I was running, but living in an area with seasons, there were just too many excuses (its too hot, its too cold, its too rainy, its still dark outside, its snowing, my BT headphones aren't charged, etc....) and I found myself skipping runs too often. I bought myself the rower as a no-excuses aerobic workout. No matter what the weather, its always there.
I now row 15km at a 15km/hr pace 3-4 days a week (alternate with other exercise) and I have totally stopped running. Some knee and hip issues that were aggravated by running have ceased to bother me.
I have a water rower. I highly recommend it, as draining it makes moving it quiet easy (its pretty light when drained). I never setup a tablet; I just listen to podcasts when I row, the same as I used to when I ran.