Tablet buying help?

yes you can use your PC with a Wi-Fi hotspot, if you want a tablet to be mobile run around the house that's good too, I get by with my 7 inch tablet, with my bifocals but a 10 inch tablet is so much better.
Give me a choice I choose my 15 inch laptop

 

Sounds like your in the same boat as me wildwest my only options for home internet are satellite or cellular. I switched to cellular two years ago, my carrier is att, I use this device

AT&T Wireless Home Phone & Internet

you buy a data plan connect the home base to the plan $30/month and you get a phone line and wireless for your home. Then you can connect as many other lines as you want to the same data plan. I would be surprised if Verizon didn't have a similar product.

 

They do

 

So, is that what used to be known as VoIP?

 

Voip is voice over IP. Thats a little different. Voip is when they assign a phone# but use a intent module or switch to convert your end into data. Almost the entire voice system is goes data for some of its journey, son cell calls ate now data since analog has been phased out.....

 

what he said^^^^, not voip. The home base unit comes with its own cell# so the phone line is a cell line. If you want to keep your same old land line phone# you just have it ported to the cell# that comes with the home base.

 

It's very traditional on Google talk. If you didn't know it wasn't a non cell phone call your never be able to tell

 

Cool, didn't know that.

 

Wildwest have you used a tablet much? I had a top of the line Android for awhile, I didn't care for it and replaced it with a Chromebook. I gave the tablet to my 7 year old, who also used it for awhile and now tries to steal my Chrombook and the tablet sits idle. My wife has an iPad, and since I got the Chromebook I don't think she's even turned on the iPad as she prefers having a keyboard and mousepad over the tablet like the rest of us. So personally, I'd recommend against a tablet and instead get a laptop or Chromebook.

If you already have a smartphone, as others have said it can easily be used as a hotspot depending on your plan. It's free to use with my plan from Verizon, and I use it all the time when travelling to surf the net on the Chromebook or even log into work on my laptop.

I think you're biggest thing to look out for is how much data you're using now. If it's just a couple gigs it won't be a big deal, but if you stream video's or download large files or look at a lot of pictures you might find the amount of data you need from Verizon will be more expensive than satellite internet costs.

 

Being in the boonies myself with no land line, I simply tether my old flip phone to my PC. 3G speed is acceptable, and I've never gone over my 3 gig limit. I use AT&T, only cell service I can get out here.

 

How much data do you guys use in a month? You will need to know that in order to select a plan. Some techie here outta be able to help you find that info out.

IIRC, Verizon does not offer an unlimited plan, but don't quote me on that. If you stream Netflix or Pandora or anything like that, You will need LOTS of data. (Lots of $$$ too).

I can use my 6 gigs up in 10 hours or so streaming Pandora at my camper! I switched to XM radio at $7/month.

 

Another option is to use Slacker instead of Pandora. They have an option to cache your stations on your phone when you're on a wifi signal, so you can play hours and hours of music at a later time without burning up your data.

 

Give it a shot.

 

Can you get Verizon 4G at your location WW ?

(IIRC the Verizon folks will need to setup the SIM card for the unit, but of course, check w/ them, just going by distant memory here.)

If so, and providing you stay under the monthly data usage, I think it's a great idea.