Wifi vs 3G Xoom Question and should I .... - Xoom General

Well, I just bought a wifi xoom and absolutely love it! I tether it to my Nexus one via wifi hotspot on my phone. (dont pay a dime extra) thanks to nexus However, I am really wondering if I should get the 3g/4g version of this and only pay for the net when I need it. It would be nice but is it that much better than tethering? Also, since the 3g is verison, does that mean updates will be treated differently than the wifi non branded version? Does version have more control over the updates or will they still be google ?
Thanks

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[Q] Is the 3G model going to be worth it in the USA?

Anyone have any ideas if the 3G will be worth it, there are some discouraging posts over at the notion ink blog, in the comments section, about the bandwidth limitations on the 3G models and them being selected for you, instead of allowing us to pick our own.
(I am one of the ones that did not get a pre-order in on time)
It would be considered a new contract on AT&T so you would not have unlimited data. Also in the US it is only for AT&T
Why thank you for that, being a sprint person, and an Android lover, AT&T is certainly not something I want to deal with, at least that helps me with my decision, I'll just have to use a USB Sprint 4G adapter... :
finndo said:
Why thank you for that, being a sprint person, and an Android lover, AT&T is certainly not something I want to deal with, at least that helps me with my decision, I'll just have to use a USB Sprint 4G adapter... :
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If you have an android phone I would recommend root it and install wifi tether. Rooting is a very simple process for the EVO at unrevoked.com and I am not sure if it will have support for a usb adapter. You might get the MiFi that is coming to Sprint soon.
Interesting topic. Since I am also on Sprint, its probably better off just getting the Wifi version and wifi tether to the EVO or pdanet. Now when Traveling overseas where Sprint doesn't work (except Jamaica and Taiwan) I guess the wifi will have to just do.
TS
smedley.jason said:
If you have an android phone I would recommend root it and install wifi tether. Rooting is a very simple process for the EVO at unrevoked.com and I am not sure if it will have support for a usb adapter. You might get the MiFi that is coming to Sprint soon.
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twospirits said:
Interesting topic. Since I am also on Sprint, its probably better off just getting the Wifi version and wifi tether to the EVO or pdanet. Now when Traveling overseas where Sprint doesn't work (except Jamaica and Taiwan) I guess the wifi will have to just do.
TS
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Can you tether an Android device to an Android device? I have purchased EasyTether, I use it for work when I have to drive between states, but did not know they made an Android app to tether to, I thought it only worked on PC's. I'll have to go to their website and look into it.
On Android if you root it you can install a WiFi Tether application that allows you to turn your phone into a hot spot without having to pay Sprint.
http://lifehacker.com/5447347/how-to-tether-your-android-phone
smedley.jason said:
On Android if you root it you can install a WiFi Tether application that allows you to turn your phone into a hot spot without having to pay Sprint.
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oh ok, yeah I forgot you can make it a hotspot... since I don't need that function right now...
good call. Yeah, I'll stick with the wifi model.
You are correct, I keep forgetting that pdanet only has the PC drivers.
TS
Or if you don't want to root and get good T-Mobile service, the Nexus One/S can be a Wifi hotspot out of the box.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Vandalet said:
Or if you don't want to root and get good T-Mobile service, the Nexus One/S can be a Wifi hotspot out of the box.
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If you are on T-Mobile you can specify the overseas version by emailing them and it is capable to connect to T-Mobile.
Vandalet said:
Or if you don't want to root and get good T-Mobile service, the Nexus One/S can be a Wifi hotspot out of the box.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
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I thought WifI Hotspot tethering was a standard feature in Froyo...
I have it on my Desire (yes it's rooted, but I think the hotspot functionality was part of the original ROM).
litening said:
I thought WifI Hotspot tethering was a standard feature in Froyo...
I have it on my Desire (yes it's rooted, but I think the hotspot functionality was part of the original ROM).
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It is a standard feature but the service providers locked it down so you would have to pay them to use it. The nexus one and s are the only ones that have it enabled.
You can pick your carrier with the adam
Rohan's interview on Android Police states:
AP: Regarding the 3G model, how many frequency sets are being offered? In the US, AT&T and T-Mobile run on different 3G bands, necessitating at least two US 3G models.
Rohan: Initially we offered only one 3G module which was suited for AT&T, but then when customers requested we changed their models. From next pre-order everyone will be given an option of deciding their own 3G module for a specific frequency.
So, if you have already pre-ordered but want a different carrier...email them and provide your order info with your carrier preference. If you pre-order now you will have an option to indicate your choice
Data limitations will be determined by cell carrier not this device. And yes, every company but Sprint has a limit on data right now. Come to think of it, Sprint might have a limit for their USB hotspot and for the devices that have an EVDO radio in them, not sure on that.
Regardless as others stated, if this bothers you just wifi tether. But I have a Chrome Netbook with a verizon connection in it and I love it. Not having to deal with wifi tether all the time is nice.
webs05 said:
Data limitations will be determined by cell carrier not this device. And yes, every company but Sprint has a limit on data right now. Come to think of it, Sprint might have a limit for their USB hotspot and for the devices that have an EVDO radio in them, not sure on that.
Regardless as others stated, if this bothers you just wifi tether. But I have a Chrome Netbook with a verizon connection in it and I love it. Not having to deal with wifi tether all the time is nice.
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i'm jealous, i have been hoping everyday a cr-48 would be waiting for me when i get home.
Crimton said:
i'm jealous, i have been hoping everyday a cr-48 would be waiting for me when i get home.
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Don't worry he only has a 100Mb of data.
smedley.jason said:
Don't worry he only has a 100Mb of data.
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but it was free! free things are my favorite
Crimton said:
but it was free! free things are my favorite
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I know i'm jealous as well.
I just ordered my Adam and the only model left was the Pixel Qi 3G version. If I had a choice, I would have gone wifi only because I don't have AT&T as a carrier (I have Verizon). Was it just me that found a lack of info on the website about the 3G carrier requirements? It wouldn't have changed my order (because I ordered to late), but it seemed a little vague. I'm still stoked to get the adam though.
Cheers!

[ask] Are they going to create the other models?

I'm curious if they are going to create other model with wifi + 3g or even wimax + wifi.
Any news?
meatlover said:
I'm curious if they are going to create other model with wifi + 3g or even wimax + wifi.
Any news?
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probably not until they have the next big Google event.
Kind of like what they did with the Nexus 7.
If they do make it 4g, it would be LTE, not Wi-Max.
Since you mention Wi-Max, you probably have Sprint? What kind of phone do you have, you can root it, get unlimited free tethering and never worry about a 3g/4g option on a tablet or laptop again! I recommend bluetooth tethering, much better on battery life.
Samzebian said:
probably not until they have the next big Google event.
Kind of like what they did with the Nexus 7.
If they do make it 4g, it would be LTE, not Wi-Max.
Since you mention Wi-Max, you probably have Sprint? What kind of phone do you have, you can root it, get unlimited free tethering and never worry about a 3g/4g option on a tablet or laptop again! I recommend bluetooth tethering, much better on battery life.
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Not to mention the cost savings. If you have unlimited data (or a significant data cap) on your phone you might as well save yourself the money a contract would set you back and just tether it.

Get WIFI Version Now or Wait For 3G Version

I plan to use the Nexus 10 mostly at home on WIFI but would like the option of using it away from home, especially on holiday and cannot ever see me using it as a phone, so I just need Internet access.
I'm considering getting a MIFI which I can use when not at home and it will allow me to connect up to 5 devices and I can position the MIFI in the best place for reception whilst I use the devices where it is most comfortable. Also the reception on a MIFI seems better and you can add an antenna to improve it further.
I've tried using my phone as a hot spot on holiday but the reception indoors was not good enough.
So I'm planning to get the WIFI version and buy a MIFI for mobile use and not bother waiting for the 3g version to come out.
The difference in cost between the WIFI version plus MIFI and a 3G version is probably not much.
Has anyone else tried a MIFI + Antenna with an Android tablet and if so which one and how well did it perform?
Any reason to not just set up a phone as a mobile hotspot?
Randomwalker said:
Any reason to not just set up a phone as a mobile hotspot?
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The indoor reception on holiday was not good enough.
I don't want a 3g tablet so no waiting for me.
I have a 4g mobile hotspot that I can use when I need internet away from regular wifi.It is Verizon so is fast and works with everything instead of haveing several devices on a plan.It is so small I can stick it in a pocket if I needed to and have wifi anywhere on anything instead of just one device.
Unlimited LTE (w/Verizon) + FoxFi = WiFi version for me.
will it be a 3G version!?
Where have u seen that? im waiting for the 3G version as well.. its a must have to my needs :good:
rjmpires said:
will it be a 3G version!?
Where have u seen that? im waiting for the 3G version as well.. its a must have to my needs :good:
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3G? what is this? Apple? Why not 4G?
mg2380 said:
Unlimited LTE (w/Verizon) + FoxFi = WiFi version for me.
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Thanks for the FoxFi tip of which looks useful.
Gaugerer said:
Thanks for the FoxFi tip of which looks useful.
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No problem! Used it for the first time the other night and it worked great! I believe Sprint & AT&T have it blocked on the Play Store (if you use them). Here's the direct link to get around that http://foxfi.com/bin/
Also, WiFi mode does not work with 4.1 (except on the Verizon Galaxy Nexus). Hopefully they're working on a fix for that...
Gaugerer said:
The indoor reception on holiday was not good enough.
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So what makes you think you'd get any better reception with the Nexus 10 if your phone isn't getting reception either? IMHO, data plans on these devices are a complete and total scam/waste of money. Get the wifi version and tether on your phone. If you are grandfathered into VZW or have the T-Mo/Sprint Unlimited plans you are golden. ATT throttles so screw them.
scottyd035ntknow said:
So what makes you think you'd get any better reception with the Nexus 10 if your phone isn't getting reception either? IMHO, data plans on these devices are a complete and total scam/waste of money. Get the wifi version and tether on your phone. If you are grandfathered into VZW or have the T-Mo/Sprint Unlimited plans you are golden. ATT throttles so screw them.
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When I was on holiday in my flat in Spain I had to take my Note One outside on a balcony to get 3g. So I'm hoping that a MIFI with an aerial option placed on the balcony will enable me to stay inside and get 3g.
Also I have a 7.7 and a laptop which also had difficulty getting 3g inside the flat and a MIFI might solve that too with no extra cost.
An MIFI solution will not cost any more than a 3g Nexus 10 which I would need to wait for and I don't want to use the Nexus 10 for making phone calls.
The other reason I like the MIFI solution is that I can go out with my phone and the Nexus 10, 7.7 and laptop can still be used by others in the flat.
I had the same dilemma with the TF101. Luckily I didn't wait for the 3G version in the end as it was released months later.
I'm very happy with a MiFi device. Its on a 30 day contract (1GB for £7 per month) and best of all my tablet isn't consuming extra power running a 3G aerial. I use it every day for 3 hours on the train and charge it every few days.
The signal is also far better then my S3 and S2. But I guess it's designed to keep a high speed data connection open at all times.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
But is there any information about a Nexus 10 with 3G/LTE capabilities???
Again, tether your 4G/LTE phone and connect via wifi for 4G speeds. If you are on an unlimited plan you'll have unlimited LTE going straight to it. If you are an unrooted phone learn to root and use FoxFi or install a custom rom with the wifi tethering baked in. If you have an iCrap it should already have the tethering option IIRC.

3G or not 3G

I already have a 16gb Nexus 7 but but I am upgrading to a 32gb and was wondering whether it was worth getting the 3G version.
I like the idea of the 3G as I would probably use it abroad with a PAYG SIM bought locally but whilst at home I would not be using a SIM, relying on WI-FI and hotspotting to my phone.
So I would like to know
1) If using without a SIM is the performance/battery life any different to the non 3G version
2) Is/will the device be in high street stores by Christmas or will it be yet another Nexus 4 fiasco
Cheers
Baz
Well, I would normally say, "Its better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it." Which is why I paid the extra $50 for one. I dont know what the price difference is for you in the UK, tho. 30 quid?
You may even find that you would just rather have the 3G option at home since it can be kind of a hassle to turn on the wifi and connect it.
I'm not sure about your other questions, tho since I don't have mine yet.
I use tablet talk and WiFi tethering on my cheap android phone. This allows me to data roam and send/receive SMS direct(ish) to my tablet.
I can even make calls from my tablet provided I have my BT headset connected to my phone for incoming audio.
Only reason I would really consider the 3g is if someone hacks it to make standalone calls (people are working on trying to do just that).
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Does it really matter if its wifi or Lte

Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
It depends on what you want.. If you travel a lot or go to places that doesn't have wifi and want to use the tablet.. Then get the lte.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk now Free
Exactly, it all depends on what you are going to use it for, im mostly ever going to use it whilst im in my home with WiFi, so i went went that model.
You can easilly tether you smartphone with the tablet, via BT or WiFi. I prefer BT because it's battery efficient and more discreet, so for me LTE version is just a waste of money.
Spyr0s said:
You can easilly tether you smartphone with the tablet, via BT or WiFi. I prefer BT because it's battery efficient and more discreet, so for me LTE version is just a waste of money.
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+1
If you live in the UK, it will be long time before LTE is countrywide, so far it's only the big city's. I agree with the above posts, waste of money buying any LTE at the moment.
I also own a Wifi only Tablet and don´t miss the 3G option. I bet most of you guys already own a decent smartphone and use it for tethering purposes On the other hand, if you intend to use your Tablet most the time with eg. google Maps as a navigation device, a built in SIM might be more comfortable instead of having to use your smartphone for tethering
Spyr0s said:
You can easilly tether you smartphone with the tablet, via BT or WiFi. I prefer BT because it's battery efficient and more discreet, so for me LTE version is just a waste of money.
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Sure you can easily tether with your smartphone, but that sucks battery out of your phone pretty fast, if you use that feature often. So it all comes down to the usage pattern. I travel a lot and as a result I use my Nexus 7 long periods without WiFi access, so the LTE version offers me the freedom to be online without sucking precious juice from my phone. It`s like always a matter of usage and preference. What`s a waste of money for some is freedom and comfort for other`s.
he_stheone64 said:
Sure you can easily tether with your smartphone, but that sucks battery out of your phone pretty fast, if you use that feature often. So it all comes down to the usage pattern. I travel a lot and as a result I use my Nexus 7 long periods without WiFi access, so the LTE version offers me the freedom to be online without sucking precious juice from my phone. It`s like always a matter of usage and preference. What`s a waste of money for some is freedom and comfort for other`s.
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Same here I use my nexus for everything now I've only been using my s4 for emails and calls. I like the bigger screen anyway for videos and games and even reading articles and browsing
Sent from my LTE Nexus 7
Yeah - my ONE turned from silver to green, since it`s jealous
he_stheone64 said:
Yeah - my ONE turned from silver to green, since it`s jealous
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hahaha, same as my S4
No more Games on my S3
I have one LTE and one wifi version of the tablet.
If you can afford the LTE I think you should get it. Practically, the other features of the tablet are the same so you can only benefit with LTE over wifi. The only reason I would get only wifi is if you can get it very cheap and your mobile (e.g. LTE) needs are 100% met by something else (like smartphone). If you have a big discount coupon or similar you may get the wifi version very cheap. I got $60 off my wifi version, and you might get an even better deal.
The LTE version has lots of flexibility, even if you do not use LTE now you may in another year. The LTE bands covered by the tablet are very good. If you have this version you can get a prepaid account for 30 days or longer, and stop paying if no longer needed. You can get 2GB to 4GB prepaid data plan for about $25 to $40 a month if you have no other plan sharing. With plan sharing you might add it for as little as $10 a month.
I use the LTE version for maps, quick email reading and response, and web browser search. There is no time wasted on tether configuration, management, and setup. Also, I limit LTE data over-use with airplane mode, by allowing wifi to download large files.
My wifi only tablet is best used at home where I have constant wifi available. Configuring wifi tethering while mobile is not convenient for me.
If you typically upgrade in a few years, then when selling the tablet later you will recover a higher price for the LTE version, so that offsets some initial price too.
Good luck
I love my LTE N7. Tethering drains my battery and the connection isn't stable for me either. Love having instant LTE wherever I go without having to do anything.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
I will also chime in and say my phone stays in my pocket more when I commute to school. I love having LTE. Like others have said you can tether.. But you're killing the battery on two devices. You phone and your tablet while you use it. My phone's battery is thanking me greatly.. Lol I also now use my nexus 7 for reading, surfing, games and media and with mysms I don't even have to pull my phone out when I get a text
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
4G LTE phone are quite cheap these days example Lumia 625 or iPhone 5/5c on contract, as one needs a phone always, and share the data connection with your tablet over WIFi tether. Save yourself from two separate connection plans! Saved money, buying a 16GB wifi model (32GB aren't available here yet), plus the wifi version is equipped with GPS unlike ipads
That's not cutting it for me I need my mobility. Some times I just take my nexus 7 and leave my phone home. With GV and Skype or some other SUDO VoIP app I receive all my communications (Email, SMS, IM) and am able to work (DroidEdit Pro), (Junos Pulse), (RSA Secure ID), (PocketCloud). Without LTE this wouldn't be possible..
Sent from another unlocked T-Mobile iPhone 5, Because they haven't released the Nexus 5..!
he_stheone64 said:
Sure you can easily tether with your smartphone, but that sucks battery out of your phone pretty fast, if you use that feature often. So it all comes down to the usage pattern. I travel a lot and as a result I use my Nexus 7 long periods without WiFi access, so the LTE version offers me the freedom to be online without sucking precious juice from my phone. It`s like always a matter of usage and preference. What`s a waste of money for some is freedom and comfort for other`s.
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Click to collapse
I have a 2000mAh battery my old friend, so in the end all depends clearly on personal usage and preference as you say.
I bought the lte version, just because I could but in hindsight maybe one of the most attractive points of the n7 is the price and the lte versions almost cost twice as much. Maybe I should have just bought the wifi version....
I got LTE because I had the previous 3G model and a second sim card.
Even though, I wish the ROM support would be better. I still wait for the official CM 10.2.

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