nm-applet seems to have disappeared from my system. I am running 12.10. Here's what I get when I check my package manager logs:

?  ~  grep network-manager /var/log/dpkg.log                
2012-10-06 10:37:08 upgrade network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-06 10:37:08 status half-configured network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:08 status unpacked network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:08 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:08 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:08 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:08 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:08 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:08 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:08 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:09 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu5
2012-10-06 10:37:09 status unpacked network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-06 10:37:09 status unpacked network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-06 10:39:50 configure network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6 
2012-10-06 10:39:50 status unpacked network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-06 10:39:50 status unpacked network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-06 10:39:50 status half-configured network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-06 10:39:50 status installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 remove network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6 
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status half-configured network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status config-files network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-28 22:27:23 status config-files network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 install network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status half-installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status unpacked network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:03 status unpacked network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:06 configure network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6 
2012-10-31 19:58:06 status unpacked network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:07 status unpacked network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:07 status half-configured network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
2012-10-31 19:58:07 status installed network-manager-gnome:amd64 0.9.6.2-0ubuntu6
?  ~

Unfortunately, I cannot find network-manager-applet package at all:

?  ~  apt-cache search network-manager-applet
?  ~

Here are the contents of /etc/apt/sources.list:

?  ~  cat /etc/apt/sources.list
# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 12.04 LTS _Precise Pangolin_ - Release amd64 (20120425)]/ dists/precise/main/binary-i386/

# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 12.04 LTS _Precise Pangolin_ - Release amd64 (20120425)]/ dists/precise/restricted/binary-i386/
# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 12.04 LTS _Precise Pangolin_ - Release amd64 (20120425)]/ precise main restricted

# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal main restricted
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-updates main restricted
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-updates main restricted

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal universe
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal universe
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-updates universe
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-updates universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu 
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to 
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in 
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal multiverse
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-updates multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-updates multiverse

## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu quantal-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu quantal-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu quantal-security universe
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu quantal-security universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu quantal-security multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu quantal-security multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository.
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu precise partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu precise partner

## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by third-party
## developers who want to ship their latest software.
deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu quantal main
deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu quantal main
?  ~ 

Right now, I can't think of anything else. Happy to provide more info upon request.