Not that the point hasn't already been made many times, but anyone who even casually watches Apple wouldn't expect they to go for a "presence" in the netbook category, especially given that the category is not making anyone rich, unique or a must-have (not to mention, category definer).

Netbooks today are simply cheap, impotent, miniscule and hard to use mini PCs (not to generalize, granted some entries play better than others). But simply by the positioning the PC manufacturers have carved themselves into, they've basically painted themselves into the non-profit category. So, if you have a 2% profit margin today, guess where you'll be next month (called a loss, or a write-off). But everyone has to compete with their me-too, otherwise they might miss the boat.
Probably a boat Apple intends to miss. They may encompass much of the netbook category functionality wise (and maybe even but doubtful) price wise, but they will be looking for a game changer that has a much more universal appeal and application to varying market needs. In the netbook area, this could be the killer netbook, with a wireless tablet for net/web aps, basic aps for classrooms and business, an e-reader for books and certainly a media player, if not center. From there, you take aspects of the Mac, iPhone, Kindle, your TV, Apple TV, that netbook collecting dust, and combine them into something pleasurable to use and is worth $600. For me, who would like a netbook type thing (well maybe the iPhone already does that), a Kindle, a media controller and a Macbook I can leave in the living room, this is an ideal category breaker, which I'd gladly pay $600 for. Especially when you add the Apple quality, TCO benefits, and long-copied but never matched design acumen.

yeah yeah, whatever. aside from the ridiculous obsession everyone has with a product that has no basis in fact, you're still thinking like a Borg/Windows person, that the iMacTablet NetbookThingy won't reinvent the category like every major Apple product category has before it, leading consumers to jump in with more $$ than they otherwise would have if they remain limited to thinking like a Borg.

Simply because, they are cheap, low-margin devices. The PC industry has shot themselves in the foot over the past 18 months pushing netbooks. The only company gaining in marketshare AND making money is...Apple. They are NOT targeting cheap-oriented people. They are targeting value-oriented people, and those people aren't looking at buying cheap, throwaway, limited usability devices.

Apple isn't making a device to compete with netbooks. This will be a completely different beast altogether. This "slate" type device is going to be linked very closely with Apple's media offerings. It is going to be the device to read your books, your magazines, newspapers, listen to your music, or watch your movies and tv shows. I envision an Amazon Kindle on steroids, a device to handle ALL of your media, regardless of type. Certainly not a netbook, perhaps quite revolutionary. People WILL want one, I suspect, regardless of cost.