The Android browser _can_ do most real desktop pages, but not completely.

For example, you wont get the "full" versions of Google Apps. You'll get "mobile plus" versions, that give you finger input but otherwise only have the features of the mobile apps. Also, the built-in Gmail app can't always click on URLs in messages, for example (I have about a 30% chance of being able to click on the notices that talk.maemo.org sends me, when someone has PM'ed me or followed up to a thread I've subscribed to; otherwise I have wait til I get back to a desktop to follow up and such).

And you wont be able to use the direct web pages for facebook -- it will constantly try to put you into the portugese version of the site. (not a big deal to me, because I don't use facebook while I'm mobile, but it does indicate that there's a difference between the Android browsing experience and a full desktop browser -- the Android browser has some quirks and limitations) (if you do care about facebook, there's supposedly an Android app for it)

The quality of the browser is, actually, a SIGNIFICANT advantage for Maemo, IMO.