The strategy of subsidizing tablets via 3G or 4G data plans may not be such a great idea.
Connected Intelligence, a unit of market research firm NPD, found that the willingness of consumers to be paying for wireless data plans to connect their tablets is declining (not that there has been ever enthusiasm for expensive data plans). According to the firm, only 5 percent of tablet users paid for a data plan last spring and it is around 4 percent right now. It is quite apparent that most tablet users feel that Wi-Fi availability is good enough as 65 percent of tablet owners use Wi-Fi (up from 60 percent earlier this year). Interestingly, about 5 percent of tablet owners said they do not connect the devices to the Internet at all.
“There are multiple reasons for greater Wi-Fi reliance,” said Eddie Hold, vice president, Connected Intelligence, in a prepared statement. “Concern over the high cost of cellular data plans is certainly an issue, but more consumers are finding that Wi-Fi is available in the majority of locations where they use their tablets, providing them ‘good enough’ connectivity. In addition, the vast majority of tablet users already own a smartphone, which fulfills the ‘must have’ connectivity need.”
I tend to think that a reason for low 3G/4G data connection may be the over-confident pricing model of wireless data plans. $15 for 250 MB of data or $30 for 2 GB of data may be difficult to justify, especially for those who are already paying nearly $100 for their smartphone and possibly $50 per month for a DSL or cable broadband connection at home. While it is conceivable that a $15 purchase of 250 MB data when on the road could make sense in emergency cases, a subscription is clearly not an attractive solution for tablet users at this time. Perhaps those data plans do not offer enough bandwidth and are too expensive? Just a thought.
I mean, people just can't afford to pay for bandwidth with 300% markup. (Assuming 10 cents for 2GB, which is close to what it costs.)
Too bad that as long as that grossly fixed price remains, it will keep 3G adoption of tablets down and use of expansive networks to a minimum. So unless the government steps in (which it won't), this remains.
Anyways, I think that eventually stuff like Motorola lapdock, Asus Transformer and Asus Padphone will be the norm, a single device to power different form factors, so the line between smartphone, portable PC and tablet will blur (no pun intended) more and more with each generation, already smartphones and and laptops are converging in features (ultrabooks).
I am on a train writing this on a tablet that fits in my pocket.
But for the most part, it stays home and works well enough there... and games, photos, music work off-line as well so its not a big deal. But still, it would have been handy for GPS and internet with its 10" screen vs. my phone's 4" with its spotty crappy GPS from Samsung.
$15 for 250mb is BS. For $15, I'd want at least 1GB. $25 for 5 GB. How are we supposed to use these COOL features like video and music streaming when we are CHOKED by the carriers?!
It shouldn't matter what devices or how many devices I use. If I'm paying for 2GB+ data. It should not matter what device I am using to make use of the data. I could see restrictions on unlimited plans just so people don't have 10 devices sucking up data. But if I have a set limit on data it should not matter if I have one device or one hundred devices sucking up that set limit.
Like Comcast I get 200GB a month. It doesn't matter how many computers are connected on my network. Just as long as I do not go over 200GB.
Also these network issues of availability and bandwidth if all cell providers had to use one system just like land phone lines. Then instead of T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T and Verizon towers all interlacing over the same area. We could have single heavy duty towers in populated areas and more reliable networks in areas outside of urban centers. Just like just about every other country.
Was it a gift or did you see it a store and go, "Ooooh, sparkely!"
I will probably be giving my tablet away in exchange for some maintenance work that I need done on my home.