I deliberated long and hard between the iPad and the Galaxy Tab and came to the conclusion that either one would be great. It wasn't an issue of the iPad being somewhat more expensive or that the Tab was somehow superior...I just liked the slightly more rectangular screen format of the Tab, the ability to customize the interface using Android, and the fact that I knew Android would be easier for me to use based on having an Android smartphone. The iPad is a beautiful machine, so I hope no one thought I was dissing it because I wanted to tout the choice I made as better...it was a close call. Other observations I can make are: 1) I wanted to use my device as an Internet browser, so having Flash capability (which the iPad doesn't support) was a modest issue. 2) If you want compactness in your ereader, then the Kindle of the Amazon Fire would be a better portability choice than either the Tab or the iPad. 3) I had gathered, from reading comparisons between the Tab and the iPad, that I might have a bit more flexibility with handling a range of ebook formats if I chose the Tab over the iPad, and in sharing those books across devices. I understand that iPad doesn't read formats available from all libraries, although I assume you could solve this by doing a conversion with the free Calibre software. (I'll admit that I'm not an expert on this.)

Verizon, Spring, Cricket, and other) use a cellular technology called CDMA (vs. GSM of AT&T and T-Mobile). CDMA phones lack a SIM card need to be programmed by the carrier. It may be possible for a carrier to reprogram a CDMA phone from another carrier. It's likely going to depend on the carrier and that specific phone. Of course, most carriers with give you a free phone or sell you an inexpensive phone with a 2 year contract.

We have a connected tablet for our daughter on verizon, and we have an additional samsung tablet on our account for my inlaws. Our tablet unit is built for kids with an included large rubber bumper guard and subsequently has a modified OS for kids within its basic android setup. Experience of service is on par with the rest of our verizon gear. My relatives and inlaws who have tablets on verizon or ATT, do not have complaints...............................verizon - I do not believe has such a prepay basis service available, allowing ez back and forth request for mobile use. There is an activation fee usually to setup the phone number and get added to the account. Then the tablet simply uses from the pool of data we have and the monthly fee is charged. I suppose the tablet service can be cancelled...but there might be an activation fee for whenever its resumed....I'm not sure. I believe it can be on a month to month basis.....if no contract is present. On your tablet is there a lower fee to use the tablet without the mobile data 'active' or is it just zero fee until you decide to convert it from ...lets call it dormant mode....to active mobile data mode? Tablet fee is 10 dollars a month, on verizon, regardless if the mobile aspect of it is used, as long as its listed as a connected device with its own phone number for billing purposes. Funny thing is my inlaw never used her tablet away from the house and only used wifi....she would have been better off just getting a non cellular tablet at a lower cost. With the advent of mobile hotspots...the necessity or need for a cellular tablet isn't that important to me. My wife likes the simplicity of it. Additionally, the battery life of any other product does not need to be drained by making a hotspot. For 10 dollars, the fee is reasonable on verizon. My wifes connected watch which has its own phone number and can dial and receive calls from its own number besides utilizing her samsung phones number via bluetooth, I think is 5 dollars a month. I don't know if she has ever made a call with it LOL.

I pick up a SIM card and replace the one in my phone with the SIM, which is local to the country. I can't receive calls on my U.S. number, which doesn't bother me because I can be reached by email or Skype.