I have a Kindle Fire and my SO has a Nook...We neither one use them much....

I have 2 IPADS. One is for my personal use and the other is for work.

For work I use Excel app, i take NOTES, i place my work orders (my employer has an app for our customer orders) , i use a photo resize app, i can lock documents as .PDF files, i listen to Sirius radio, PAndora radio, I can listen to any radio station in the U S A on one of my apps. Calendar apos. Scanner app. Ebay app........I buy and download books from amazon onto my Kindle app.

I download documents...large and small...from my email. It can handle it! I download my sewing machine manuals to my IpAd. They store to Ibooks. Patterns, the Bible, etc.

The functionality goes on and on! There is an app for practically anything.

I "sync" my apps between my Ipad, my work Ipad and my Iphone5. That way I have all of my apps with each device.

Sandy

I bought an iMac years ago that I still use regularly, bought a Sony ereader that I gave to a new home because reading books on it was difficult for me due to eyesight problems, (seizure disorder) and then wanted a tablet instead. In my research, I found that if I wanted it to work with my iMac, it had to be an IPad, so that is what I have now. The IPad does have problems on some sites, (youtube has few IPad compatible videos, and Facebook is really abbreviated on the tablet) so for those sites I use the IMac. I love the portability of the tablet, and when we travel, I can use public wifi to find directions. DH loves to play games on the tablet but just got his own computer for Christmas, (Microsoft ) so his and mine will not play together but he is learning to use his own now. I can read books on the iPad, play games, surf the 'net, read email, take and alter pictures, post anything I chose to use. Apps are low cost or free, and if I need a reminder, it does that too. I just pray it never needs replacing, how will I live until I get a new one????! Lol!

The biggest difference in tablets verses laptops is that you can not download software onto laptops, but you can use apps for many things but not all. I have the Nook color and the Nook tablet. Both will let me get onto the internet and view and save pdf files and also they have a version of Microsoft Office that is an app. The Nook has lots of memory and can be expanded with SD cards where the iPad's memory cant' be expanded. The Nook can get books from many places, not just barnes and noble, it supports lots of formats. I bring it to work and listen to Pandora's radio on it and I can watch movies on it, read, etc. My grandson loves the "read to me" books. The chromcast laptop (about 250 on military base) is nice and light, it doesn't have the cd drive built in which makes it lighter but you can get portable cd drives for when you need a cd drive like to install software or listen to music, etc. If you just want to search the internet, facebook, an organizer, or other things that apps can provide there are lots of tablets that are available in lots of price ranges. My first choice was the Samsung Galaxy 3 (which also has a camera) but I went with the Nook because it was less than half the price with the additional warranty and I dont' need a camera on my tablet. Plus, we have the stores all around us and they give great support without dealing online with a person you can't see. I have a 17in laptop for my digitizing but its too heavy to carry back and forth. I want a screen bigger than my netbook but lighter that the 17in. I really want the HP envy split 2, its a laptop plus you can take the screen off and its also a tablet, both of best worlds.

I have a tablet and a kindle fire HD I would/could not do without either of them, after a year of bad health the tablet was great, I made many new friends playing Words With Friends, and also kept my mind alert playing spelling games with my new internet friends.
The Kidndle I keep beside my bed for the hours sleep is not possible, I have the tablet and kindle linked so that I may read the same book on either device.