i ^ Basic tasks, like internet browsing, mail, word processing, Skype & msn chat, movies and pictures
So pretty well most of what you'd want to do on a Laptop then, with more portability and longer battery life. And connecting all of your portable devices, in my case Symbian, Android and Windows Mobile phones, digital camera, etc.

I also use mine to remotely control my office desktops and servers and watch my Slingbox (both essential when I'm travelling!).

Of course what I don't use it for is software development, 3D modelling and shit, but I don't know too many people that want to do that on the road anyway. But if they do there are laptops available at a suitable premium.

But I digress (and so do you). The point is that unless your Internet use is limited to web surfing the sites to which Apple limit you, and using the applications to which Apple limit you, then a Netbook is a far more flexible choice (and probably better value. It's inevitable that if Apple see the chance to sell an external device when they could have made it integrated, they'll stick an 'I" in front of it and charge you more).

No-one is disputing that, for some things that require it, you might need a bit more juice than a Netbook can provide.

But if you need that, you definitely don't need an iPad either.

So it's probably not relevant to this thread.

More relevant to a "Netbook vs Laptop" thread, sure.