So can the iPad replace a laptop?

In my opinion the iPad makes only sense, if it can replace a small laptop, such as the MacBook Air that I use. So how does it look after playing around with it for a an hour:

Google mostly presents the mobile versions of their applications, which are - except for Gmail - not yet optimized for the larger screen. Gmail works pretty good, except for e-mails with sophisticated formatting, which are effectively unreadable. Docs only allows limited editing of spreadsheets. Of course you can always switch to the desktop versions.

Good news is that syncing with Google via ActiveSync is working. Apparently even Google was taken by surprise, as Google Sync claims that it doesn't work with the iPad. This means that only the default calendar syncs for the time being.

Non-mobile sites, like Remember The Milk, generally seem to work with minor glitches.

Typing on the on-screen keyboard is not too bad, at least if you're used to type with two fingers and can place the iPad on a table or your lap.

Non-optimized iPhone apps look funny, but are usable. I imagine Steve Jobs having some sleepless nights, before he approved this.

Unfortunately TypePad presents it's stripped down mobile interface (so no bullet points for this post), so the bloggin fun is limited. Also the iPad still doesn't allow uploading files via the browser, also a limitation when it comes to sharing content.