Only use a computer for email, internet, basic computing. Is the ipad a better option than a macbook?

How much keyboard use is the next question. If you are going to do a lot of keyboarding, you have two options:

1) MacBook Air 11"

2) iPad with spare Apple Wireless Keyboard

I would go with the MacBook Air 11", but if you are going to do light word processing, light email replying, light tweeting, and light web posting, the iPad software keyboard is sufficient.

Unless you intend to do heavy photo or video editing, creating large documents, 3d autocad, etc. You do not really need a full scale computer.

iPad would suit you fine for what you stated you need.

Another question I have is how is typing on the ipad? I had a friend tell me to get an external keyboard, but to me that seems to defeat the purpose of an ipad.

Exactly. That's why I said the next question is how much keyboard will you be using. If you write a lot, I would get a MacBook Air 11"--it's highly portable, has plenty of power, long battery life, and a hardware keyboard. Using a bluetooth keyboard with an iPad is another way of doing it, but I like the keyboard experience better when it is on the Mac instead of an iPad, and I have used both.

do you use disks or USB devices

also

does it have to be portable

Don't forget that you can blow up the screen of the iPad which can be very beneficial at times.

It all hinges on how much you will be typing. Light typing is no problem on an iPad. Lots of typing might be. I have used a bluetooth keyboard with the iPad as well as an iPhone, and it isn't as smooth and seamless as a MacBook Air. With Lion, you can zoom in anyways, especially in Safari, just like an iOS device. They are both nice products, but if you need portability with lots of typing, go with the MacBook Air. If you don't need portability due to your reliance on the iPhone, get a Desktop. The iMac is a great product. If you already have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, get the Mac Mini.

Lots of options are available, but only you can decide what your needs are and which device will meet those needs.

It's bigger than the iPad screen. Is this your answer?

MacBook air just perfect i have an iPad 2 ( I know it's an old one but it is almost same ) i mostly need pc for stuff and normally I like to download movies for that I need a good memory which you won't get on an iPad best choice for you is a 11 or 13 inch MacBook air iPad is bettween comp and a phone it is good but not enought ( altleast for me ) if you take an iPad u won't the benefits of downloading zip files and many other files but with a MacBook you can do it as it supports all iPad is good for presenting stuff good for reading books , web pages are good too ( flash is not there so some sites are not good ) editing word docs or slidshows are nice and easy but not fully usefull ( simple editing options) if you convert the files say into doc it gets messy on a comp to see , plus doc files with lots of stuff like photos and tables gets messed up but if we convert to PDF then you get a nice experience , MacBook has many options in pages , numbers , keynote , you will like an iPad even I like it but like u even I am looking for a MacBook right now as I need to back up files and download movies anyways it decides unto u so go to the apple shop he will help u choice the right choice a person here will only tell good stuff and suggest what he likes but if you go to the apple store he will give you the perfect choice for u

If an 11 inch screen is too small how are you going to be happy with the even smaller iPad screen. I second the idea of a basic MacBook Pro or MacBook Air.