I can only really see two legitimate reasons to use a tablet: 1. e-book reading. Tablets are amazing for that. And 2. Some work specific applications where you have to walk around and compute at the same time. A laptop would work in both of these cases, but a tablet would be the best choice.
True on both points. But I already have a Nook, you know? And that has the whole e-ink going on, which I like more when it comes to long amounts of reading. I do see it as a content consumer, though. Why buy a laptop for your 14 year old daughter when all she'll be using it for is Facebook, Youtube, Netflix, etc. etc...so surface level stuff. An iPad might work well in that instance. But even then, there are low-end laptops that fulfill those needs, plus more, at the same price as an iPad...so I just don't know, haha.
I have a nook and a kindle fire, both rooted. They technically count as tablets as well. Still can't really find a use for them. My younger siblings have iPads (their school gives each student one). They seem to use them a lot for netflix and various mobile games. But I see them more on their computers more often (desktops, not laptops). I'm baffled.