spending that money instead on a new computer, personally I'd suggest a MacBook or Macbook Pro. If you're stressing about portability, the Macbook Air would be your best bet.

They aren't AS portable as a tablet, however a tablet (right now) can't really fully compensate for an actual computer. At one point I had a netbook as my main computer, two smartphones (3.7/4 inch) and an iPad. At the end of the day, I ended up selling one smartphone, the iPad, and getting a MacBook that I have now.

THe phones did more than the iPad and were just as fast; allowing me to actually view flash sites and, IMO, Android allows for more customization and freedom than iOS.

However to post on topic, I'd get the Wifi version, as I'm hardly ever in an area where I would want to use an iPad over a smartphone where wifi wasn't around. If I needed to use it without it, I'd just tether it to my phone or use the phone itself.
 
kcmo said:
Hi Guys/Gals,

I've always admired Apple and their devices, and have been thinking of getting an iPad 2 for a while. The only Apple device I've owned is a 4 year-old iPod Nano.

Everyone I know who has an iPad loves it and I need something to replace my 5 year-old dying Dell laptop that is used primarily for web browsing and media. May go for a Mac laptop replacement down the road, but for now I'd love a tablet for portability, and the iPad 2 seems to be the best choice.

I'm leaning towards the WiFi version since I'd use it primarily at home, but it is nice to think that with the 3G model, you're always connected. Can't say I'm crazy about the thought of paying for another data plan though. Just don't want to make a mistake - either way.

Thoughts/opinions? Have any of you bought the WiFi and wished you'd gotten the 3G instead?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I've only had 3G iPads and it's "freeing". When I go out or travel for work, I switch on the 3G.

When I'm home, I run WIFI only.
 
Young Spade said:
If your laptop is dying you would be better off spending that money instead on a new computer, personally I'd suggest a MacBook or Macbook Pro. If you're stressing about portability, the Macbook Air would be your best bet.

They aren't AS portable as a tablet, however a tablet (right now) can't really fully compensate for an actual computer.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with u, the ipad altho really neat and cool is not a computer replacement. So if its truely gonna be ur main device i would advice for a macbook or in ur case that u mentioned the importance of portability a 11" base MBA would be great for u probably
 
Detrias said:
Totally agree with u, the ipad altho really neat and cool is not a computer replacement. So if its truely gonna be ur main device i would advice for a macbook or in ur case that u mentioned the importance of portability a 11" base MBA would be great for u probably
Click to expand...

I'm not expecting the iPad 2 to be a laptop replacement, but for me, I am sure it will keep me 'happy' for a while since it will just be used for media consumption which is how I currently use my old Dell laptop.

Down the road my laptop will be replaced.
 
kcmo said:
I'm not expecting the iPad 2 to be a laptop replacement, but for me, I am sure it will keep me 'happy' for a while since it will just be used for media consumption which is how I currently use my old Dell laptop.

Down the road my laptop will be replaced.
Click to expand...

I get what you're saying and it's a great device (I really feel like I'm raining on your parade here lol) but I don't really think it's justified. To me... as a college student.. I feel that the iPad is a great piece of hardware that has to have a specific need in mind, and that need can only be met if you already are completely content with what you have at the time of purchase.

Because of it's "high" price point, the ipad is on the edge of being a "major" buy for many people, taking the place of a new windows laptop that they could have gotten instead. I feel that the iPad should only be bought when you have "everything" else squared away and you have money to burn.

If you're planning on upgrading your computer "down the road" or wanting to improve the specs in any way, do that FIRST and buy an iPad later. At the end of the day, you're going to be getting a 75/50 percent experience (75 for laptop, 50 for ipad if that makes sense) instead of a 95/0? experience which will ultimately be more fulfilling. It's like buying accessories for a car you have instead of upgrading the essentials like the engine or transmission. Now if your car is running perfectly and you dont' really want to change how it runs, go ahead and get the NOS (iPad in this case) to make it all better, however it really isn't "needed" and will only provide circumstantial use (while racing obviously).

Being a Mac fan now, I'd suggest saving the money and upgrading to a MBP or a new MBA in the future and seeing how you like that; having an upgraded BB now really eliminates the need for the iPad that I had before back when I used a windows netbook as my main computer.

Hope this helped :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back