oh wow that would be a huge downgrade if you have the Excite and go to a fire. I sure would never go that route. The excite tablets are really really nice, and pricy. Which one of the excite models do you have? Your tablet can run races around the Fire and do so so so much more, plus you can add the kindle app to it and still be able to read all the kindle books you want.(The fire is a fine tablet too but no where near what the new excites are) My analogy would be going from a Ferrari to a Mustang. I think the learning curve for Android is what is worrisome for most new tablet users but once you get it, it is really easy that is why learning the OS is important. Android is the OS just like Windows is the OS on the pc and the apps are the same as programs we install on our windows pc. So if you have a problem or issue with a particular app or program that usually is not the OS problem it is the app program problem. Just like with the reader app there are many many reader apps I have a lot of them on my tablets I like certain ones better than others and each one has different ways of doing things that I have to learn. At this time my fave is still Aldiko but I use the Kindle app a lot since I have a lot of the free kindle books.

I would absolutely love to be able to afford an excite so know you have caused me tablet envy LOL

Of my actual tablets my fave is my Vizio 8" VTab, but it would pale in comparison to most of the latest new excite tablets.

If I buy a new one any time soon it will probably have the latest Android version, high screen resolution, a quad core processor, preferably at least 8" I would go to 10". SD card slot for expandable memory, all the various ports including HDMI and bluetooth etc. might as well try for all the bells and whistles. But it would have to be affordable!

I am more than happy to help you more with the excite if you want, just give me the device info.

I posted about returning the excite for a refund. I had my correct user name and password, but Toshiba's system wouldn't let me into my own account. Tech support told me to return it for a refund, so I did. The Asus 10" epad I had before that had similar issues, and it's screen was totally unresponsive sometimes for no apparent reason.

In another thread the Vizio was mentioned, so I went and looked at it; looks good. I ended up getting the 10" Samsung Galaxy. Everything seems to work o.k. except the screen is often not responsive (just like the prior 2 tablets), and the os does stuff that doesn't make sense to me.

Last night while laying in bed I tried to read online news with the Samsung and the screen was frustratingly unresponsive. I finally gave up and put it away. Our household has wi-fi broadband and all the other gadgets we have work fine with it, so I think the issue is the tablets. The Samsung might be going back for a refund too.
Thanks for the info on the Vizio. It might be next.

I returned the Samsung and bought a 9.7" IdeaPad. So far, so good, except the new tablet won't turn off. The on/off button doesn't respond. So back to the store. I guess these tablets are a work in progress, and combined with Mercury being retrograde (just kidding), it's time to put 'em aside for awhile and stick with my laptop. Oh, well...

You've certainly seem to have had bad luck with tablets. I know this might be a silly question, but you are touching the tablet's screen with your fingertip? Using your nail or a non-conductive material can result in an apparent lack of responsiveness.

My husband had problems with his Nook Touch reader because he "pounds" the screen instead if just gently touching. It does make a difference with the different kinds of screens.

Raven: In your earlier post you mentioned that with your next tablet purchase, you'd prefer a 10". I have a 10" (albeit an "old" model now) and am looking to get a 7". (Are we never satisfied...those who have curly hair want straight and those with straight want curls!).

Anyway, any particular reason you're wanting a 10"? I have "seasoned" eyes and while I think I'd like the portability of a 7", I do wonder if I'll find it too small.

Can you use one mainly for e book reader? I don't like the small readers.

sure EmmaR you can use it for what ever you want and on an android tablet you can add multiple types of reader apps so you can read any type of book format you want, including the kindle books using the kindle app.

I guess I want a 10" because I don't have one LOL I really like the little bit bigger size I get with my 8" Vizio so if it was light weight enough I think I would like the bigger screen size. Especially with my eyesight.
I know it is hard for me to go back to my 7" tablet when I have been using the 8" alot.

It is great however that we can adjust the font for our seasoned eyes LOL

My husband is always touching the touchscreen when he shouldn't be and then it reacts and he gets all huffy at it LOL he will be sitting there telling it no no no I did not tell you to go to some other page, well yes you did you just stuck your finger on a link!! I have my recliner right beside his and I can not tell you how many times he is shoving it over to me to "fix" it when all he needs to do is hit the go back button. I need more patience Lord please!
This is why I got him the readers that do NOT have a touch screen! I offered to upgrade him to my 7" but he said does it have that darn touch screen(yep) so we know the answer to that one! NO.

I have no problems what so ever with any of the touch screens. Now going from the resistive to the multi touch is a learning experience.

I do always do the calibration settings test as soon as I get any new tablet to get it set to my touch.

Raven, that sounds like my husband. He was all thumbs when it came to a keyboard. He wanted so badly to be able to search and read things about Cushman Scooters. I would set up a page and show him what to do and pretty soon he would come out of the office very disgusted with himself.

But as you can see he was very good at restoring scooters.

Omg l have got to show my husband that picture! He has been into restoring old motorcycles since before I met him. We currently have 4 old Harleys. He has also had Cushmans! And an Indian or two lol
I have an old panhead 3 wheeler with reverse, I used to ride it everywhere, not so much any more.
You tell him we are very impressed!

Raven, My husband bought an Indian when he got out of the service. Rode a bus to Abilene, Kansas, and rode it over a hundred miles home. He had never ridden anything except bicycles before. He loved anything mechanical. The guys in the Cushman Club said he had the best two wheeler Cushman in Kansas, which I can't find a picture of. We had a guy on a motorcycle followed us a long way because he wanted to see what John had in his trailer. This scooter was not his rider, but it is a nice one.

Boy that must be his retirement plan LOL When I ask my husband to please sell a few Harleys so we can have some room in the garage he says no that is his retirement plan LOL
Beautiful scooter!

Nah, John's weren't near a retirement plan. It is just what he retired to. When he was diagnosed with AZ I asked him to sell the small parts. I didn't know a $2. lawn mower part from a $500 scooter part, but I knew how to sell the scooters. He just sold everything, he knew he could not ride again. He could barely talk by then, he had forgotten his "nouns". If you stop and think about it, we can't communicate if you can't use your nouns.

I know I am breaking a rule here (off topic), so will stop now. Thanks, been fun.

Oh I am sure sorry to hear that. Well sure is no doubt he had a talent there. Beautiful quality work.

Good memories.....Thank you Raven

Totally cool scooters! I have a daily rider Yamaha Majesty that has become my favorite 2 wheel ride.

Raven, you said "I do always do the calibration settings test as soon as I get any new tablet to get it set to my touch." How do you do that?

The last tech I spoke to about the Samsung I had said that maybe I'm one of the people whose fingers aren't warm and moist enough to operate a touch screen. It could be true, I had my right index finger cut off in a restaurant slicing machine accident. It was reattached and you can't tell it ever happened, but I imagine the blood flow isn't that great. My sense of touch, etc., seems normal though.
I bought a stylus for the Ideapad. So far so good.

I got the Ideapad at a big electronics store and was surprised by the number and variety of touch pads, brands and sizes I'd never heard of. Anyone know of a list anywhere of current makes\models? I looked at the big computer magazine sites for reviews but they had only the top brands. I looked in the Android forum and maybe I missed it if one is there.

I bought a pack of game boy stylus for my ereader and they work great. The tablet I bought had one and a place to put it on the tablet. Very handy.