I am by no means an Apple fan, but I do see the Apple iPad replacing a notebook computer. Sure it does not have all of the functionality of a notebook computer nor does a notebook computer have all of the functionality of a desktop computer. I have graduated from take notes on inefficient paper to taking notes electronically, and I will never downgrade back to paper! In my six years of actually having a notebook computer to use and a couple of those years I had a Tablet PC, I can say that 95% of the time I used the computer to simply take notes and put stuff in my calendar or to-do list. When I got back to my apartment, I would use my desktop computer because it had more power and larger screens. There are people that are stuck in their old ways of doing things and will insist on having a notebook computer, but the tablet computer will replace those in time. I recently purchased an iPad 2 to use for taking notes in class, and in meetings. I will be able to real computing on the iPad by using my connections to my work environment, but I really do not see a need for that. I purchased the iPad to replace my need for a notebook computer. I will still use my desktop computer as my primary computer, and I will use the iPad as my computing device on the go. If my child were to ask me for an iPad to use at school, then I would definitely purchase them one in addition to a desktop computer.