Do I have to have phone service?

[old alaskan]

Let me start by saying I live in the absolute middle of nowhere Alaska with no cell service,and none in the near or distant future.I have good satellite internet.I have a need for the ability to run apps on a small mobile device.
Can an Android be used without a monthly fee,like an old PDA?If so can the apps be downloaded to the phone with just my wireless router hooked to the internet.
Thanks in advance Rob

 

[TechTinker]

Cell service? Nah but you still have to pay like you do though.
And yeah you can use your own internet to download apps and ect.

 

[old alaskan]

So there is a monthly fee just to use the apps? Kind of like if you had to pay just to use your laptop.

 

[anon(156377)]

Better off getting a Wi-Fi only tablet. No, you don't pay to use apps, however there is for-pay apps but you just pay once and you own them. That said, there is thousands of free apps available as well.

Sent from my Samsung Captivate

 

[old alaskan]

Thanks for the info.The two apps I need to use are ones you have to buy.This will be used to run a Ballistics calculator for hunting so the smaller the better,I think a tablet would be way to big,needs to fit in shirt pocket.

 

[TechTinker]

Then theres also the the Samsung Galaxy Player.
There's a 4" or 5" screen. heres a link;
Samsung Galaxy Player 4.0
(this is a link to the 4" one)

Its Wi-Fi only so you dont have to pay for a plan, and its small enough to fit in a shirt pocket.

 

[old alaskan]

Thanks.That is exactly what I need.I was thinking tablet=I pad sized device.

 

[baseballfanz]

Back to your original question, yes you can run apps on an Android phone without needing to get service from a provider. I have a few old Android phone i use around the house. None even have Sim card in them. I use it for wifi callings and texts plus games. So long as the apps does not need data out in the field you should have no problems at all.

 

[old alaskan]

THANK YOU baseballfanz!!!!!You answered my initial question.(finally)

It is quite a bit cheaper for me to buy a prepaid Android phone and never activate it,than it is to buy a phone sized tablet,not to mention that if I should need a cell phone(about once a year I go to Cincinnati to visit the family).I would just need to buy minutes.

Please remember I live 100% off grid,so any device I purchase will be bought online.So that in mind I just want to make sure that if I buy a smart phone that it will work like a lap top(charge it up,turn it on,sync it to my wifi,download apps,run apps)all without any fees other than the purchase price of the device,and the purchase price of the app?

Thanks for all your help.I know I'm old and out of touch.

Robert