AT&T has announced it will mirror Verizon by introducing shared data plans that cover an entire household. It’s not only copied the pricing concept, but the actual charges are suspiciously similar.

If there’s anyone who was in any doubt about the US cellphone market being an oligopoly, the new Mobile Share plans should settle the question: they are an almost exact mirror of Verizon’s Share Everything.


As with Verizon, AT&T’s new plan has a two-part fee structure: one fee that gives unlimited calls and texts plus a fixed amount of data, to be shared across all handsets on the plan; and then a separate fee for each device. The only real difference is that the per handset fee for smartphones depends on the data deal chosen, unlike Verizon where it’s fixed.

To compare than plans in full:

Tablets are $10 a month on AT&T and $10 a month on Verizon.
Laptops are $20 a month on AT&T and $20 a month on Verizon.
Feature phones are $30 a month on AT&T and $30 a month on Verizon.
Smartphones range from $45 a month (on a 1GB deal) to $30 a month on AT&T and a fixed $40 a month on Verizon.

The data component is $40 for 1GB/$70 for 4GB/$90 for 6GB/$120 for 10GB/$160 for 15GB and $200 for 20GB on AT&T and $50 for 1GB, $60 for 2GB, $70 for 4GB, $80 for 6 GB, $90 for 8GB or $100 for 10GB on Verizon.

To give an example of how that works out, if you’re in a two smartphone household, the 1GB, 4GB and 6GB deals work out as exactly the same overall cost on both networks. In fact for most combinations of devices and data, it’s not until you start to get to the 10GB a month range that choosing one network over the other will make for any significant savings.

As for whether the new shared data deals work out cheaper than existing per-device plans, Wired crunched the numbers and reckons that in some cases they’ll offer better value (in that you can use your phone more if you want to), but it’s hard to see a case where anyone’s bill is going to drop.

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iPad Mini: 11 Perfect uses for Apple’s smaller tablet

When it begins to feel a lot like Christmas, you may be dreaming of an iPad Mini.

Reports out today claim that Apple will begin volume production of its new, smaller tablet in September, just in time for the holidays.


“Supply volume of Apple’s 7.85-inch iPad is estimated to reach four million units per month starting in September in order to prepare for demand from year-end holidays, according to sources from the upstream supply chain,” Digitimes reports.

While Digitimes doesn’t have the best track record for product rumors, it’s safe assume that Apple is planning on releasing its iPad Mini sometime this year and right around Christmas would make perfect sense.

How well will the iPad Mini do on the market? What will people use it for? We have been wondering the same thing.

Here are 11 perfect uses for the up-and-coming iPad Mini:
An iPad is the perfect Christmas gift

If rumors of a holiday release hold true, the iPad Mini could very well be the number one device on everyone’s shopping list. And if you’re on the giving end of this exchange, there are two positives: First is the price. The iPad Mini is expected to be aggressively priced between $200 and $250. Secondly? The receiver of the gift will love you forever.
Your new e-reader isn’t a Kindle or a Nook

Believe it or not, there are current iPad owners out there who also own a Kindle or Nook strictly for reading. Some may argue that the biggest reason for this is because they prefer reading on the e-ink that those e-readers provide. But the bigger reason is the size. The current iPad becomes cumbersome when using as a reading device for an extended period of time. Being that the iPad Mini is expected to feature a 7.85-inch screen and be considerably thinner, reading can finally become comfortable on an Apple tablet.
Is the iPad Mini your next Apple TV remote?

There are rumors swirling that Apple plans to announce a major update to their Apple TV lineup — including the announcement of a dedicated television set that would either run on AT&T’s or Verizon’s cable service. The other half of that announcement is an Apple TV set-top box that would allow you to run your current cable provider through the Apple interface. Where does the iPad Mini come into play here? It would serve as your remote control. Say so long to the days of the tiny Apple TV remote, scrolling around on an onscreen keyboard that makes you want to scream. Your iPad Mini would allow you search for TV shows simply by typing on your tablet keyboard. At 7.85-inch screen, it makes for a comfortable advanced remote control.
The iPad Mini is the ultimate news reading tablet

We posed the following question earlier this month on Blorge: Will the iPad save the newspaper industry? That’s a tough question to answer, but the iPad Mini has the potential to be a great device to consume news — especially for commuters. Expect Apple to release some kind of news pagination software, similar to iBooks Author, specifically for news organizations that would allow local newspapers to easily go digital. If local newspapers can easily embrace going digital, using the iPad Mini as the medium, expect big things. I can see the ad already: Subscribe for two years and receive a free iPad Mini. Expect promotions galore.
The iPad Mini (with 4G) is perfect for commuters

A more expensive version of the iPad Mini will include 4G LTE cellular service, making it the top tablet for commuters — especially women — who like to only carry their purse while on-the-go. Commuters use their iPad today, but not as much as Apple may have expected. The tablet is quite large for commuting. By shrinking down to a 7.85-inch screen and thinner body, that subway or bus ride could become a bit more tech-savvy for you.
iPad Minis will make its way into hotels, restaurants and retail stores

One of the biggest pushes in the hospitality and customer service industries is implementing some kind of tablet technology and doing so seamlessly. Hotels want to eliminate their front desk altogether and approach guests when they walk in, hand them a tablet and have them sign their name on the room agreement with their finger. Restaurants want a way to offer their menus on a digital platform, so they can easily update from day-to-day without wasting paper. At half the price than the current iPad, the iPad Mini could soon find itself into both of these industries. Plus, the iPad Mini is a more appropriate size for dinner menus that Apple’s current tablet. And retail stores would love to check people out from anywhere in the store. Carrying an iPad Mini is much more comfortable than a full-size iPad.
Is the iPad Mini a child’s first tablet?

Unless brought up in a wealthy family, it’s pretty rare for a child (12 years and younger) to own an iPad. At $500, it’s not worth risking being broken or lost. But the iPad does offer a ton of genuinely good education apps that parents will see a lot of benefit in. For $250, the iPad Mini could be a great education tool to give to a child.
More iPads will make their way into the classroom

Following up on the last point — not only will more children now own an iPad Mini, but schools will also take advantage of the cheaper price point. The iPad is quickly becoming an educator’s favorite tool. There are plenty of great applications that supplement lesson plans and truly makes learning interactive. At half the price, schools will have a better chance of getting this type of technology into the classroom.
Trick out your car with an in-dash iPad Mini

This may seem like a bit of stretch, but there are people out there who have installed an in-dash, full-size iPad into their car. A 10-inch screen in a car is not only a huge distraction (7.85-inch may not be much better…) but it also takes up a ton of space. The iPad Mini could be the ultimate way to truly “pimp your ride.
The iPad Mini makes a perfect second monitor for your laptop

If you’re an 11” MacBook Air user that also owns an iPad, it doesn’t come as a surprise to you that your tablet practically has the same screen real estate as your laptop. If people saw you using both devices in a coffee shop, they might think you’re overusing technology a bit. But if you’re using an iPad Mini as a second monitor, I don’t think it would look that bad. In fact, it would actually be the perfect size for a second monitor.
A smaller iPad works better as a photo frame

One of the fun features of the iPad is that it can double as a digital photo frame. If you’re throwing a party, you set your photo album, set it up on a table in your home and your guests can see a bunch of photos. This might also be a stretch, but an iPad Mini is actually closer to the size of a normal photo frame, making for a more natural photo-viewing experience at your next party.

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Why the iPad Mini could outsell the iPhone 5

The iPad Mini is the underdog in a sales race against the iPhone 5
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Both of Apple’s latest and greatest iOS devices will certainly be the talk of the tech industry come next month when they are both announced. While it appears the iPhone 5 will be released on Sept. 21, it’s unclear whether or not the new, smaller iPad will be released alongside of it.


It’s safe to assume that it will be released sometime in the end of the third quarter or early fourth quarter, but the bigger question is: Which one will be more successful?
Can the iPad Mini outsell the iPhone 5?

When put head-to-head the iPad Mini is David and the iPhone 5 is Goliath. The hype around the iPhone 5 has been huge — possibly the biggest around any Apple device announcement — but the iPad Mini has made strides in the past week.

The folks at iMore and 9to5 Mac gave us beautiful renderings of what the smaller iPad could look like. It won’t seem miniature like a Kindle Fire or Google Nexus 7, rather, it will be feel better in our hands.

The iPad Mini is expected to have a 7.85-inch screen (about two inches less than the current iPad) and be significantly thinner. It will resemble a larger iPod Touch.
Expect iPad trade-ins galore

There will be three groups of people who go out and buy the iPad Mini. This is the first type.

While everyone loves their iPad, they admit it’s not always the most comfortable tablet. It’s fairly big and heavy, which can make extended reading and moving watching a drag. If you’re a commuter, you want the least amount of weight as possible. A smaller iPad accomplishes this.

There will be many eBay sales of the original iPad, iPad 2′s and even the current-generation iPad with Retina display. Once people experience how a smaller tablet feels in their hands, they will want one and won’t care about ditching their 10-inch model.
New tablet users will flock to the Apple Store

One of the biggest barriers to buying an iPad for many people is its price tag. When the iPad Mini is announced it will be aggressively priced between $200 and $250, with the potential of a larger-storage iPad Mini ringing in around $300. That’s a price that will easily compete against the likes of Amazon, Google and Barnes & Noble.

New tablet users will want to get their hands on the iPad Mini more than an iPhone 5. In fact, I believe the iPad Mini’s largest market of users will come from this category.

Users who aren’t using an iPad right now may not be the most tech-savvy, or they could never justify spending $500 on a device that doesn’t allow them to accomplish basic tasks that say a netbook could do. When the iPad Mini is announced, it will be advertised as the perfect tablet for the person on the go, the avid reader and especially for women, who will love being able to quickly throw it in their purse.
Loyal and crazy Apple fans will just want to buy an iPad Mini

If you have the money to spend, then why not? That’s what many Apple users will be saying when they go out and order an iPad Mini. These are the people who will also go out and buy an iPhone 5, already own an iMac, MacBook and a Retina iPad, but they can never have enough.

They’ve already justified the reason of their purchase and can’t wait to be seen on the subway or in the coffee shop with their shiny new device.

These are the people that make people hate Apple people. But more power to them.
Other reasons the iPad Mini could win

One of the last possibilities for the iPad Mini is its integration with a potential Apple TV announcement.

Apple is rumored to be releasing a dedicated television set that will solely run off AT&T and Verizon’s cable service in addition to a dedicated TV set-top device that would allow the user to pick its own cable provider.

The idea is that the iPad would be fully-intrgrated with the TV and even serve as its remote control. The Apple TV service would include a cloud-based DVR that would allow users to watch their on any of their iOS devices — and possible even on the web through iCloud.com.

If the idea performs as well its sounds, many people would love to have an iPad Mini as their remote control. Wouldn’t it look nice on your coffee table?

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