Wait for Tether or buy a 3G

Ray Nolan April 19, 2010 at 8:37 PM

Having seen iPhone tether at work (v.simple to connect and browse from my mac air via my iPhone 3G connection), I'm really frustrated that the iPad can't do it. Simple fact is that you either can't always get a wifi connection, or couldn't be bothered. Grabbing a quick look at some mail with a few spare minutes in a taxi etc. Would be great.

So ... Do we take steve jobs at his word ("it will never tether"), and buy another with the sim card, or do we trust that tethering will arrive? I'm guessing it comes down to the economics, for apple, of the new 3G contracts which might arrive with the new device.

Ironically I did browse using my iPad connected to a nokia yesterday, using a downloadable wifi app from the ovi store. It worked well, but judging by how hot the phone got, the battery was being eaten up really fast.

I'm aware that there is an app for hacked iPhones which provides the same wifi function, but with similar battery issues.

The only workable solution is a low power Bluetooth connection to iPhone, and using the 3G connection as with standard tethering. C'mon Steve ... Give the fans a break :-)

Bill Liao June 4, 2010 at 8:53 AM

I bought myself the lowest spec ipad because I figured that it would have the longest battery life and the smallest number of heating problems ( overheating is the number 1 killer of lithium ion battery life ) and my choice proved correct.

So what to do about wifi on the road? I bought a very nice Novatell wireless MiFi device which is smaller than a cell phone yet gives you a portable wifi hotspot.

I use skype for my telecomunications anyway and the ipad makes a surprisingly good speakerphone with skype running and uts much cheaper to use skype even over the MiFi which is running HSuPA on the 3G network (using a meteor simm card in Ireland and an O2 in the UK both of which give you unlimited free data if you top them up once a month with 20 Euro)

Incidentally my iPhone wired in headset works perfectly with skype on the iPad as does my Jawbone noise cancelling one.

Best of all Apple cannot stop this approach and neither can the carriers.

20 euro a month for unlimited calls and data and I use skype in to provide numbers i several countries that people can call me on.

Finally the MiFi device can have up to five clients so if you still want to carry an iPhone you can connect that to the portable hotspot as well and again reduce your data charges especially when roaming.

davidoriordan October 26, 2010 at 5:57 PM

I had a quick look at the HTC Desirer and set the pre loaded wifi app to on, it worked very well, it looks a very good phone and has allot of the iPhone type apps, if you have an iPad wifi only and need a new phone I would consider this phone with a good data package. The iPhone and iPad need to start talking.

Ray Nolan May 3, 2010 at 2:36 PM

Met an Apple employee over the weekend ... he agreed that the tether issue was gonna have to get resolved.

Tried my iPad in Rome airport ... usual torment trying to register for the airport WifFi service in ITALIAN :-)
1. Took three attempts before I got all the fields entered correctly
2. Seemed to hang during the payment processing
3. Gave up :-(

... Things got worse ....
As the wifi people messed it all up ... Visa locked down my credit card. ... so my missus couldn't buy anything at the airport (Perhaps not a bad thing). Came home to a security call from Visa.

All goes to prove my original point ... you cannot travel with a wifi only iPad unless they get the tethering right. Pay as you go Wifi registration is 50% successful at best !

C'Mon apple ... gimme a break!

Niall Dawson May 21, 2010 at 8:22 AM

Google just announced feature set for android 2.2

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/10/05/21/0311242/Google-Outlines-Feature-Set-For-Android-22

among other points, "a Portable Hotspot feature that makes your phone a Wi-Fi hotspot"

i think it might be time to buy an android!

Last edited by Niall Dawson at May 21, 2010 at 8:23 AM

Ray Nolan May 21, 2010 at 2:10 PM

Wifi hotspot on the phone isn't the answer I'm afraid. There are iPhone apps ( hacked phones), but the power consumptions renders them useless.

There's only one thing worse than no wifi on the move .. It's a dead phone :-)

Last edited by Ray Nolan at May 26, 2010 at 9:09 AM

Ray Nolan August 18, 2010 at 6:10 PM

OK .. I'm giving in and buying a second iPad w/ 3G.

I'm not up for carrying a mifi, and the phone hotspot solution is a battery hog.

So ... anyone got help with the best provider 3, 02 or Vodafone? Most important to me is the hassle free roaming from a single SIM.

TIA

Bill Liao August 30, 2010 at 5:17 PM

Vodafone has given me the best results in Ireland and lebara outside

Ray Nolan August 30, 2010 at 9:32 PM

Thanks Bill.

Just loading up the new one now.

Really frustrated by the fact that the book store is only offering me free books (my credit is good I swear!). No answers online either.

Stay well.

Stewart Curry August 31, 2010 at 8:51 AM

In answer to the book problem - just download the Kindle app and you can buy ebooks from Amazon. (Though I'm not convinced the iPad is a great ereader - eys do get sore after a while)

Ray Nolan August 31, 2010 at 1:02 PM

More on books problem .... Ireland is lagging with publishers according to my source in Apple today ... will prob always be behind ... so free books is it I'm afraid.

It's back to the US address / US account solution I've used before.

NB : My original iPad HATES two itunes accounts. It sees apps awaiting upgrade from both accounts, then gets totally in a tizzy .. shipping me to itunes ... asking me for other pws etc etc etc.

So .... if you're running two acounts, buy the apps (and music, films etc if you want) on your Irish account ... "static" stuff like US movies, TV shows, books on your US account.

To see which account bought what (in order to clean up a mixed up iPad), go to itunes, library, apps ... then right click on any app to see what account paid for it. So .. to clean up, just delete the apps you bought / downloaded on the wrong (US) account, and get them again on your Irish account. Goal :- All apps on your Irish account.

Long winded ... hope this makes sense.