iPad2 3G question

[Kritou]

Have been waiting for a week or so for a refurbished iPad2 32GB WiFi (B/W) to appear in the Apple Store ....... but nada

For another £60 I can get the same model with 3G but I don't have or want a data plan

My first question is, are there any disadvantages to having the 3G option but not inserting a SIM card and just thinking of it as a WiFi only tablet (presumably with the added benefit of GPS)?

Second question - as 16GB models are also available from the same source would one work for me? I don't do much in the way of photos/music, no gaming apps and would not be storing films/videos or books on it. I also apprecite the option for cloud storage with Apple, Dropbox or Evernote etc

I know Q2 is a bit like the length of string required but would appreciate any opinions

Thanks

Oh, and resale value is not really important

 

[karlp]

The only disadvantage is that when you switch it on it states

No SIM installed - the message then goes away and that is all.

I would say for what you want 16GByte is fine

 

[cookie]

dunno if it makes any difference to you, but the 3G model has a GPS receiver built in, the wi-fi models don't.

 

[bowser]

Depends how you use it but the 3g can be usefull, I have a payg data card from t mobile, took it to a local phone shop who cut it down to the size for Ipad and away you go. Nice thing about the t-mobile card is that the data paid for doesnt disappear if you dont use if for a few months.

It allows me to check on things from a rally site, or whatever and not worry if I have a wifi signal or not.

 

[Stujw70]

I purchase a 3 month sim card for £19.99 from Argos as i did not want to sign up for a contract.
For what i use it for away from home or work it is grand and the gps mapping comes in usefull.

 

[cookie]

o2 PAYG SIM - 400MB/£2.04 per day, but only if you use it. no ongoing charge at all.

 

[jetjock]

Get the 3G model and then get a sim from ovivomobile !!

It's £5 but no monthly fee and you get 1gb of data .

The catch ?

They put an advert on the browser now and again !

 

[G5RJO]

3 do a three month data sim for £20 one off fee. Lasts three months from the date of activation. Think its only a few GB but its enough. I get one occasionaly off ebay - a lot less than from 3. Keep it until you NEED internet and have no connection on wifi, chuck it in the ipad and then it'll run for three months. When it expires I just buy another...

Like this one for £12 - less than £1 a week....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-Mobile-..._Home_Phones_Sim_Cards_CV&hash=item3cc52f1d9c

As said, 3g models have a GPS if thats something you may need.

Roger.

 

[Andy B]

For what it is worth I'd stick with 32Gb.

I use mine in a similar fashion to what you've described but I've found that it is not music and films that take up the space - its apps. And although you don't realise it now, when there are so many to make life easy you do tend to collect them!

If you go without 3G you can always tether it to a phone. I do have 3G but to avoid another contract I just tether it via the Bluetooth to a Nokia 6500 and use the 3G on that to do my browsing when I can't find WiFi. It's worked fine for the last 18 months

 

[Billywhizz]

I had the same dilemma about 3G but ended up buying one with 3G and getting a free sim from Vodafone and just topping up £5 at a time when I need to. No contract or any commitment......

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

You can tether the non 3g ipad to your phone by creating a personal hotspot - dead easy but you will need to pay your phone service provider for it.

i have a new non 3g Ipad3 and will be tethering it to my iphone 4 (soon to be 5!)

 

[Budweiser]

You can tether the non 3g ipad to your phone by creating a personal hotspot - dead easy but you will need to pay your phone service provider for it.

i have a new non 3g Ipad3 and will be tethering it to my iphone 4 (soon to be 5!)

That's interesting. I have an iPhone 4. How do I tether it to my iPad 3

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

That's interesting. I have an iPhone 4. How do I tether it to my iPad 3

call O2 (for me) and just tell them you wish to pay for tethering.
You can then set up a personal hotspot on your phone network settings, it will create a little wi-fi zone just like your house router or in a cafe wi-fi zone and you can log into it to use 3G capabilites.

Simples!

 

[Budweiser]

call O2 (for me) and just tell them you wish to pay for tethering.
You can then set up a personal hotspot on your phone network settings, it will create a little wi-fi zone just like your house router or in a cafe wi-fi zone and you can log into it to use 3G capabilites.

Simples!

Thanks for that

 

[Paul90]

I think tethering is free from O2 now but might only be for new contracts.

Worth a call to ask.

Paul

 

[Jiffy176]

That's interesting. I have an iPhone 4. How do I tether it to my iPad 3

Just click personal hotspot below the wifi button in settings with wifi turned on
it will give you a password, scan with ipad for new wifi channel and connect as usual. I think this setting was activated with iphone 3gs onwards and now most contracts come with a data allowance that allows tethering.

I have ipad2 and iphone 4s. Used this when on holiday and works really really well. Certainly fast enough for general browsing etc.