So basically full OS features...
If this was important, then it can be circumvented by going Android tablet.
When's the last time you used an optical drive?
Not without buying an additional mouse.
We're comparing cheapest available to cheapest available of 5 'classes' of computing solutions: tablet, laptop, ultrabook, tablet/ultrabook hybrid, tablet/laptop hybrid.
Your $730 iPad2 has Cellular and Retina Display 2048x1536 (much higher than your standard 1366x768 laptop).
Not necessarily. When you go with a hybrid device, you're sacrificing at both fronts. You're sacrificing the uber mobility and touch screen of a tablet in addition to the power of a laptop/desktop. If the OP already has a desktop and doesn't need 'desktop' features while on the go, there's no point in getting a Surface Pro for $400 more. From what the OP has written, it looks like he just wants a tablet for the 'tablet features'.
First off, the iPad Mini is $330 NEW. The base model iPad2 is $400 NEW.
You can't compare the iPad2 Retina's price to the cheapest laptop/ultrabook. A iPad2 Retina is 'premium', akin to a high end, more powerful laptop/ultrabook (eg. a gaming laptop). When you compare a premium tablet to a premium laptop, its quite obvious that a $1000+ high performance laptop is significantly more expensive than your $730 iPad2 Retina. Obviously whether the OP is looking for performance or Cellular+HighResDisplay will determine what he's going to buy. From what he has said, he only needs note-taking and some wifi features which a tablet is more than capable of.