At last , the prophecy has been fulfilled : the 2nd one-half of the sexual climax of the iPad is upon us . I have in my workforce ( well , on my Ottoman Turk as I save this ) , an iPad Wi - Fi + 3 g-force , which is Apple ’s moderately long - winded cognomen for describing an iPad with cellular data access on AT&T ’s web ( here in the U.S. anyway ) . Having used a Wi - Fi - only iPad for almost a month , I can safely say that the $ 130 option for adding 3 G is a big trade . But , in terms of howdifferentthis unexampled , strange iPad is from the model we ’ve already seen , let ’s give it a rundown .
Judging a pad by its cover
Outwardly , the 3G - enabled iPad looks mostly the same as its Wi - Fi - only sibling : all of the controls are in the same situation , the covert is very , and so on . The 3 gram poser is a tenth of a Ezra Loomis Pound heavier than the Wi - Fi modelling , but in my very scientific “ hold - one - in - each - bridge player ” tryout , I was ineffectual to detect the departure .
There are only two outside reading that you ’re dealing with a different animal : the first is the prominent 4.5 - inch long black plastic strip at the top of the iPad , which cover a dowery of the atomic number 13 bezel on the front and extends about half an inch down the iPad ’s back . This is a window for the iPad ’s 3 G antenna — since radiocommunication waves can travel more easily through plastic than through aluminum , this helps improve reception .
The second is the micro - SIM card slot on the left - paw side of the gimmick . As with the iPhone , you may pop out the tray carrying the card with a straightened newspaper clip ; Apple also includes the same SIM removal tool that it packages with the iPhone . The micro - SIM card , as the name forebode , is lowly than the iPhone ’s own SIM poster — it ’s about half the size of it .
The 3G iPad’s main external difference is a long black strip that serves as a window the 3G antenna.
The inside job
Upon unlock the 3G - enable iPad , you ’ll be greeted with the same Home filmdom as on the Wi - Fi manikin , with the addition of the familiar cellular reception BAR and AT&T carrier tag in the top left corner . Reception seems roughly equivalent to my iPhone 3GS , in that I experience in an AT&T faint spot , and that was speedily apparent on the iPad .
Beyond that little icon , most of the changes in the 3 G adaptation ’s package can be found in the iPad ’s configurations app . Airplane Mode returns as the top item in configurations ’s left - hand pane — as with the iPhone , you could switch all the radios off with a contact .
There ’s also a young Cellular Data category , which gather all the related controls in one place , instead of sink them under the General - > connection pane as on the iPhone . There are two electrical switch here : one to turn all Cellular Data on or off ( turn it off will come back the “ iPad ” tatter to the top leftover corner of the display , making it indistinguishable to the Wi - Fi modeling ) , and one to turn on or off Data Roaming , which help prevent you from getting buck exorbitant fees for data point usage while you ’re travel internationally .
If you’ve missed the little AT&T signal strength indicator on your iPad, it’s back in the 3G model.
Below those is a View Account button where you’re able to contract up for 3 G service , an APN configurations menu foradvanced wireless setting , and a SIM PIN plane section that lease you set a code for accessing information hive away on the iPad ’s micro - SIM card .
One feature film I did n’t see was a substitution to disable 3 G information for the dull ( but more assault and battery effective ) EDGE data . On the iPhone , this lives under General - > web and is a ready to hand workaround for times when you ’re in an area where the 3 gee net is over - saturate , as seems to so often happen to AT&T ’s service in densely dwell place like metropolis . TheiPad ’s specsdo inclination EDGE musical accompaniment , so I imagine that it will fall back on bound as necessary , but it would have been courteous to have that extra control .
The other feature the 3G - enabled iPad summate is an factual GPS chip — unlike the Wi - Fi iPad , which relies solely on Wi - Fi - free-base location . A quick psychometric test in the Maps app between the Wi - Fi iPad and the 3 G iPad demo no difference in speed in locate my current position , though the 3 G iPad did enable a more exact location . I ’ll be investigating further .
The 3G-enabled brings back Airplane Mode and adds a Cellular Data section to Settings.
Service, if you please
If you ’re not using Wi - Fi , you ’ll necessitate to sign up for a 3 gravitational constant program before accessing the net — you’ll get a polite dialog box informing you if you try . It ’s worth noting that the iPad does n’t support voice call , or SMS and MMS subject matter . Every iPad data plandoeshave a headphone issue associated with it , but if you assay to call that number you ’ll just get a recorded message tell you it ’s not a exploit number .
As Apple has put down out , there are two options for service : a 250 MB metered plan for $ 15 per month and an straight-out data plan for $ 30 per month ( the same as the iPhone ’s 3 G data point plan ) . Both are recurring plan by nonpayment — you’ll be charged every 30 days on the date your current architectural plan end . you may convert this once you ’ve sign up by log into your account and tapping “ Add Data or Change Plan , ” where you may switch to another plan or cancel your existing plan . In either case , your raw choice wo n’t take upshot until your current plan buy the farm , so once you ’ve lay down your money , you ’re in for the month .
Signing up for service could n’t be easier . You ’re move to create an report ( this is a new account , disregardless of whether or not you already have AT&T service for any other mobile gadget ) and then pick which design you want . You ’ll also be stage with a lengthy lot of term which you ’ll have to harmonize to , most of which are pretty received : no compeer - to - peer software , or running servers such as Web cameras ( not that the iPadhasa camera ) , or using any package that keep an alive Internet link when it would otherwise be idle .
Before you start surfing, you’ll need to sign up for 3G service.
The iPad Plan agreement also specifically close out tethering — sharing your iPad ’s 3 G connection with a computer—“unless [ the Plan is ] specifically design for tethering . ” AT&T has stay hesitant to give a date for tethering for the iPhone , despite keep for the feature in iPhone group O 3.0 , and the situation appear no dissimilar for the iPad . So if you were looking to use your iPad as a portable hotspot for your MacBook , you ’re out of luck .
Once you ’ve entered your billing information , you ’ll have the option of add a 30 - mean solar day International architectural plan : $ 25 for 20 M of data ; $ 60 for 50 megabyte ; $ 120 for 100 MB ; or $ 200 for 200 MB . you could opt what appointment you want the program to start — it’ll be effective at midnight Eastern Time on that particular date . AT&T provides a leaning of 40 countries in which International plan are supported , though it does n’t guarantee insurance coverage in all places . you could also add up an International Plan at any time through your account statement .
After you ’ve signed up for service , a dialog box seat will pop up and alert you that your program is now active . you may view the amount of time leave in your account at any time by tapping on View Account in the Cellular Data options .
You can create an account and sign up for service all from the iPad’s Settings app.
If you pick the 250 MB meter option , you could keep tabs on your data ingestion under preferences - > General - > Usage , where you ’ll be able to see how much data point you ’ve send and received over the cellular meshwork . you’re able to also go to View Your Account and see how much data and time you have leave alone in your current programme .
AT&T also says it will institutionalise you content as you approach your consumption limits , though it does warn that these may not be seasonable , and that , depending on how much information you ’re using , you could even bungle by the limit before you get the warning . Data does n’t roll over to the next charge menstruum — anything you have unused at the end of your month is run low . When you run out of data point , you could add another 250 M for an additional $ 15 or buy the $ 30 unlimited plan if you require to stay online . If you pick out not to add together more data , your plan will simply cash in one’s chips ( though it will mechanically renew on the last day unless you ’ve told it not to ) .
And away we go
Having been stuck at a number of Wi - Fi - less localization with my iPad over the preceding few weeks , I ’m looking forward to having a fully armed and operational tablet at my disposal . I ’ll be report back with a full review on my experiences using the 3 gigabyte iPad next calendar week .
Apple iPad Tablet Computer
iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G 16GB
You’ll get a message once your cellular data plan has been activated.
