My WiFi???

[anonaboat]

Forgive me; this question and it's answer is probably elsewhere in the Forum, but...I'm going to purchase an iPad2 as soon as possible (3/11/11?). My model choice is (was) 3G/32GB. Now, with the new iPhone softwear coming out featuring "My wifi" why would I still opt for 3G? Would using my iPhone for wifi connectivity not save me BIG $$$$ and serve the same purpose?

Thanks,

BJ

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Under iOS 4.3 the iPhone will be able to act as a WiFi 'Hot Spot' but the iPad will not. So, yes, if you have an iPhone with iOS 4.3 and a WiFi iPad you'll be good to go...

Have fun and enjoy your iPad..

Don't hesitate to let us know if you need any further help....

Tim
Scotland

(on a remote, single track, railway line making my way slowly back home on the West Coast of Scotland - 3G here - what a world...)

 

[twerppoet]

Though you might occasionally miss having a GPS on the iPad.

 

[anonaboat]

Ahhhh....GPS, good thought! That muddys the waters some.

BJ

 

[Demandarin]

Save ur $$$.. Get a wifi version n tether thru ut hotspot feature. Gps, google maps n earth will still wrk just the same. Apple has people fooled on gps feature. Its not even a true gps chipset. 3g uses assisted gps. My wifi version has wrked fine and right on point when navigating!

 

[twerppoet]

Hold in mind that while you would end up paying the $130 premium to have 3G iPad, there is nothing forcing you to pay for the second data plan as well.

So the question isn't, do I have to pay for two plans to get GPS. It just, do I want GPS badly enough to pay an extra $130 for it.

 

[Demandarin]

Hold in mind that while you would end up paying the $130 premium to have 3G iPad, there is nothing forcing you to pay for the second data plan as well.

So the question isn't, do I have to pay for two plans to get GPS. It just, do I want GPS badly enough to pay an extra $130 for it.

Good point, i thought if u get a 3g version, You are forced to get a data plan also. I never knew that, what u said.

 

[twerppoet]

The GPS in the iPad is part of the 3G chipset. That does not mean it isn't a true GPS. Assisted GPS means that you have a 'real' GPS that has other services associated.

Assisted GPS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The WiFi location services do work fairly well in metro areas, as long as don't need to be accurate beyond 100 ft or so. They are far less reliable in rural areas. It also makes for lousy navigation instructions, since it has only the vaguest idea of when you are approaching a corner.

I'm not really trying to convince anyone that they have to spend the money for a 3G table. If you've got your phone with you, you can use it for GPS type apps, which will solve most issues. But some people (me for one) like having accurate locations on my iPad as well. It comes in handy every now and then. Then again, I do live in a rural area.

 

[Demandarin]

The GPS in the iPad is part of the 3G chipset. That does not mean it isn't a true GPS. Assisted GPS means that you have a 'real' GPS that has other services associated.

Assisted GPS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The WiFi location services do work fairly well in metro areas, as long as don't need to be accurate beyond 100 ft or so. They are far less reliable in rural areas. It also makes for lousy navigation instructions, since it has only the vaguest idea of when you are approaching a corner.

Point taken. ;-)

 

[twerppoet]

Good point, i thought if u get a 3g version, You are forced to get a data plan also. I never knew that, what u said.

Well, not in the U.S. and through AT&T anyway. That may not be true of other countries. And since you haven't been able to buy a 3G iPad through Verizon it hasn't been an issue there either.

Which begs the question, how is Verizon going to do iPad data plans for the iPad 2? We should probably start another thread for that, rather than discuss it here. Off to do that.

 

[anonaboat]

Thread starter here...The plot thickens somewhat in that I'd need to pay $100 to "upgrade" my 3Gs phone to an iPhone 4 in order to make this happen. Evidently the hotspot feature will only work with the iPhone 4 (sometimes Apple is just too clever for words!). Having said that, I almost ALWAYS have my phone with me so iPad GPS capability is ??? Additionally, I was only opting for the iPad 3G version because I'm not convinced that wifi is universal enough...yet. Perhaps that's another thread..."for the wifi only folks, how often do you wish you had 3G?"

BJ

 

[Demandarin]

Thread starter here...The plot thickens somewhat in that I'd need to pay $100 to "upgrade" my 3Gs phone to an iPhone 4 in order to make this happen. Evidently the hotspot feature will only work with the iPhone 4 (sometimes Apple is just too clever for words!). Having said that, I almost ALWAYS have my phone with me so iPad GPS capability is ??? Additionally, I was only opting for the iPad 3G version because I'm not convinced that wifi is universal enough...yet. Perhaps that's another thread..."for the wifi only folks, how often do you wish you had 3G?"

BJ

Haedly ever, honestly. Too much of a price hike for that minimal feature. There are always wrk aroumds to get real gps wrking on wifi versions. Like my win mo phone can act as an external gps unit. I found out details on how to link it. Ima try it out soon n see how good it wrks.

 

[genros]

Help please clarify.
I intend on using the ipad2(wifi version) tethered to my droid x as a gps in my truck. Will it work properly or do i need a 3g model?

 

[twerppoet]

Help please clarify.
I intend on using the ipad2(wifi version) tethered to my droid x as a gps in my truck. Will it work properly or do i need a 3g model?

No, or at least not very well. There is nothing in the WiFi tethering that will pass the Droid X's GPS data to the the iPad.

The iPad will probably still try to locate you using the WiFi location features. How well that will work depends entirely on where you are; how many hotspots and if they are in Apple's database. Even if it finds you, turn by turn instructions are going to be terrible, if the iPad even tries to deliver them. Wifi location is rarely more accurate than a couple hundred feet. That is for the build in Map application.

Third party navigation apps built to work with the GPS are even less likely to work properly.

If you need accurate GPS data on you iPad the best, easiest, way to get it is to buy the 3G version. If you already have a WiFi only iPad and need GPS, then you might want to fool with some of the alternates. Because then you are looking at the price of a new iPad to cure the problem, instead of the comparatively cheap $130.

Note again: You do not need to buy a data plan for the 3G iPad in order to use the GPS.

 

[genros]

thank you, thats exactly the info i was looking for. I will be buying a 3g unit and no plan then