Help me decide what to buy

[Dutchoma]

To enable me to use the internet 'on the go' I bought Galaxy mini GT S5570.
I didn't want to use it as a phone and every six months I paid £20 to have internet access. I have never liked it because it is too small to accurately 'hit' the target, (eg 'bump and reset' in Im watching) it is also very slow and drives me potty.
But what else to buy? All I use it for is to have the internet with me when I am away from home (feel bereft without Mumsnet). I used an ipad when with my sister-in-law and liked that a lot. But I am not used to Mac machines (my PC is Lenovo ThinkCentre).
I don't want it to be on a contract of course, as I don't use it a lot, but how does one pay for using a tablet?
Is there anybody who can clarify my thinking for me? I'm ever so muddled.

Middle of nowhere is the ideal. To be able to send an e.mail, find Facebook and its chat and Mumsnet anywhere, without having to connect to someone else's WiFi.
To be able to pay for what I actually use.
It is the slowness of the Galaxy and the fact that when you press something it comes up with something entirely different.
As an example: On the home computer I set MN topics under 'I'm watching' When I have checked the new entries I go back to 'I'm watching' and press 'bump and reset' Not a hope with the Mini.
Another thing: I like to check my bank account while away. Putting in the security data is almost an impossibility, I just can't do it.
Apart from the fact that it will work for about an hour and a half, then it needs recharging.
As I said before I don't need to use it as a phone or a camera.
What I liked best about Maggie's iPad was the spaciousness of it, the letters of the keyboard were fingertip sized and the pages that came up looked so much more like what I see on the desk top.

Was the ipad you borrowed a full size one, or an ipad mini?

It sounds as though you are definitely after a tablet rather than any phone or hybrid device.

You are currently paying for what you use with your galaxy. Presumably you have a sim attached to some sort of billing method. Is there a reason why you don't want to carry on using that method? If you could get a tablet where you could just swap that sim over, and carry on as you are payments wise, that sounds like the ideal to me.

I have only ever used iPads, in tablet terms. I like them (both full size and mini) but I appreciate you are not looking to be persuaded. Fwiw, the mini is a great size, imo. Big enough to do everything you want, and small enough to be properly portable. I have a wifi only ipad, but use my phone as a wifi hotspot if needed (usually when away from home in a rented cottage or similar, although wifi is becoming standard in holiday lets now). Battery life on an ipad is also good. For standard browsing (as opposed to watching videos, streaming live tv or playing graphics heavy games) it is easy to go a full day (and more) without charging.

I haven't ever used one, but have you looked at a kindle fire tablet? I think they are on offer this week as part of Amazons Black Friday deals. It might be worth considering (I have a standard book-only kindle, and I like it well enough, and amazon customer services have quickly and easily cleared up the few issues I have had over the years I have had it). Size wise it probably does what you want it to.

It was a full size, 10" I think.

I have paid £20 for six months on the current system, but when I asked the EE shop where I got it mini Galaxy they said they would not do that deal any more. They did show me another thing which was bigger than the mini, cost £99 and came with so many GB a month. Trouble is I don't have any idea of whether that would be enough for my needs; I can't even remember what he said I would get every month. I wouldn't mind coming out of EE/TMobile, they messed me about something cruel, but I don't know whether anybody else wold be any better. Frying pan etc.

If you liked the ipad I would go for it.

The good news is, there's nothing really to learn. You tap, the app opens, and that's more or less it!

It's not at all like buying a Mac, and then having to get to grips with OS X Whatever, and moving all your Windows stuff onto the new platform. This can be a learning curve, and might be one reason why your brother has steered clear of apple.

The ipad offers a completely different experience. It runs on its own operating system (IOS), which is especially for apple mobile devices. There's nothing to it from the user's point of view. You definitely don't need to have been an apple user before.

In terms of your own wifi, you might try a mifi, as suggested upthread? This is a little unit which will supply you with your own wifi hotspot wherever you go. You can top it up when you want it. No contract needed.

..(..btw, for 'learning curve' read 'faff' - didn't mean to imply your brother would have to learn anything!)

Here are a few mifi units

www.o2.co.uk/broadband

I'm still thinking about it and have asked my sister-in-law what the make of her ipad is. I'm veering towards going for that as I liked it a lot. Thanks for all the advice.

Have been to the local i-store and like the i pad Air an awful lot. A friend has one with a proper keyboard and I would like that even better.

Bought the iPad air.

Hope you enjoy it Dutchoma!