As I previously mentioned, I returned the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 LTE (8" screen) to T-Mobile, after incurring a $75 restocking fee. The pain wasn't as bad, as the clerk also refunded $10 for the SIM card, which he allowed me to keep. Samsung also gave me an extra 48GB of space on Dropbox for 2 years, and a $10 credit at Google Play just for registering the tablet.
I decided on the Nexus 7, after reading so many glowing reviews. I found a factory refurbished model on eBay for $270 delivered, vs. $349 for a new one. I can honestly say that I did not choose wrong this time. The Nexus 7 is an absolutely sweet tablet, and in my opinion it's easily superior to the Galaxy Tab 4 in nearly every way.
As soon as it arrived I installed the SIM card that I was allowed to keep. The Nexus 7 had no problem recognizing the T-Mobile network and it was quickly up and running. I logged in to my WiFi network, and then updated the tablet to Android KitKat 4.4.3. After a restart, I logged in to my Google Account. It's been running since.
My hand is probably average in size, and I find the Nexus 7 much easier to hold than the Tab with its 8" screen. Aside from being a bit smaller, the Nexus also has an almost sticky, rubbery back that really makes a big difference in comfort. In comparison the Tab had a slippery, hard plastic back.
Not having the two tablets side by side, it's hard to do direct comparisons on 7" vs. 8". However, simply viewing the 7" Nexus is a pleasure to behold. The screen quality is sharper and brighter than was the Tab. Despite the loss of 1 inch I do not perceive a difference as I use the tablet, and my fingers quickly adapted to the change. In some aspects, it feels like I'm holding a large Android phone.
The tablet is snappy with no noticeable lag in anything I do. Best of all, it does not have any crap software installed.
I played a short 1080p animated movie that came with the tablet (Shaun the Sheep: The Big Chase), and it was nothing short of amazing. It's something you'd have to see first hand to appreciate.
In short, the Nexus 7 is a keeper. I wish I had ordered it in the first place.
Black Nexus 7 (2013) 32GB LTE