tethering
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AT&T axes unlimited data, unveils tethering price
It's been a little over four months since the initial data plans for the iPad were announced, and slightly more than a month since the 3G iPad's been available. So, why the rapid about-face? It probably has something to do with the more than 2 million iPads sold to date, and the iPhone's increasing global share. This is most likely overwhelming an already-stressed data network, even though AT&T insisted that they could handle it. Currently unlimited data plans for existing iPhone and iPad customers are still in effect. However, once contract renewals come up, don't be surprised if you have to wave bye-bye to unlimited data. The press release did not say if the $20 tethering option would be available to those who decide to keep their unlimited data for now, but MacRumors believes tethering won't be available unless you're on the 2 GB "DataPro" plan. Unfortunately, they're probably right. Update: They're right. Tethering is only available as a buy-up from the DataPro plan, and is not an option for grandfathered unlimited-plan users. The new data plans take effect June 7.
AT&T makes sweeping changes to data plans, iPhone tethering coming at OS 4 launch
You might think that AT&T would hold off for a national HSPA+ deployment or a full-on LTE launch before tweaking its data pricing strategy, but not so much -- the carrier is coming out swinging today with some significant changes that should benefit the overwhelming majority of its smartphone users (and could stand to harm a select few). Let's break down the major points: DataPlus / DataPro The existing $30 fair-use "unlimited" smartphone data plan is being replaced by two new options: $15 per month for 200MB and $25 for 2GB (called "DataPlus" and "DataPro," respectively). Customers currently on the $30 plan are welcome to stay on it, but they can switch at any time without extending their contract. AT&T's new overage system is arguably the game changer: on the $15 plan, you'll pay $15 for each additional 200MB, but on the $25 plan, you'll pay $10 for each additional GB. It's simple and straightforward -- but most importantly, it won't bankrupt you if you go over by a gig or three in a month. This compares to $50 per gigabyte of overage on AT&T's 5GB DataConnect plan for laptops. The carrier's going to be very flexible about changing between the DataPlus and DataPro plans -- if you're on DataPlus, for example, and you discover that you're blowing past your allotment, you can choose either to start DataPro the following billing cycle, pro-rate it, or apply the higher plan retroactively to the beginning of your current billing cycle. That's pretty wild. Tethering Tethering will be offered as an add-on to the DataPro plan for an additional $20 per month, which means you'll pay a total of $45 a month for 2GB of data shared between your phone and your tethered devices. If you're light on the usage, it's a sweet deal -- but if you scale it up and you're using the data almost exclusively on your laptop, it compares unfavorably to the traditional DataConnect plan: $60 versus $75 for 5GB (and in the unlikely even you've got a webOS device on Verizon, it compares even less favorably). If you're striking a balance of data use between a smartphone and tethered gear, AT&T's new setup is still pretty solid considering that you would've been paying $60 for the USB stick plus $30 for smartphone data before. Yes, it's finally happening: AT&T's iPhones will get access to the tethering option, too. iPad iPad users are also affected by the change. The $30 iPad data plan -- lauded for being labeled by AT&T as truly unlimited -- goes away to be replaced by the same $25 / 2GB plan that smartphone users will see, though current subscribers to the $30 plan can continue unaffected. Everything launches on June 7, except for iPhone tethering -- it'll launch when OS 4 does. In the meantime, we're told users can sign up for the $30 plans both on their phones and iPads if they'd like to be grandfathered in. Follow the break for more details along with AT&T's full press release.
Seven ways PC World is wrong about the iPhone-Android matchup
Android's new features in the upcoming version 2.2 (aka "Froyo," announced this week at Google I/O) are certainly intriguing, but some sections of the press have gone off the deep end in their analysis of what this means for the iPhone and the smartphone market in general. PC World's piece, "7 Ways Android 2.2 Froyo Tops Apple's iPhone," is a perfect example of this phenomenon, and it reads like it was written by someone who's never even held an iPhone. All seven of their points are easily debunked, even leaving aside the fact that they're comparing today's iPhone with the as-yet-unbuyable Froyo phones of tomorrow. Read on to find out why -- and bring marshmallows.
iPhone OS 4.0 to finally allow tethering
It turns out that the long-awaited tethering option on the iPhone (in the US anyway) is just around the corner. MacRumors discovered that there is a new configuration page for setting up Internet tethering via the iPhone inside of the latest beta of iPhone OS 4.0. The feature isn't actually enabled yet; as you can see in the picture, you'll need to call AT&T to set up the service (which, of course, will come with an additional charge). But the framework is in the latest version of the iPhone OS, so when that version gets released, presumably sometime next month when the new version of the iPhone is rumored to arrive. As you can see in the picture, we're talking about a 3G connection. I find it hard, if not impossible, to believe that this will work over my 1G iPhone's EDGE connection. Since we already know that some features of OS 4.0 won't be working on anything other than the 3GS, it's likely that there will be limitations on the number of phones out there that can actually use this service. Of course, the beta is still being tested; it's not an official release, and obviously, the service isn't set up yet, so don't throw out your various Wi-Fi or EV-DO subscriptions prematurely. However, it seems like we're closer than ever to an official tethering solution from AT&T. [via Engadget]
iPhone OS 4.0 beta 4 includes AT&T tethering option
See that screen there? That's from the minty fresh beta 4 of iPhone OS 4.0, which was just released to developers moments ago. Unless our eyes are badly mistaken, that's an option to setup internet tethering on AT&T, something that WWAN warriors have been waiting for since... oh, forever. We're downloading the new build as we speak, and we'll let you know if we find anything out. Oh, and don't get your hopes up too high -- AT&T proclaimed that it was "still waiting on better network performance" before enabling iPhone tethering just three weeks ago. Update: There's a video of the screens after the break, just in case your belief was temporarily suspended for any reason. Thanks, Jerish! Update 2: Well, this is interesting -- we just updated an iPhone 3GS in Chicago, and we're not seeing the tethering option. We're guessing this is a glitch or just a mismatched carrier setting file, since so many others are seeing it, but we'll do some digging and see what's up. Update 3: Okay, we've got it sorted -- all it took was a quick network settings reset. Thanks, Gray! [Thanks, Pete]
Android 2.2 'Froyo' to include USB tethering, WiFi hotspot functionality
And the good Froyo news just keep flowing in. TechCrunch have flexed their exclusive muscle this morning in revealing their discovery that Android 2.2 will come with built-in tethering and WiFi hotspot support. That means you'll be able to use your phone's 3G internet connection to hook your laptop up to the worldwide webosphere, with a choice of wired or wireless methods. Of course, this dreamy scenario will be subject to the big bad network operators permitting -- or at least not forbidding -- you to do such awesome things with your hardware, but at least we know the goods are being baked into this forthcoming release from Google. Frozen yogurt for all!
Rogers offering $20 for iPad add-on to existing iPhone customers?
The Apple Store for Canada is currently showing the above rates for iPad data plans, but before you get too excited, note a few things. First, Rogers' official iPad page does not yet show any rate plan information. Second, BoyGeniusReport updated their article on this to say that "Apple has removed all traces of the $20 plan from its website," but it is still available at the link shown. Rogers PR told BGR that the "the $20 plan was a mistake on Apple's part." If this is true (and that's a big "if" at this point), iPhone users in the USA are going to look longingly at Rogers again. Rogers earlier announced that tethering was going to continue to be free for many customers. And now it looks like they might offer some sort of a bundle deal for iPhone users? Hey, AT&T, are you listening? This is how you treat customers when you hope to keep them, not rest on your exclusivity for as long as possible. How about you get your act together and offer tethering at a reasonable price (Not that I would expect Verizon would treat iPhone customers any better.)? Many people will point to the "5GB per month" limitation of the Rogers plan as a step down from AT&T's unlimited $30/month iPad plan. That's true, but I doubt many people who pay for unlimited will use more than 5GB. UPDATE: I re-checked at 2:45pm and Apple's page no longer shows the $20, and Rogers' website now shows only the $15 and $35 options. Like AT&T, these plans do not require a contract, and come with free access to Rogers' Wi-Fi "Hot Spots." [Via Clever Simon]
iPhone tethering on AT&T still waiting on better network performance
AT&T's own Ralph de la Vega mentioned as early as November of 2008 that you'd be able to tether your iPhone to your computer and use it as a modem "soon," but here we are some ten months after the initial announcement of official tethering support in the platform and there's no sign of it. Considering that many iPhone carriers around the world deployed it as soon as Apple had it ready -- and many more came online over the months to follow -- it seems that AT&T's silence on the issue has spoken volumes. We reached out to the company today to get a statement on the feature's status, and here's what we got back (text bolded by us, not AT&T): "We understand that there is great interest in tethering but cannot provide any details at this time. We know that iPhone users love their devices and mobile broadband, and that they're likely to embrace tethering just as they have other features and apps – by using it a lot. iPhone tethering has the potential to exponentially increase traffic, and we need to ensure that we're able to deliver excellent performance for the feature – over and above the increases in data traffic we're already seeing – before we will offer the feature." Coincidentally, that's almost identical to a statement the company issued last September, but regardless, AT&T can't necessarily afford to meet its network "performance objectives" before acting -- Verizon's announcement that Palm's Mobile Hotspot app would become a free add-on with the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus was a serious shot across the bow of any other American carrier trying to woo business customers and road warriors. Think it'll go live before the next iPhone does?
Rogers customers get to keep free tethering and get offered a paid nav app
Our Canadian friends have a couple of new products to look at if they have an iPhone. The first is Rogers Navigator, powered by TeleNav. For $4.99 a month Rogers' iPhone customers get a full featured turn-by-turn solution with spoken instructions. The app includes real time traffic alerts and rerouting, online pre-planning with the ability to send destinations from the web to your iPhone, iPod integration and an extensive POI database. The app is similar to the AT&T Navigator app, and has the same feature set. An even bigger deal is that Rogers has continued its introductory free tethering plan. Rogers customers who subscribe to a data plan of 1 GB or more a month get tethering included at no extra charge. It was expected that Rogers would start charging for tethering, but the company has decided to continue to offer it for free. Are you listening AT&T? Didn't they say many months ago that tethering was coming soon? You can bet it won't be free. [Thanks to many of our Canadian readers for the tethering info]
Rogers and Fido announce new smartphone tethering policy
Many Canadian Rogers and Fido subscribers have been waiting anxiously to hear about how they were going to get dinged once the current smartphone tethering promotion expired on May 3, 2010. The current plan sees all customers with a data plan including more than 1GB get tethering free of charge but rumors swirled that this would become a pricey extra when the current promotion expired. Canada, rejoice! The new plan has been announced and -- with a few exceptions -- sees tethering carry on into the future with no change. Exceptions include the new 1GB+ One Rate Roaming plan, Family Shared Data and Voice plans, Smartphone and Rocket stick shared plans, and anybody not on a 1 GB plus data plan. So now that all your fears of having to re-mortgage your home have been assuaged, why not take those extra $thousands you've saved in the piggy bank and ponder an upgrade instead. Follow the read link for all the details and a handy FAQ.
Hey Steve, can the iPad tether with the iPhone?
Ämne: Re: Dear mr. Jobs Från: Steve Jobs <sjobs@apple.com> Datum: 5 mars 2010 17.01.29 CET Till: Jezper Söderlund <> Return-Path: <sjobs@apple.com> No. Sent from my iPhone. Well, that settles that.
Ask TUAW: Shopping for new Macs, iPhone home screens, home folder on external disk, and more
Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we have questions about whether to buy a 27" iMac or a MacBook Pro, increasing the number of iPhone home screens, moving your home folder to an external disk, and more. As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Leave your questions for next week in the comments section at the end of this post. When asking a question, please include which machine you're using and what version of Mac OS X is installed on it (we'll assume you're running Snow Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify), or if it's an iPhone-related question, which iPhone version and OS version you have.
Ask TUAW: Key remapping in Boot Camp, iPad tethering, file-sharing with a media extender, and more
Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we deal with some technical issues on our production Mac before turning to questions about Windows key remapping in Boot Camp, sharing files with a LaCie media extender, downloading images in Safari, recovering from a hard drive failure, and more. As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Leave your questions for next week in the comments section at the end of this post. When asking a question, please include which machine you're using and what version of Mac OS X is installed on it (we'll assume you're running Snow Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify), or if it's an iPhone-related question, which iPhone version and OS version you have.
An ode to iPhone tethering
Sometimes I feel sorry for you poor iPhone users in the US. Sure, the telecommunications landscape in New Zealand isn't exactly perfect, but our small nation has the US beat on at least one very significant point: unlike AT&T, our wireless providers let us tether our iPhones as much as we want (within our monthly broadband limits, anyway). Sure, there are workarounds that let you do iPhone tethering in the States, but nothing beats the pure simplicity of officially supported tethering: flip a couple switches in your iPhone's settings, then either pair over Bluetooth or dock your iPhone, and boom, your Mac runs off your iPhone's data connection. I've been using iPhone tethering since it became available in iPhone OS 3.0, and it's saved my geek bacon many times. On a recent monthlong vacation where my wife, my mother-in-law, and I hopped all over both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, using my iPhone's data connection on my MacBook Pro was often the only feasible way of connecting to the world beyond our campsite. Many of the places we stayed had Wi-Fi available, but the prices were pretty astonishing; some places wanted $10 for 20 minutes of internet access. In towns where we had a decent 3G connection, we were able to watch videos in Safari (No Flash? No problem), look up tourist information, get access to Google Maps, download music and apps from the iTunes Store, and keep an eye on the notoriously fickle weather. All these things are possible to an extent using the iPhone by itself, but things went much faster and more smoothly on my MacBook Pro, where multitasking, multiple downloads, and a 17" screen are all big improvements over the browsing experience on the iPhone. Read on to find out what else iPhone tethering can do for you, and why AT&T's excuses for not letting you have it are totally disingenuous.
Palm's webOS 1.3.5.2 for European Pres adds Bluetooth tethering
webOS version 1.3.5.2 for Euro-spec GSM Pres just hit over the last handful of hours, bringing a host of changes -- but the biggest, perhaps, is the addition of Bluetooth tethering capability. The move is particularly interesting in light of Palm's announcement last week that it'll use its Mobile Hotspot app to enable tethering via WiFi, but it's unclear how much (if any) crossover there'll be between units that support one technology or the other. All things considered, which would you rather have?
iPhone and Magic Mouse linked up by BTstack (video)
Even though you probably still can't figure out what good the ability to connect your Bluetooth keyboard to your iPhone will do, the BTstack project is steaming ahead with this demo of a connected Magic Mouse twirling its pointer all over Apple's handset. The driver code is still unreleased, but we get to see some nice lag-free interaction between the two devices, suggesting it shouldn't be too far away from public consumption. As if to answer your earlier quandary, the video also features a Celluon CL800BT virtual keyboard, which projects onto and responds to your touch of any flat surface. A gimmick most likely, but a fun journey into the dream of nomadic computing nonetheless. Check out all the action after the break. [Thanks, Daniel]
Two broken promises from AT&T and Apple as 2009 comes to a close
As I sit by the light of the Christmas tree in my mother's house with the vestiges of presents all around, it occurs to me that no matter how good Santa might have been to you, both Apple and AT&T left us lumps of coal for the end of 2009. You might remember this promise from Apple a few months ago: "Apple will support Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate) with Boot Camp in Mac OS X Snow Leopard before the end of the year. This support will require a software update to Boot Camp." It is possible to run Windows 7 under Boot Camp, but given the number of months Windows 7 was available as a beta, and now the length of time it has been released officially, it's disappointing not to have it officially supported, especially given Apple's simple and unequivocal promise. Boot Camp runs a distant second, however, to the much larger missed deadline and broken promise from AT&T that tethering would be available for the iPhone in 2009. Despite being available all around the world, and on other smartphones on AT&T's network, tethering remains unavailable for iPhone users in the USA unless you have stayed behind on firmware or have taken the jailbreak route. Rogers / Fido customers in Canada have been enjoying free tethering until 2010, and their deal has been extended until May 3rd. Given the way that I expect most people will use tethering, for occasional connections when traveling or out and about, free is exactly the price that tethering ought to cost. Given AT&T's existing costs for Blackberry tethering, though, I would not be surprised if AT&T expects another $30/month on top of the current $30/month data charges. When will we see Windows 7 Boot Camp support and tethering? I have no idea, but I fully expect Apple to come through before AT&T does. Coal picture courtesy of Wikimedia.
Motorola Droid now just a (hacked) firmware update away from WiFi tethering
Add one more item to the "Droid does" column -- unofficially, at least. WiFi tethering from Motorola's hottest is now possible straight from the phone itself, over WiFi even. PDANet already enabled the thing to share its connection, but relies on an external driver installed on a Windows or Mac device. This latest fix does away with that, but does require the installation of a hacked version of the 2.0.1 firmware. The process, laid out at the read link by DroidForums.net user webacoustics, doesn't sound that bad, but warnings like "if your phone stays at the white Motorola logo for longer than a minute or two, you probably bricked [it]" will leave many users sticking with PDANet or waiting for the official Verizon solution -- and paying out the nose for it.
Tethering for the holiday traveler
I know that many of our readers will be traveling during the holiday season, so I wanted to share a walk-through that will help keep your MacBook of choice connected on the go. This is an article intended for those using iPhones on carriers that do not officially support tethering. TUAW would like to remind you that this is unsupported and is enabled at the user's own risk. This does require jailbreaking your iPhone, so the unadventurous in the audience may want to pass this up. If you're not already jailbroken, you can download the necessary software, like blackra1n from George Hotz or Pwnage from the iPhone Dev Team. Once you've jailbroken your iPhone, install or open Cydia and navigate to the "Featured Packages" section. Find and install the package named "Modem." That's it on the iPhone side of things, on your computer, navigate to iphonemodem.com and download the helper application or register the application for $9.99 to disable the registration reminder in the iPhone app (As far as we know, the free version is fully functional). Drag iPhoneModem to your Applications folder. The setup is really that simple. Now all you have to do is open the application on your computer, click connect, then launch the companion app on your iPhone. The iPhone application will find the network your computer creates and share the Wi-Fi connection between the two devices so you can use your iPhone data plan on your laptop for better browsing. Here's how the developers say it works: On the computer, the helper application creates a new computer-to-computer (or ad-hoc) Wi-Fi network and configures the system preferences to use the iPhone as an Internet gateway and proxy. On the iPhone, the application opens a routing engine, DHCP, DNS, HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS proxies and connects to the helper on the computer. I've had pretty good success with this application in my time with it. I've been using it on and off for over a year -- it's been a great app in clutch situations. I'd recommend it as a virtual stocking stuffer if you have a friend or family member who's jailbroken their iPhone. Let us know your thoughts or your experiences with the app in the comments. Update As several commenters have pointed out, there are several other free solutions that seem to be just as easy as iPhoneModem. Please read through the comments to see if any of those solutions suit you better.
Verizon confirms DROID tethering cost, will ask subscribers to double-down on their data plan
Just a few days ago Verizon made the less-than-shocking confirmation that DROID tethering was coming, but wouldn't say how much it would cost. Now that the hardest of hardcore fans are already waiting in line, disconnected from the world at large, the company is unleashing the bad news: it'll be $30. That doubles the cost of the required data plan that sits atop a subscriber's voice plan, meaning a total of $60 per month for "unlimited" data access on handset or laptop. Mind you, "unlimited" really means 5GB of data per, a total of 10 split between the two $30 plans. Glass ceilings: we hate them.
