I want to get an I-Pad2

[IID]

So,I see the I-Pad2 is out and have been for a bit now.I want to pick up one and I'm not sure but I think I would only need the 16G model as I want to use it for emails and filing customers by name address,services done,$ amount,ect....
From my understanding,AT&T charges around $30 month($1 a day)for unlimited Data but I already have a I-Phone 3GS and thought I could tether the two so I could use my unlimited Talk,Text,Data and NOT incur these $30 charges.I found out today,that is a NO.

Another concern I have is do I only have 3G network on the I-Pad2,where I only have it with my I-Phone 3GS?

Can someone shed a lil' light on this because it's all greek to me until I take the plunge and purchase one.

:dunno:

[Tundra_10]

I have not worked for a cellular provider for a couple years but I will give this a shot, some of my info might be out of date. Unless you have an older data plan for your phone (not sure if ATT made their customers make the switch (Verizon did not)) you have a limit on your data plan for your phone. If the phone is capable of acting as a wifi hotspot you should be able to pick it up from the ipad but surely this time you will be restricted to data and you will be paying extra for the tether feature. Furthermore if you want to tether, there would be no reason to get the 3g version of the ipad and you could just get the wifi version. Another thing to consider is with smart phones you cannot get them without a data feature. I am not sure how these tablet pcs and ipads are being used (as I have been out of the game since these were incepted into wireless carriers).

there is no 4g ipads yet (I do not think the gen2 can get 4g so you will be restricted to 3g in 3g areas)

[Tundra_10]

If you just want the device for emails and maybe some AG browsing a minimal data package should be ok. You should be able to send and receive 1000s of emails and even do a little web browsing and should be well under a decent threshold. If you are uploading videos and such, thats where you could hit a problem.

If I were you I would get the wireless and use it at home (if you have wireless set up) when out and about swing by starbucks, or panera bread or heck even mcdonalds. they all have free wifi, its not the fastest but for a quick email its plenty.

[Chris Thomas]

I have a wifi only version and just use the mobile hotspot feature on my iPhone 4. Yes, you will only have 3G signal where you already do on your phone. NO 3G=NO Internet. Like T10 mentioned...surf and email is no problem...downloading videos or large apps will eat up your data usage. On Verizon, I pay $20 for the hotspot feature and that gets me 4GB on tethered devices but I have unlimited on my iphone with it's data package. I have heard that you can jailbreak the iphone, and tether the ipad without getting caught because they both use the same packets from ios5 so it doesn't look like a tether to the carrier...but I'm not jailbroken and $20 a month isn't that bad.

[IID]

I pay for my AT&T I-Phone 3GS (Unlimited everything) $125 a month.I will swing the supposely $30 for Unlimited Data(?) for the I-Pad because there are quit a few book,catalogs,ect... that I want to import into it.
I just don't see another(legal)way around it.

[Tundra_10]

Just checked a little deeper for you to see what ATT was offering...

http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp226/ysuboy/Forum%20Stuff/Picture2.png

http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp226/ysuboy/Forum%20Stuff/Picture1.png

... Sorry but it does not look like they offer unlimited for their standard tablets or their ipad tablets.

[IID]

Thank You Tundra
Looks like I'll have to head over to AT&T to calculate Data usage because I'm not sure about signing a 2year contract for 3G @ $25 month.

[Tundra_10]

Well it does not look like they even offer a contract with the ipad per the rate graph. it says on top its for non-contractual rates for the ipad only. the tablet as both contract and non... not sure if I am reading into that wrong or what but even on top it says you need to have the min plan and it auto-renews every month so I guess if all else fails you can just resort to using wifi at public spots, only problem with that though is the 3g is more expensive then just wifi initially.

[CAMAROZL1]

If u have an iPhone u can get mobile hotspot and use that for ur 3G. Also if you wait another 3 months or so. I'm guessing February announcement and march sales, u can get an ipad2 for couple bucks less around 80-100

[Spiney]

You may want to hold out a little bit longer. The ipad-3 is comming out in the end of Feb. 2x the screen res and faster processor. I want an iPad and I'm sitting on the cash because I don't want to buy one now and have a better one come out in 2 months. Spiney-Dave

[Waxy]

MiFi......check it out at Best Buy.
3G Internet At Home or On The Go

No Contract, No Overages & No Activation Fees
Nationwide Sprint® 3G Network
Only Pay for What You Need
Change Plans as Your Needs Change.

MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot | Virgin Mobile (http://www.virginmobileusa.com/mobile-broadband/mifi-2200.html)

[golliger]

Thank You Tundra
Looks like I'll have to head over to AT&T to calculate Data usage because I'm not sure about signing a 2year contract for 3G @ $25 month.

No contract needed. In fact you can start and stop at any time.

You will have to pay for the full month once you start. But still better than a contract.

Apple - iPad 2 - Two great ways to stay connected. (http://www.apple.com/ipad/3g/)

[glen e]

I have 3 ipads for the family/business and here it is in a nutshell:
1. staying home and going to starbucks? - forget 3G
2. gonna be out in the field/aiports or outside? - get the 3G - the $15 dollar plan will be fine.
3. get the 32G memory unless you plan on storing over 5000 tunes - you rent movies so they come on an off and don't take up space. Nothing takes up space except tunes.

[IID]

Thank you everyone for their input.There is a couple options I will entertain.I'm on the move(remote)50% of the time so it looks like I'll be going the Wi-Fi+3G route and a pad with 32G.

[Waxy]

Connect up to 5 Wi-Fi enabled wireless devices.

MiFi......check it out at Best Buy.
3G Internet At Home or On The Go

No Contract, No Overages & No Activation Fees
Nationwide Sprint® 3G Network
Only Pay for What You Need
Change Plans as Your Needs Change.

MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot | Virgin Mobile