laptop/netbook/chromebook.. which one??

almillar

Why would you need an iPad for 3G? Plenty of Android tablets will take a SIM, for example the Nexus 7 3G.
Anyway, OP wants an ultrabook, but can't afford one on that budget. A cheap 13 inch laptop would be the next step, which may count as light and portable, depending on what you compare it to. The Samsung Chromebook looks great. Drawbacks is the shortage of storage since it's SSD, and the reliance (NOT absolute dependence) on having a good internet connection a lot of the time. You'll also be heavily into one company's (Google) ecosystem.
In relation to 3G - you can buy laptops that will take SIM cards, but they'll be expensive. Buy a dongle, or as stated, tether through your phone. If you think data's too expensive, update your tariff.

Stooby2

NiftyGigits wrote:

Can imagine that it would be annoying to swap SIMs when you wanted to use your mobile telephone as a modem...or a wireless router if it has the capability.

I don't think you understand what tethering is or how it works. I have an android phone - a Samsung Galaxy S2. In the settings under the "More" part of the wireless & bluetooth section there is the option for "Tethering and Portable Hotspot". I simply enable it and my phone becomes a wireless hotspot - receiving data via 3g and broadcasting it via wireless. It can be secured as normal. On my wireless devices, say my netbook, the phone shows up the same as any other wireless network and I connect in the normal way. The data comes out of my 750mb/month data allowance. Very useful when we're on holiday. My daughter's Galaxy ace and my old HTC Desire do exactly the same thing. No need to buy extra dongles for the laptops or anything else wireless. No SIM swapping or any other mucking about. I understand it's pretty much the same on iPhones.

NiftyDigits

Stooby2 wrote: »

I don't think you understand what tethering is or how it works. I have an android phone - a Samsung Galaxy S2. In the settings under the "More" part of the wireless & bluetooth section there is the option for "Tethering and Portable Hotspot". I simply enable it and my phone becomes a wireless hotspot - receiving data via 3g and broadcasting it via wireless. It can be secured as normal. On my wireless devices, say my netbook, the phone shows up the same as any other wireless network and I connect in the normal way. The data comes out of my 750mb/month data allowance. Very useful when we're on holiday. My daughter's Galaxy ace and my old HTC Desire do exactly the same thing. No need to buy extra dongles for the laptops or anything else wireless. No SIM swapping or any other mucking about. I understand it's pretty much the same on iPhones.

Do you really think that I don't understand....?

Perhaps you didn't understand me when I wrote...

Unless you already have a suitable Smartphone and a suitable data plan with it, don't waste too much time over this suggestion.

For instance, I don't have any kind of paid for data plan on my phone at all, as my only data usage it covered by my BlackBerry package.
So paying extra for data package on my phone that I don't use doesn't make financial sense. I have a MiFi should I ever need to use my laptop where there is no WiFi or Internet access.

So only if the OP has a suitable Smartphone and data package will your idea make sense. If they don't have a suitable data plan(I can't purchase data packages on my tariff), but they have a suitable Smartphone, they will have to swap SIMs.

So it really depends on the OP's current situation.

Stooby2

I did say in my original post "If you have a smartphone". Apologies but your post gave me the impression you didn't understand when you mentioned swapping SIMS etc.

NiftyDigits

Stooby2 wrote: »

I did say in my original post "If you have a smartphone". Apologies but your post gave me the impression you didn't understand when you mentioned swapping SIMS etc.

Not a problem. Clarifications are all for the benefit of concerned readers.

carebear13

Thank you everyone. I went for a laptop in the end. I am back at the hospital now so will give the tethering a go. Fab clear insctructions by the way. If they ard not a sticky then they should be.