gdgt

If you're sticking with one of the options you're listing, definitely go with the mac book.
also: if you choose the ipad over it anyway you'll definitely find you're self using the on-screen keyboard over the Bluetooth. that'd just be awkward.

One of the problems with a Windows tablet is that you're going to have to spend double or more likely 3-4x that of the iPad to get a similar level of snappiness in task-to-task operation. Sure, it's a heck of a lot more versatile and capable, but you definitely pay for it - and if you go for an Atom/CULV-based convertible with a HDD, then it feels as slow as molasses because let's face it, we're running a full desktop OS here.

My convertible of choice, the Lenovo X201T - in the spec I have them in - resumes from sleep in around a second after I've swiped my finger, reliably sleeps/wakes all day, slightly exceeds the real-life runtime of an iPad, runs everything fine and launches OneNote, Outlook, etc to full responsiveness in well under 2 seconds so it can go toe to toe with the iPad in terms of general responsiveness while being far, far more useful - but you're looking at a minimum of $2,500 in my configuration.

Microsoft Onenote is something of a 'killer app' even if you don't have tablet capabilities - although touch/tablet capabilities exponentially increases the usefulness of it. As I said, go CULV notebook.

... however having peroused the original poster's Have list, I guess he's restrcting himself to being an Apple shop. Oh well, I guess the 13" MBP is the only option in that case - although I'll offer up my Air alternative as an option.

yeah I agree. it could be way more expensive than an ipad. but you might be lucky to find one for as much as the macbook.
I find that windows 7 is snappy with only a 1.6ghz processor and 1.5 gb of ram (or maybe that's because I'm using tuneup?)
However I have tried 1gb of ram on win7 and that was pretty slow so don't go below 1.5 gb.
so as long as you're not looking for something crazy powerful you can get a tablet with good performance for a good price

I think your being too myopic on what your benchmarks are for a decent netbook. I bought my mom a simple netbook last year for about $400. That's cheaper then the IPad with more disk space and larger amount of available applications (Plus flash player is available which means full web browsing capability). He's talking about note taking and web browsing. Put open office on there and use google chrome for web browsing and you will have a fast web experience and note taking ability for a better price. Most people don't need a $2,500 tablet and it doesn't sound like he does.

But like you said below, it sounds like this person has limited himself to Apple (I own both Apple and Windows PC's btw). My personal opinion though is that they both have their niche's that they will perform better in and limiting yourself to one platform or another is dumb.

Ya, I kinda went straight into tablets there.
Netbooks are very underrated when it comes to power, they can do just about everything you need as long as you don't want anything power or graphics intensive like playing games. I even run Photoshop smoothly on my acer Aspire one (It's an older variant of the aspire one btw).

However if he wants to stick with apple, there are no mac netbooks (seems like something they should get on).

also: I too have tried mac windows and ubuntu and they're all great operating systems and in the end it doesn't mater what you use.
I stick with windows, not because I think it's better, but because of compatibility. as the most used OS almost everything is made for it.
Macs are coming up and are really starting to offer the same level of compatibility.
Ubuntu (Or all versions of Linux in general) however still usually requires that you find 3rd party drivers, which can be a challenge sometimes

If it has to be an Apple, I guess the Macbook Pro is the primary option. As a do-it-all mobility machine though, it's a bit of a boat anchor.

Another option is my alternative to the 13-inch Macbook Pro - an Air + a HyperMac 60wh battery. Hasn't quite got the utility of the Macbook, but combined weight is >200g shy of the Macbook, combined endurance is around 7h real-life (assuming you start by depleting the Hypermac first), has a much more all-light-usable screen, and does allow you to separate the two when the 3.75-hour endurance of the Air (with extreme power saving) isn't an issue.

However, a CULV would be a much more workable option IMO.