I'm just as bad re technophobe but from what i do know it's not the physical product but the software installed, the tablet is like a desktop/laptop, would be the hardware, I hope I didn't confuse you more than you are, but i know i can get my papers on my phone.
When you have downloaded the mail, be aware that every time it upgrades its pages that it takes more and more memory, once in a while it is worth going into the Mails settings and clearing the cache