3G vs WiFi only (Apple iPad)

• Will you need Inet access everywhere - Yes
• Will you take your iPad almost everywhere you go - Yes
• Is AT&T's 3G and the iPad 3G required to be online everywhere - No
• Are there alternatives to AT&T's 3G - Yes
• Are 4G wireless data plans available - Yes
• Is 4G really up to 10 times (or more) faster than 3G - Yes
• iPad WiFi only - $499 (16Gb model)
• iPad 3G + WiFi - $629 (16Gb model)

One question I get all the time about the iPad is WiFi only model or 3G? There are some factors to consider when making this decision. Ask yourself this question: Do my usual daily "stomping grounds" ALL provide WiFi hotspots? Don't kid yourself. You WILL want to take your iPad with your practically everywhere you go?
Otherwise, why even buy one. I "convinced" myself that everywhere I normally go on a weekly basis will have WiFi; and most of them do. But I have found that there were several places that I didn't consider in my analysis, and ended up wishing I had Internet access. Unless you are a very stationary person, it is my opinion that you will experience the same. So bottom line, you'll need some sort of Internet access with you everywhere you go. But that doesn't necessarily mean you need the 3G model of the iPad.

AT&T (as of this writing) has 2 plans for the 3G version of the iPad. $14.99 with a limit of 250Mb of data per month. If you NEVER plan on watching video from the Internet (read about the cool ways to view video from the Internet in my iPad review posting here), then this 250Mb limited data plan MAY be enough for you. If not, AT&T has an "unlimited" (read the fine print as always) plan for $29.99 per month. There is no contract required with the AT&T plan. 

There are alternatives to the AT&T 3G plan that you can purchase for your iPad (3G model only). Remember you only need a WiFi access point (hotspot) to gain access to the Internet with the WiFi only model of the iPad. Sprint and ClearWire are offering data plans that provide you with your own Personal WiFi Hotspot that gives not only YOU access to the Net but up to 4 additional people. It is password protected for your privacy. And the best part is, these plans are 4G. I have personally used Sprint's Overdrive 4G hotspot and seen speed tests from 4 - 14 Mbps. The experience is much improved over AT&T's 3G service. The Sprint Overdrive goes for around $100 and the service is about $45 - 50 per month. Sprint uses the ClearWire 4G network, so using the ClearWire service should be about the same. ClearWire is currently offering a plan for both the house and a mobile hotspot for $55 per month. There are contracts required with the Sprint & ClearWire plans. See Sprint.com and ClearWire.com for coverage, data plan, contract, and device purchase details.