You are buying the technical capability to use 4G. In order to actually have it work, you need to pay for a monthly data plan from a cell phone provider. I have an Android tablet and an iPad. I got both of them with only wifi because I did not want to pay for a data plan for either. They connect to the internet via my router or a free wifi hotspot. If I am somewhere that I can't use them, I use my cell phone and its data plan to connect to the internet. Bottomline: If you want to use a tablet everywhere, you need to buy the more expensive one with the capability to connect to a cell phone system, and you need to additionally pay for the data plan. Sorry, but there's no free lunch with 4G. This post was edited by kudzu9 on Fri, Mar 22, 13 at 20:21

T, you're still not getting what I'm saying. lol. WiFi Adapter. Many older (and not so old) computers cannot access WiFi because they simply are not equipped to receive signals from WF routers. You buy an adapter to instantly receive signals from the WiFi router. I have 4 PC's, business and personal. Three of them are new, the other one is 11 years old. Works great, but it won't access the Internet because of not having the WiFi signal stuff already in it. It worked great with DSL. WiFi...no Internet. Hence, a WiFi adaptor is needed. It's no big deal, just a little adapter is all. Look it up.

I have the iPod, smaller than the iPad, just as useful. It uses WiFi through my home computer, no extra bill. I can also use its internet functions anywhere there is a hot spot. I can use all the apps, books, music, etc. without a connection. I use it dozens of times a day. One, I'm constantly listening to audio books...full length, unabridged, audio books. I have 91 loaded into it right not, more in the Apple page. I can purchase audio books on line, or I can put any of the audio CD books I own into the computer and download them into the iPod. I have a Kindle app, so if I have time to sit and read, I can use it. I also have the eBooks and iBooks apps for more reading. It came with a many-functions calander, contacts lists, clocks (world, alarm, timer), voice memo, calculator, more-than-acceptable camera, an unending note pad, a maps function that is better than my high-$ GPS, a Weather app...the list goes on and on. I have a full version Holy Bible, dictionary and theasaurs (be nice if I was using them right now, LOL) I am very busy, and alone, all day, every day. I have the iPod tucked into my running bra strap and an audio book going while I go about my chores and work. When I'm alone I don't have to wear the ear bud because I can hear the books fine. If I want to listen to music I pop it in the Bose docking station and the sounds are wonderful. I don't play games, but I do use it to surf the net when I'm in waiting rooms, etc. I also have a couple movies in it at all times. I can post to my forums, read news, check on anything. I know every store and restaurant in the area that has WiFi!!! It's an amazing tool.

luis, here are a couple of options to think about: - At least for now, T-Mobile offers for tablets a data-only SIM and 200 MB of data free every month. That's not much data at all, but you could purchase more if you wanted to. The big caveat is if T-Mobile has adequate service at the assisted-living facility. Their network is getting better all the time, but coverage can be an issue outside of large metropolitan areas. - AT&T offers data-only pay-as-you-go plans. My wife uses a plan on her tablet that is something like $25 for 1 GB (or maybe 2 GB; the iPad isn't here at the moment). Use it all in a day? Buy another one. Otherwise you can refill up to 90 days after. - The T-Mobile option requires an unlocked tablet. So do some others. Nowadays, though, there's just no reason to buy a tablet locked to any carrier. - There are features on the tablet (whichever one you buy) which you can switch off to preserve data. Your mother probably will not need a Maps application polling periodically for updates. My wife and I each have smartphones and we've shut off "remote data" for hungry apps. For instance, we don't allow app-store purchases with cellular data; we wait till we're home on Wi-Fi for that. Both of us get by on less than 500 MB of cellular data per month. And that amount of data plus way more than enough talk and text for us costs us (together) $40 on Consumer Cellular. My wife's iPad is separate, but that's not much money per month for the times she wants to find something and she's not near Wi-Fi. Granted, that may not be an option for your mother, unless you visit once in a while and take her someplace with Wi-Fi. :-) But it is possible, with limitations. And some money.