If you have an iPad...

Sunflower777

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, I'm not very technical when it comes to these things... you can get one without having to pay a monthly service fee for your Internet connection, correct? I am thinking of getting one for DH's birthday/Christmas gift, but don't want another monthly bill. 

Also - if you have an iPad, how do you like it? What do you use it mostly for?  

jenuine

Do you have the internet at home anyway? We use ours through a wireless router. You will need the internet to at least download the apps and surf the web/do email. Without the internet, you could just use it for DVDs and MP3s that you convert.

We use it as if it's a mini-laptop. DD and DH play lots of games on it. We use it while waiting in line/shopping to entertain DD. We surf the web and check email. I plug it into the car's stereo and watch movies or listen to music. Huge hit at our house.

AggieCouple

Yes, you can.  You can buy one without 3G capability at all.  Even if you purchase the one that comes with 3G capability, there is no contract, and you never have to use the 3G service.  You simply pay a monthly fee for when you do use it, and it's month by month to your preferred carrier.  Without 3G, you can connect to any wifi connection to get on the Internet.

We have the latter, and it was great on our vacations, which is the only time we've activated the 3G.  We bought it because we were about to buy a car DVD player anyway, and it was nice to have something that played DVD's (you have to rip the DVD's and transfer to the iPad) but was still useful when you weren't watching DVD's.  Also, because no actual DVD, no skipping!

We all love it.  The apps for the iPad are much more complex than the ones for the iPhone/iPod, and we put educational games and books on it for the kids.  I sort of viewed it as a purchase for the kids, really, as my iPhone gets 3G service so that's what I'd mainly use on the road.  H uses it a lot to browse the Internet (he has a hobby that requires him to be on the Internet a lot) and he does like its compactness as opposed to his laptop.

femmegem

We have one without 3G. I just connect to the internet via wifi and my wireless router at home. I freaking love my iPad. I can't say enough good things about it.