Tablet with sim (1 Viewer)

[Jagtazman]

Seen quite a few tablets with build in sim card slots.
However cannot really figure out thr benefit of these. Surely its just as easy to tether or is the speed much better directly from a sim.

Any assistance / feedback would be appeciated.

 

[Bill_OR]

It just means that if you install a SIM card then it can communicate directly via the mobile network and not depend on having a wifi connection.

 

[Minxy]

It means that you can put in a data sim so don't need wifi, or a separate MIFI with a sim in.

It also means that if you have a phone sim which doesn't allow tethering you can instead put the sim in the tablet and it will work as they are a cross between a phone and a tablet so won't get 'stopped' - you can make calls on them too and if you do a lot of texting it has an even bigger advantage as you can use the larger keyboard on the tablet rather than the fiddly little one on you phone!

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[cruiser]

Must look into this . Thanks @Minxy Girl .

 

[Glandwr]

Great if it's just you. Not so good if there's more than one unless you can thether.

Dick

 

[DanielFord]

As all have said above, you get to pop in a SIM, and you can connect without a MiFi.
Sounds good?
Well no actually, it's a dumb idea. Imagine if you'd bought an iPad with 3G, brilliant, but now we have moved onto 4G. Your 3G ipad will only go to 3G, nothing you can do except fork out for a new 4G iPad at around £500, but wait, 5G is just around the corner, are you going to buy another iPad?
Scenario 2, you buy an iPad with WiFi only, and a MiFi unit for about £40. When that MiFi is superseded, you purchase a new one, for about £40, and continue to use your existing iPad.
Also, if you have a MiFi, all of your online gadgets can connect to the same unit.

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[Minxy]

I don't agree with you Daniel about a 3G tablet being in effect obsolute/unusable ... even 4g sims work on 3G as well so even if the iPad was only 3G a 4G sim would still work in it (ie backwards compatible). Even now there are still new 2G phones sold even though 3G has been around for years - 2G has never disappeared/been 'turned off, for example a lot of Dora mobiles are 2G as they are simpler to use than many 3G/4G ones so are aimed at less tech savvy (dare I say older!) people.

I don't know why anyone would pay for an iPad in the first place though other than as a 'status symbol' in many cases ... but that's a whole different discussion!

 

[PeteH]

An I-Pad Air (Tesco) is £479 listed currently with "Cellular" capability. The equivalent I-Pad Wi Fi only (Tesco) is £409.

£70 will get you a Decent MiFi with change. Plus has more versatility in that it can manage up to 10 devices. I actually use a £30 (new) off E-Bay cheap mobile phone as a MiFi, works perfectly!

That IMV is a "no brainer"?. Except that I would never pay that much for one!. (my 16gb mini cost Me just over £120 equivalent in Walmart) £97 actually but that was with a $50 gift voucher. Which highlights the Apple "Rip Off" in the UK.

 

[tonyl]

Non-SIM iPads don't have GPS, though, so the extra £££s buys you more than just the SIM bits. You are snookered without a 'cellular' version if you want to run a navigation app with any accuracy.

I agree about the value of a MiFi but I find it useful having a different SIM in the iPad from the MiFi because coverage of individual networks is still quite limited in many rural areas, so having a choice without having to resort to swapping is handy.

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[DanielFord]

Non-SIM iPads don't have GPS, though, so the extra £££s buys you more than just the SIM bits. You are snookered without a 'cellular' version if you want to run a navigation app with any accuracy.

That isn't correct, our non-sim iPad has GPS, we use it all the time.

 

[Minxy]

One of the OTHER benefits of having a tablet which takes a sim is that when you're out and about with it, ie walking etc, you can access the internet without having to rely on free wifi or having to carry (remember to take) your mifi with you and make sure it's charged up. I don't take my tablet out of the camper/home so it doesn't make any difference to me but for others it will.

Just for the record, I wouldn't buy an iPad ... or 'i' anything, way too expensive for what they are!

 

[Clickem]

That isn't correct, our non-sim iPad has GPS, we use it all the time.

I was under the impression that all "WiFi only" IPads do not have GPS capability - ours certainly does not. I think that I am correct in saying that if you have a "Cellular" version of the IPad it will have GPS capability that will work without an activated SIM installed

Please would you give the IPad model and GPS that you are using?

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[Minxy]

I was under the impression that all "WiFi only" IPads do not have GPS capability - ours certainly does not. I think that I am correct in saying that if you have a "Cellular" version of the IPad it will have GPS capability that will work without an activated SIM installed

Please would you give the IPad model and GPS that you are using?

Might be worth reading this which explains the confusion:

http://ipadpilotnews.com/2015/12/ipad-real-gps/

 

[Clickem]

Might be worth reading this which explains the confusion:

http://ipadpilotnews.com/2015/12/ipad-real-gps/

A lot more words, and depth, but I think that it says/confirms what I said

 

[Minxy]

A lot more words, and depth, but I think that it says/confirms what I said

You are reading it differently to me then! All iPads DO have gps capability, it's how GOOD it is that is improved with the dedicated GPS ones. Even our cheap wifi only Chinese tablets have GPS capabilities.

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[DanielFord]

Please would you give the IPad model and GPS that you are using?

iPad 3 and in general settings, turn on location services. Then all GPS enabled apps work, like find iPhone, maps, camper contact etc.
I think you may be confusing a few things, a cellular iPad will get a GPS lock much quicker because it uses what it called assisted GPS, so it will start the location search based upon the cell tower(s) that it is connected to, thus speeding up the lock. Other than that, GPS works just fine.
Incidentally, our daughters iPod touch also has GPS, and that also works perfectly.

Edit:
From the article:
But it’s important to note that the iPad does not require the cellular connection. In fact, you can purchase a 3G/LTE iPad, never sign up for service with Verizon or AT&T and still get very good GPS performance.

GPS is not dependant upon cellular, it only helps!

 

[deleted-member02]

iPad 3 and in general settings, turn on location services. Then all GPS enabled apps work, like find iPhone, maps, camper contact etc.
I think you may be confusing a few things, a cellular iPad will get a GPS lock much quicker because it uses what it called assisted GPS, so it will start the location search based upon the cell tower(s) that it is connected to, thus speeding up the lock. Other than that, GPS works just fine.
Incidentally, our daughters iPod touch also has GPS, and that also works perfectly.

Is this when the device is within range of public hotspots or at all times?
This article suggests no gps functionality Broken Link Removed

 

[DanielFord]

Is this when the device is within range of public hotspots or at all times?
This article suggests no gps functionality Broken Link Removed

Nope, totally unconnected from any form of WiFi GPS still works, as the article says.

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[Clickem]

Minxy Girl - I have re-read the article and I cannot see where it says that "All iPads DO have GPS capability". I think that it says the opposite, It says "In addition to the cellular radio, the 3G/LTE models of the iPad also have a built-in GPS receiver."

The 3G/LTE model is the one with a SIM card slot and built in GPS

DanielFord - Is your IPad 3 a Cellular or WiFi only version. On the Wifi only version the Location services for Maps, GPS etc will work, as long as it has access to a WiFi

Sorry if I am misunderstanding this but everything I have read, and my own experiences of running GPS type software on a WiFi only IPad, is that it does not have inbuilt GPS

 

[DanielFord]

DanielFord - Is your IPad 3 a Cellular or WiFi only version. On the Wifi only version the Location services for Maps, GPS etc will work, as long as it has access to a WiFi

Wifi only, and as previously stated, by myself, and the article you quote, it works on GPS just fine with WiFi switched off. Cellular only improves the fix speed. If you take an iPad to pieces, you will find the GPS antenna near the top. It is standard in all iPads.

[edit]
Meant to add, WiFi location will give you a rough location within a 30 mile radius based upon the public IP address, this is why when you switch off the WiFi the iPad will say location services are improved with WiFi, it is only giving a hint to the onboard GPS receiver. ALL iPads have GPS, different models have various ways to boost the performance.

 

[Clickem]

Please can you give a link to an article or spec that states that the WiFi only IPad has GPS built in

Wikipedia article that states in several places that only the 3G/Cellular version has GPS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad

Google link to many articles

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=ipad+with+GPS

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[mitzimad]

i wouldnt be that worried about the latest g rating i only see 4g in large towns and cities lucky to see H in most rural campsites

 

[Minxy]

I'll explain how it works and my own experience of using it:

• You do NOT need a wifi connection to use GPS
• GPS is usable on all tablets, regardless of whether they have a sim capability or not (unless it is an ancient tablet!)
• If a tablet HAS a sim installed it can help the GPS to work faster as it has the ability to also use the additional location information provided by the mobile phone towers
• GPS will still work on a tablet which takes a sim without the sim being in it.

We use a non-sim tablet abroad with Sygic sat nav on it and it works fine, without it being connected to wifi, and it doesn't have a dedicated GPS built in, just the standard 'ability' that is built into all tablets.

We also used to have a sim capable tablet and with the sim in it did work a little bit better at times, but certainly was NOT a requirement to use GPS.

You appear to be getting confused about what the 'Assisted GPS' which Apple mentions actually is and therefore assuming that those tablets without it (ie no sim slot) don't therefore have any GPS capability which is wrong. The 'Assisted GPS' is just an extra tweak that the sim ones have and can work a bit better but that's all ... it is NOT a necessity to be able to use GPS, eg for sat nav etc.

If you think of it along the lines of different versions of sat nav - a car one and a truck one - whilst the car one will still do sat nav, the truck one is better for motorhomes due to your being able to put in vehicle details so it can provide more suitable routes - both work but the latter will work better for larger vehicles.

 

[DanielFord]

Please can you give a link to an article or spec that states that the WiFi only IPad has GPS built in

Wikipedia article that states in several places that only the 3G/Cellular version has GPS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad

Google link to many articles

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=ipad+with+GPS

As @Minxy Girl has already said, you are confusing assisted GPS and GPS/ Only the cellular has assisted GPS (obviously), which is quite clearly stated in the articles you have quoted.
WiFi will only give you a location radius of about 30 miles (if you are lucky). The rest is handled by the onboard GPS receiver.

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[ukdw]

I find having a sim in an iPad is much more convenient and quicker than having to turn on a mifi and wait a minute or two for it to startup before you can get on the internet - so if you want an iPad when you are out and about in good signal areas then I would recommend the extra cost of the 3g/4g sim versions. In bad signal areas a mifi usually picks up the signal better than the built in 3G/4g receiver - especially if you add an extra antenna.

Explanation of how the iPad knows your location from the settings app.

From a 2014 4g cellular iPad mini

From a non cellular wifi only 2016 iPad Pro - which doesn't have gps - so is less accurate but still pretty good at finding its location

 

[Clickem]

I'll explain how it works and my own experience of using it:

• [Snip]

We use a non-sim tablet abroad with Sygic sat nav on it and it works fine,

From the Sygic Web Site:

"WIFI ONLY IPADS DO NOT HAVE GPS RECEIVERS"

https://help.sygic.com/en/sygic-gps...t-installation/compatibility-and-requirements

 

[DanielFord]

Please can you give a link to an article or spec that states that the WiFi only IPad has GPS built in

How about a screen grab from our WiFi only iPad using the GPS diagnostic utility. Note that the WiFi is off, and I am in a building, so the accuracy is low:

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[Clickem]

I think the real test of that would be to leave the WiFi disconnected and then move the IPad 20 miles and see if it then knows where it is

I suspect that the location is stored from the last WiFi connection

 

[DanielFord]

I think the real test of that would be to leave the WiFi disconnected and then move the IPad 20 miles and see if it then knows where it is

I suspect that the location is stored from the last WiFi connection

Interesting that it isn't showing that it was in Dorset then, since that's where it was when it was last connected to WiFi?

[Edit]
There are only so many time I can say it, so once again! WiFi CANNOT give you an accurate location, it can only assist the GPS.

 

[two]

If you want GPS in an iPad you must opt for the one with a SIM, not the WiFi-only model.

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