When I got my latest laptop I was initially thinking I wanted a netbook. The more I played with them the less I was enthused with having to settle for an atom processor and the limited performance. If you actually do stick with just general Internet and office applications type of usage then they should be ok. But, I knew I would start using it for more such as HD video viewing, online streaming, music, etc....and thus wanted a "regular" processor.
I went with an Acer Timeline X, 11"'screen, thin and light, great battery life, and you can get a powerful i5 or i7 intel processor. I can easily stream HD video which I had trouble with on any netbook I tried in the stores. Plus the screen is much better than the typical 10" netbook.
I'd suggest going to a Compusa type place and just play with a few and see if the speed, screen and size are things you can deal with.