First of all, you have to be in a location for wireless Internet..meaning that the Internet is transmitted through the air (no wires)in your house, or coffee shop..check with your internet provider. A tablet can be used for anything that your desktop or laptop can do. Apps or applications are just a bunch of extra little programs that can be added..the is a little icon on your home page with a name like App Store or something. If the hospital has wireless Internet you could use it there..there are no ports on the tablet to plug in an eternity cable..some have bth front facing and back facing cameras so you can use Skype or something similar for video chat..best deal is to go into a electronic store and talk to a clerk to decide the size you want and how much you want to spend

Hi Daisy...remember you from the herb forum. Anyway, I researched tablets and how or if I would find a use for one that justified the price. My daughter gave me a tablet as a gift for Christmas and I hope to never be without one. My experience: I do use it more than I thought. I have several apps that I really like and use ie: out of milk....grocery list and pantry inventory, kindle app...I use the tablet as an e-reader, evernote....for lists, notes, things I want to remember, it also has a calendar that I list all scheduled events....appts, meetings, etc. My memory not being what it used to be...I write down EVERYTHING.
These apps sync with my desktop and laptop computer and when I make a change on any of them, the change shows on all devices. You do need to have an internet connection to sync the apps, otherwise you can do a lot without being connected to the internet. the e-reader, calendar, and the apps are available to use without an internet connection. You also need an internet connection to surf the web, and respond to e-mail, but to just read it, no connection is required.
I also knit and have an app that works as a row counter and needle inventory...again no internet connection required to use.
I have the Google Nexus 7 tablet and absolutely love it. I wondered how much use I would actually get out of it and if I could get the hang of using it. For me a big ole YES I use it more than I ever thought. It is small enough to carry with me in my purse and I have my lists and information with me all the time.
genes is right, if you can go to a store and have someone show it to you it would be a big help to you. Do a little research on the apps that are available, think thousands and thousands, and what your desires are....I wanted lists, inventories, scheduling, books, news, etc.
Easier mobility than a laptop but bigger than a smartphone
As a final note....I think having one while in the hospital would be great! I think most hospitals now offer wifi, the ones i am familiar with do. Wifi is available almost everywhere now.
I know this is long, but hope it helps you a bit. I too am older and not that "tech savvy" but the tables are amazing. and as the saying goes "there is an app for that" is so true.
Good luck in your search.
Murphy

I have a kindle fire and love it. Don't take the laptop when I travel any more and use this to connect into wifi to surf the net and check emails. I don't just have to get apps from amazon I have the 1mobile app from their site and can get apps from there.

One thing to consider is where the tablet accesses apps. My friend bought a cheapy tablet but it does not use the google play store but another site like 1mobile but she can also put the amazon app store on it. Mary

I have two (one iPad and one Android)...each is fine. I like them because they take up little space, can do most anything a laptop can do, and I use them to download a number of magazines and newspapers I subscribe to. And they can be used as an e-reader for books (like a Kindle, etc.). Once downloaded, these documents are on the device, and I don't need an Internet connection to read them. However, I would imagine that any hospital these days will have wi-fi available. The only disadvantage I see is that they are a little slower to type on because you are typing on the touch screen. However, if this is a big deal, then you can get a cheap, compact keyboard that pairs with the device wirelessly (I just bought one for $20).

As far as apps, the choices are endless, and often free...I've yet to pay for one. Most tablets have an icon to tap to take you to the "store" where you type in the sort of thing you are looking for and then you choose and download it. Some of the apps I like are: a weather app; a flight app that gives the realtime schedule for any flight in the world; a wi-fi locater showing where free wi-fi is available anywhere in the world based on my location; a dictation app so I don't have to type; game apps (Mahjong and crossword puzzles); music app to play digital music files; calendar, shopping list, and reminder apps; video player so I can watch Netflix movies; and several recipe apps with 10's of thousands of recipes available (I just put the tablet in a little stand in the kitchen). That's about 10% of what I have installed.

If you are going to get one, I suggest a 10" screen as it makes reading books and magazines, as well as surfing the web more enjoyable. You also have to decide whether you are going to get one that has only wi-fi, which means it can only access the Internet when you are in range of a wi-fi router, or whether you are going to get a more expensive one that can also access a data plan from a cell phone company. With the latter, you are not dependent on finding an available wi-fi connection to surf, but you are paying probably $100 more for the capability, and you will need to pay monthly for a data plan like you would with a smartphone. I don't have a data plan for my tablets. I mainly use a tablet at home so it connects to my router, and at other places, like major airports, university buildings, public buildings, Starbucks, McDonalds, etc., there is usually free wi-fi. If I really need an internet connection when I am out and can't find a free one, I just use my smartphone.

Lastly, you can use most tablets as cameras, and more expensive ones have two cameras built-in so that you can also make phone calls via Skype.

This post was edited by kudzu9 on Wed, Mar 27, 13 at 15:21

Fairly recently, I purchased a tablet and absolutely love it.

Many public libraries today have an ap you can download and to use check out e-books from the library - just as if you walk into the library and check out hardcover books. The books do have a return date just as hardcover books do. I use this extensively. My library used Overdrive for their electronic books checkout. The tablet is so lightweight it is great for reading books.

I also have Solitaire which I like to play, and Sudoku for playing the numbers game. I also like Google's Skymap which shows the placement of the stars and planets. A GPS, and several other aps that I use occassionally.

As Kudzu9 said, I have not paid for a single ap. There is no reason to since there are so many free ones.

I am of the older generation, too, but have embraced the computer since first coming out for home use. I don't think you will be sorry if you purchase a tablet.

I second the library. Ours uses over drive too and I love late at night I can browse and check out a book from bed. Mary