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Wi-fi Only iPad, will I regret it?
- Thread starter rneglia
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This is really going to depend on how and where you are using it. I bought the 32GB Wifi only and this is my first ever iPad. My reasons for choosing how I did:
1) I don't have AT&T or Verizon service and I'm not going to pay either of them just for service on my iPad.
2) 4G versions cost more than what I wanted to spend.
3) I will use mine mainly for web surfing, research, some business productivity, reading books, and the occasional times for entertainment (games, movie, etc) when I'm traveling via plane or car. Most places I go will have free Wifi even when I travel and I certainly have Wifi in my house.
4) The rare times I don't have Wifi access, I have my smartphone, which is what I have been using A LOT since I've had it. Just ready for what a tablet offers over a smartphone which is why I bought the iPad.
All I can say is think about what your needs are, what you can afford or are willing to spend, and go from there. Another thing I read here is that you can purchase a 4G model and not activate the service until you actually need it. That's a nice safety net to have also.
1) I don't have AT&T or Verizon service and I'm not going to pay either of them just for service on my iPad.
2) 4G versions cost more than what I wanted to spend.
3) I will use mine mainly for web surfing, research, some business productivity, reading books, and the occasional times for entertainment (games, movie, etc) when I'm traveling via plane or car. Most places I go will have free Wifi even when I travel and I certainly have Wifi in my house.
4) The rare times I don't have Wifi access, I have my smartphone, which is what I have been using A LOT since I've had it. Just ready for what a tablet offers over a smartphone which is why I bought the iPad.
All I can say is think about what your needs are, what you can afford or are willing to spend, and go from there. Another thing I read here is that you can purchase a 4G model and not activate the service until you actually need it. That's a nice safety net to have also.
My iPad 2 was wifi only and I got tired of having to juggle two devices whenever I wanted cellular for the ipad. I got the LTE this time and I plan on using it. It was $20 for tethering on the iPhone and I am able to decrease my iPhone data plan as well. It should be a wash financially.
we just got our first iPad and it's a wifi only ipad. I wasn't 100% aware that you could do 4G data plan month-to-month. I had second thoughts. Found out it's $130 MORE for the ABILITY to use 4G... (plus $20-50/month for service). No thanks. If I REALLY need internet access on the go, I'll tether.
This is certainly understandable. That extra expense is mostly for convenience. To some the convenience outweighs the extra cost. To others, it doesn't. Choice is good!
I cant see any use for a WiFi only iPad. Its is a device designed to be always online. Having to carry around and charge another device just to get online with an iPad is crazy. Also you don't get a GPS.. Who wants a device without a GPS.
I cant think of any thin i do with the iPad that doesn't require a internet connection.. Oh maybe watching a movie
I cant think of any thin i do with the iPad that doesn't require a internet connection.. Oh maybe watching a movie
I decided to go with wifi + lte. My current iPad 2 is wifi only and I don't use it as often as I want since I find myself in many situations where there is no wifi. I have an iPhone with tethering but don't like the fact that the iPad doesn't auto recognize the hotspot. I have to open my iPhone settings then the iPad can connect. I would rather just grab my iPad and always have Internet access. Plus tethering is $15 so the LTE is only $15 more a month. I'll pay the upfront additinal cost of the LTE chip plus $15 more a month for faster Internet speeds and the convinience to pick up my iPad at anytime and be connected to the internet. Plus, when you go to sell the iPad with LTE chip, you will be able to recoupe some of the initial cost.
Just my 2 cents...
Either way I dont think anyone owning a new iPad will regret it
Just my 2 cents...
Either way I dont think anyone owning a new iPad will regret it
Both my iPads were wifi only and have never been in a position where I wished I had 3G. If the data plans were more reasonable then I might eventually think about it but I refuse to spend that much on another ****** data plan on top of the ridiculous premium apple charges for it.
Come Friday, I will have had all three generations of the iPad. My iPad and iPad 2 were both WiFi-only. I ordered a Verizon LTE 3rd generation iPad, even though I have a 4G Mifi. It may seem like overkill, but I mostly use the Mifi for the iPad (and occasionally my MacBook Air). I get good speeds on the Mifi, but it is inconvenient to carry around another device and charger. I may eventually sell the Mifi for enough to pay for my ETF fee and just use the iPad as a hotspot if I need to.
Since I have my Verizon LTE galaxy Nexus as essentially my backup phone. And I use my AT&T iPhone 4s as my main phone.
I got a Verizon iPad. I am going to slide my microsomes Verizon LTE unlimited data account into the iPad LTE.
Bam. I got unlimited iPad LTE data PLUS unlimited LTE hotspot from the iPad.
Verizon does not throttle LTE and Verizon per FCC agreement doesn't restrict sim swapping between certified LTE devices regardless if it's a tablet or phone.
I got a Verizon iPad. I am going to slide my microsomes Verizon LTE unlimited data account into the iPad LTE.
Bam. I got unlimited iPad LTE data PLUS unlimited LTE hotspot from the iPad.
Verizon does not throttle LTE and Verizon per FCC agreement doesn't restrict sim swapping between certified LTE devices regardless if it's a tablet or phone.
Depends on your needs.. I bought the WiFi only iPad 2 and, tethered to my Samsung Galaxy S2 phone, I never missed not having the 3G version..
However, this time around, I bought the LTE [ AT&T ] version for the GPS and my travel plans for this year...
Otherwise, the WiFi only version sufficed!
What they are saying is people who choose wifi only models live in places or frequent places with Wifi access anyway. You don't have to carry around and charge another device just to get Wifi. Also who needs or wants GPS on an iPAD when
a.) It's on my phone
b.) It's in my car
c.) I'm already paying for an internet connection both at home and on my phone for data....why on earth would I want to pay again..just to have it on another device??? Seriously it makes no sense. Even to travel once or twice throughout the year. I guess I could understand if your job required travel very frequently but it's not worth the extra cost IMO. Plus 4G isn't everywhere yet. The iPAD doesn't have to ALWAYS be online to work and be effective. You can store media online and watch them without having an internet connection. That's why there are other devices..unless this iPAD is a first electronic device for people, 4G LTE is a waste. I'm just sayin.
My first iPad was WiFi only and I did regret getting it. I commute by bus and I do not have access to WiFi at work. When I bought the iPad2, I did get the 3G and was glad I did. I am getting the 4G LTE iPad now. If I don't need the 4G service, I know I can shut it off. Plus I know I can get rid of my Unlimited data on my iPhone 4 and go the tethering route. It would save me $10 a month so I might do that at some point.
I guess the other thing that allowed me to make the decision to go without is that I just compared it to what I currently do on my phone that is outside of sending texts and calling people. That's what I'd probably be using an iPad for mainly. Though it's not MY iPad (technically) as I got it for my wife... I had to draw a baseline somewhere. She's ALWAYS one of two places (just like me): Work or home. There's wifi in BOTH of those places so we'll always be connected.
As the one poster said above, I can see if you have a very long bus commute wanting the ability to have 4G LTE connectivity. That would drive me nuts to not have that ability.
It sounds like for most people, wifi is sufficient.
As the one poster said above, I can see if you have a very long bus commute wanting the ability to have 4G LTE connectivity. That would drive me nuts to not have that ability.
It sounds like for most people, wifi is sufficient.
I have access to the Internet all day at work and I have Wi-Fi at home. I live in a city where Wi-Fi is everywhere from Starbucks to McDonald's to Barnes and Noble. To me, the 4G model just isn't practical because the places that I do use my iPad when I'm not at work already have Wi-Fi.
Since I upgrade my iPad every year by selling the old one, that $130 is basically $10 per month. And that is on top of the monthly data plan (if I didn't subscribe every month, then that $130 would be more like $20 or $30 per month if I only subscribed 4 or 6 months out of the year).
Since I already have unlimited data on my iPhone 4S, it isn't practical for me to have the 4G model. Unless I went with a prepaid phone or non-smartphone.
Since I upgrade my iPad every year by selling the old one, that $130 is basically $10 per month. And that is on top of the monthly data plan (if I didn't subscribe every month, then that $130 would be more like $20 or $30 per month if I only subscribed 4 or 6 months out of the year).
Since I already have unlimited data on my iPhone 4S, it isn't practical for me to have the 4G model. Unless I went with a prepaid phone or non-smartphone.
Clearly it's dependent on how and where you will use it, as pointed out many times already. I do have 3G and ordered an LTE model. I have used the 3G feature a lot. I have an iPhone but it's grandfathered into unlimited data so I can't tether it. I may change that down the road but for me having a cellular connection is important.
I went from a 16gb ipad 2 wifi to a 32gb lte ipad 3. Reason being is i think this will be the first generation if an ipad that i'll keep for at least 2 years; as opposed to the usual annual upgrade. I think the next ipad will be more of an uncremental upgrade.
You will my friend you will... If you are like me always out and about the 4g model is a must! I don't like going to Starbucks just to surf, i get my coffee and get the hell out of there i go somewhere more quiet like a nice park and just chill there and with 4g lte im more than happy. If your always at work or school with wifi i don't see why you would spend a extra 100 if you won't use it. Depends on your situations!
There's two ways that I know of 1. Jailbreak or 2. Live somewhere that allows it. I'm in Canada and I tether my iPad to my iPhone which is allowed and share my 6GB data plan.
I actually had this predicament the same day I bought the new iPad. Earlier in the day I purchased a WiFi only iPad but then I thought about it through the day and purchased the WiFi + 4G and cancelled the WiFi. My reasoning is that while I may not use the 4G much but having the iPad 2 before, there were times that I wish I had it. I have a 4G AT&T hotspot that's small and light enough to carry around with me that has a 5GB limit. However I realized with the iPad 2 that there were times that I forgot the hotspot and don't want to turn hotspot on in my phone. I'll have the $14.99 option which is not bad since I will use it only for browsing and not app download until I get back to WiFi.
Anyway, I decided to cancel my ordered of WiFi to get the WiFi + 4G because a) 4G is the new thing this new iPad has b) satisfy the "what if" in my head.
Anyway, I decided to cancel my ordered of WiFi to get the WiFi + 4G because a) 4G is the new thing this new iPad has b) satisfy the "what if" in my head.
My wife and I use our wi-fi-only iPad 2 with a little Verizon 4G mi-fi 4510L in a shirt pocket. Mi-fi costs $50 a month for 5GB or $80 for 10 GB. We use the same mi-fi in our RV with a 2011 Apple Air, an Alienware 15x and a printer and we will use it with our new iPad 3. That's 5 wi-fi 4G devices for one monthly Verizon fee. When we're near a strong free wi-fi source we use that. We see no need for 3G or 4G capability in the iPad.
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