Anybody use wifi-only ipad tethered to iphone for mobile internet?

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I want to get an iPad but am unsure of whether it is worth getting a 3G connection if I can just tether a wifi one to my iPhone 4's 3G connection. Does anybody else do this? Is there going to be any noticeable reduction in picture quality for example? I tethered my Macbook to the iPhone's 3G connection when on the go, and it loaded photos pixelated.
 
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If your iPhone is running iOS 4.3 or later, you should be able to use the "personal hotspot" feature. Once you set it up through the system preferences app, it will show up just like a wifi router/hot spot which the iPad can use to access the internet.

It will still only be a 3G connection though so large image files will take longer to fully load than on a fast broadband connection. But getting 3G on the iPad itself wouldn't be any faster than using the iPhone's 3G anyway.

Some phone carriers might not enable the "personal hotspot" feature unless you have a certain level of data plan with them. In Canada, when the tethering feature became available the carrier (Roger's/Fido) only enabled it for customers with atleast a 1GB data plan. I'm not sure if the same is true of the "personal hotspot" as well though.

Not sure why your MacBook would have loaded photos pixelated though, it should load them at full resolution - it just takes a bit longer. Unless you set something in your web browser to load webpages faster by not fully downloading the images.
 
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Thanks for the info. I have the iphone 4s and ipad 2 and was thinking about adding the mobile hotspot feature. Would I be able to surf the web and check email on both devices at the same time, if the ipad is tethered to the iphone's 3G? I'd love to get the 4G hotspot, but don't want to pay $50 per month.
 
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I have iPad 2 and a NYC phone.... Tbh the price difference is huge,l first a 100 more for 3G version.. Then a contract or paygo credit for it... Mounts up and up.. I pay for unlimited Internet on contract and it's fast enough at downloading apps and streaming... It may take 1.5s mor but for me it's worth it...
 
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just be aware that your iphone hot spot will keep disconnecting. it's very frustrating. after a few weeks i went back to using the 3g on my ipad.
 
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I have used my iphone 4 & 4S tethered to my ipad 2 wifi only model and have had no problems with images being pixelated. My carrier gives me free tethering and truely unlimited data here in the UK (Three Network). I use the personal hotspot feature and it is great!!
 

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