> Why do you want to use your phone as a wifi hotspot? It'll drain the battery.

To have internet access on your laptop when no other source is available... 3G isn't the fastest, but it's secure and available pretty much wherever you are. As for the battery just plug it into the laptop or because you're using an Android phone, pop in your spare battery after you've gotten your work done.

I tether it via usb. It charges as it tethers.

Then why not use the USB connection as the data connection like you can do with an iPhone? Or use Bluetooth?

I'd love to tether my phone, which I have a data plan for to my iPad (wifi-only). I don't bring my iPad out that much, that long, but when I do, occasionally, it will be great to have internet access when I want to.

If I wasn't an iPhone app developer, I would mostly likely switch to an Android phone in a blink of an eye. And I have an Android G1 dev phone.

I do it all the time on my iPhone (though usually I use blue tooth). It allows my laptop and my daughter's iPod Touch to get connected when they otherwise couldn't.

That's why we need those user swappable battery compartments ;-)

But seriously, this is a killer feature, I can't understand how anyone wouldn't want this, even if it's just for very occasional use (quickly get vital email on your laptop, etc.)

I've had wifi tether on my rooted G1 for quite some time now. It's not something I use all the time, but it's a huge convenience when you're out of the office or house. Where in the past I might go looking for an open AP to hop online real quick to take care of something, now I just tether my laptop to my phone without worrying about it.

A second battery would be pretty great to have on a long flight when you'd actually like to make phone calls after using your phone as a music player/gaming system during the flight. :-(

I know two iPhone owners who carry two phones for just that reason. An iPhone for for all the app and internet goodness and an old phone, which can easily go at least a week without needing to be recharged, for when they actually have to make calls.

So you don't have to pay for a separate cellular data account for your iPad! :-)

To escape the oppressive corporate firewall that keeps you from reading HN at work. :-(