( WIRED ) -- When you 're shopping for an iPad 2 , you have a dozen configurations to choose from , and some recent discoveries will make this decision much easier for you . To configure your iPad 2 , you have 12 options as you decide on color , storage and , most importantly , data connection -- 3G + Wi-Fi , or Wi-Fi-only . It turns out that if you 're one of the millions of people who own an Android phone or an iPhone , you do n't need a 3G model , which will save you a big chunk of cash . Here 's why . Smartphone hotspots . The most recent U.S. iPhones ( the 3GS and the iPhone 4 , when upgraded to the latest version of iOS ) and the vast majority of Android smartphones now officially support wireless-hotspot capability , which turns the handset into a Wi-Fi connection that can be shared with multiple devices , including the iPad 2 . More on tablets and e-readers from WIRED . So if you go with a Wi-Fi-only model and you want to hop on a cellular connection , you can activate the hotspot option on your smartphone through your carrier , pay $ 20 per month and connect the iPad to that . That 's not as seamless as having 3G built into the iPad , but it will save you the extra $ 130 you 'd plunk down on a 3G model . Plus , you 'd have to pay at least $ 15 a month just to use an iPad 's 3G connection anyway . Jailbreaking for free hotspots . If you 're down with getting a little dirty , you can use your Android phone or iPhone as a hotspot without paying monthly fees by hacking your device . For Android phones , you just have to root ( aka jailbreak ) the device with a tool called Unrevoked . For rooted Android phones , there are unauthorized apps called Wireless Tether and Barnacle , which offer free hotspot utilities . You can also flash your device and install CyanogenMod , a different Android skin that includes a built-in hotspot feature . Presto . For the iPhone , all you have to do is jailbreak with any of the tools out there . ( Do note that if you do update to the latest version of iOS , you ca n't jailbreak yet . ) Jailbreaking will install the Cydia app , which gives you access to the underground Cydia app store . There , you can download the unauthorized app MyWi , which costs a one-time fee of $ 20 , and does n't charge you monthly . GPS transplant . The Wi-Fi iPad does n't have built-in GPS , but if you want to use that beautiful Maps app for navigation , you still do n't need a 3G iPad , so long as you have an iPhone . It turns out that if you hotspot with an iPhone , the connection transfers the GPS to the iPad . Just connect the iPad to the iPhone 's hotspot , then launch the Maps app , and you 'll see the blue dot tracking your location . ( We 're not sure if this works when hotspotting with an Android phone -- if you can confirm , let us know in the comments . ) 3G FaceTime . Another surprise is that if you turn your smartphone into a wireless hotspot , you can connect to it with your iPad 2 and use FaceTime videoconferencing . That 's interesting because typically you ca n't use FaceTime over a 3G connection ; it 's supposed to only work on a Wi-Fi connection . Because a hotspot shows up as a Wi-Fi connection , you 're basically tricking the iPad 2 into using a 3G connection for FaceTime . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2011 Wired.com .
To configure iPad 2 , you have 12 options in color , size and data connection . If you have an Android phone or an iPhone , you do n't have a 3 ##G model . Most devices officially support wireless - based functionality .