You know the drill. Come time, we’ll be taking over the front page to talk about everything iPad. We’d love to talk with you, so come by, chat, and share you views.

• 6pm PT/9pm ET/2am BST

We’ll take over the front page 15 minutes before the show — chat with you soon!

iPad live tonight! 6pm PT/9pm ET/2am BST is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

One of the questions we get all the time is whether or not it’s better to get an iPad with built-in 3G (which costs $130 more for the device, $15 or $30 for the service), or to get an iPad Wi-Fi and tether is via Mi-Fi or to a Google Android or Palm webOS device running Mobile HotSpot software (which costs 0 to $30 for the option).

Of course, Apple currently doesn’t offer Mobile HotSpot on the iPhone, or a way to tether the iPad via the existing Bluetooth or USB feature, so you’re out of luck there.

We ran two (admittedly unscientific) test just to see how the iPad would perform, both natively and when tethered to a Nexus One running Android 2.2 Froyo, and a Palm Pre Plus. First we put all three through the Speed Test app, and then we loaded a web page on each to get a feel for real-world performance. (Cache, cookies, and history cleared, of course.)

And the results varied quite a bit. Check out the video above for highlights and continue reading for more…

[Tip of the hat to @Bla1ze]

iPad on built-in 3G

On Rogers 7.2mbps network I routinely get HSDPA (download) between 2500 and 4500 kbps down, but since the iPad doesn’t have an HSUPA (upload) radio, I only get between 150 and 300kbps up.

For real-world performance I loaded up TiPb.com and it was fine. Text was near instant and graphics were snappy.

If AT&T in the US, or your local carrier has a good, solid HSPA network that works for you in your area, and you like the idea that your iPad can keep working even if your Mi-Fi or smartphone runs out of juice, this is a great option. (currently $15 a month for 256MB, $30 for 2GB on AT&T, prices and data caps vary internationally).

iPad tethered to Nexus One/Froyo Mobile Hotspot

Also on Rogers, the Nexus One Wi-Fi HotSpot was all over the place when it came to upload, from a pathetic 530 to decent 2818 and back again. In dozens of tests, it remained totally random what I’d get — sometimes really slow, sometimes equalling the built-in radio.

To see how that would play on the web, I went to AndroidCentral.com. It was also fine. Near instant text, snappy graphics. I couldn’t tell a major difference other than, again, sometimes it zoomed along, other times it stammered a little, and it frequently varied in between.

If you have an unlocked Nexus One running Froyo and your carrier hasn’t blocked tethering on your account — hey, it’s free. Save yourself some bucks and use it.

If AT&T or your local iPad carrier isn’t reliable in your area, or you just want your iPad to be on a different network for added robustness, there are Verizon and Sprint MiFi devices and Android phones you can get to fit the bill — though the tethering service will cost you. If you’re on Verizon, check out the Motorola Droid X (currently $20/2GB a month for HotSpot). If you’re in an area with Sprint 4G, the HTC Evo 4G is something to consider ($29 a month for HotSpot).

iPad tethered to Palm Pre Plus Mobile Hotspot

Giant, huge, caveat — I was testing a Verizon Palm Pre Plus roaming on Bell’s CDMA EVDO Rev A network, so this is especially unscientific. That said, download looked horrible in the speed test — hovering around 100kbps. Upload was better than the built-in radio, however, often between 400 and 450kbps.

Heading over to PreCentral.net, text remained quick and although the graphics took noticeably longer to download, I could scroll around and read while I waited and they showed up fast enough for on-the-go use.

The big deal about the Verizon Palm Pre Plus is that Mobile HotSpot is currently free, so if you got it, by all means use it! If you’re not on Verizon, however, you’ll have to pay for it and then the price for performance will be more of a factor.

Conclusion

You get a lot of flexibility with Mobile HotSpot — you can choose between more networks and tether more than just your iPad — typically 5 to 8 Wi-Fi devices. You have a choice of MiFi or the smartphone you’re already using. Prices range from free to full on premium so check with your carrier first. Also remember, if you’re using your primary phone to tether, you’re going to rundown the battery — fast. If that’s a deal-breaker for you, you’ll also need to look at additional batteries and plugging in to re-charge more often on the go.

In terms of the built-in iPad 3G, you get the convenience of not having to setup (and often pay for) an additional device just to get it on the internet when you’re away from a Wi-Fi connection. If you’re local carrier is solid, it’s really easy to do and you can pay for light data, or heavy data, without contract. iPad 3G does cost more up front, however, and you will be paying for the extra plan anyway.

So it all boils down to your network and your usage pattern — what, you thought their was a secret answer?

If you don’t like AT&T and have Palm Pre Plus or Froyo tethering for free, why are you still reading? Grab an extra battery or plug and get tethering! If AT&T is what you want and you just want to be able to use 3G where and when you want to, spend the extra cash at Apple and get the service set up on-device — your time is valuable too.

And if you’re already using an iPhone 3G, or tethering an iPhone to your MiFi, Android, or Palm device, let us know how the costs are working out and how the connectivity is treating you.

iPad 3G speed test: built-in 3G vs. Google Android and Palm Pre Plus Mobile HotSpot Wi-Fi tether is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

NAVIGON dropped us a note to let us know that new, feature-filled, iOS 4-friendly version of MobileNavigator they previewed for us back at WWDC 2010 has hit the App Store and is available now. It includes:

• Live Weather
• Clever Parking
• Destination Information Display
• iOS 4 integration (including multitasking)
• Enhanced Retina display buttons and icons for the iPhone 4
• Latest NAVTEQ Maps
• Pedestrian Mode Voice Guidance
• Enhanced Reality View™ Pro and display of street names in the map view

What’s more, NAVIGON is offering limited time, promotional pricing to help ease new users into the new version — $49.99 for MobileNavigator North America and $17.99 for MobileNavigator US MyRegion is available for $17.99 (additional regional map can be accessed as an In App Purchase for $12.99).

[iTunes link]

NAVIGON MobileNavigator goes iOS 4 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

TiPb gave away a couple of iPhone 4s last month and our grand prize winner, Brandon, was kind enough to not only send us the picture above — showing off his new iPhone 4 — but to film a sequel to his prize-winning film, iPhone Envy.

Check it out below, and huge appreciation and congratulations again to Brandon!

iPhone Envy turned to joy — and a follow up movie! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Chirpy for iPhone is a Twitter application that focuses strictly on direct messages. High Order Bit, the creators of Twitbit, have designed this app with the intention of it being a replacement to the Messages app. They have focused on bringing nearly instantaneous push notifications and a stripped down, yet beautiful, interface to make direct messages quick and easy.

• Simple and easy-to-use design modeled after the built-in Messages app
• Incredibly fast push notification
• Support for multiple Twitter accounts
• Integrates with your iPhone or iPod touch’s contact list
• Upload photos
• Photo previews right in the conversation view
• Supports multitasking in iOS 4
• High resolution app icon for iPhone 4’s Retina Display

High Order Bit has generously provided us with some promo codes for you, our lovely readers! For a chance to win, just leave a comment below telling us why you’d like to have Chirpy and we’ll randomly select 3 winners.

[$1.99 - iTunes link]

Chirpy for iPhone – give-away is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

How does an architect use his iPad to get the job done and what iPad apps help get him through his day? TiPb's iPad at work contest aims to bring you just such slices of the iPad life. Here's DomArch’s answer and as a small token of thanks we're sending him a $20 iTunes gift certificate. If you want to see your name up on the TiPb home page and get a gift certificate all your own, head on over to the TiPb iPad Forum and share your story now!

As an architect, I knew as soon as I saw the iPad it would be helpful for my young business, and maybe give me an edge over some of my competition. Right off the bat, I realized that it was the perfect presentation tool for showing clients my work. Unlike a laptop, the client can hold the iPad in their hands as the photo album’s built-in slide show showcases my portfolio. It’s hard to describe the difference, but it’s somehow more “personal” when they can hold the images in their hands; in addition, its less awkward than a traditional photo portfolio as well. But once I got started with it, I realized that that was the tip of the iceberg.

On the go, I can bring drawings with me as PDFs, and reference them at meetings, something I used to do with my iPhone but which is even more useful on the iPad because of the larger screen. The Adobe Ideas app and the Penultimate app have been incredibly useful for sketching out concepts and notes during presentations and meetings. I’ve been able to work on proposals and written specifications using Pages and both the on-screen keyboard and a Bluetooth keyboard. In the office, it has become my defacto email and calendar machine, allowing my desktop to become almost a true dedicated cad station.

The iPad is already more useful to me than I hoped it would be, but even better, I can see there is so much potential for better and better apps to come. I can’t wait to see what people come up with for this great device!

What about you? Are you an architect? If so, which apps do you use for your job?

iPad at Work: Architect is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog