On Jan 27, 2010, at 10:40 PM, Saul Caganoff wrote:
Skype already works on the iPhone, so maybe also for iPAD?
Yes, apparently there is iPhone/iPad compatibility .. as well as dual SDKs.
But one thing I missed earlier may be even more compelling: the 3G plans. They are pre-paid, at two levels: $15 for a 250MB/month level, and $30 for unlimited data. AND you can start/stop when you want, it's not a contract. No hidden startup fees either.
(Just curious: How many Friamers have really good 3G? And if so, how do you use it?)
This is a huge breakthrough in terms of taming the telcos. As we mentioned last month, the Android is doing a similar thing: you choose a phone, then you get a carrier to provide the wireless. Although ATT is going to be the initial provider, the iPad is unlocked, so should work fine with other providers like TMobile. ATT is also including free access to their wifi hotspots, but I doubt that's all that widespread.
Now, I don't think I'll be getting the 3G option because 3G is not generally available here in Santa Fe yet. And the ATT network has already buckled under the iPhone/Android load so I doubt it will have the great performance we'd hoped for. I don't know about TMobile, however. They have pretty good coverage here in Santa Fe and would likely be the first 3G solution here. Europe should be fine, and that might nudge me to the 3G version .. but I'd only use it on trips.
But clearly the direction is a blend of cell/wifi that is becoming universal. The kindle does not have wifi, but does have 2 radios: GSM/ CDMA. But we find we can't use their two cell radios at home so we do the old-fashioned thing of downloading to the laptop then putting the book on the kindle via usb.
-- Owen ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
