My new gadget

[RickPeete]

I have the 64gb 3G version and I really find it indispensible.  I use it all the time -- even at work I find that using 3G gives me a certain sense of privacy cuz the IT department cannot snoop on my Internet activities while in the office. hee hee

As a youth minister, I end up in churches all over Chicagoland and having the Internet at my disposal for research, email, document sharing, surfing, and various location-based services is truly enabling for me.

If I can use WiFi, I use it.  But 3G gives me freedom to do what I need, whenever I need to, almost wherever I need to.

On a related note: A good friend of mine works at AT&T corporate and he tells me that they are actively determining how to provide family data 'bucket' plans.  They might become available late fall.  Wouldn't it be awesome if they announce something like that around the same time as the iPhone 5/iPad 3 with 4G LTE is available?  I would love to get rid of five data plans (three iPhones and two iPads) for one family data plan (especially if it has tethering so my son's Touch could connect too)!

[billybob476]

I know here in Canada Rogers Wireless has a plan where you can share your 3G data plan across all your devices. You pay a single data plan fee plus an adder for each additional device (10 bucks or something).

Also RickPeete as I recall from one of our previous conversations, you can buy the 3G version and start/stop 3G services on a month by month basis, correct?

[RickPeete]

For iPads, there are no contracts.  It is a month-to-month charge so you can turn it on and off as you wish.  For iPhones, however, you have to sign up for a data plan.

So I am hoping to sign up for a family data plan that can be accessed by all the iPads and iPhones in my family.  A tethering option (or MiFi device) that also shares that plan would work for my son's iPod Touch so he can watch his YouTube and play his games during car trips.

[QuadShot]

We have the WiFi only iPads and the ATT MiFi with 5GB wach per month.

[RickPeete]

My wife and I are so often apart because I work outside the home, that the Mifi solution would not work for us as a replacement for 3G.

However, I do have a MiFi device with a on-the-go deal with Virgin Mobile which I can pay for 1 month as necessary for unlimited 3G (no contract or monthly fee).  I use that on vacations/car trips so my son has internet for his Touch.  And sometimes I need it if AT&T is not available where I am but Sprint is (doesn't happen very often).

Anything to consolidate all these data plans would be a welcome change...

[QuadShot]

Cool

[KingIsaacLinksr]

My iPhone is used for 3G stuff, iPad sticks to Wifi which is around the college and home so I do not miss the lack of 3G.  I guess it depends on your situation and where you plan on using the iPad.

King

[Rico]

I was a little tempted to go the 3G route on the iPad but I'm generally near Wifi and don't really plan on taking it into work.  Mainly I wanted it for around the house.

Oh, I just used Facetime for the first time with my younger son Eric who is up at college for the summer term.  He connected via his Macbook.  Worked great!  Lynn really liked that feature a lot!

[Bryancd]

...iPad rocks. Seriously, every other tablet is dying a quick death. Welcome to the future, brought to you by Apple. :)

[Rico]

It's really all about the apps.

Hey, does anyone else find it a bit awkward to plug in their USB cable thing into their iPad?  I wonder if it's the curved surface on the edge but you really have to have it perfect to slide it in.  I also miss those little side squeeze plugs that other connectors have used.

[RickPeete]

Because of the bevel, plugging in the dock connector can be tricky especially in the dark.

I am writing this response in a classroom of a church in Barrington IL at 7:06am while the 60+ youth here are still asleep.  iPad 3G saves the day again cuz the church's WiFi is secured and I don't know their key. Gotta love the 3G!   ;D

[Feathers]

On the battery front, I the iPads anything like the iPhone then I think the advice is to let it run down to 0 once in a while and then recharge all the way back up. As well as anything else this also apparently recalibrates the battery meter display.

[moyer777]

Rico- yes, I do a lot of adapter stuff and I find it hard with the USB connector.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I love it, I'm not sure why they just didn't put a USB port in the side.  Kind of silly, buy hey they got another $30 from me.  I acutally bought a third party one, and then had to send it back cause it didn't work.  It was a combination one.  But for what I do with the midi and microphone stuff it had to be the legit adapter otherwise it worked hit and miss.  Oh well, what can you do?  Made this weeks song with it again, plus a cool Vocorder program I bought as an app for 99cents... amazing.

[Rico]

Thanks for the thoughts guys.  Hey, what are people doing to protect the screen?  Anyone stick one of those inviso-shield things over it?  If you have put a clear cover over the screen, does it show fingerprints as fast as the unprotected screen?  I'm not quite sure what I want to do on that yet.

[moyer777]

I originally got some protectors for mine, but quickly abandoned the idea because of the bubbles and strange feeling using them.  I ended up taking it completely off and now just have a microfiber cloth with me all the time.  It works for me and I really need the tactile feeling of the plain glass for the use of the musical intrument playing.  I don't know if that makes sense or not, but I need to be able to move quickly at some points.  The cover seemed to feel like it went slower.  It could be just me.  So now I have three different cases depending on what I'm working on that day, one that is leather and has a little stand to the back of it, another with a bluetooth keyboard for writing notes and stuff when I'm out, and the last a back protector that I use around the house to keep the body of the unit fresh and happy.  Phew!