iPads - Should I get one with the cellular 4G or not?

[Maggie'sMom]

I'm planning on getting an iPad for Santa to give DD and I for Christmas. DD has been using iPads at school and really likes them. She's been using my old laptop at home and it's so out of date that it's super slow and really not working too well. I'd upgraded the RAM a couple years ago when I first gave it to her, but the lap top is 6 years old and it wasn't top of the line when I bought it. So it's time to junk it for something new.

I'm looking at the different iPad options and I just don't know that we need the cellular option. We would be using the iPad at home the vast majority of time. In addition to the extra cost to purchase an iPad with the cellular capability, there's the added cost of adding it to my cellular plan. I'm currently grandfathered into an unlimited data plan with Verizon with my smartphone, but I think if I try to make a change to that plan by adding another device, I'll lose the unlimited data option.

Would I be making a mistake by skipping the cellular capability when I purchase the iPad?

 

[LJSquishy]

Just go with Wi-Fi only (assuming you have Wi-Fi at home). There is no need really to have internet access when out of the home because most of the apps you have will work without a data connection. You just won't be able to watch tv shows, etc.

I have a 64gb iPad 2 Wi-Fi only and love it. We take it when we travel and use Wi-Fi at the hotels or at my parents' house. When we fly, we just rent a movie on iTunes and download it before we leave, that way we can watch it on the plane without paying for Wi-Fi (or having 3g). I can't imagine paying for a data package for an iPad...what a waste!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Just go with Wi-Fi only (assuming you have Wi-Fi at home). There is no need really to have internet access when out of the home because most of the apps you have will work without a data connection. You just won't be able to watch tv shows, etc.

I have a 64gb iPad 2 Wi-Fi only and love it. We take it when we travel and use Wi-Fi at the hotels or at my parents' house. When we fly, we just rent a movie on iTunes and download it before we leave, that way we can watch it on the plane without paying for Wi-Fi (or having 3g). I can't imagine paying for a data package for an iPad...what a waste!

Yes, we have wifi at home. I forgot to mention that. Once my 70+ year old parents installed wifi at their house, I think I consider it a given that just about anyone has wifi anymore.

Your thinking fits in line with mine. I thought we'd just download movies and apps at home before traveling so we don't need to worry about it. And so many hotels and other places offer free wifi now that it's usually not a problem finding a connection someplace.

Thanks for your input.

 

[dawnhaze]

If you're mostly going to be using it in areas with wifi, I would forego the cellular data option. I use the option on mine extremely rarely. If you have a smartphone, you already have mobile Internet in a pinch.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

If you have a smartphone, you already have mobile Internet in a pinch.

Very true. Thanks.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Follow up question.... I'm planning on getting a refurb directly from Apple. There's a $100 price difference between the 32GB and 64GB models (current generation). I'm thinking I should get the 64GB model because movies can take up so much space. Is that the direction you'd go?

 

[PhillyMc]

I chose to go with smaller model and picked up a seagate satellite to store movies and music on. Much more storage and multiple people can stream from it.

 

[LJSquishy]

Follow up question.... I'm planning on getting a refurb directly from Apple. There's a $100 price difference between the 32GB and 64GB models (current generation). I'm thinking I should get the 64GB model because movies can take up so much space. Is that the direction you'd go?

If you are planning on storing more than a few movies on the iPad at the same time, I would get the 64gb. If you think you will only have a couple of movies on there at a time and not thousands of songs or photos I would probably get the 32gb. I have the 64gb because I didn't want to have to delete things to make room for something else. Some people don't mind having to move things around so it is a personal choice. My in-laws have the 1st generation iPad and have the 16gb and are constantly asking us to make room for new apps/movie/photos. To us, it was worth it to upgrade to the 64gb because we knew we would use our iPad until it was totally dead -- we wouldn't upgrade to a newer generation unless it stopped working. It has been really nice not worrying about whether or not we have enough room on the iPad to download something, especially now that so many movies come with digital downloads so we can put several movies on the iPad when traveling. The 32gb will likely be plenty for you, but if spending $100 more isn't a big deal to you, I would go with the 64gb...especially if you plan on putting lots of apps on it.

 

[momof3ds]

If you can afford the 64gb, go with that. It sounds like this would essentially replace the computer? So, the more space the better!

Most places offer free wifi so if you do bring the ipad out, you should be able to access the internet anywhere. Also, your phone may be able to be used to set up a wifi hotspot that you could link the ipad to.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I have an iPad with wi-fi only and my husband has one with 3G. If I had to do it again, I'd get the 3G model. You would be surprised at the number of apps now which require internet connectivity while using, including many children's games. If you are going to use your iPad in the car, a 3G version is really nice. Finding free wi-fi hotspots isn't as easy as you might think, especially ones which are fast enough to be useful.

I would get less memory if I couldn't afford a 3G version. Personally, I have a ton of stuff on my iPad; music, movies, apps and 32G is plenty of space.

OP - I can tell you that on AT&T, if you have the unlimited data plan, your iPad data is part of a different plan. It doesn't change your unlimited data.

Most places offer free wifi so if you do bring the ipad out, you should be able to access the internet anywhere. Also, your phone may be able to be used to set up a wifi hotspot that you could link the ipad to.

Maybe where you live, but in the DC area, free wi-fi not available at "most places."

 

[SuzanneSLO]

We use the cellular connection on my iPad when we travel, often for directions and traffic info. With AT&T, you can get the cellular service only for the months you need it.

We have a 32 gb and have never felt compelled to delete something just so we can add something new. We never store more than 8-10 movies on it. -- Suzanne

 

[Robbi]

I have the iPad 3 64g with wifi and 4g. When we're driving or if I want to use the GPS, 4g is necessary. I figured if I'm spending that much money for one, I'd spend the extra $$ and get all the bells and whistles. Also, I've used my iPad at WDW using 4g instead of using my laptop and paying for slow internet access.

 

[imsayin]

I got mine without the cellular ability and regretted it almost immediately. It would be nice to have on road trips or waiting in the airport for several hours.

 

[Kies99]

2 things to consider:

1) With 3G/4G it is month to month. You are not locked into a contract. You only pay for the month(s) you want to use it.

2) Does your phone work as a mobile hotspot? If so, you won't need the 3G/4G service.

My phone works as a mobile hotspot and I have unlimited data. I just turn the hotspot on when I need to use my WiFi only Ipad 2 and I don't have any issues.

 

[elf]

I don't have an IPAD but my dd has a phone that's like 2 years old and it is able to act as a mobile HotSpot. I've used the HotSpot option alot when we were travelling.

I think many of the phones have it now. Her's is a Palm Pixi I think it's like 2-3 years old and it had it. She has a unlimited data plan on her phone.

 

[ktlm]

I would spend the extra money and get the ones with wifi. My inlaws didn't and they are always complaining about places that don't have wi fi so they can't use their ipads (including our house and my mom's house). I thought my mild mannered MIL was going to go through the roof at a restaurant one time, when she was really wanting to do something on her ipad, and they told told her that they did not make their wifi password available for customers. They also don't like that they can't use it in the car when they travel. Plus, some places have wifi dead spots (like my office). You walk into a dead spot, and the wifi is gone and so is your connection.

As a PP said, the Ipad you don't pay for the monthly service with your phone account. You pay for it through the IPAD itself, and you can stop and start it whenever you want.

 

[mm1971]

I'm planning on getting an iPad for Santa to give DD and I for Christmas. DD has been using iPads at school and really likes them. She's been using my old laptop at home and it's so out of date that it's super slow and really not working too well. I'd upgraded the RAM a couple years ago when I first gave it to her, but the lap top is 6 years old and it wasn't top of the line when I bought it. So it's time to junk it for something new.

I'm looking at the different iPad options and I just don't know that we need the cellular option. We would be using the iPad at home the vast majority of time. In addition to the extra cost to purchase an iPad with the cellular capability, there's the added cost of adding it to my cellular plan. I'm currently grandfathered into an unlimited data plan with Verizon with my smartphone, but I think if I try to make a change to that plan by adding another device, I'll lose the unlimited data option.

Would I be making a mistake by skipping the cellular capability when I purchase the iPad?

I have the newest Ipad with the 4G option. It is a little more expensive when you buy it, but it does not require the 4G to be turned on. I have Verizon and the service is relatively inexpensive if you only use it when you are traveling. You can turn it on and off whenever you want and do not get billed when it is off. There is no requirement that you ever use the 4G cellular. For example, I turned it on for just over a week while I was traveling. I called them and they activated the service the day I left and then I deactivated the morning after I returned. You play for the data you use on the plan and the price varies depending on the company you use. I think mine was around $30 for 10GB of data. If you go over, they then charge you for the overage, but you can use an app to track it. I downloaded all the movies/music and app before it was turned on at home so only used the internet access and we downloaded some simple data and never exceeded the limit. Back to not using it until I travel again. I say "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have to". Good luck with your decision.

 

[Fire14]

I have wifi only Ipad2. I made this decision because:
1. I have a smartphone that can be a hotspot
2. I already had a mifi that I was paying service for so I could hook ipad to that if I needed internet on road.
3. I didn't realize you only paid for months you wanted internet on IPad I thought it was a contract thing.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Okay, didn't you all realize that you were supposed to all tell me the same thing so the answer would be crystal clear and I wouldn't have to consider all these options? Geesh... way to make things hard on me.

To answer a couple questions:

If you can afford the 64gb, go with that. It sounds like this would essentially replace the computer? So, the more space the better!

I will still have my own laptop which is less than 2 years old. When I ordered that laptop, I made sure to upgrade the processor, RAM, and hard drive space so it wouldn't become obsolete as quickly. That was my mistake when I bought the first laptop, which my DD is now using. I went with a lower end and it's far outlived its usefulness, even for her. For storing photos and such, I'll use my laptop. The iPad will be more for her to use, but I'm sure I will use it as well.

2 things to consider:

1) With 3G/4G it is month to month. You are not locked into a contract. You only pay for the month(s) you want to use it.

2) Does your phone work as a mobile hotspot? If so, you won't need the 3G/4G service.

It is good to know that I could go month to month for the iPad data and not lock myself into a contract. I didn't understand that. But I do have unlimited data on my cell phone and I do have the mobile hotspot capability on my phone. So I'm continuing to question do I really need the 3g/4g option on the iPad?

Most of our traveling is either by plane (wifi might be available, but of course no cell service) or by car to places like my parents' house or my brother's place (spotty cell service on those trips even for making phone calls, let alone data). Once we get to those places, there's wifi available. When we traveled to Boston and Cape Cod last year, all 3 of the hotels we stayed at offered free wifi. There was free, although crappy, wifi available at the airport. WDW now has wifi available, although service can be spotty.

Oh decisions, decisions.... I think I'll definitely go with the 64GB, but still undecided on the 4g option. To go back to the days when all Santa brought were princess dresses and Barbie dolls.

 

[sharbear]

From what you said, I would not go with the 4g. My ipad is wifi only and sometimes it's a pain not getting service it is a minor problem. It was an extra $139 to get the 4g and I thought that money was better served going with more memory.

I plan on getting an iPhone and it will have a hot spot capability so I see absolutely no reason to the ipad with 4g.

Also once you see how great and easy it is to store pictures on your ipad and how they can be on your icloud, I think you might change your mind about storing your pictures on your PC. That is one of the things I like most about my ipad. Storing, sharing and viewing pictures.