With or Without +Cellular

[Julia M]

Hello all! I'm new to the forum I've just bought an iPad Air with WiFi + cellular for my hubby for Christmas. Do you think the + cellular this is necessary? I mean, the data plans are pricey....seems it would be cheaper to just get a phone with a higher data plan and use it as a hotspot for the iPad. I'm new to this hotspot stuff, but it makes sense, especially since we don't use that much data anyway. I'm on a 1G with my iPhone and never go over. I even use it more than I need to sometimes just to use it up. Should I take it back and just get the iPad Air without the +cellular? Are there any major benefits to having it?

Thank you!

 

[KevinJS]

There is a major benefit to having the cellular version. It has the GPS chip. Wifi versions do not. Even if you never put a SIM into a cellular model, the GPS works, and is well worth the price differential.

 

[giradman]

Hi Julia - welcome to the forum! A lot of questions w/ difficult answers since much depends on your preferences & bank book; but to start, do you have a regular computer in your house w/ broadband & a Wi-Fi enabled router? If so, then the Wi-Fi only iPad Air can be used (I have an iPad 2 Wi-Fi only which is fine since my wireless router provides a connection) - now if your mate travels and needs a non-Wi-Fi means to connect to the internet, then another issue to consider? For myself (now retired), wife & I take a lot of short car trips but always stay at places w/ Wi-Fi, now usually free.

NOW, if you do not have Wi-Fi in your home, then yet another decision, i.e. how many cellular contracts do you want to purchase? Could be expensive and another consideration - your iPhone can certainly establish a 'Wi-Fi Hotspot' for the iPad but you're be using bandwidth from your data plan - hard for me to decide your best purchase choice? Let me stop at this point since there is much for you to consider - hope some of these comments help you to decide - good luck! Dave

 

[Julia M]

Thank you for the responses. Yes, we do have internet at our home....and no, my husband doesn't travel...yet. He is embarking on a business adventure (importing goods from Italy) so he wanted some kind of tablet for sales presentation, etc. That being said, perhaps he won't use it NOW, but he may need it in the future. I'll just leave it...it can't hurt, right?
Thanks again for the help!

 

[KevinJS]

If he's going to be traveling to Italy, I'd certainly recommend taking the iPad, investing a couple of dollars in MotionX GPS HD and using it for directions. I've spent a considerable amount of time driving in Italy, and I can tell you that it will be well worth having.

Still don't need a SIM. Just download maps ahead of time while on wifi, and the app will cache them.

I'll be writing a review of this software in our Forum Favorites section as soon as I get time, with screenshots and basic instructions.

 

[s2mikey]

I decided to get cell support on my iPad Air. I really haven't used it yet but I didn't expect to that much. Just having it is worth it to me so for those few occasions that wifi goes down or we are traveling and there is no wifi, I can still connect so to speak. I have the AT&T model and do the 1GB for three months plan. It's just $25 bucks and is likely all I would ever need.

I don't see how a cell phone can be cheaper. You get roped into those annoying contracts and get hit with mystery fees left and right. Yuk!

 

[AQ_OC]

Couple more things to remember...the new 2013 iPads all have world cellular capability...just by putting in a new sim card you can use them in most places in the world. And, the advantage of putting your cellular in the iPad for hotspoting is you have a much larger battery...and this will last much longer than hotspoting on your typical cell phone. I find the best part about the cellular version is the GPS chip. Lots of apps can use it so even if you don't have cellular when you are away from home apps than can use GPS will awaken. If you get a Nav program such as Navigon, then you can have maps loaded on yoru device, so you can Nav anywhere without wifi or cellular.

 

[jwt873]

I find that hotspotting or tethering is a pain. I like to have my pad and the phone on my home wifi network when I'm at home. When the phone is tethered it's locked on to the local cell tower and it's not using my wifi. I always take my iPad when I go out and it gets cumbersome remembering to tether when I walk out the door and then turning it off every time I come home.

I suppose if I had an unlimited data plan, I wouldn't mind, I could just leave the hotspot on all the time... But I don't have an unlimited plan. So I got a cellular iPad with the built in GPS. My cell carrier here in Canada (Rogers) lets me draw from the same data pool that my phone uses and it's only $11 more per month.

 

[s2mikey]

The other night I ended up being happy I had the cell support and was using it at a friends place with no wifi. Nothing crazy but nice to have. Resale value is higher too should you end up in that boat.

 

[tlbaker]

Hello all! I'm new to the forum I've just bought an iPad Air with WiFi + cellular for my hubby for Christmas. Do you think the + cellular this is necessary? I mean, the data plans are pricey....seems it would be cheaper to just get a phone with a higher data plan and use it as a hotspot for the iPad. I'm new to this hotspot stuff, but it makes sense, especially since we don't use that much data anyway. I'm on a 1G with my iPhone and never go over. I even use it more than I need to sometimes just to use it up. Should I take it back and just get the iPad Air without the +cellular? Are there any major benefits to having it? Thank you!

I have a paid 2GB hotspot on my iPhone which works out really well for me since I have multiple devices. My iPad retina is wifi only, I have an iPod touch 5, and an iPad 2 which is both wifi and verizon cellular that I no longer use. I use wifi on all devices mostly even at work especially since the iPad 2 has company email on it. I use the cellular data only when wifi isn't available. With the new data plans and phones you can share the data across devices and I think they come with free hotspots or something to that effect. You would have to check out what your provider offers.

Sent from my WiFi Only Black 64GB iPad with Retina Display in NYC using iPF

 

[tlbaker]

I decided to get cell support on my iPad Air. I really haven't used it yet but I didn't expect to that much. Just having it is worth it to me so for those few occasions that wifi goes down or we are traveling and there is no wifi, I can still connect so to speak. I have the AT&T model and do the 1GB for three months plan. It's just $25 bucks and is likely all I would ever need. I don't see how a cell phone can be cheaper. You get roped into those annoying contracts and get hit with mystery fees left and right. Yuk!

That 3 month plan sounds GREAT!!! Too bad we can't roll over data!!

Sent from my WiFi Only Black 64GB iPad with Retina Display in NYC using iPF

 

[PDX_FF]

I had a wifi only iPad once, the first gen, and I returned it 3 days later to get the cellular version. Since then, every iPad generation I have had has been wifi/cellular. It's extremely convenient and I cant remember how many times I was traveling, on the road and needed that internet connection and being able to essentially flip a switch and turn it on with no commitment/contract is awesome. I feel the wifi only iPad is crippled. It's really not too bad cost wise and again not being locked in to a contract and being able to turn it on and off as you please is wonderful.

 

[s2mikey]

That 3 month plan sounds GREAT!!! Too bad we can't roll over data!! Sent from my WiFi Only Black 64GB iPad with Retina Display in NYC using iPF

Yeah, data rollover would have been sweet since I doubt ill use it all. But, 333 MB per month(1GB over 3 months) for about $8 dollars per month is pretty decent. No taxes or cell phone fees either. Works for me!

I had a wifi only iPad once, the first gen, and I returned it 3 days later to get the cellular version. Since then, every iPad generation I have had has been wifi/cellular. It's extremely convenient and I cant remember how many times I was traveling, on the road and needed that internet connection and being able to essentially flip a switch and turn it on with no commitment/contract is awesome. I feel the wifi only iPad is crippled. It's really not too bad cost wise and again not being locked in to a contract and being able to turn it on and off as you please is wonderful.

I wouldn't say the iPad is crippled with no cell support but it's certainly handicapped if you are out and about. Wifi is readily available most places now but I hear what you are saying....if ya need cell support then you need it!

 

[Fred Garvin]

I wouldn't say the iPad is crippled with no cell support but it's certainly handicapped if you are out and about. Wifi is readily available most places now but I hear what you are saying....if ya need cell support then you need it!

I bought the wifi version simply because I already hotspot with my iPhone anyway. I use the iPhone hotspot for my laptop and an xBox360 out on my sailboat for playing games and a basic internet connection. I don't stream movies though; that eats bandwidth like crazy. So, no real need for it. To each his own and the ideal device is the one that fits your individual needs the best.

iPad Air 32Gb Wi-Fi; 17" MacBook Pro; 24" iMac; iPhone 4; iPod Nano 6th Gen; iPod Shuffle; Apple TV 2

 

[leelai]

I'm onto my third iPad now and all have had cellular and I will always purchase these models.

Firstly I like to travel, both interstate and overseas so it's great being able to just buy a sim wherever I am....it works out much cheaper if your hotel doesn't offer free wifi and you need to pay the daily rate. I only use my phone when overseas for emergencies but can use my iPad to keep in touch with my family at any time.

I also don't like to connect to free wifi spots for certain needs for security reasons.

But most of all, it's all about the built in GPS chip. This alone makes it worthwhile for me even without a charged sim. We like going for long drives and it's nice being able to see just where we are.....it's saved us many times being able to utilise this feature both here and overseas when we find ourselves a little lost.

You just never know when you will need it and for me the extra $'s is well worth it.