I have just purchased a new MacBook Pro, the 15" one, and it does not get hot at all. It gets moderately warm, but no more than any PC laptop I have ever used. I wonder if Apple has resolved whatever design issue was causing the excessive heat, and that new units such as mine no longer exhibit this behavior?
I cannot guarantee that new MacBook Pros won't get hot, but I can report that mine does not.
Well, I have the original Intel MacBook Pro - the one that many seem to complain about, and while it does get very warm when doing processor-intensive tasks, it rarely gets uncomfortable. Most of the time, when I'm doing light tasks like browsing, checking email, word processing, etc, I can barely tell that it's warmer than ambient temperature.
With that said, keep in mind that manufacturers have stopped calling them "laptops" for a reason. You'll notice that in all of Apple's marketing materials, they are ALWAYS referred to as "notebooks". This is because they are
not designed to be used on your
lap. If you feel the need to do so, you should consider purchasing a lap desk or a notebook cooling pad. These are readily available at just about any store that sells computer gear.