I also am planning to get a new phone…soon. I’ve been planning for about 2 years! LOL If I get an iPad and like it, I may get an iPhone, too. I don’t realize the full potential of my current phone because it is old, slow, and really small. If I had a new one, I’m sure I would enjoy its smartness more.
I love my iPad. I’m trying to find an excuse to buy the iPad Air2 because it’s so much nicer - and frankly makes the smaller mini feel clunky when the mini used to feel like a sliver of nothing. I also find the screen easy on my far-sighted eyes. Whatever you get, only get wifi. If you need to use a cell network, you can tether a phone easily for the few minutes needed and wifi networks are more common and faster each year. Last, whatever you get, I don’t think 16G is enough unless you don’t use it much. I have a 64G iPad and never feel constrained.
In my case, I’ve found my fast home connection has made using my iPad more fun. I use Next Issue a lot. It’s an all-in-one magazine app: you pay either $10 a month for monthlies or $15 for monthlies and weeklies. (And it’s easy to find a month free plus 2 months half off.) There are about 140 magazines, including nearly all the ones we get at home plus more. New Yorker, GQ, Mens Health, Natl Geo, Consumer Reports, etc. With the fast home wifi, it takes a few minutes to download as many magazines as I want. If I had a slower connection or needed to connect at a cafe or the like, this might be painful. (Note that most mags aren’t produced in “retina” quality yet but the app supports that.)
My DH had an IPAD and I would play on it. He bought me a mini because he thought I would carry it around in my purse, but I never did. Just used it like you want to. I got really tired of having to enlarge everything to read and he could tell. Bought me an IPAD air and I love it.
BTW, Apple’s app store has more apps and more free apps than Google Play.
I didn’t mention apps except for Next Issue because you probably don’t have a lot of needs. I have a huge number, but most people don’t need many and most they do need are free. Like Dropbox or the like. Unless you have a niche need - like music recording - you shouldn’t pay more than a few bucks for most of what you need.
We like our Samsung Galaxy tablet for quick things at home and on the road (including in the car, which has wifi). However, it can be slow. At home I usually fire up the PC for anything intense and/or important.
iPad for sure. Get the latest
I bought an iPad within the past 6 months and love it. I read at night and enlarge the print when needed - I never need my readers to use it. It is a regular size and I would not be happy with the mini. It was simple to learn. I’ve never had a data phone but would now really like an iPhone.
If I get an iPad, what accessories, if any, would I need?
Enlarging the font is something you can do with any tablet. This article looks like very helpful: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2382821,00.asp and it’s recent.
The only accessory I have for my iPad is a smart cover, which attaches via magnets to one end and when it closes, it turns the tablet off. You can buy one from Apple, but I found this on Amazon for a lot less (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NBT72YY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1). It’s not as nice as the Apple one. I don’t use anything for the back – I decided I don’t really care if it gets a little dinged up. A lot of people like getting much thicker cases, but I love the iPad for its thinness, which to me is obscured when it’s encased in thick plastic or leather. That’s a decision you’ll have to make. Some people get separate keyboards, stands (if they’re going to be watching a lot of videos), charging ports. I also have some special cleaner solution and chamois cloths to clean the glass.
Get a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 8" tablet. I speak as a prior user of an iMac which I loved and a Nexus 7 which I loved until it became useless after Google’s “upgrades.”
I consider a 7" or 8" tablet a “large print” smartphone. If you are used to Android you will have very little learning curve. Only buy a name brand and I can tell you Samsung is great. The Galaxy Tabs can take an SD card (just like what’s in camera) to expand memory so 16GB is just fine.
When I finally had to give up on my Nexus 7 (it is still usable to check email and stream music but not surfing), I first bought an iPad Mini 2 which was on special for $249. I did not find it any more responsive than the Nexus or the Samsung I subsequently bought. In fact it was very irritating because it often took two or three taps to close a tab in safari (web browser).
I also wanted an alternate virtual keyboard because I like numbers and symbols readily available and I was dismayed to find only one option in the apple store, and I didn’t like that one for other reasons.
So I actually returned the iPad and continued my search, finally stumbling on the Samsung Galaxy Tab line. You can get them in 7" 8" or 10." I really like the 8". I can slip it in my purse yet it has a large viewing area. It is barely bigger than my old Nexus 7. Android offers so many apps. Lots of choices of browsers, keyboards, all kinds of things. If you prefer to keep it simple, it comes preloaded with everything you need. The built-in Samsung virtual keyboard includes the number row.
As far as size, and this goes for iPads too, it would be best to test drive them in stores and give some thought to how you will be using it and the size and weight. I like the easy portability of the 7 or 8 inch. The newer Nexuses are probably fine too, I’m just mad at Google so I refused to buy another one. iPads are more square than Android tablets so they are bigger from the get-go.
My Samsung is wifi only and that works fine for me. I have a texting app and can even make voice calls over wifi (kinda weird holding a tablet up to your ear—not something I normally do!).
iPads are not the be-all and end-all! My oldest sister has an iPad and she hardly does anything with it except play games. Once every six months her daughter sets her up with something new (most recently a facebook account) and all she knows is what button to push.
Heh. I picked up an Azpen A727 android tablet from Microcenter for around $20 last year with a promotional coupon they mailed. Despite its low RAM and storage specs(512 MB RAM/4 GB storage), I’m pretty happy with it considering what I paid and uses I subjected it to including:
Checking email/web via wifi
Playing streaming videos
Playing albums from google play
Using it as a secondary phone/text thanks to google voice/txt via wifi.
Running a distributed computing program facilitating scientific research on it nearly 24/7.
While I wouldn’t pay retail of $79.99 last year or more recently, $39.99 on sale, I’m pretty satisfied with it considering what I paid.
As far as a tablet cover, don’t buy the ones that just snap over the front of the screen and then swing around to hold the IPAD upright. They cost $40 and they’re crap. You end up having to hold the piece so the IPAD stays on and I’ve had the IPAD slip from the magnetic piece. Thankfully I was able to catch it.
I went to Staples and found a nice cover. I like the ones where there are thicker groves to set the tablet to different positions upright. What I do is usually sit on the sofa, put a pillow on my lap and the ipad cover/holder in the most comfortable upright slot for me and read. Don’t have to touch it at all. I love the IPAD Air 2.
My H has an iPad, my D has an HD fire. D uses her pad to take notes in college classes and it allows her to leave her heavier laptop in her dorm room.
I have not adapted to a tablet yet. Don’t even like laptops. I tried reading in bed on a tablet and hated it. The weight will vary from model to model, so be sure to sit down and take time to hold tablets at the store. Maybe even buy at a store with a great return policy.
Some tablets are best for reading, others better for watching movies. Do some shopping at several stores (the reps may or may not be knowledgeable, so you may have to shop several stores before you hit on a rep that knows their tablets.)
Agree to get an iPad cover that allows you to stand/prop the iPad up - great for when you are following a recipe you have pulled up on an iPad or for when you want to show someone your favorite YouTube. 
All you need is a case and, if you want, a keyboard. You can get those in one, if you want, like a case/keyboard made by Belkin, etc.
In my case, I have a smart cover which I don’t use and a regular wireless keyboard that I use with two little clips which slide on to the keyboard and hold the ipad in position. The new leather smart covers cover both the front and back so they’re better than the old ones. I have written long pieces on my iPad using the regular keyboard and love using it for writing. I find that I can travel with just my iPad and the keyboard, especially now that there’s cloud storage for anything I need.
Oh, this showed up today: The Wirecutter’s pick for [best Android tablet](The 3 Best Android Tablets 2023 | Reviews by Wirecutter). They prefer iPad but this is their favorite other.
See, now I like the “ones that just snap over the front of the screen and then swing around.” Not the Apple ones; they are too expensive. Good thing there are so many choices!
For iPad & Kindle cases, I bought Fintie @ Amazon.
I also had a Switcheasy case for my iPad, and an STM thin case, both of which were great, but the dog chewed them.
The Fintie is a much cheaper replacement while still doing the job.
[Fintie cases, read the reviews carefully for the best model for you](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_85_0?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A172282%2Cn%3A%21493964%2Cn%3A541966%2Cn%3A2348628011%2Cn%3A2348629011%2Cn%3A3012929011%2Cp_4%3AFintie%2Cp_89%3AFintie%2Cp_72%3A1248879011%2Cp_85%3A2470955011&bbn=3012929011&ie=UTF8&qid=1426534137&rnid=2470954011)
I use my Kindle Paperwhite for reading, but I admit it does not have the responsiveness of the iPad. Plus, the greyscale is not very detailed for graphics.
One thing the Microsoft Surface Pro has that the others don’t is the stylus to let you write in long hand. Just gotta go check it out.