I wouldn't use my laptop either for reading full length articles or books. I tried once on my lap, but the experience was really not pleasing at all. Besides of the viewing angles and the awkward operation via the keyboard when placing the pc on the lap, I just have too many devices hooked up to my laptop (printer, mouse, tablet, external harddrives...). And it's really cumbersome to unhook and hook up all again. I first thought I dislike the ipad because of the missin usb and whatever other connectors, but after using it for a while, I think, after all, apple did put quite some brain in not having other connectors other than the one at the bottom
