iPad Wifi + Cellular or not?

[Ray R]

Another option would be to get a wifi dongle, this is what I use on my iPad. The advantage is I can use my laptop with it, and it is capable of allowing 5 devices to connect at one time.


Ray

[Justan]

There is a big reason to buy a 3G iPad.
It has GPS 
the WIFI model has not... and they do not tell you
So If you like use it for maps - you can download offline maps ( apps) and use the GPS without having to be close to WIFI or a 3G network

My iPad 2 has it's own gps and can route directions from anywhere there is wifi. It does not have 3g or any cell service support. This is not to say that in earlier versions the ipad didn't have a gps.

[Ray R]

Ipad with out 3g does not have GPS.

http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/

It uses wi-fi location - which means that it recognises nearby wifi's and works the location out from that.

Ray

[Justan]

^Thanks for clarifying that!

Even given no GPS it appears to fake it very well and I’ve used it to provide maps on demand, plus directions with the use of the maps application that came with.

[mac_paolo]

^Thanks for clarifying that!

Even given no GPS it appears to fake it very well and I’ve used it to provide maps on demand, plus directions with the use of the maps application that came with.

Try that in the countryside 
GPS via wifi is a nice touch where there's plenty of access points nearby. Without them it's absolutely useless.
Before upgrading to the iPhone 5 my iPad run gps4cam to trace my photo sessions. Amazing precision.
You have to have the Cellular version to do that.

[elolaugesen]

Another option would be to get a wifi dongle, this is what I use on my iPad. The advantage is I can use my laptop with it, and it is capable of allowing 5 devices to connect at one time.


Ray

Ray!!!!     What wifi dongle do you use?  All dongles I have seen are USB?    There are MIFI units that work like a hotspot?

cheers elo

[mac_paolo]

Ray!!!!     What wifi dongle do you use?  All dongles I have seen are USB?    There are MIFI units that work like a hotspot?

cheers elo

iPads won't accept any kind of directly attached USB dongles.

[Justan]

Try that in the countryside 
GPS via wifi is a nice touch where there's plenty of access points nearby. Without them it's absolutely useless.
Before upgrading to the iPhone 5 my iPad run gps4cam to trace my photo sessions. Amazing precision.
You have to have the Cellular version to do that.

I've only used the wifi on my iphone. Dunno if the ipad gets other info from the iphone...

[elolaugesen]

I know the ipad  can not use a USB dongle as we know it ....  that is why I asked ray the question as he talked about his ipad dongle

cheers elo

[elolaugesen]

I have just found on the uk Vodaphone site    a Sharing Dock.   you place your USB dongle into it and voila you have a wifi hub...  quite neat...will look at that ...

cheers ...basically the same as miff.

[chez]

Hotspots? Do you have hotspots on mountains, countryside, seaside, roads or other less populated areas? I definitely don't spend my whole life within concrete boxes.
Does the OP?

In fact I am a landscape photographer and yes I am always away from concrete boxes. Now when I am shooting at the seaside, I don't need my iPad, but when I get back to my accommodations, there is always wifi.

[elolaugesen]

My concern...    whichever telecom you sign up with.    will never have service  in the area you go to......  I the uk they like to say 97% coverage....?  but in the north of england and southern scotland none of them seem to work half the time...     so 97 % means (I think) coverage of population rather than area.....  ie go on holiday at the lake, river seaside etc......   no coverage anyway...

cheers elo

ps...  with the mini ipad I will buy a cellular.

[Mike Guilbault]

The map/GPS advantage would be worthwhile for me - and I live in an area with very few hotspots (rural Ontario) and even the cellular service is at times lacking.  I think that would put a burden on tethering to my iPhone.  Pretty much decided to wait for the 3G version.

Thanks for all your input... and keep the conversation going  if there's more!

[elolaugesen]

Elmvale?   Been there. Lived a little further south.   Try the Uk.    Cumbria and Galloway coast.   Telecoms like to say they cover 97%.    They forget to say that  means 97 % of population.   Not  area.     I will still get cellular next time.   Cheers elo

[Peter McLennan]

GPS via wifi is a nice touch where there's plenty of access points nearby. Without them it's absolutely useless.

This is true if you depend on the Internet for your maps.  There are applications (Co-Pilot among them) with which you download maps for use anywhere there's no Internet.  A street-level-accuracy map of all of Western Europe, for example, is about E50, if I recall correctly.

[kers]

This is true if you depend on the Internet for your maps.  There are applications (Co-Pilot among them) with which you download maps for use anywhere there's no Internet.  A street-level-accuracy map of all of Western Europe, for example, is about E50, if I recall correctly.

Yes there are apps to use maps offline, burt in the field without WIFI nearby you can only locate your position if you have GPS.
And GPS is only included in the cellular (3G) iPad-( you do not have to have any contract for that)

[mac_paolo]

This is true if you depend on the Internet for your maps.  There are applications (Co-Pilot among them) with which you download maps for use anywhere there's no Internet.  A street-level-accuracy map of all of Western Europe, for example, is about E50, if I recall correctly.

kers said right. I -work- with iOS devices -every day-, I know how navigator/turn-by-turn/hiking apps work, but they ALL NEED GPS. Wi-fi-only iPad doesn't have it. End of story.

[Craig Lamson]

Just activated my cellular mini the other day.  Its a really nice piece, and I'm liking the size.  We have 3's as well both wifi.

I got this one for use on location, to run capture one, hold portfolio photos and for web access when I don't have wifi and I need more screen than the iphone 5 provides.  I only have 1gb of data for the mini so I'll use it sparingly.


I was not sure about the size but I really like it, its very comfortable in the hand and its quite easy to read. It fits easily into my Lightwares camera case or my wife's purse ( a good option since we work together).

[Ray R]

Sorry about the delay in the reply.

Sorry, when I said dongle, I was referring to the MiFi. Yes the coverage in the UK is 97% of the population and there are places that I cannot use it.
I had the usB dongle and upgraded to a MiFi before I got the iPad.

If you want GPS on it, it is possible to get bluetooth GPS to connect, but you need to check that the one you want will connect to the iPad (or you can jailbreak it and use BTstack and use almost any blutooth GPS).