First, I don't need a tablet, no way. But I am beginning to think I may want one, maybe.

As most of you know, I drive a truck and usually only get to set up my laptop for a few hours on the weekend, and for a couple of days when i am home every two weeks or so. While working on the road, I access the internets on my android phone and that works, but is kind of a pain, what with the small screen. And then I have my Kindle.

So, PC (gaming laptop) on the weekends, phone and Kindle while on the road.

What would a tablet give me that I don't have now? Maybe buy a tablet and just get a "phone" phone (not all that "smart") and leave it at that? How do you access the internets with a tablet, 3-4G, or do you have to have WiFi? No 3-4G would not work for me. Currently I have AT&T wireless service and while not perfect, it's OK

Add to this that I think a lot of times that I should just cut myself off from the internet, and go back to "the ol' days". I never do, though.

Anyway, tablets good?

I think your requirement of 3G/4G narrows the field substantially, probably down to an iPad, and a few Android tablets (although you could potentially tether them to your phone for Internet access).

I think about all you'd get that you don't have now would be a bigger screen. Those tablets wouldn't run Windows games, so you'd be limited to the app store. You could install the Kindle app on it and not use the Kindle anymore, but not sure that's worth it.

3G/4G tablets are usually pretty pricey, too, so that will probably be a consideration.

For light gaming, some more research might be in order on this:
http://store.nvidia.com/buyshield

Some Surface Pro Tablets come with 3G/4G dont they?

the thing with mobiles over laptops... IMO... instant on... that's why I now use my iPad over my laptop, which I haven't touched in over a year.

2 options when you get a iPad: WiFi only, or wifi + cell. I have + at 50 bucks a month for 50GB bandwidth.

Plus some games for iPad are pretty damn AWESOME.

Have an Ipad 2 bought a few years back with WiFi and 3g. Comes in real handy while on vacation
finding places to go when you have no WiFi available. Been thinking about upgrading to to an
Ipad Air with 4g. But the Data plans start getting far steeper with Verizon.

I couldn't find a Pro model that did, but they do make a version of the Surface 2 that does. It's $680. I knew that there was also a Nokia tablet that had it, but I guess I just don't consider RT as a fully supported OS at this point. I have an original Surface, and I like it, but I just don't see RT being around much longer.

I had an iPad 2 and after a while I hardly ever used my laptop or desktop. Mine had wifi and 3G . Best to have both. My wife thought she would be ok with just the wifi, but soon determined that wasn't working out for her. So I just upgraded to an iPad Air and she took my iPad 2. The Air is noticeably faster with its 4g / LTE than the 2 was with 3G. The Retina display makes no noticeable difference to me. I went 32 rather than 16 mem this time since I only had 2 left and I know I would have hit the memory wall pretty soon.

The iPads are great. I hardly ever touch the laptop or desktop anymore.

+1 OG - pretty much the exact same experience for me, wife and all

Wish my wife liked Ipads, she is hooked on her Nook Pro 32gb. She says that she won`t be able to see all
the books she bought from Barnes & Noble, told her about the app that works with it. She still won`t budge.
I guess my son will get the Ipad 2 when I get my Air next week. Decided to splurge and get the 128gb and
4g lte verizon. Heard lots of good things about the 4g plans even being faster then my cable modem even.
Will soon see.

We bought a Lenovo Yoga a week ago -- the lid/screen can flip all the way over the back so it becomes a tablet like device.

Looks like some other new laptop models -- Dell for one, has similar models.

The one we got last week had a 128 GB SSD ($900) and that was NOT big enough after all the Office, iTunes, etc. applications -- there was only about 30 GB left which wasn't enough for our pics and music, so I exchanged it for the next model up with a 256 GB SSD ($1300).

WC

You can get a no-contract mobile hotspot for wifi cheap. I think it was with Virgin that it was so cheap. Best Buy has some, I think they run about $40 then pay monthly about $20? Been a while since I looked at it, turns out my windows phone has that built in.
Or, get a Kindle Fire with a 4G LTE plan: http://www.amazon.com/kindle-fire-hdx-st...rds=kindle+fire

Otherwise, I love my Nexus 7 and would get another if something happened to it.

Surface 2 had a 4G LTE Version, but I never seen it.

I have Purposely Used my Phone as a Tether with my office's Surface Pro and it worked.

Another thing that worked for me was that I used was a USB2.0 Cell Phone Mobile Broadband Adapter (via nTelos).

Eventually I just got a MiFi Adapter that connects to the Cellphone network and plug it into the car's Accessory Port to charge and provide internet access while on the road (usually Lighter Socket). which works as well, I can keep the MiFi router in my pocket and walk around with the tablet and stay on the 'net.

LJ, I highly recommend the iPad.

Hey, thanks for all the responses, guys!

Seems there is a lot more to consider than I had originally thought. I guess the best thing for me, now, is to start doing some research, both online and at the stores.

It does sound like a tablet is in my future, if I can find a data plan I can afford (my present AT&T cellphone plan only allows 2GB/month, then $10 for every 1GB after that).

Interesting to see the diverse advice, which just shows how subjective this all is.

The iPad sucks. It's expensive, and having to do all transfers via iTunes annoyed me immensely.

I wouldn't bother with a built in 3G/4G modem in the tablet, just use the wifi hotspot facility which most phones have these days. This has the advantage of being able to put the phone in the best space for cellular reception, which generally isn't in your lap.

Regarding the phone, unless being seen with the 'right' brand is important to you, generic chinese android is the way to go. For the last few months I've been using a Cubot P9 (around $100 from Amazon). This can run two SIM cards simultaneously. I use my main contract SIM in one slot, and a PAYG SIM in the other from the most appropriate operator in the area that I'm in. You can decide what SIM gets used for voice/text/data etc.

If I want to be productive when travelling, I'll take a Surface Pro, with it's type cover. This has run everything I've thrown at it, including the VB5 IDE from 1997. I'm really using it as a laptop though, as using the touchscreen for input is clumsy and reminds me of finger painting in kindergarden.

Otherwise, I'll take a sub-$100 10" android tablet for which the only advantage over the phone is the bigger screen. It's fine for surfing and playing time wasting games on planes and trains. It also doesn't matter if it gets stolen or seized by over zealous border officials.

For reading books, I've found that no tablet is a comfortable to use as a Kindle (or equivalent), so that always travels with me.

Not sure how this helps the truck driving original poster though, although my advice would be a cheap android tablet.
This might be useful in the winter when the windshield is covered in snow. You could prop the tablet on the dashboard and just clear a small patch of snow in front of the camera, then use the screen to see where you're going.

typo? or hook a brother up

When they make a foldable or rollupable 20 plus " screen mcphablet i will think of getting one. Plus it better do real games and sims. And be light. And cheap. And nasty...like my women

For surfing and reading emails a tablet is a lot more convenient than a laptop. Typing is worse IMO, so it depends on how much typing you do.

I will second the recommendation to get 32GB if you can afford it. Whether it's a phone or a tablet, you'll find 16GB goes PDQ, and if you get an Apple there's no SD card slot to expand that.

My wife has a 32GB iPad 2 Wifi and a 16GB iPad Mini Wifi and the Mini is always right at the limit after getting a few apps and things installed thanks to my daughter making her videos and "stories". She also takes a million pictures of her toys and things with them, so we're deleting like 300-400 pictures all the time.

16GB is just not enough with how much space the base OS and apps take up.



The Jedi Master

I went with the iPad for a very important reason. The iPad is approved for use by the FAA because of its closed system. The others are not. So I can use it for all my aviation requirements. Faster, easier, and a lot less bulk than all the paper charts and plates.