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is a tablet computer just a bigger version of a smart phone ?
seems the same to me !!  the  only diff is you cant make calls on a tablet

I'm struggling a bit with the same choice, after Santa hinted that I could have one for Christmas.

I'm tending towards a 7" tablet with a data connection.  Email, eBooks, social networking, texts, camera.  Screen big enough, but device not too big (the 10" tablets are a bit clumsy, and the phones are a bit small).

Keep a separate phone for voice calls.

Whichever way you go, it's a compromise.

yes you are more or less right Jim. A tablet doesn't have a phone connection so you use it for the Internet, e-mail, calendar and diary, drawing and note taking applications, photos, and games, music and watching video.

I've been down this route and have a smartphone and tablet.
Essentially they are pretty much the same thing but there are differences in design and hardware.  People also tend to use them for different things.  Browsing the internet on a phone can be a bit of a chore esp for those of us whose need reading specs. 
I use my tablet as a recipe book\facebook\youtube\kindle\photo album type thing - I use it less than the phone but for longer periods (if that makes sense)..The phone I pick up - check an email and put it down. 

I also found 10" tablets to be too big - I have a 7" nexus and it fits my hand so I can read one handed (stop laughing at the back!!) and it suits me down to the ground..

You could get a samsung note. Bigger than the average phone but not as big as a tablet. I was offered one by my OH but I opted for a samsung 2 and hopefully the 10" Google one for Christmas