8" Tablet Recommendations?

[Matt Meiser]

Looking at options to replace an aging iPad Mini. I mainly use it as an eReader at home (using the Kindle app) and for light email, Facebook, and web browsing duties when traveling. I'm very hung up on using Chrome as my browser because of the data sync between devices so not being able to use it is a deal breaker for me. I've started looking at replacement options:

iPad Mini - super easy to migrate and syncs a lot of configuration with my iPhone, but they've now greatly upgraded the Mini and they start at $400, not in the $2xx's like in the past. Bonus would be that because they have so much storage I could back up camera data cards while traveling.
Kindle Fire 8 - Super cheap, especially if you don't mind ads on the screen saver. Chrome can be installed but takes light hacking and is not supported. Finding mixed info on support for connecting a card reader.

What should I look at in the Android world?

[Tony Pisano]

I bought a Samsung Galaxy about a year and a half ago. It's model T550. The overall size is about 6x9 inches. My reason was so I could use a paypal reader to accept credit card payments. I found myself also using it to check email, and now it's my go to for email, facebook, sawmill creek and online browsing. I still use my desktop when I want to write a blog or save/print stuff, but I love the tablet. Soft cover was extra but allows you to set it down in various positions.

[John K Jordan]

Looking at options to replace an aging iPad Mini.

I don't keep up with what's what in the tablet universe, but I use an iPad mini (64 gb), an older full-sized iPad, a Nexus 7, a newer Kindle Fire, and some other Kindles. I like the iPad mini the best for general use and the Kindle Fire best for reading. The battery life is better on the Kindle for hours of reading. To me it is worth paying more for the Kindle versions without the ads. The Nexus is "ok."

JKJ

[Jim Becker]

For continuity and so forth, I'd stick with the new iPad mini and sell/trade-in the existing unit to recover some of the increased cost. I do that even for iPhones...

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I personally prefer the Apple platform. I was given a Samsung which uses the Android platform and I had a lot of issues with the functionality. I gave it a year of trying to get used to it (I had no choice- it was a work phone- and by the way, they went to Apple and gave me an iPhone), and it was more than just learning curve- it was just downright not user friendly. I won't get into details. Everything from the steps it took to do things, to the way the email was hard to use, to the four steps it took just to put the thing on airplane mode. I was so glad to get rid of that thing. To end on a positive, Samsung has an awesome watch that couples with their phone/tablets and I do miss that watch.

I have an older iPad and use the Kindle app for reading, and a note taking app for taking notes during meetings. Love it. My wife just got the iPad mini and she loves it. It takes amazing photos and the size isn't THAT much smaller than the "regular sized" iPad. I vote for the mini, especially if you carry an iPhone. Everything works together (and yes, they got me with that). Also I just saved hundreds of dollars thanks to the "find my iPhone" app, and a very nice carnie who held on to it for me when it flew out of my pocket on the tilt-a-whirl. I discovered it missing later on, and "find my iPhone" took me back to it.

[Tony Pisano]

My Samsung is a tablet. I wouldn't want to carry 6"×9" phone around. Heck I wouldn't want to carryanything around that would distractme as much as a smart phone
Still use a flip phone.

[Pat Barry]

DOn't see the problems some have reported with Samsung phones. I have one (for work) and it is great - just a Model 5, not the newer ones, but Android makes things pretty easy. For instance, airplane mode is just dragging down the top menu and touching the airplane mode icon. My wife had a Samsung tablet that was the 8 inch version, very nice, but it stopped working for unknown reasons. Thought it was the battery but that wasn't it - its sitting in my ToDO box waiting for me to figure it out. She got a Samsung 7 inch tablet for about $125 from Costco as a replacement and she loves it.

[Rick Moyer]

I love my Samsung Tab S (10") for web surfing, games, news, etc. But I also have a small Nook that I seem to use for reading cause it's so light and easy to handle. Think nothing of holding it up with one hand to read in bed or wherever. Not great for much else but for just reading it's perfect I think.

[Mark Carlson]

How about a chromebook.

[Matt Meiser]

I wouldn't be interested in anything larger than an 8" tablet. I also have a high powered ultrabook-class laptop for personal use and my work laptop available. This is what I use for reading and what I take on vacations for internet access (in addition to what I do on my phone.)

[Jim Becker]

The iPad mini or similar size sounds like a good match for your needs, Matt. While i don't prefer the shiny screen for reading (I used my iPhone 6S+ for that recently when I forgot to take my Kindle Paperwhite with me while traveling...similar screen size, but glare prone) it's a good compromise for combining web content with reading as long as you watch "where the light is coming from" in the space you're in.

[Matt Meiser]

Yes, its been working out well for how I use it for several years. Most of my reading is in bed at night so usually dimmer lighting. I have an ancient Kindle I've been using when reading in the hammock in the summer. I think it might have actually reached the point where its unsupported so I'll probably end up picking up whatever the cheapest option there is as well at some point. The one I have is so old it has a physical keyboard!

[Dave Lehnert]

Matt
I have also started looking at new tablets.
I now have a Kindle Fire HD 7" (Maybe 8" ????) What got me looking at other brands, I just got into the world of a Smart Phone. The apps that are available on Google play vs the Kindle store is no comparison. I had no idea the Kindle Apps were so limited. I love my Kindle Fire HD but it is more like a cash register for Amazon vs a tablet.
I read a lot of magazines so a regular Amazon e-reader is out for me. I have not figured out yet if I can still receive/ read my magazines from Amazon on a Samsung tablet or the like.
The Kindle Fire can be had for cheap so I may keep the Kindle for reading and a Android tablet for everything else.
Just a word about ads on the Kindle Fire. I see no reason to pay extra for the ad free version. The only time you see the ad is when you turn it on or wake it up. One swipe of the finger and it is gone. I have taken advantaged of the deals. $5 albums, $5 year magazines etc...

[Jim Becker]

Yes, its been working out well for how I use it for several years. Most of my reading is in bed at night so usually dimmer lighting. I have an ancient Kindle I've been using when reading in the hammock in the summer. I think it might have actually reached the point where its unsupported so I'll probably end up picking up whatever the cheapest option there is as well at some point. The one I have is so old it has a physical keyboard!

I traded in my original Kindle (with the keyboard) for the PaperWhite about a year or so ago, so I can appreciate your situation! Very happy with the new one aesthetically, however, the battery life is notably shorter. That may be cause of the cover sometime confusing things and the backlight getting turned on when it should be sleeping.

[Tom Stenzel]

Matt, when you narrow down your choices check the online reviews.

I got a Samsung 7" tablet (SM-T210R) a few years back. If you read the reviews of that model the recurring problem was the slow processor. They're not kidding- my wife's older iphone can look something up on Google and have answer while I'm waiting for the bookmark screen to finish jumping around.

There have been other heebee jeebies with this model. With the screen power save mode on when the screen blanks out it needs a reset to get it start back up. There have been several updates to the OS sent to it but then don't seem to solve any of the problems, just run the battery down faster.

Other oddities- Chrome worked but battery life was poor.

When Firefox was installed battery life when in the toilet. Turns out that Firefox was loading a module at boot up that was the largest single user of power. How bad was it? The battery would slowly run down and go dead with the factory charger plugged in. It could only charge up when turned off. Removing Firefox fixed the problem.

Hopefully Samsung's current offerings are better!

I also have a Nook Simple Touch bought before backlights were available. The only knock against it is cold weather knocks the battery out so leaving it in the car in winter means you aren't reading. Other than that I really like it and use it a lot.

-Tom