yes the speedtest app is horrible, I uninstalled it. I was tethering via USB and doing the speakeasy test for the tests at my home and office (1 and 2 bars) and was doing the speakeasy test via the stock browser for the 3 bar test (was downtown) so the 3 bar test may have actually been faster if i was tethered.
I have ALWAYS been faster tethered, but I have no idea why.