In line with reports from last week, Apple has begun shipping pre-orders of cellular-capable fourth-generation iPad models to U.S. customers. MacRumors has received word from over half a dozen readers indicating that their orders are now en route via FedEx with delivery scheduled for this Friday, November 16.
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We had previously reported that some customers who were initially seeing delivery estimates of next week were receiving free upgrades to November 16 delivery upon request, and it now appears that most early pre-order customers will be seeing delivery this Friday even without special requests.
We had also received a report indicating that AT&T would begin selling the cellular-capable models of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad on November 16, with the carrier offering a $100 discount to those signing for a two-year data contract for the device. All iPad models including the iPad mini are eligible for the promotion.
We've yet to see word of any cellular-capable iPad mini pre-orders heading out for shipment, so it remains to be seen whether they too will make the same delivery window of this Friday.
Top Rated Comments
LTE tablets are stupid.
If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130!
Couple issues I have with this.
The WiFi hotspot on my iPhone stops broadcasting after a few minutes unless I leave it on the hotspot options screen and don't put it to sleep. Then if my iPad goes to sleep, the connection is lost and I have to unlock my iPhone, go back to the hotspot screen to get it to broadcast again, and then reconnect my iPad. Not a big deal until you do it a few hundred times with a password more than 4 numeric digits on the damn phone.
Also, WiFi+Cellular use on the iPhone drains the battery very quickly. If I am traveling, I might not be able to charge it for 12-24 hours. This means I'm screwed after about 3 hours of usage. If my iPad has its own cellular modem, I get about 9-10 hours instead of 3 plus my phone isn't dead.
Now, not everyone will have the same issues and need a cellular capable device to get by. That is why they made two models... one for people who don't need LTE and one for people who do. Choose which works for you and enjoy.
LTE tablets are stupid.
If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130 over the LET-enabled tablets.
Unless you don't have an LTE phone, or need one, and your tablet is being used as a work tool and needs an always on connection instead of tether that sucks your phones battery life. Or a hundred other reasons why you'd want data connectivity on your tablet without the need for a secondary device :) That's why they make these things, otherwise they'd all be WiFi only
Anyone in the UK had a change in status. Mine is still showing: Processing Items Dispatched: Late November. Ordered on the 1st of November
LTE tablets are stupid.
If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130!
The typical, "because I personally don't use a device in this manner that must mean its stupid for *anyone* to use a device in that manner" post. You need to look beyond your one usage patterns and needs. It's very clear that there is a market for cellular models and there are many good reasons articulated in this thread as to why.
Mine is that I don't need cellular data on my iPad every month and so I like to get it when I travel. However, I don't want to give up the unlimited data on my iPhone just so that I can get a more expensive tethering/shared data plan--and I don't want to jailbreak my phone either. I don't even have LTE on my iPhone yet, its still on the pokey 3G anyway.
If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130 over the LET-enabled tablets.
"LET" us pray...
LTE tablets are stupid.
I'll never go back to wi-fi only iPad. First I don't want to pay tethering fee. Second, I want GPS on my iPad, especially the mini. So, IMO, tablet WITHOUT LTE is stupid!If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130!
LTE tablets are stupid.
If you're gonna own an LET table, you probably own a LET phone. And with that, you can just use your phone as a hotspot to connect your tablet to (WiFi). It works just flawlessly with Verizon. At the cost of carrying your phone with your tablet. Which is irrelevant really because you always have your phone with you, and more importantly, you save $130!
I am grandfathered in on an unlimited data plan with my original iPad. I'm gonna transfer it to the LTE iPad mini when I get it. No need to tether...heck! No need for an iPhone even! I'm gonna use VoIP apps and a google phone number to make free calls and send free texts using iMessage. The iPad mini is not really that much bigger than some of the new big smartphones out there now. I tested it at the apple store. That puppy fits easily into my back jeans pocket or coat pocket. Oh yeah baby. Take that greedy telecom companies! You ain't gonna lock me into no overpriced contract. Heh heh heh :->
Same here--lucky enough to have signed up for unlimited data on my original iPad and will not turn it off until AT&T forces me to. Since AT&T doesn't have a formal policy on throttling these old unlimited plans, it's my go to device for streaming, both audio and especially video (VERY useful with young kids ;)).That being said, even if I didn't have unlimited data, the convenience of having data immediately available is worth it for me (and true GPS), especially as I use my iPad all the time outside my house.