iPad Data Plan: Grandfathering Is In At ATT But For Everyone Else, Who's Better?

We have the unlimited data plan with ATT when we bought the original 3G iPad. And there was quite a bit of rumors flying around about just what will happen when you lose your iPad, change hardware, or something else.

Well, ATT has done the right thing and said that people can grandfather in their $30 unlimited data plan. And the thing is it is one of the good things about carriers, this grandfathering concept. Though this makes sense because iPhone users were allowed to keep their unlimited data plan when they upgrade their iPhones. As a matter of fact, some iPhone users are even offered unlimited data plans if they remain with ATT instead of defecting to Verizon.

So, which of the two data plans are better? Those from the incumbent, ATT, or the upstart, Verizon Wireless? Macworld did a nice job of comparison for us.

Not only that, they did point out very important differences that give each carrier advantages as well as disadvantages. For instance, while the iPhone on Verizon's CDMA network cannot hold a call while still allow the user access to data, that is not going to be a major issue on the 3G iPad 2 since you cannot make calls to start with.

Furthermore, ATT's 3G advantage in speed is mitigated by the fact that neither it or Verizon offers unlimited data plans. Both set limits on their top plans which really means that ATT iPad users will get to their limit faster than iPad users who uses their iPad for data access with Verizon.

The gist is that ATT has the cheapest plan coming in at $15 for 250MB of access while Verizon is all over the place with a price range of $20 and up to $80 for 1GB through 10GB.

As someone who has the unlimited plan, I can't help but feel pretty good where I'm sitting. However, if I was a new subscriber, I would probably be looking pretty hard at Verizon's slower CDMA iPad.

But you might have very different needs than I do. For instance, I don't travel abroad much. So I have no need for the GSM version of the iPad. And I'd be very happy with Verizon's broader offering.

Perhaps, I know that I will be home more in May so I'll just go with the 1GB plan. But in June, I'll be going to a conference for a week and I cannot reliably believe there will be WiFi access so I'll probably go with the $50 for 5GB plan. And then in July, there will be a two week vacation and I would love to be able to use my iPad more freely so the 10GB plan for $80 might make more sense.

Obviously, deciding between plans was made easier because in buying the iPad with 3G access, Apple was able to get the carriers to back off and not require suffocating data plans. And this is probably going to be Apple's greatest contribution to consumer choices in the coming years.

So, head over to Macworld and look at their chart. I would have try to duplicated it but why do that when they've already done a fantastic job.

More at Macworld for ATT versus Verizon data plan.

iPad To Lead the Way And Change the PC Landscape Forever

2010 Was about the iPad and after we have had a couple of days to digest Steve Jobs' March 2nd iPad 2 introduction, it is beginning to look like the Apple CEO is correct:  2011 is going to be about iPad 2.  And if you don't believe me or Steve, take a look at the hit the Motorola Mobility stock took today.  Down more than 5.5% on a generally up day in the stock market.

And from the number of folks selling their iPads for the iPad 2's, it looks like Apple's biggest problem is making enough to satisfy demand.

But we have to look at the big picture.  The PC market in 2011, as forecasted by Garner, will grow only 10.5%, down from nearly 16% from an earlier projection. And 2012 growth was also lowered.  That happened?  

Specifically, the iPad and, in general, the tablet market.  Now that Apple has proven that there is a market for a mobile device with a long battery life that allows users to consume media and remain product, mobile computing is change dramatically.  A couple of nights ago while I was waiting for some friends to arrive for dinner at a restaurant, I was able to take out my 3G iPad and get things done that only a year ago, I would have had to carry around a 4 or 5 lb laptop.

And also consider this.  Where are the netbooks?  While I was researching the Macbook Air, I briefly considered getting a netbook and turn it into a hacintosh.  As it turned out, find out information on the latest netbooks took a bit of digging.  

As a tech and mobile enthusiast, I eagerly adopt new technology and, frankly, a large segment of the population have not even touched a tablet, let alone own one, I don't know just how big of an impact the iPad and other tablets will on the PC market.  I suspect that the next couple of years will be very critical for the PC and tablet as they battle for the hearts and minds of mobile users.  

For now, I think the size of the tablet market is largely underestimated by tech analysts.  In the next couple of years, new features and, more importantly, new uses will find its way onto the tablet.  At the iPad 2 event, Apple demoed two key apps:  iMovie and Garageband.  Both are related to content recreation that was not there even a year ago.  I think we're just scraping the tip of what is a very potent mobile device. 

And the more innovation and competition there is in the tablet market, the greater the impact this new mobile computing device will have on traditional PC.  

More at MacDailyNews.

Who's Getting The iPhone Next: T-Mobile Disses iPhone Carriers But Sprint Doesn't (Second Sprint Post Today)

I don't write a lot about Sprint because it kind of chugs a long but doesn't do much else exciting. And it's on WiMax so it like it is off to one side doing its own thing. So here is the 2nd Sprint post of the day.

And ironically, I am writing about what Sprint isn't doing. While T-Mobile is off dissing the networks that the iPhone runs on on TV and Web commercials, Sprint doesn't seem to say much of anything else about CDMA iPhone.

After all, Sprint's WiMax is faster than what Verizon and ATT's 3G networks. So it has just as much marketing weapon as T-Mobile.

So I wonder if this is indicative of who is getting the iPhone and who isn't? About fourteen months before Verizon go the iPhone 4, it did the same thing with some cute animations.

At this point, I am just not hopeful that my network will be getting the next iPhone. And if Sprint is supposed to get the CDMA iPhone next, it would not make sense to diss a phone that it might be getting next.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

Why I’ll Be Buying An iPad 2 But Not For Myself

I will be buying an iPad 2 as a retirement present for my mom. However, I’ll be pass on this version for myself, not because I think there will be something better in six months but it’s simply that I don’t need it right this moment. And I am happy with the original iPad.

But more than that, I’ve got an iPod touch that has pretty much the only major complaint I have with the original iPad: cameras.

And with the iPod touch with my iSpot, I can Skype on the go. Because the iSpot, while, access mobile Internet through cell signals, it is essentially a mobile hotspot. It’s even a better arrangement than the iPhone 4 with either of the two US carriers.

The only thing that would have enticed me to upgrade would have been a Retina Display. And if you use even just a bit of brain, you would know that while having an HD or Retina display is in the works, we’re not going to see it in this upgrade or even the next. It’s simply just too expensive right now to manufacture. Plus, I don’t think the yield would have been all that great.

Having said all this, I encourage everyone else to take a look at the iPad 2 if having a camera for video chat is something you’ve been waiting for even if you don’t have an iPad. Again, the reason I’m not upgrading is because I have the latest iPod touch that does have a frontal camera for video chitchat.

If you’ve read my previous posts, you’ll see that I’m good with the iPad’s ability to serve my mobile needs. And with two iOS devices, I can literally multitasking between two devices.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

iPad As My Workstation Tonight

I had dinner with a friend tonight.  Dumplings, scallion noodles, and more dumplings.  Before dinner, I had some time to kill.

I got to the restaurant early.  A lot earlier than I expected.  I guess with the $4 a gallon gas, more folks are staying off the California roads.  If this dinner was not pre-arranged a while back, I probably be home glad that my SUV was not taking me to the poor house.

So there I was, sitting around waiting.  Then I figure I could get some work done.  No games.  Real work.  I made a few calls overseas using the Skype app on the iPad.  During the call, I checked on some Excel files, PDF, and Binged something.  Then I made another call to a dealership that we're trying to sell a car to and checked out the paperwork that was e-mailed to me in PDF.  

After that, I updated my cities in We Rule and We City.  Made my moves on Words with Friends.  Then, it was back to looking at some research for work.  

Then I realized there was a guy who was standing near by watching what I was doing.  Chatting away, surfing the Web, working on a spreadsheet.  I don't know what he was thinking but if that was me, I would be thinking "I'm gonna go and pick me up an iPad after dinner!"

I mean, seriously, could all that have been done with a laptop?  No.  And iPhone?  Sure, definitely but not as easy as the huge 9.7" screen on the iPad allowed me.  Oh, and I had 3G access.  And if I needed something faster, I did have my iSpot as well.  Point is, it would not have been possible with a laptop.  Heck, it would not have been possible with a Macbook.

On the iPad with unlimited 3G access and gobs of hours of battery life, I could afford to do all that without worrying about battery life and the artificial limits that a laptop 3G plan would have limited me to.  

Like I mentioned above, this could have been done with an iPhone.  A year ago, it was the 3GS and there was limited multi-tasking but it was not until the iOS 4 released in 2010 that made all this possible.  But going even a bit further back, say 2008 or 2009, it would have been much more difficult to do.  I would be blogging about a laptop, USB modem with 3G access that costs $80 a month for a couple of hundreds of megabytes of download, and about 6 pounds more to carry around.

13 Hours Away From iPad 2 (And More?)

We're about thirteen hours away from find out more about the iPad 2.  The official word this time around.  Very excited here at the compound.  The whole crew is working on ready for the onslaught, whatever it is that Apple wants to unleash on us.

Seriously though, I think even if Apple just added a camera onto the iPad 2 for Facetime, it'll be enough to get the hordes of adopters out into the Apple store.  After all, isn't that all that many of us had hoped the original iPad would have?

And from the latest blogs and posts coming through late Tuesday, it appears that iPad 2 will not be leaps and bounds over the current iPad.  Plus, there's talk that Steve Jobs might make an appearance.  I don't know if he will or not but if he does show, it'll probably be to get the attention from the fact that the iPad 2 will not exhibit all the bells and whistles that the rumored for months.

Still, it does show the confidence that Apple have.  With Google finally releasing a true Android OS for tablet and a top notch tablet in the Xoom, Apple can still cruise right along and dominate the market.

Anyway, thirteen hours away from the Cupertino show.

Wired Goes to Foxconn To See For Itself The Work Conditions

This isn't just about the iPhone.  This is about the workers who make our Android devices, laptops, and other mobile devices.

Wired goes there to see for himself the conditions the workers face and what the issues are about.

More at Wired.