If you're job hunting you'll want something to write your CV on and email it on. I know that lots of people think that iPads are "the shizzle" but I agree with Houseygirl that they're fine for gawping at the internet but to do any actual work you'll need something with a keyboard.
Houseygirl is talking about the processor. There are different processors which run the different machines. Intel make a range called the Pentium, which used to be called the Celeron. These are ghastly. They also make a range called the Core, and there's a Core i3, a core i5 and a Core i7. i7 is performance computing, it's for serious gamers and graphic designers and the like. i5 is a high-end home family computer. i3 is fine for day-to-day use but don't expect it to set the world on fire.
The competitor to Intel is AMD. They make an A series (A4, A6, A8) and an E series. Ignore the E series. The same applies to the A series as it does to the Intel Core.
In a survey done in 2010 the two most reliable laptop manufacturers were Toshiba and Asus. They had a typical failure rate over 3 years of 15%. The least reliable were HP with a 25% failure rate over 3 years.
If it was my money, I'd get a Windows laptop. It's WAY more versatile than the iPad but it doesn't have the 'wow' factor.
Something like this is an example:
www.ebuyer.com/337140-asus-x53z-laptop-x53z-sx052v
Remember - laptops don't last. Nor do tablets. 3 years, maybe 4, and it'll be too slow and out of date.
If you need Office (for word processing, spreadsheets, etc) you can buy an 'education' licence from software4students.co.uk. You can buy the full Office suite from their website for £70 (retail price £430). It's a bargain on a stick, IMO.