IPad in the US

[aussietravellers]

Has anyone travelled overseas with an ipad? Specifically to the USA?

Am thinking of taking an ipad instead of the laptop, but wondered how to connect it to the internet. Were you able to get a prepaid micro-sim for it from the US, was it easy to set up. We were just taking the laptop and going to get a virgin prepaid mobile broadband for the month. We have to be able to check emails for business, but I have been thinking an ipad would be so much lighter to take and we can check emails, upload photos etc.

Another thought was to get AirPort Express and still get the prepaid mobile broadband usb stick thing and put that into the AirPort Express for wifi on the ipad. Has anybody used the AirPort Express for ipad wifi access?

Most hotels we have stayed at before have had free wifi (Disneyland hotels do), so both NY and WDW have paid internet and to pay $12 or something a day for a month is just too expensive. I'm trying to work out which will be the most economical option.

 

[TwinkleOz]

Excuse the first post, but I just returned from the US last week and faced this same issue. As I was going without DH I very reluctantly decided not to take my laptop, just due to extra luggage on my own, having to take it out through security etc (its 17 inch so heavy).

I very reluctantly left it behind and took my iPad across instead and it was the best decision. I only got stuck once or twice with the no flash websites (and they weren't urgent at all) and was able to convieniently take it to the pool at the hotel, use free wifi whereever available etc. Best thing is you do not have to remove it from your carry on luggage through security anywhere!

I have a 3G and had PLANNED to get a sim for it over there, but didn't end up doing it and ended up paying for hotel internet as well as wifi. You can get a prepaid card though - it is a $25 plan through AT&T unlimited for one month and you have to get a sim card for it as well ($15). You can get this through ebay before you go. Had I done this, I would have got the $25 prepaid plan whilst over there, but after using the free hotel internet for the first few days, it wasn't going to be much more to just pay for hotel access for the last few days so I didn't bother.

You won't regret just taking your iPad, unless you are heavily reliant on flash websites. I will never take my laptop again.

 

[aussietravellers]

Excuse the first post, but I just returned from the US last week and faced this same issue. As I was going without DH I very reluctantly decided not to take my laptop, just due to extra luggage on my own, having to take it out through security etc (its 17 inch so heavy).

I very reluctantly left it behind and took my iPad across instead and it was the best decision. I only got stuck once or twice with the no flash websites (and they weren't urgent at all) and was able to convieniently take it to the pool at the hotel, use free wifi whereever available etc. Best thing is you do not have to remove it from your carry on luggage through security anywhere!

I have a 3G and had PLANNED to get a sim for it over there, but didn't end up doing it and ended up paying for hotel internet as well as wifi. You can get a prepaid card though - it is a $25 plan through AT&T unlimited for one month and you have to get a sim card for it as well ($15). You can get this through ebay before you go. Had I done this, I would have got the $25 prepaid plan whilst over there, but after using the free hotel internet for the first few days, it wasn't going to be much more to just pay for hotel access for the last few days so I didn't bother.

You won't regret just taking your iPad, unless you are heavily reliant on flash websites. I will never take my laptop again.

Thanks for posting this info

I had sort of decided it all sounded too hard and was just going to take my laptop and get the virgin mobile prepaid broadband stick or they have a wifi card.

I was trying to work out the cheapest way to run and use the internet on the ipad. Thought of getting airport express and then getting the virgin mobile broadband to plug into that an then I had wifi, but the virgin mobile broadband has to be set up on a computer. I looked at buying it from ebay but they don't ship to Australia.

I will have a look at the prepaid AT&T again as that sounds like a good deal for unlimited for a month I thought it would be some sort of contract and they would charge month to month. I will look at that again as it would be so much easier taking the ipad instead of the macbook pro, much lighter.

 

[TwinkleOz]

It is a month-by-month contract and there are mixed reports with at&t declining some international credit cards. There are ways around it all though -by purchasing a Visa gift card.

I've just checked my link and it says you just go to a AT&T store over there, buy a microsim over the counter ($15 + tax) and then activate it all through the iPad. You will need a US address to input, but people just put their hotel address in there. The problem is some of the credit cards check the billing address as verification and then it declines. No one from Australia has reported that happening though - only the UK so far.

I'm not sure if Apple sell the sim cards directly - something I definitely should have checked!

All anecdotal stories say it is as easy as entering a AT&T store.