An iPad is a tablet PC that Apple produced, which provides the hardware and software components found in both Mac PCs and iPhones. While iPads are not as large as Macs or as small as iPhones, they are able to perform the same tasks as a computer while also being extremely lightweight and portable. iPads generally include support for touch screen, WiFi, Bluetooth, and 3G as well as tethering to other devices.

 

What is iPad Tethering?

iPad tethering is a term used to describe the iPad’s compatibility with another device via its ability to directly access that device and use its features. For example, a user would tether an iPhone to an iPad if he/she wished to play the iPad’s music playlist on the iPhone or synchronize the iPhone’s contact list with the iPad’s email address book. iPad tethering can be used for many different purposes and can involve connecting the iPad to another device via a direct cable or through a wireless connection.

 

iPad Tethering Options

Some iPad operating system versions, such as iOS 4.2, include support for tethering the iPad to other devices. However, this may only be available on certain models or specific data plans. In other situations, users must jailbreak their iPad and take advantage of applications such as MyWi or similar modem emulators in order to use these features.

 

How to Tether an iPad

Tethering an iPad requires different procedures for different purposes. For example, if a user simply wishes to transfer data from an iPhone or iPod Touch via a cable or Bluetooth connection, he/she can do so by connecting the two devices together and the iPad should recognize the other device. However, if a user wishes to tether a cellular data plan from one device to the other, the user needs to download and install a modem emulator such as MyWi and take the appropriate measures to jailbreak the iPad. Users should note that doing this may void the device’s warranty, cause the iPad to consume large amounts of battery power, and/or cause the user to incur data charges from his/her cellular carrier.