The Apple iPad has proven very useful in many ways. Testament to this fact is the number of individuals queuing up to get their own device. To really enjoy the tablet however, the individual needs a reliable broadband connection. This is where individuals get confused. The Wi-Fi only version costs a 100 pounds less than the 3G version so most people would naturally consider it but the one factor that normally make them change their mind is the fact that they will have to rely on local area wireless connections to enjoy their iPad. This is where we Mifi device comes in. Before we look at the different iPad connection types, just know that connecting your tablet to the internet either through 3G or Wi-Fi is now a lot simpler than it used to be in the past.
iPad Choices
The choice of the iPad you are going to purchase will depend largely on you. If you will be doing the bulk of your internet surfing on the iPad then you may need the 3G version. If you are a light user of the tablet, or someone who has a desktop PC and a laptop already, then the Wi-Fi version is for you. With the 3G model, you simply need to purchase a plan like on a normal mobile phone and you would be able to surf the web. Of course there is also Wi-Fi in case you need to use it as a backup.
The Wi-Fi only version only connects to the web through a wireless network. Like we said briefly above, people are usually reluctant to purchase this as they can only surf the web when there is a hotspot for them to use. This is not a cause for concern for people who have hotspots at work and a wireless router at home, but if you do not have any of these it becomes a problem. If you are really bent on saving that extra 100pounds, here are a few ways you can always keep your iPad connected to the web.
Using your iPhone/Android phone as a mobile hotspot
Surprisingly, not many people know they can actually turn their mobile broadband connection into a local area wireless network. All you need do is to access the mobile hotspot app on your smartphone and turn it on. You can then search for the connection generated with your iPad and connect to it. If you do not like the mobile hotspot application on your phone, or can't find yours, you can always check the application store for your device. The only drawback with using this method is that most of today's smartphones still do not have enough battery power so you will have to tag along with your phone charger anywhere you are going, especially if you are going to stay for prolonged periods away from home or office. You don't want your phone switching off while you are surfing the web.
Using a Mifi device
The mifi device is one of the major advancements made in the internet sector in the past decade. This device is one that is smaller than most smartphones and works by broadcasting mobile broadband for use by as many as 5 devices at once. Most people who do not want to spend money on getting wireless routers and spending money on the setup process prefer to use this as it is much cheaper and much more convenient. With a mifi device, you simply need to subscribe to a mobile broadband package from any of the providers and turn on the mifi. Your Wi-Fi only iPad will detect the signal and you can begin surfing the web. Going down this route is a very reasonable option because most providers that sell Wi-Fi only iPads and other tablets now include Mi-Fi devices in their packages. With this, you can use your iPad when you are near a Wi-Fi hotspot and when you are not, simply pull out your mifi device and continue surfing the web!
Advantages of Mifi
One advantage the mifi device holds over using your phone as a mobile hotspot is that it has a battery that will last 5 hours on a single charge. This means you do not need to bother about charging it when you are out and about as you may already be home or in a location where you can charge it before your battery runs out.
If you are a Sky subscriber, you are eligible for free and unlimited access to any of the Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK so you may not even need your mifi device for most parts of the day. If you are living in London or any other major areas, you do not have any reason to pay the amount required for a 3G iPad as hotspots are a dime a dozen in these areas.
Where can you get a Mifi device?
To get a mifi device, simply talk to any of the numerous mobile broadband providers. You can start by talking to your current provider to see what their offers are. If you have not bought the iPad already, you can talk to anyone at the shop of your preferred provider to see if they have any iPad plus Mifi deals for you. If you are considering buying the device from EE due to their 4G offerings and faster internet, keep in mind that the 4G service is not yet widespread. It doesn't make sense to purchase a 4G mifi device if you will not be able to get 4G service 70% of the time.
You need to know the difference between surfing the web on a free unlimited Wi-Fi and surfing through a mifi device. If you do the exact same activities you do while using a hotspot on your mifi device, you will hit your download limit pretty quickly and incur additional costs for yourself.
So there you have it, you now know the options open to you when looking to purchase a Wi-Fi only tablet!
The MiFi deals advertised online seemed too good to be true. Sam Jones compared the offers using sites like uSwitch and managed to save himself a little money 
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