You can now get an iPad that’s usable on the go (without a Sprint Overdrive) because Apple is selling the 3G version.
The iPad 3G won’t be delivered until May 7th, but you can shell out the cash right now, if you so choose. You can nab the 16 GB version for $629, the 32 GB for $729 and the 64 GB version will be $829. I still think it’s quite bullshit that Apple is charging a $130 premium for the 3G module because those things are dirt cheap, especially when you’re ordering at scale.
The great thing about the iPad 3G is that you won’t have to sign another long-term contract for mobile data. AT&T is offering incredibly reasonable plans: $15 a month for 250 MB of data or $30 for unlimited access. The unlimited data won’t be capped at 5 GB either, as you’ll be able to stream Netflix all day.
There’s no hassling with AT&T either, as signing up for a month of data can be done quickly on the tablet. There’s also a data monitoring tool that should help you manage your usage.
I’ve slowly turned around on the iPad. Like many, I thought it was a closed toy for tech dbags but I’m increasingly seeing real use cases for it. We were at Research In Motion’s WES conference this week and editor-in-chief Will Park found multiple business uses for it. Granted, it’s not as capable as a full-blown laptop, but it can be used for many things. The ability to have always-on data just enhances the tablet’s appeal.
Of course, the big gorilla in the room is how well AT&T’s network will perform. It has had multiple problems dealing with iPhone traffic and I expect far more media to be consumed on the iPad’s big, gorgeous screen. To be fair, AT&T has been getting better but I think there will be another massive data crunch with iPad 3G.
If you want, check out our unboxing video of the WiFi iPad below. No pressure.