Back to the OP original question, what is "best" is up to you. I have a Nook Color that has been rooted (Nook OS has been completely removed) and I'm running CyanogenMod (though I'm looking for a new ROM as this one has had some "enhancements" that I can live without and is getting slower due to putting too much in to it i believe). This tablet is wifi only, but i can tether to my cell phone and use it's cellular network. I like to keep reference material in and I have many books for reading in my spare time (whatever that is anymore). I have my dropbox account setup on it and it will automatically sync data for me, so I have the same data on my latptop, desktop, cell & tablet.
Thanks for bringing us back on track @kckndrgn I carry my iPad mini with me on a daily basis although I've never really thought about it's importance in a bug out scenario. Then again, it's so small and light that I could always toss it in. I don't store anything like an entire survival library on mine so I don't really see the benefit in a BO situation. I would bring my 'old' iPad mini which has been handed down to my 7 yr old daughter. Being able to let her occupy some time with her familiar games could be critical in a high stress situation. I also have the means to charge all of them if need be.
It keeps being brought up but the run-time on the tablet between charges and the ability to recharge it are key for me. As much as I love my iPad 2, strictly from a power standpoint it is NOT a "survival" tablet. Almost any of the linux/chrome/android based tablets (read: non-iOS) have better battery life/lower consumption and will thus last longer between charges. Dedicated "reading" devices have, in my experience, the absolute best battery life out there, however they are also a tradeoff as to the types of documents they can display and they are NOT "app" devices...they are readers. I wouldn't consider a Windows 8 tablet for the same reason I don't really consider my iPad...it's a portable computer and in the case of the Surface/other brand Windows 8 tablets they are running a full-blown version of the OS, with every thing that entails including the power draw. While they are MUCH more "functional", you REALLY need to weigh ability against need against run-time. I remember seeing a comparison chart that included something like 50 criteria and 10-15 tablets. The original nook did "well" all around as did the first kindle Fire (very first one that had apps) as far as tablets that were not just readers. From what I hear though, if you want a reader, the original and non-backlit kindles simply cannot be beat.
This site compares a LOAD of tablets (but only on a few criteria): Tablet PC comparison charts grouped by display size This site has the top 25 tablets and goes into more detail on each: Tablets 2014 | Best Tablets | Tablet Reviews and more. - TopTenREVIEWS Amazon has a comparison chart as well but I'm leery of any chart produced/sold by a company that has one of their products IN the chart...
I have Kindle, the original and a Fire. I only use the fire for watching movies or reading magazines. The Kindle goes with me everywhere I go, and I go a lot. It has bounced around in luggage, in taxi's, and in hotel rooms all over the world. I couldn't ask for anything hardier. I keep my reading library on it and all of my PDF's on survival. Let's face it we cannot remember everything we read. And in a survival situation I would love to have the ability to call up "Emergency War Surgery" or any of the myriad of field manuals that I have stored. I think, while not a critical element, a digital device would be a great asset. I also believe in the layered approach to survival gear, the ability to peel off layers as needed. The tablet would be in one of the upper layers if need arose to lighten the load. And with solar charging capability there is no reason to not include one. Knowledge is power and the more knowledge we have at our fingertips the more powerful, and stronger we are. But, I would never carry a cell phone of any type, or any thing that has gps. That works both ways and is fine if you want to be found, but not so good if you are trying to lie low.
Back in the early '70s when I first became interested in prepping the whole library was pretty limited. Better Read Than Dead, a first aid manual, Mel Tappan-Survival Firearms, and of course (the real)Mother Earth News and Foxfire pretty much was it. A meg or two at most if you could have stored it electronically . Recently bought one of those "no name" readers to carry in the bag. Two gig storage should be plenty right? Well turns out just ONE of my references is 3.6 gigs( thanks Visu). So on to much more storage, solar and ups battery charging and plenty of help here on the tree and I can now carry about every reference needed to restart the entire world post SHTF. And weighs less than 3 pounds. It boggles this old dawgs mind. Does not in any way replace learned knowledge and skills but a real comfort to have just the same. My point? Sometimes being out of the stone age is nice and I have many more skills than I would have learned without the access to the amount of knowledge available to me today.
