WiFi iPad and Sprint Palm Pre + MyTether

Lotus Esprit · 05-06-2010, 08:52 PM

Has anyone tried WiFi through a Sprint Palm Pre using MyTether?

Interested in the performance results of that combination vs. the iPad 3G.

scottjl · 05-06-2010, 08:55 PM

I haven't tried it with a Sprint Palm Pre, but I have tethered my iPad to my iPhone 3GS using MyWi and it wasn't any slower than surfing on my 3GS directly. Will say though that the phone did get quite warm and my battery level dropped like a rock.

Lotus Esprit · 05-06-2010, 09:04 PM

Fair to say that it cuts your battery time in half?

Did skype work on it or did you even try?

scottjl · 05-06-2010, 09:15 PM

I did not try skype but I don't see any reason it wouldn't work. But I'd just use the iPhone Skype application, no real reason to run it thought my iPad tethered to my iPhone. As for battery life. I'd say it cut it by more than half. I'm guessing I'd have had a hour of battery life if I didn't plug it in. I only used this a few times in an airport without free WiFi, basically sat near an outlet, plugged the iPhone in and surfed from the iPad.

I have a friend who uses a t-mobile mifi hotspot device and it works quite well for him. Not sure of the make/model of the unit though. Could find out if you're really interested.

Sprint sells some sort of mifi device that comes with a case for the iPad, the mifi slips into the back. Saw some articles about it.

Most of those mifi data plans are more expensive than the $30 "unlimited" (5G cap) monthly plan from AT&T. In theory you could get that plan from AT&T and turn your iPad into a hotspot and share it with other devices. Though I think this would be against AT&T's TOS.

Lotus Esprit · 05-06-2010, 09:42 PM

Right but I have an unlimited data plan on the pre already and obviously I take that phone with me everywhere so why pay the $30.00 per month with AT&T when I can just use what I have now.

scottjl · 05-06-2010, 09:56 PM

Ah, yep, you could do that then. The iPad works with any general old WiFi, it doesn't know if the upstream is 3G, fibre, or two cans and string.

Lotus Esprit · 05-06-2010, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottjl

Ah, yep, you could do that then. The iPad works with any general old WiFi, it doesn't know if the upstream is 3G, fibre, or two cans and string.

Well with Sprint it could very well be two cans and a string, oh sorry that is what I heard about AT&T.

scottjl · 05-06-2010, 11:01 PM

Won't argue that one. AT&T is pretty lousy. Read recently that part of Apple getting their way with a cheap iPad data plan meant AT&T got to keep exclusive access for the rest of 2010. Guess we have to wait for 2011 and see what our options are.

dpdallas · 05-20-2010, 05:56 AM

"Has anyone tried WiFi through a Sprint Palm Pre using MyTether?"

Yes, I have and it works great on Sprint. Connected both my laptop and another persons laptop and had no problems. Right now I can't quote the download speed but we have 3G in our area and saw no lags in the downloads.

Fotoman · 05-20-2010, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottjl

I haven't tried it with a Sprint Palm Pre, but I have tethered my iPad to my iPhone 3GS using MyWi and it wasn't any slower than surfing on my 3GS directly. Will say though that the phone did get quite warm and my battery level dropped like a rock.

MyWi does drain the battery so it's critical to turn it off when not needed since it remains on even with the phone turned off.

I find that turning off bluetooth, location services and wifi whenever I have MyWi turned on helps a lot though. A free utility for JB iPhones called SBSettings helps easily manage toggling those other battery hogs.

On a side note, I wonder if anyone has compared the battery life of a wifi iPad vs. a 3G version web surfing. I'm willing to bet the 3G of the iPad also drains that battery much quicker.

EDIT: never mind. Found my own answer at ilounge: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/bac...view-findings/

Quote:

...but users who expect the iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G to last forever when downloading data over the cellular network should go in with the realization that there is a battery hit of approximately 1.5 hours relative to Wi-Fi use.

05-06-2010, 08:52 PM	#1
Lotus Esprit Addict Posts: 214 Karma: 646 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: iPad	WiFi iPad and Sprint Palm Pre + MyTether Has anyone tried WiFi through a Sprint Palm Pre using MyTether? Interested in the performance results of that combination vs. the iPad 3G.

05-06-2010, 09:15 PM	#4
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	I did not try skype but I don't see any reason it wouldn't work. But I'd just use the iPhone Skype application, no real reason to run it thought my iPad tethered to my iPhone. As for battery life. I'd say it cut it by more than half. I'm guessing I'd have had a hour of battery life if I didn't plug it in. I only used this a few times in an airport without free WiFi, basically sat near an outlet, plugged the iPhone in and surfed from the iPad. I have a friend who uses a t-mobile mifi hotspot device and it works quite well for him. Not sure of the make/model of the unit though. Could find out if you're really interested. Sprint sells some sort of mifi device that comes with a case for the iPad, the mifi slips into the back. Saw some articles about it. Most of those mifi data plans are more expensive than the $30 "unlimited" (5G cap) monthly plan from AT&T. In theory you could get that plan from AT&T and turn your iPad into a hotspot and share it with other devices. Though I think this would be against AT&T's TOS. Last edited by scottjl; 05-06-2010 at 09:18 PM.

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05-06-2010, 08:55 PM	#2
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	I haven't tried it with a Sprint Palm Pre, but I have tethered my iPad to my iPhone 3GS using MyWi and it wasn't any slower than surfing on my 3GS directly. Will say though that the phone did get quite warm and my battery level dropped like a rock.

05-06-2010, 09:04 PM	#3
Lotus Esprit Addict Posts: 214 Karma: 646 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: iPad	Fair to say that it cuts your battery time in half? Did skype work on it or did you even try?

05-06-2010, 09:42 PM	#5
Lotus Esprit Addict Posts: 214 Karma: 646 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: iPad	Right but I have an unlimited data plan on the pre already and obviously I take that phone with me everywhere so why pay the $30.00 per month with AT&T when I can just use what I have now.

05-06-2010, 09:56 PM	#6
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Ah, yep, you could do that then. The iPad works with any general old WiFi, it doesn't know if the upstream is 3G, fibre, or two cans and string.

05-06-2010, 11:01 PM	#8
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Won't argue that one. AT&T is pretty lousy. Read recently that part of Apple getting their way with a cheap iPad data plan meant AT&T got to keep exclusive access for the rest of 2010. Guess we have to wait for 2011 and see what our options are.

05-20-2010, 05:56 AM	#9
dpdallas Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: palmPre	"Has anyone tried WiFi through a Sprint Palm Pre using MyTether?" Yes, I have and it works great on Sprint. Connected both my laptop and another persons laptop and had no problems. Right now I can't quote the download speed but we have 3G in our area and saw no lags in the downloads.

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