In case you haven’t yet thrown your hard-earned cash at Apple for the 3rd-generation iPad, AnandTech may just have discovered one more tick for the “Pro” column of your pros and cons list. While the overall battery life for the new iPad falls between 8.5 and 9.3 hours depending on whether you have the LTE or WiFi variant, the new iPad can last over 24 hours if you use it as an LTE personal hotspot device with the screen off.
While it would certainly qualify as the most expensive MiFi device on the market, the new iPad will last 5-7 times longer than most MiFis currently available on the market today, plus it doubles as a bona fide tablet. The only other purpose most MiFi devices serve is as a paperweight.
Only Verizon offers the LTE Hotspot functionality for the new iPad as of yet, though AT&T is expected to turn this feature on in coming weeks. While the iPad is certainly not the most conventional of MiFi devices, it’s good to know it will get the job done in a pinch.