The iPhone Collective

[mainegal]

Yes. The hotspot has to be relatively near to what's using it, just like any kind of wireless router (i.e., if you took your home wireless router out of the house, nothing could use it).

Could the hotspot be attached to something more likely to stay home, such as the apple notebook computer or the apple iPad?

 

[sarahsar]

Could the hotspot be attached to something more likely to stay home, such as the apple notebook computer or the apple iPad?

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking - the hotspot feature goes with the iPhone. Unfortunately, they haven't made it available for the iPad, and I don't think they have plans to (although I'm sure it's possible with jailbreaking). Do you have internet access in your home like cable or DSL? If so, your best (as well as cheapest and fastest) option is to get a wireless router that stays in your house. Then that would serve as a hotspot for any wireless devices you want to use at home.

 

[doconeill]

"Hotspot" is just another (relatively new) term for a wireless (wi-fi) router, although there is am implied meaning of it being related to mobile devices.

If you want a permanent hotspot in your house, get a wireless router - don't depend on a phone to do it.

The hotspot feature of the latest phones is a convenience allowing you to use the phone as a router for other devices, and therefore allow use of the 3G/4G network for laptops, etc.

If you have internet service at home, you'd likely find that performance would be far better with a standard wireless router than using the phone's hotspot feature.

 

[mainegal]

"Hotspot" is just another (relatively new) term for a wireless (wi-fi) router, although there is am implied meaning of it being related to mobile devices.

If you want a permanent hotspot in your house, get a wireless router - don't depend on a phone to do it.

The hotspot feature of the latest phones is a convenience allowing you to use the phone as a router for other devices, and therefore allow use of the 3G/4G network for laptops, etc.

If you have internet service at home, you'd likely find that performance would be far better with a standard wireless router than using the phone's hotspot feature.

We do have DSL internet at home with wireless router through Fairpoint phone company. But it is not very good. The iPad with 3G from Verizon sometimes works better.

We were hoping we could drop the $27 a month we pay Fairpoint for telephone and internet if we have to start paying $70 - over $100 for iPhones.

 

[doconeill]

We do have DSL internet at home with wireless router through Fairpoint phone company. But it is not very good. The iPad with 3G from Verizon sometimes works better.

We were hoping we could drop the $27 a month we pay Fairpoint for telephone and internet if we have to start paying $70 - over $100 for iPhones.

Was that the iPad bundled with the "MiFi" device or whatever they called it? If that is the case, the MiFi could stay home and give you another option. You should be able to "tether" to that as well (it is basically like a hotspot-enabled phone, without the phone part...)

 

[mainegal]

Was that the iPad bundled with the "MiFi" device or whatever they called it? If that is the case, the MiFi could stay home and give you another option. You should be able to "tether" to that as well (it is basically like a hotspot-enabled phone, without the phone part...)

Gee, I have no idea about the mifi on the iPad. It does have 3G.



What are the pros and coms of buying a iPhone at the Apple store hours away vs. the Verizon store a mile away?

 

[sarahsar]

Gee, I have no idea about the mifi on the iPad. It does have 3G.

The Mifi would be a separate device. You can buy it together with the iPad, but it's another device. If the iPad has 3G, you probably did not get a Mifi, because that wouldn't make much sense.

What are the pros and coms of buying a iPhone at the Apple store hours away vs. the Verizon store a mile away?

Probably doesn't make much difference. Even if you buy it at Verizon you can get it fixed if needed at the Apple Store. You can also order from Apple.com online.

 

[doconeill]

Gee, I have no idea about the mifi on the iPad. It does have 3G.



What are the pros and coms of buying a iPhone at the Apple store hours away vs. the Verizon store a mile away?

When Verizon first started selling the original iPad, they were selling the Wi-Fi only iPad with the MiFi hotspot, because Apple didn't offer an iPad with a Verizon-compatible chipset. The iPad 2 does have a compatible chipset, so you don't need the MiFi (as long as it is a Verizon version, and you are paying for the plan )

Assuming the Apple Store offers Verizon activations, nothing. Except the Apple employees will presumably actually know something about the phone. I walked out of a Verizon store after the employee tried to explain technically why I had to upgrade to a new far more expensive phone plan just to upgrade DW's phone because it had an "HTML browser", which most all their phones they've sold for a couple years had, including the one in my pocket..."Don't technobabble me...I was on the Internet before you were born!"

 

[mainegal]

When Verizon first started selling the original iPad, they were selling the Wi-Fi only iPad with the MiFi hotspot, because Apple didn't offer an iPad with a Verizon-compatible chipset. The iPad 2 does have a compatible chipset, so you don't need the MiFi (as long as it is a Verizon version, and you are paying for the plan )

His iPad 1 had 3G with ATT. His iPad 2 has 3G with Verizon. It is monthly pay-as-you-go. He thinks the Verizon works better. So, no MiFi.

The question is... can we both get iPhones and keep the MacBook and the iPad connected and stop paying $27 to the phone company for the land line and the internet connection?

.."Don't technobabble me...I was on the Internet before you were born!"

That's telling them!

 

[sarahsar]

His iPad 1 had 3G with ATT. His iPad 2 has 3G with Verizon. It is monthly pay-as-you-go. He thinks the Verizon works better. So, no MiFi.

The question is... can we both get iPhones and keep the MacBook and the iPad connected and stop paying $27 to the phone company for the land line and the internet connection?

If your landline + internet is $27, it will be hard to beat that with iPhones with tethering plans. I believe that Verizon data is $30/month. That would be per phone, in addition to calling/texting plans. For tethering (letting your phone act as a hotspot), it's an additional $20/month for whichever phones you want to use that way. That adds up. If you need it on both phones so that you can still have a hotspot if your spouse isn't around (and vice versa), you are going to need to pay $100/month in cellular data fees. Also, I think that while the phone data plan is unlimited, they only allow you to use 2 GB for tethering/hotspot. That may be enough for you, but it may not if you are using it as your only internet connection for your iPads, laptops, etc.

I think the better question to ask is where do you need data access most? Some people are out and about a lot and don't have access to other WiFi. In that case, having data/tethering plans makes more sense. If you mostly use the internet at home, you would generally have better results with DSL or cable and a wireless router. Now, your area may be different - it sounds like you don't have the best DSL. I know there are places that have sort of a pseudo-DSL that isn't all that fast. Maybe that is your situation if you are finding that your cellular data is faster than your DSL. You may check into what other options you have there. But if you are looking solely at cost, cellular data is going to be more expensive for you.

 

[DisneyKevin]

The question is... can we both get iPhones and keep the MacBook and the iPad connected and stop paying $27 to the phone company for the land line and the internet connection?

You are going to pay for wifi in one way or another.

I have seen you post many, many, many, many times that you are attached to your Trac phone and have no need for anything else. I'm not sure what you would get out of an iPhone, if a Trac phone meets your needs.

If you have changed your mind....that's a different story

Are you looking for internet usage at home or in a mobile device?

If you are looking at home usage....you will need to pay an internet provider to bring it into the home and then a router to make it wireless within your home.

If you are looking for mobile usage, then you will want it attached to your mobile device (not your Trac phone).

If home usage is your goal, you will get a better quality signal and therefore faster internet by paying to have it brought into your home, then you will trying to use the mifi feature on your phone.

The "hot spot" feature via your phone uses cell phone signals and is really designed for use when real wifi isnt available. (Ex....using your laptop out of the house)

If the iPad is 3G....then you should be able to access the internet (again via cell signals) from where ever you are (as long as there is a cell signal).

One way or another...you will pay for internet usuage.

 

[mainegal]

Ahhh, Kevin! Good to hear from you. Wouldn't it be funny if I ended up with a iPhone?!

The iPhone is not my idea, it is his idea. Neither of us need it for the phone. We both have tracfones. We have to add months to it because we do not talk on the phone enough to use up the allotted 30 minutes per month. My guess, the two of us are on the phone, land line or tracfone, about ten hours per year.

As many people have said, the iPhone is way more than a phone. And that is what has gotten into Stephen. I am thrilled with my iPod Touch that works where ever there is WiFi. But he seems to want to be connected now where every he goes. There is something cool about being in the woods, seeing a moose and posting the picture to Facebook right away. And lots of other stuff.

I am the one concerned about expenses. He figures, why not? We both have jobs, all expenses covered, no debt, and most of all, no children or pets to spend money on!

Curious to see how this all plays out. Stay tuned...

ps - if we do, shouldn't we wait for the iPhone 5?

 

[Gplo32]

My wife and I created an iPhone trivia game (Disney Parks: Do You Know) to help offset our adoption fees. Let me know what you think!

- Gregg

 

[Echo queen]

I can not download itunes 10.5 because I get the message "The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavalilable." I don't know what it means or how to fix it. Help I want my icloud.

 

[vwlfan]

Problems. The Dis was very helpful but in the end I had to call Apple. Even that didn't work until I got an excellent help person. Thats my best suggestion.

 

[Echo queen]

Problems. The Dis was very helpful but in the end I had to call Apple. Even that didn't work until I got an excellent help person. Thats my best suggestion.

So are you saying you got an excellent help person on the phone from Apple? Or you found one else where? Thanks

 

[sarahsar]

I can not download itunes 10.5 because I get the message "The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavalilable." I don't know what it means or how to fix it. Help I want my icloud.

Are you on Windows? Not sure if this will help, but I found where someone else had the same error message (looks like the thread dates back to 2009, but someone as recently as last month said it helped).

This is the thread:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic248046.html

And this is the Apple support document they're referring to:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1926

 

[vwlfan]

I needed a live person to talk to but there were three before she figured out my issue(s).

 

[njsweetP]

I can not download itunes 10.5 because I get the message "The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavalilable." I don't know what it means or how to fix it. Help I want my icloud.

Try making sure all antivirus software is turned off. This is what I have to do everytime there is an update. I have Kaspersky and I just go to the software settings, turn it off, install update and then turn it back on.

 

[Echo queen]

Try making sure all antivirus software is turned off. This is what I have to do everytime there is an update. I have Kaspersky and I just go to the software settings, turn it off, install update and then turn it back on.

Looking for the off button.