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Anything in the android world like the Ipad data plan?

episodic

Lifer
Feb 7, 2004
11,088
2
81
I'd like to have an android device that I can have a data plan like an iPad on? For those not familiar iPads have deals with verizon and att to let customers sign up for 3g service adhoc - meaning you can start/stop it at will.

I'm aware there are 'contract' option for android devices, and I'm not interested in those.

Thanks for any info . . .
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,811
126
tablet mobile data plan is not exclusive to iPad. You can use Android and other tablets as well on month to month basis. Same price. Same plan.
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
if you buy a tmo compatible tablet full price you could sign up separately for a no contract or prepaid plan.
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,811
126
if you buy a tmo compatible tablet full price you could sign up separately for a no contract or prepaid plan.

T-mobile has horrible tablet data plans. No one should consider T-Mobile for mobile broadband. Least amount of data allowed with the least amount of coverage. 1gig for $30 on T-Mobile. AT&T will give you 3gig for $30. AT&T and VZ tablet plans are much better.
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
T-mobile has horrible tablet data plans. No one should consider T-Mobile for mobile broadband. Least amount of data allowed with the least amount of coverage. 1gig for $30 on T-Mobile. AT&T will give you 3gig for $30. AT&T and VZ tablet plans are much better.

you could just get a tmoible prepaid sim and pay $2 a day when you use the data, or $30 a month for 5 gigs
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
tablet mobile data plan is not exclusive to iPad. You can use Android and other tablets as well on month to month basis. Same price. Same plan.

Keep in mind, you'll have to buy the cellular tablet at full retail price to do that. Usually 700+ dollars.
 

episodic

Lifer
Feb 7, 2004
11,088
2
81
So where do I get these tablets? I want something like an ASUS transformer - but cellular capable. Names of tablets?
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,811
126
you could just get a tmoible prepaid sim and pay $2 a day when you use the data, or $30 a month for 5 gigs

That's for the phone and not tablet. Tmobile prepaid tablet plans are 7 days 100mb for $10 or 30 days 1gb for $30. AT&T and Verizon plans are better and cheaper
 

episodic

Lifer
Feb 7, 2004
11,088
2
81
Just to show you I'm looking, when I go to amazon and type in ATT android tablets, I get an old 7 inch model of a Samsung Galaxy and an old Viewsonic 7 inch.

????? Confused where you get a 'nice' up to date cellular android tablet - thats why I came here - wondering if they exist.
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
That's for the phone and not tablet. Tmobile prepaid tablet plans are 7 days 100mb for $10 or 30 days 1gb for $30. AT&T and Verizon plans are better and cheaper

you can get a sim and stick it in whatever device you want.

of course the real problem is lack of any real good tmo compatible tablets.
 
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Pliablemoose

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
25,195
0
56
Look on the carrier website?

How much are you willing to spend? GSM. CDMA? contract or no contract?
 

episodic

Lifer
Feb 7, 2004
11,088
2
81
Look on the carrier website?

How much are you willing to spend? GSM. CDMA? contract or no contract?

I'd be willing to go to the 16 GB ipad price for a 'nice' android machine - so around $600. Sprint isn't strong where I'm at. ATT rock solid here - no 3g Tmobile towers so I'd prefer ATT or Verizon (verizon is more expensive usually around here at least). I don't want a contract at all. I want prepaid, and I would just as soon stay away from anything contract. I don't want an old 2.2 device either. I really like the ASUS transformer - something like that is what I'm looking for.
 
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ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,811
126
you can get a sim and stick it in whatever device you want.

of course the real problem is lack of any real good tmo compatible tablets.

If you try that on t-mobile tablet, you're going to get flagged and shutdown. They have the IMEI number of the tablet. Only way you can stick a phone sim and get away with it is with international unit and I don't know a single international tablet with T-Mobile 3g band.
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
22,066
883
126
Do you have a smartphone? Just wifi tether it to the ipad. I think its like 15 bucks a month or so.
 

dagamer34

Platinum Member
Aug 15, 2005
2,591
0
71
I don't think so. One thing you really need to be careful with month-to-month plans is activation fees and recurring billing cycles. I had a Verizon MiFi that I paid for outright that I used month-to-month at a rate that I was expecting to be $50 flat, and instead my first bill managed to balloon into $147 because of activation fees, billing cycles, federal and state fees, and other nonsense. The iPad plan has NONE of that, just a straight $20/month charge.
 

cronos

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
9,380
26
101
If you try that on t-mobile tablet, you're going to get flagged and shutdown. They have the IMEI number of the tablet. Only way you can stick a phone sim and get away with it is with international unit and I don't know a single international tablet with T-Mobile 3g band.

This is correct. There's currently no way to make the T-Mobile $30 Unlimited data (4G until 5GB, and then throttle) plan work on tablets. If they allow tablets on this plan it would be a very obvious choice for a lot of people (with T-Mobile coverage, of course).
 

episodic

Lifer
Feb 7, 2004
11,088
2
81
Do you have a smartphone? Just wifi tether it to the ipad. I think its like 15 bucks a month or so.

Nah I have a dumbphone. Just wanting an android data tablet. After much research, I'm thinking despite my love for androids devices, an iPad is in my future instead.
 

lothar

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2000
6,674
7
76
That's for the phone and not tablet. Tmobile prepaid tablet plans are 7 days 100mb for $10 or 30 days 1gb for $30. AT&T and Verizon plans are better and cheaper
If you shove a T-Mobile sim in an international tablet, how will T-Mobile know that you're cheating by using it in a tablet, and not a phablet or a phone?

**EDIT**
Oh...Just noticed you mentioned that there's no "international" tablet that supports T-Mobile's shitty frequencies. Oh well.
 

OBLAMA2009

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2008
6,574
3
0
I'd like to have an android device that I can have a data plan like an iPad on? For those not familiar iPads have deals with verizon and att to let customers sign up for 3g service adhoc - meaning you can start/stop it at will.

I'm aware there are 'contract' option for android devices, and I'm not interested in those.

Thanks for any info . . .

i believe on verizon its called "unlimited 4g tethering for $30 a month"
 

Pliablemoose

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
25,195
0
56
Nah I have a dumbphone. Just wanting an android data tablet. After much research, I'm thinking despite my love for androids devices, an iPad is in my future instead.

I have an iPad, an HTC Flyer, a PlayBook, and just got a Samsung Galaxy Note, the iPad is the best of all, a ton of apps, it's bulletproof, (my uptime is measured in months), and since I got a compatible printer, (cheap WiFi Brother) it's damn close to replacing a laptop.