The Chumby 8 is the best and biggest Chumby yet, but tablet and smartphone owners may find its features redundant and its speed lacking.

The Chumby 8 is a nice upgrade from its predecessor, but it's still mostly just an expensive high-tech alarm clock and photo viewer.

With access to lots of apps, the Chumby 8 is like a photo frame on steroids, but it's not as versatile as a tablet.

A week later, I replaced it with a 16GB iPad 2 on a dock in the same location. It provides the same updates ... but isn’t tethered or awkward. Sure I spent $500 instead of $150. But pretty much any tablet at any price point would seemingly be a better option than the Chumby 8.

... the Chumby 8 is best served as a bedside companion or a means to stream Internet radio. You’ll never ... do anything that is out right productive. Which brings me to my next point, price, which is $200. For a few hundred more you can score an Android tablet or a 1st gen iPad.