iPad Mini with 4G LTE as an iPhone/smartphone replacement

[InSideTheTARDIS]

I am REALLY thinking about getting an iPad Mini with 4G LTE (Verizon) and downloading a VoIP app (most likely talkatone) and using it as iPhone.

I would love to have an iPhone but it's just too much money. If I went with an iPhone from Verizon it will be about $90 a month, and that's not counting taxes or fees. When you add it all it's going to be about $100 a month, and that would only be for 1GB of data. That just way too much money.

If I went with an iPad Mini with 4G LTE, and it would only be $40 a month; and that would be for 4GB of data.

I do wear a sports jacket and the iPad Mini would fit in the pocket. Plus, I use a bluetooth headset; that way I wouldn't have to put the iPad Mini up to my hear to make a call.

Also, I am far sighted; so I have a really hard time seeing things up close on small screens.

Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas about this?

Thanks!

 

[sbeddoesdesign]

It'd be a MASSIVE phone, lol... But then that never stopped the people using that ridiculous Galaxy Note phone...


Sent from my iPad Mini using Tapatalk HD

 

[Michael Crumpton]

I am using Talkatone with Verizon LTE, and it works great in the Miami area, very fast with good coverage. The only downside is that the Minis methods of alerting you to calls are not as robust as the iPhone's: No vibrator, and if you leave headphones plugged in you will not hear it ring. Also some times there seems to be a delay in receiving the calls through talkatone. I still have my Sprint iPhone that is integrated with Google voice and so when a call comes in on my Google voice number it rings on both devices, and the mini seems to get the call later by 20 seconds sometimes. Very occasionally it seems to miss a call entirely, although that might be from me turning the volume (and inadvertently the ringer) down. Also because I tend to use it most at home or work, or restaurants where there is wifi, it looks like I will come in under 1GB/Mo of the LTE!
BTW using it with a headset or as a speakerphone works just great.

 

[geetooeasy]

that is actually a really good idea, why didn't I think of that?

 

[techsamaritan]

I have a mini, a basic flip phone for calls, and use the Verizon texting app, I'm very happy so far with the combination. I have 5 lines on my account, but these 2, $40/month, we split 10gb between the 5 lines, $300+tax, think I'm making out pretty good. This is only 3 days in but totally ok with it thus far. Oh and I have my google voice number ring the basic phone as welk for business. Can't see me losing here

 

[tigerinexile]

If I didn't already have a good phone/data plan, that's kinda how I'd set up new accounts for myself -- an LTE iPad or iPad Mini for data, plus an old-fashioned (2005!) flip phone for calls and texts.

I miss those old flip phones...

 

[John Yester]

Crazy you can only find 1-2 flip phones in all carrier stores these days...

Maybe one day they will return

 

[tigerinexile]

Crazy you can only find 1-2 flip phones in all carrier stores these days...

Maybe one day they will return

I miss my old RAZR -- it was very satisfying to flip it open to pick up a call, or snap it shut when done. (Especially if I was annoyed at the caller.) When I heard that Motorola was producing a new RAZR, I got all excited, till I heard it was just another candy-bar form trying to use the old name for consumer recognition.

Sharp actually made an Android flip phone -- the awesomely-named "007sh The Hybrid", that had a TV tuner, a 16 MP phone, and is waterproof. But it never came to the North American market... And Nokia did its Star Trek communicator prototype:
Nokia Star Trek Communicator is simply awesome, sadly just a prototype (video)

If these other companies ever want to beat Apple in terms of design/WOW factor, they should get creative with forms.

 

[Shilohcane]

Don't know where you live but Metro PCS ( owned by T-Mobil) is allowing you to bring your old un-locked iPhones (GSM) that will use not the Metro but T-Mobil network with VoLTE data network. Verizon plans to drop CDMA from phones in 2014 in favor of pure LTE with pure VoLTE.

Anyway I am taking my old AT&T iPhone 4S that AT&T let me unlock to Metro and it only cost $40 month for service. IMHO a phone and Table are two different devices.

 

[mulasien]

Is getting a cheap cheap prepaid voice-only phone (non-smartphone) to go along with the iPad mini an option?

Otherwise, the VOIP solution could work, but be a bit wonky with bad data coverage at times though.