• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

WiFi Only Tablets ?

Cruiser Too

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,216
Reaction score
36
Points
408
IPad-2 and now XOOM have both come out with "Wifi-Only" Tablets.
I googled "Wifi-Only" + "Definition" but still couldn't find the answer to my question.

So here I come to the Land of Tuggers where legions of techies roam.

Questions:
What is a "WiFi-Only" Tablet ?

How does it differ to a NOT "WiFi-Only" tablet ?

By the name "WiFi-Only" it seems to have serious limitations,
when you're not near a hot-spot.

Enlighten Me... Please !

Doug
 
Last edited:

Elan

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
4,455
Reaction score
409
Points
468
Location
Idaho
It means you can only access the internet via a wi-fi network, not directly via a cellular network. Therefore you must be within range of a wi-fi transmitter (home network, Starbucks, hotel, etc) to access the internet.
 

Passepartout

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2007
Messages
28,462
Reaction score
17,213
Points
1,299
Location
Twin Falls, Eye-Duh-Hoe
It also means that some of the functions that are internet dependent- like GPS don't work. Balance that out with the fact that there are no cellular or roaming charges with a wi-fi only tablet. The motion detector does work however. One of my favorite apps, StarWalk, still shows the stars, constellations, planets and their paths as you hold the iPad up to the sky. It may be off a few miles from where it last located itself, but when you are dealing with distances in light years, it's of little consequence.

My iPad is wi-fi only, I have a home wireless network, and the vast majority of outside lodgings I patronize have wireless internet, so I can't say I miss 3G (cellular).

I'm sure others feel the need to be more connected than I do.

Jim Ricks
 

Elan

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
4,455
Reaction score
409
Points
468
Location
Idaho
It also means that some of the functions that are internet dependent- like GPS don't work. Balance that out with the fact that there are no cellular or roaming charges with a wi-fi only tablet. The motion detector does work however. One of my favorite apps, StarWalk, still shows the stars, constellations, planets and their paths as you hold the iPad up to the sky. It may be off a few miles from where it last located itself, but when you are dealing with distances in light years, it's of little consequence.

My iPad is wi-fi only, I have a home wireless network, and the vast majority of outside lodgings I patronize have wireless internet, so I can't say I miss 3G (cellular).

I'm sure others feel the need to be more connected than I do.

Jim Ricks

Jim, your statement that GPS won't work isn't exactly accurate. Obviously, GPS reception is independent of cellular reception, so GPS only needs internet access if the map data must be retrieved from a server. If the map data is stored locally (on the device) GPS still works perfectly (I have Garmin XT Mobile map data on my phone, so I can have GPS anywhere out here in the wilds).
 

Passepartout

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2007
Messages
28,462
Reaction score
17,213
Points
1,299
Location
Twin Falls, Eye-Duh-Hoe
Jim, it wouldn't surprise me. I constantly find things that the iPad will do that I didn't know it would do. I'm a neophyte with it. If I want GPS, I just fire up the ol' Garmin and there it is in a much handier package- though much smaller screen than the iPad.

Luddite here....
 

Elan

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
4,455
Reaction score
409
Points
468
Location
Idaho
Jim, it wouldn't surprise me. I constantly find things that the iPad will do that I didn't know it would do. I'm a neophyte with it. If I want GPS, I just fire up the ol' Garmin and there it is in a much handier package- though much smaller screen than the iPad.

Luddite here....

My comments weren't in regard to any specific device, but rather GPS technology in general.

Personally, I find it odd that any GPS device would depend on internet connectivity (except for pseudo real time data, such as traffic, road closures, weather, etc).
 

Cruiser Too

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,216
Reaction score
36
Points
408
Thank You to both "Jim's"

I am now semi-enlighten :D
 
Top