PCs & Mobiles Forum - Cheap 7" tablet - Page 1

What does 3G do for a tablet?

it means the unit can use a mobile phone network to use the internet.
Without 3G you can only go online using wi-fi

Ah, thanks. I guess it's not possible to add it with some kind of card?

Quote:
Paull says...
Ah, thanks. I guess it's not possible to add it with some kind of card?
If you have an android mobile that is running 2.1 or later, you can use the handset to connect on-line by using the phone to create a wi-fi hotspot: snag is, most mobile networks do not allow you to tether the phone to another web using unit. (i.e. laptop, netbook, tablet)

GiffGaff lets you tether but its not cheap, £12 for 3gb. And it only lasts for 30 days. And if you use up all your data allowance, you can't top it up again till the 30days has passed.
Oh yeah, & tethering is a real mobile battery killer.

The best way to do this is to use a mi-fi.
Its a three mobile external mobile internet thingie that creates a wi-fi hotspot.

Ebay & Amazon both sell prepaid mobile internet sim cards that seems to be the best way to load credit on the mi-fi.

My problem is its another unit to carry around, remember to charge, buy sim cards for, set up etc, etc.
I'd rather have a tablet with built in 3G. Just buy pre-paid 3G sim cards.

Its cheaper to use a new pre-paid 3G card than it is to top up a sim card, I know that's mental, but that's how it works. The 3gb pre-paid sim lasts for 90 days.

If you are interested in a mi-fi, the best one seems to be the huawei e586.
Its around £75 to £80 on e-bay. Here is a link to one on ebay.
Also pre-paid 3 mobile sim

This item was edited on Wednesday, 7th December 2011, 00:00

Pat, on those pre-pay SIMs, how much is the data and how long does it last etc..?

Ste
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We will pay the price but we will not count the cost..

Quote:
sj says...
Pat, on those pre-pay SIMs, how much is the data and how long does it last etc..?the 3mobile one gb is 30days, the three gb is 90 days.
The 3gb 3mobile sims are around £12 each, the 1gb around £5 from Amazon & ebay.

I know it depends what you are using it for, but I have a vodafone pre-pay dongle which has 1gb loaded. As long as I use it once every 6 months it never expires. It costs more to load, (£15) and it can not be used on a tablet (afik) but the reason I am mentioning it, is just web browsing & checking e-mails, I've never used the 1gb up faster than 2 months.
That is not using it everyday, the most I've used it would be for about maybe 6-8 hours a week. (guessing).
Playing youtube videos or streaming music would eat into that very quick, depends on your web browsing.
I think I could load a 3gb sim on a tablet & get the full 3months from it, because I'd still use wi-fi at home. For me, it would be for reading the web more than anything else.
 
EDIT
I just went to ebay to look at the pre-paid 3mobile 3gb 3months cards. Accorded to this listing, the £12 sim pre-loaded data is 3gb per month, so a total of 9gb on the sim. Not sure if that's correct, I don't think it is, will check it out elsewhere tomorrow.

EDIT2
that 9gb sim is not on the 3mobile network as such, its a Freedom Talk sim. They are a UK virtual mobile network running on the 3mobile network, like GiffGaff running on the o2 network.

If I end up using a mi-fi I might try that one. Still hoping the Asus new tablet I want to buy will have a 3G model.

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That enough for me, keep spotting typos, must of edited this post at least 15 times, too tired I guess.
Bye for now.

This item was edited on Wednesday, 7th December 2011, 00:10

Most contract Data bundles now allow tethering and dependant on the phone being used sometimes the network doesn't even know!

Found that out with my recent chasing of O2 to find out why I had unlimited data but couldn't use the touchpad with it, girl in CPW told me it was cos the iPhone reported it was tethering another unit but when I got my Palm Pre3 through it didn't and could work with it fine.
As you mention though it does drain the battery a bit quicker.

AFAIK it's mostly the iPhones that report tethering as the girl mentioned a few smartphones that didn't (can't remember which) but it'd be worth checking out especially if you have a car kit or charger for the phone you want to use.

I've got one of those Vodafone dongle things too with the 6 month thing on it, can't find it though so might have lost it and haven't seen it for ages so it'll be well past it's 6 months now

Jimbo : oÞ

"There's that word again... is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull in the future?"

Quote:
Jimbo Þ says...
Most contract Data bundles now allow tetheringI'm not on a contract, I'm a very low user.
I think I topped up my mobile with about £30 in the last 12 months & I still have credit left now.
I get free calls to anyone on the same network which helps, but as I have a "free calls with monthly fee" landline calls at home, most of my mobile calls are kept short.

I'm plagued by mobile network sales calls, all of whom are astonished that I spend £30 a year, when they are trying to sell me "the best deal ever, only £30 per month for two years & you get this latest. greatest shiny handset for free because we are soooo nice, but this is a once in a lifetime offer, so you need to buy this now" 

Quote:
Jimbo Þ says...
I've got one of those Vodafone dongle things too with the 6 month thing on it, can't find it though so might have lost it and haven't seen it for ages so it'll be well past it's 6 months nowI wouldn't swear to it, but I think you can reactivate the dongle if you top it up.
you need to find it first thou......

Boy, is this thread way off topic.......

This item was edited on Wednesday, 7th December 2011, 10:56

Quote:
pat-w says...
Boy, is this thread way off topic.......It's Reviewer, only thing left for the thread to do is to turn to talk of Taxi's or taxi-ing

Jimbo : oÞ

"There's that word again... is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull in the future?"