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iPad 3G... What is 3G?!?

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Old 14 November 2011, 04:53 PM
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AWG
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Default iPad 3G... What is 3G?!?

Help, dithering whether to get an iPad or not. What is 3G? Or 3Gs? Does it need a monthly subscription?

I would like to get one to use on the train, and would prefer Internet. Is this possible? I have a router at home like everybody else so wi-fi is fine, I just don't understand the 3G stuff!

Any help much appreciated!

Andy
Old 14 November 2011, 04:58 PM
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3G is data via the mobile networks

If you have no access to wifi on the move then you will need 3G.

I 'tether' it to my iPhone - i.e. using my iPhone as a wifi hotspot. Works well and reduces the cost of your 3G access - yes it would be a monthly cost.
Old 14 November 2011, 04:59 PM
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GlesgaKiss
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Well I've never had an iPad and don't know much about them, but presumably with a 3G one you'll have a tariff from the likes of Vodafone whereas with Wifi only you don't. So you'll want a 3G!
Old 14 November 2011, 05:00 PM
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Its a rating system apple uses for its products, so "G" is short for "Garbage" so 3G is 3rd time recycled "Garbage", and the "s" stands for "Sucker" as its basically the same asset with a minor tweek that makes people go out any buy it all over again - bringing it all together.....

Buy a notebook
Old 14 November 2011, 05:06 PM
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You can get PAYG iPad 3G sims was about 5p per MB
Old 14 November 2011, 06:38 PM
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I bet it dont teeter to any other type of mobile
Old 14 November 2011, 07:07 PM
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boxst
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3G allows you to connect to the Internet with a SIM card in exactly the same way you do with a phone. I buy a 3Gb/3 month sim (whichever is sooner) from 3 on Amazon or eBay for £11ish.

You can tether to a phone if the phone is capable in which case you do not need the 3G version just tether to the phone to connect to the Internet.
Old 17 November 2011, 10:59 AM
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Getting mixed vibes on this, are they actually any good then? I'm after one as a replacement for my laptop (non-apple) as it ticks a lot of the boxes in terms of using on trains, size etc..

However, taking Scoobynet as an example, if I want to upload an image I would find one and save to 'my documents' in order to upload onto the thread. Tried doing this on my iPod touch and I had no way of saving it to the unit. Fair enough as either it doesn't have the facility to do it or I was just doing the wrong thing! My question is will I have a similar problem with the iPad or does it have memory that I can save bits and bobs to in order to upload online.
Old 17 November 2011, 11:21 AM
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i bought a 3g, so i can use it out & about & nt use just wifi.
I looked around & did some surfing about the 3g cards & all are contract or only last 1 month/3 mth etc depending which you buy.

I bought a pay as you go sim, bought a sim micro cutter, cut it with it, i now have an orange pay as you go 3g sim fully working, with no contract..... paid £12 on the bay for a registered £20 credit 3g sim. Happy days.

Oh you do need to enter the correct vpn settings in the ipad so it picks up the correct 3g info to use. but it is simples..... how much it costs to use etc i have no idea i signed it up to one of them dolphin things. Its not used much on 3g so dont know where the credit is upto, but it works & is handy & have no contract or expiry date

Last edited by timmyajmy93wrx; 17 November 2011 at 01:58 PM.
Old 17 November 2011, 11:57 AM
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Is there any need for 3g of you can just tether it to your phone ?
Old 17 November 2011, 12:04 PM
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Good point?
Old 17 November 2011, 12:09 PM
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Originally Posted by AWG_STi
Getting mixed vibes on this, are they actually any good then? I'm after one as a replacement for my laptop (non-apple) as it ticks a lot of the boxes in terms of using on trains, size etc..

However, taking Scoobynet as an example, if I want to upload an image I would find one and save to 'my documents' in order to upload onto the thread. Tried doing this on my iPod touch and I had no way of saving it to the unit. Fair enough as either it doesn't have the facility to do it or I was just doing the wrong thing! My question is will I have a similar problem with the iPad or does it have memory that I can save bits and bobs to in order to upload online.
For uploading pictures, you can save it on to the iPad, up load it to the photobucket App (for example) and then link it to here as you normally would. Do it all the time on my iPad. Admittedly, not quite as quick or easy as on a computer but it can be done.
Old 17 November 2011, 12:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Luan Pra bang
Is there any need for 3g of you can just tether it to your phone ?
Not at all if you stay within your mobile data plan allowance. It comes down to just how often you'd use the iPad.
Old 17 November 2011, 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by boxst
3G allows you to connect to the Internet with a SIM card in exactly the same way you do with a phone. I buy a 3Gb/3 month sim (whichever is sooner) from 3 on Amazon or eBay for £11ish.

You can tether to a phone if the phone is capable in which case you do not need the 3G version just tether to the phone to connect to the Internet.
Nice one, that's a great idea. I've seen them on Amazon and seen you can get a sim card cutter for as little as £3 on ebay, so you can get three months for £11-ish instead of being raped by O2 for £10-ish per month.

Just swapped to a 1 month "3" card to try it out and the coverage in my area is better on "3" than O2 as well! Win, win!
Old 17 November 2011, 01:57 PM
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the idea of tethering to you phone is good & simpler especially if you are going to use it lots an can justify the cost but orange want 15 per month for the privelage, so no thanks, i just want the 3g as a 'its there if i need it' scenario hence the payg sim, no expiry date.

Also tethering - fwhen i got a month free off orange, i had 2 i devices running bluetooth & eating battery power which was a bit of a pain for me

Last edited by timmyajmy93wrx; 17 November 2011 at 01:59 PM.
Old 17 November 2011, 02:10 PM
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Originally Posted by SirFozzalot
Nice one, that's a great idea. I've seen them on Amazon and seen you can get a sim card cutter for as little as £3 on ebay, so you can get three months for £11-ish instead of being raped by O2 for £10-ish per month.

Just swapped to a 1 month "3" card to try it out and the coverage in my area is better on "3" than O2 as well! Win, win!
You dont' really need a SIM cutter. A good pair of scissors is fine.
Old 17 November 2011, 02:17 PM
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I don't have a smart phone, so might go down the route of this payg as I'd use the wifi at home and at work and then the 3G on the train. If I can get reception on it!
Old 17 November 2011, 03:59 PM
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to be honest my ipad2 3g reception is better than my iphone for some strange reason & both using orange... but i do believe that Three coverage is really good. If you go on their websites they should do a coverage checker thing for you to see about the area your train journey is.
Old 17 November 2011, 04:52 PM
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Luan Pra bang
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Also some proper tablets, ie non apple have a USB port which means you can use 3g dongles provided you know where to get the software so it makes me think the extra prices charged for 3g tablets are a bit of a ripoff.
Old 17 November 2011, 05:35 PM
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Originally Posted by timmyajmy93wrx
to be honest my ipad2 3g reception is better than my iphone for some strange reason & both using orange... but i do believe that Three coverage is really good. If you go on their websites they should do a coverage checker thing for you to see about the area your train journey is.
isnt it only the very latest iphone that cw an internal antenna ?
Old 17 November 2011, 08:49 PM
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Don't forget that the 3g has extra hardware, GPS/Compass is missing on the WiFi version, or at least it was.
Old 17 November 2011, 08:50 PM
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No idea about the antenna mate!
Old 18 November 2011, 07:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Luan Pra bang
Also some proper tablets, ie non apple have a USB port which means you can use 3g dongles provided you know where to get the software so it makes me think the extra prices charged for 3g tablets are a bit of a ripoff.
Unsightly dongle hanging out the back of a svelt tablet and needing to be in the 'know' to find some software sounds like a 'proper tablet' as you put it....

Is USB port the new Flash for bashing iPad now that Adobe are dropping mobile flash?

Also, how is 3G a rip off? It's quite clear what you pay and what you get. I chose a 3G iPad and it just works every time, no grief with addons or tethering.
Old 18 November 2011, 09:24 AM
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each to their own but I just ordered an advent Vega, it costs 200 quid has two USB ports sd card slot and does more than an iPad for less than half the cost.
Old 18 November 2011, 09:37 AM
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Too many choices
Old 18 November 2011, 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Luan Pra bang
and does more than an iPad for less than half the cost.
Such as? Please list these features.
Old 18 November 2011, 11:07 AM
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Originally Posted by An0n0m0us
Such as? Please list these features.

With a non apple tablet

I can plug in a USB dongle

I can plug in an external USB hardrive

I can link it to my android phone.

It can attach it to my PC and transfer files via wireless



It can play WMA

It can play any video format in existance with out any bother or hassle.

I can also swap sd cards between by Android phone and the tablet

I can plug it straight into my tv and play HD films through it.

I can play flash

I can get free apps.

I don't have to deal with the usual bull**** apple closed source produces.

I can plug in a printer

I can use VLC player

I can spend the £250 saving on drugs and a prostitute.
Old 18 November 2011, 11:10 AM
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Can also do most of those things on my iPad and those that I cant are not worth buying an inferior product for.
Old 18 November 2011, 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by Luan Pra bang
With a non apple tablet

I can plug in a USB dongle

I can plug in an external USB hardrive

I can link it to my android phone.

It can attach it to my PC and transfer files via wireless



It can play WMA

It can play any video format in existance with out any bother or hassle.

I can also swap sd cards between by Android phone and the tablet

I can plug it straight into my tv and play HD films through it.

I can play flash

I can get free apps.

I don't have to deal with the usual bull**** apple closed source produces.

I can plug in a printer

I can use VLC player

I can spend the £250 saving on drugs and a prostitute.

or a 46'' telly
Old 18 November 2011, 11:25 AM
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An0n0m0us
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And you think the ipad can't do a lot of those things? Let me correct you:

Originally Posted by Luan Pra bang
With a non apple tablet

I can plug in a USB dongle - never had the need to as can tether to phone

I can plug in an external USB hardrive - never had the need to, can transfer wirelessly

I can link it to my android phone. - ipad links to iphone via icloud

It can attach it to my PC and transfer files via wireless - yep ipad can do this



It can play WMA - i need to check as never tried VLC should though
It can play any video format in existance with out any bother or hassle. - once again pretty much covered by VLC

I can also swap sd cards between by Android phone and the tablet- no need as above can send files wirelessly oh and then of course there is also icloud for storing files with access on ipad/iphone

I can plug it straight into my tv and play HD films through it. - yep ipad can do this without the need for apple tv

I can play flash - absolutely never needed to and now being phased out so mute point

I can get free apps. - yep ipad can do this

I don't have to deal with the usual bull**** apple closed source produces. - never had an issue

I can plug in a printer - don't need to it has wireless printing

I can use VLC player - so does ipad

I can spend the £250 saving on drugs and a prostitute. Sorry to hear you're a drug user and have to resort to prostitutes

Last edited by An0n0m0us; 18 November 2011 at 11:27 AM.


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