Google Nexus 9 LTE "Off-Die" & Best Data Plans

[kckadow]

So watching the AC Podcast tonight the topic of the Nvidia processor and the Qualcomm LTE chip was brought up. 1st time a data chip is"off-die" in a long time and apparently the last time it didn't go well. It wasn't very clear as to their feelings other than to say "new hardware, new software, shouldn't be a big deal". Feeling I got was that Jerry wasn't thrilled with it. Anybody have any insight as to whether this would be a big deal? Also, any good standalone LTE plans for just a tablet? I'm on Verizon with grandfathered unlimited and don't want to switch to a shared plan just to add a tablet. Thanks in advance!

 

[tnt118]

We're not going to know until these get in the field and are tested. This is not a common configuration, which could *potentially* cause some pitfalls and problems. But it also could be perfectly fine.. we just won't know for a bit yet.

 

[dragonsamus]

I'm wondering if I could get one of these LTE versions and pop in my T-Mobile sim card?

Posted via Android Central App

 

[raptir]

For lack of a better way of phrasing it, off-die LTE was common before LTE was common... These days Qualcomm builds LTE radios into all their chips (or they have two versions, one without and one with). Before they did that, phones would have an integrated 3G radio and an off-die LTE radio. It was a major cause of the battery drain with early LTE devices. Nvidia hasn't typically built LTE into their chips. I believe the Tegra 4 was the only process that had an integrated LTE radio. Google went with the K1 because it's the most powerful mobile processor on the market currently, so it's a bit of a trade-off. With the size of the battery on the Nexus 9 I don't see it being an issue though.

I'm wondering if I could get one of these LTE versions and pop in my T-Mobile sim card?

Posted via Android Central App

Google's site lists it as "Quad-band GSM, CDMA, Penta-band HSPA, LTE." They haven't released the actual band support from what I can see but based on Google's history it will likely support all of AT&T and T-Mobile's bands. Keep in mind though that T-Mobile makes distinctions between phone and tablet data plans, since they don't offer an unlimited tablet plan. They will usually cut you off if you try to use a phone SIM in a tablet.

 

[fm123]

No Apple products have integrated LTE, it's always a separate chip.