Please help a tech dummy...

[disny_luvr]

I want to get my DH an iPad for Christmas. I've been following other threads about iPads and have decided on a refurbished iPad 2 with 32GB+3G. I can buy a refurbished one right now on apple.com for 479.00. Now, here is my question: What does it mean when it says Verizon? Is that the service my DH would use if he would use 3G? We currently don't have an account with Verizon. Is that okay? Is there anyway he can use AT&T for the 3G?

TIA! I hope my question makes sense. As I put in the title of this thread - I really am a dummy when it comes to stuff like this.

 

[Sandmanswife9]

I want to get my DH an iPad for Christmas. I've been following other threads about iPads and have decided on a refurbished iPad 2 with 32GB+3G. I can buy a refurbished one right now on apple.com for 479.00. Now, here is my question: What does it mean when it says Verizon? Is that the service my DH would use if he would use 3G? We currently don't have an account with Verizon. Is that okay? Is there anyway he can use AT&T for the 3G?

TIA! I hope my question makes sense. As I put in the title of this thread - I really am a dummy when it comes to stuff like this.

If the iPad is for Verizon, you can only use it with a Verizon plan or if you have Wifi at home, you can use it that way. You don't necessarily have to use the Verizon, that is only when you don't have access to Wifi.

If you have a plan with AT&T, then you have to get one that is for AT&T. hope this helps.

 

[RitaE]

I want to get my DH an iPad for Christmas. I've been following other threads about iPads and have decided on a refurbished iPad 2 with 32GB+3G. I can buy a refurbished one right now on apple.com for 479.00. Now, here is my question: What does it mean when it says Verizon? Is that the service my DH would use if he would use 3G? We currently don't have an account with Verizon. Is that okay? Is there anyway he can use AT&T for the 3G?

TIA! I hope my question makes sense. As I put in the title of this thread - I really am a dummy when it comes to stuff like this.

If you want to use ATT as the 3G provider then you need to buy an iPAD that says ATT and not Verizon. They are not interchangeable. I don't see any of the second generations available in the Refurb section of the Apple store right now, they go in and out of stock. There are a couple of the 3rd generations available for $509.

 

[kvnchapman]

Walmart is selling the IPad2 on BF for $399 plus u get a $75 gift card.

 

[mountdew1]

If you want a 3G capable iPad, you need to buy one that specifies the network you want to use. Check out the data packages available when you make your choice. Each provider has different amounts of data available at different prices. If you don't need 3G, then buying a WiFi only model can save you $100 bucks.

Walmart is selling the IPad2 on BF for $399 plus u get a $75 gift card.

That is the 16GB WiFi only model. The OP was asking about a 32GB+3G model.

 

[disneymom2003]

We have AT&T. We have IPhones. My husband and I both have wifi only IPads (cheaper). My husband set up a hot spot on his phone. You can have up to 5 devices on there at once. Do you have smartphones? If so I would suggest going to your carrier and ask about tethering on his phone. You don't have to tell him. Then you would be able to get the new IPad 2 that was suggested above. Much cheaper in my opinion.

 

[disny_luvr]

We have AT&T. We have IPhones. My husband and I both have wifi only IPads (cheaper). My husband set up a hot spot on his phone. You can have up to 5 devices on there at once. Do you have smartphones? If so I would suggest going to your carrier and ask about tethering on his phone. You don't have to tell him. Then you would be able to get the new IPad 2 that was suggested above. Much cheaper in my opinion.

DH and I both have iPhones and our plan is through AT&T. Could you briefly explain what tethering is? I know I won't be able to make it to an AT&T store before BF just because of other commitments I have this week. If I knew more about tethering maybe I could buy the iPad at Walmart on Friday. In order to get the iPad at Walmart on Friday would I have to be there as soon as the store opens?

 

[Fire14]

DH and I both have iPhones and our plan is through AT&T. Could you briefly explain what tethering is? I know I won't be able to make it to an AT&T store before BF just because of other commitments I have this week. If I knew more about tethering maybe I could buy the iPad at Walmart on Friday. In order to get the iPad at Walmart on Friday would I have to be there as soon as the store opens?

basically you use phone as router for internet. So the phone would provide your internet and DH could use net on ipad. I personally would get wifi only ipad from walmart or where ever and if Dh wants internet access away from home/on road he can set up tethering on phone, buy a hot spot type thingie.

 

[disneymom2003]

That's exactly it. You pay something like $10 or $20 a month. You have to set that up withAT&T. You can do that anytime after you buy the IPad. On your IPHone go to settings. Go to cellular click on that. You will see at the bottom it sYs Set Up Personal Hotspot. If you don't yet have a personal hot spot it will tell you to contact AT&T. Very easy. They will walk you through it if you want them to. As I said I have wifi only but use it a lot of different places because a lot of places now have wifi. When we are out of town, my husband will go exactly where I just said to go. It will then connect his IPad up there

 

[momof3ds]

If you have one of the new at&t mobile share plans, then setting up a hot spot is included in your plan.

If you go into settings, there will be a section called "personal hotspot". You can turn it off or on and set up your own password.

Once it's on, the ipad will find the connection and you should only need to enter your password once on the ipad.