I bought a netbook awhile back thinking I'd love its portability (whether on travel or at home). Used it once while I was abroad and that was it. I was also running ubuntu on it and there were just things that it didn't automatically do, that I had just assumed it would (like be equipped to play MP3s). Or not give me any cr*p about using skype even when I had everything installed.
There are a lot of imperfect things about the ipad. Yes, I would love a camera. I use the ipad as a lab notebook and it would be great to take pictures of a setup while I am taking notes at the same time. Yes, I would love to be able to stream hulu the same way I can on my computer. There are a lot of things that are really stupidly missing and while I love my ipad, I definitely feel mixed about some of the freedoms that I give up.
Despite these things, I still use it way more than any of my other devices for the general tasks and I definitely look at it as a separate device not as a replacement for my laptop. It makes a bunch of things super convenient but my laptop or desktop are both way more useful for other things.
For instance, the iPad is super portable and comfortable and easy to use. It has a great battery life and never gets hot when I'm resting it on my lap surfing the net from the couch. If I am trying to cook, I can just set it up right next to me in the kitchen without worrying about whether it's plugged in. It has never occurred to me to do with my laptop because that would be a pain just because of the cords.
Just because it makes everyday life tasks supremely convenient and easy, it doesn't mean that it was ever supposed to a device for heavy lifting. I can't and would not expect it to run any of my modeling programs or whatever it is 'makes the laptop' way better. Nor would I want to. It's not comfortable to stare at a big screen for hours; why would I want to stare at a (comparatively) teeny screen for hours? Of course that's what makes a laptop way better - that's what makes it way better than my TV or my bike or a cheese sandwich. But they are DESIGNED to address different needs and optimize different experiences.
The tablets that are trying to bridge this I think will have a hard time doing so. I'm OK with carrying around a lightweight product to do the easy stuff and then carrying around a laptop if I really need to be doing work somewhere.
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