Signing Up For The 3G iPad Service Information

The iPad prelaunch was a rousing success as far as Apple is concerned. Some 91,000 iPads were pre-ordered on the first day, and market analysts are estimating that Apple will see as much as 500,000 iPads pre-ordered before April 3rd. This coming after they aired their first commercial during the Oscars. If some weren’t interested in an iPad before you saw that commercial, likely their opinion changed pretty quickly. Apple does a good job of polishing their commercials as much as they do their devices. Needless to say, iPad case and accessory makers are frothing at the mouth over this new devices potential.

Along with the launch of the iPad pre-order, Apple also let leak more information about their 3G iPad tablets and how the data service would work. Apparently the 3G iPad tablets aren’t going to be available until later in April. The Wi-Fi on the iPad will support 802.11n for optimal performance. There will be two 3G broadband plans available through AT&T, one allowing up to 250 MB of data for $14.99 and the other allowing unlimited data for $29.99. Apple has made it as easy as pie to spend your money on the service as well- you will be able to sign up for the service directly on your iPad with an easy sign up screen in your preferences. There appears to be no contract necessary so you can cancel at any time, so if you will need more data because you will be traveling, just upgrade your account or enroll on the go. Customers who have the limited plan will get alerts when their allotted credit has 20%, 10%, and 0% remaining. In addition to getting the 3G service users will also get access to AT&T’s 20,000 other Wi-Fi hotspots.

For that price, even we are considering getting a 3G enabled iPad. We’ve tried using our iPhone as a complete replacement for a laptop computer while on the go, and it almost (but not quite) fills that gap. However, Apple’s new tablet has a real possibility of replacing a laptop completely when traveling and on the go, all you need are a couple additional accessories for the iPad like a bluetooth keyboard and iPad stand or cover. If you live a jet set life and are often on the go, then this gem is going to be a real life saver!

Contributed by our friends at iPad Accessories who are the premier source for iPad accessory information on the web. Check out their latest post on the Best Accessories For iPad you will want to think about buying to accompany your newest gem!

Mobile Networks Competing for Apple iPad Exclusivity

When Apple launched their latest device, the iPad many were quick to mock. The name and the size of the device seemed comical to most of us and yet interest in the iPad is high and it will no doubt sell like hot cakes. Suddenly people are looking down at their iPhones and iPods and deciding that they are lacking in size, what they really need is some kind of tablet device in a sleek black case without a removable battery.

The cheaper iPad models will, like the iPod touch, only connect to the internet via a Wifi connection. The higher end models will connect via 3G and will therefore require a contract iPad SIM card and a data contract. This has lead to a lot of interest from some of the UKs biggest mobile phone providers who want to sell the iPad. Apple executives are apparently in the country currently meeting with representatives from O2, Orange and Vodafone in order to decide who will be in on the launch.



It is not yet clear if any of the providers will have exclusive dibs on the iPad, although they would no doubt be more than happy to sign an exclusive deal. It is more likely that Apple will choose several of the big suppliers in order to maximize exposure and create competition. With Apple likely to take up to 30% of data revenues (as they do with the iPhone) the margins will be slim but the potential exposure will be great.

Whilst the interest in the iPad was inevitable (chuck an Apple logo on anything and it'll sell) it seems to be an indication of where things are headed. There appears to be a split in the mobile devices available between smart phones/ mobile computers and more basic pay as you go type phones. Most providers now offer free SIM card at one end of the spectrum and very high tech devices at the other end.