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Teather your iPhone to your computer. Now.

Category: Technology
Posted on: July 2, 2009 4:25 PM, by Greg Laden

This is not 'legal' so don't do it. Later in the summer it is expected to become a feature.

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Comments

Really not legal? This is really easy to do with a Windows Mobile phone, and my device, which is an HTC, has a wireless modem feature built into it. It's an AT&T phone, but I think you may have to purchase a tethering plan (I've never used).

Posted by: jj | July 2, 2009 4:55 PM

Tethering is included in the $30/mo T-Mobile data plan. AT&T want to charge $60/mo on top of the $30/mo data plan for tethering, or will when they get to it. Currently they will terminate your account if they catch you. It is only the fact that they are the monopoly on the iPhone that has me using them - this may no longer be true (other new iPhone wannabes have similar browsers now?), but the iPhone Browser is the only one that really works as expected, and I live by it daily for traffic maps.

So how do T-Mobile survive? Which they patently do. And why then is tethering such a threat to AT&T?

I did notice that Ver 3.0 of the iPhone software, even on my 2nd gen 3G phone, advertises a Bluetooth PAN service. Can't actually do anything with it, but it is there.

Posted by: Gray Gaffer | July 2, 2009 6:10 PM

@Gary

iPhone Browser is the only one that really works as expected

I am a fan of the Opera Mobile browser (assuming that's what you mean by browser) also the Skyfire works very well with winmo. Both work as expected for me (HTC Fuze/AT&T) Keep an eye out on Fennec, it's currently in beta, but it's made by Mozilla (firefox) so once that goes to release version it will most likely be better than Safari mobile.

And why then is tethering such a threat to AT&T?

This is something I do not understand either. I guess they just want you to buy a broadband air card, as it is the exact same technology in a USB dongle. Makes me wonder what the difference in rate is between the Unlimited data plan for phone, and the unlimited data plan for the Broadband. On that note, I have unlimited data, with the most basic voice and leased text messages and pay about $83 a month. Haven't seen an option for adding tethering.

Posted by: jj | July 2, 2009 7:11 PM

Very tempting to try this thing :)

Posted by: computer consultant | July 5, 2009 12:40 AM

do you know of anyway to download ringtones on the iPhone without paying through the nose??

Posted by: gwen | July 5, 2009 4:54 AM

this is a a good view on how computers work and how to fix them/ on the things that i was trying to do /

Posted by: Printer ink cartridges | July 31, 2009 6:00 AM