Is a netbook considered a laptop?

Legally it's called "word of art". No court will consider the contract void, but you probably have at least a couple of days to back out once you get the "notebook" if you haven't used the service (it depends on state law).

Even if it is a real notebook, don't expect a Gateway 7805u - it'll probably be something that retails for $300 or so.

Laptops come in a variety of sizes - What you may consider as a 'small' unit may be a normal unit for someone else -

The main difference is 'Notebooks' against laptops -

Notebooks are more for just keeping a small amount of information and for daily work that you will delete or transfer to your desktop or larger laptop -

Did they give any specs with the offer or was it too quick for you to think about the free offer -?? -

Netbooks/notebooks can be almost as large in memory as a smaller laptop - Refer to Wiki for the definition of a laptop and you get "a small transportable comp that is designed to sit on your lap while working" -

You are thinking only of the larger units that are used like a desktop unit -