To 3G or not 3G?

[drzeus_gr]

I missed out on a decent price for the Note 10.1 at Christmas ... it went up 100 ? right after - much to my shock! So I have been biding my time waiting for it to creep back down. Meanwhile I thought I had got past my choice making process ... Wifi, grey, 32 Gb (if I can find one).
Now good prices can be had for the 3G version, only about 40? more than Wif, in much better value bundles. So I am wondering whether I should get the 3G. I don't really need 3G tbh, although my current LG phone has been driving me nuts because it is sooooo slow. I don't have a data plan.

What I am wondering is how the wfi and 3G models differ in GPS, does the 3G one rely on having access to a data plan? Could I turn off all 3G function if i wanted?

I had disregarded the white version (would make me look like an Apple wannabe) .... but looking at more pictures of it, it does look rather smart with the nice silver trim, whereas the grey just looks ... all grey (is it silver trim? hard to tell, just melts into the grey. ** hum ... .

 

[ajcrackie]

I have a white Wi-Fi version & don't miss 3G very much. I have unlimited data on my phone so have created a Wi-Fi hotspot if I feel the need to go onto the internet when I am out of range of Wi-Fi. I decided against the 3G version as I didn't want to have to pay for yet another data plan. It's an excellent option.

 

[drzeus_gr]

The past couple of days here have seen prices at last start to drop ... so I am trying to be soooooo patient! Checking today I see they have dropped again .. AND the Note 8 is now about for preorder which means if any changes are going to happen in prices, its going to be soon (and will coincide with our run up to Easter). They have the Wifi 16 Gb 8 at 435 euros, which was practically the best price for the Wifi 16 Gb 10.1 this past week. So will be an interesting few days. I am curious mostly though about GPS differences between the 3G and Wifi only versions.

 

[nightdevil21]

For me I'm tired of tethering my phone to my nexus.
I'm looking into getting the 10.1 and with 4g

 

[tAKticool]

I got a iphone 3GS right after launch in summer 09... never had an apple product before, my friend showed me his i got drunk and bought one. This was the height of the unlimited wars and I got a "totally unlimited 3g " for what 30-mo ...I then saw rumorz of the apple tablet computer and salivated... either id buy one and use MyFi to tether it or give it its own unlimited data. i lost my job feb 10 and everything in my life changed and ipad and such became least of my priorities.

Fast forward a bit and everything has changed. Unlimited data has gone the way of dinosaurs and "buckets of metered data" is imho such BS and a turnoff and dealbreaker ill never do mobile data outside my Net10 phone again.. too much of a ripoff IMHO. WatcHing what I browse and dl and watch online is like the America Online days of 1992..

THE ONLY time I considered a cell data device was in Oct 12 during Sandy... we lost power for like 4 days and longer for comcast.. but we had cellular service and our generator providing decent amounts of power .. and they were saying could be MONTHS BEFOFE power etc was back for Internet companies to get back online... I had some dough I just came into and seriously toyed with the idea of a new ipad/tablet device w/ a cell data package... then after debating a day or two power and then net came back so no more need.

Imho if people would all just unite and not do the stupid 200mb 2gb 3gb 15/additional gb it would end that nonsense. But too many forum posters seem to think OTHER users are "costing me money" in flawed logic that theyre paying for data I or others use.. until ppl realize its a serious total gouging on a national and international level we will have to subside on gb packs of stupid priced mobile data.

And at least for me , no mobile data device nor deal will ever be purchased again. Ill take my comcast blast 21/21 mbps tyvm.

 

[pwscott]

I faced this question back when I bought my Motorola Xoom Tablet two years ago and again two weeks ago when I decided to buy a Note 10.1. I ended up getting 4G/LTE versions in both cases and have not regretted it. So often I am in a situation where there is not Wi-Fi available and I don't want to rely on my phone for it. In the US on Verizon at least it is inexpensive to share data between phone and tablet...I am still grandfathered into unlimited data on my Samsung Galaxy S III because I had it on my BlackBerry and then paid full price for the SGS3 when I bought it 1+ years ago.
I am now looking at upgrading to the SGS4 and will forego the unlimited data because I sue the heck out of my SGS3 and never approach even half the 5GB limit.
As for the GPS, I doubt they are any different, but how useful is GPS without data??I mean yeah you can save a bit of Google Maps to your SD card and all but to make it really useful you need mobile data to take full advantage of GPS and data I think.

The past couple of days here have seen prices at last start to drop ... so I am trying to be soooooo patient! Checking today I see they have dropped again .. AND the Note 8 is now about for preorder which means if any changes are going to happen in prices, its going to be soon (and will coincide with our run up to Easter). They have the Wifi 16 Gb 8 at 435 euros, which was practically the best price for the Wifi 16 Gb 10.1 this past week. So will be an interesting few days. I am curious mostly though about GPS differences between the 3G and Wifi only versions.

 

[drzeus_gr]

So after a looooong wait and saving my euro cents ... I finally got myself a grey 16Gb 10.1 at a price I was willing to pay. Went for the no 3G version - charging here is often so underhand I really didn't want to be bothered. Plus my cell phone is driving me nuts so looks like I will have to get a new phone anyway.

Flipping typical tho isn't it ... I wanted the Note to help with my editing job, so I have had it about 10 days and my boss suddenly looks up and says they are buying me a brand new ATIV Tab 3! with full WIndows 8 and Office! Not like they didn't know I had just bought my Note. Could have saved myself a few hundred. Anyway will be interesting to compare the two ... and at least now I can stop looking for a decent android Access replacement and just use real Access.

I do love my Note tho, especially when taking notes for my Coursera courses - absolutely fab to be able to snip things out of the video into my notes.