Read the quote by steve jobs. If you have a problem with the comparison, you should equally have a problem with big brothers comments.
Listen to the entire conversation by Steve leading up to your quote.
Steve said that for a
new category of devices to exist between smart phones and laptops, it would have to do certain key tasks better than the two. Those tasks being browsing the internet, email, displaying and sharing photos, enjoying music collection, playing games, and eBooks. He then goes onto say that some think that the answer is a netbook, and then goes on to your quote. He explains though that netbooks are generally slow with cheap displays and clunky software. In effect, the netbook is not a new category of product between smart phones and laptop, but is rather a cheap laptop, which is accurate and proves his position.
Your list is inconsequential because you are comparing a laptop to a new category of product. Since you posted it, let's go ahead and discuss it and see how it relates to Steve's point.
1.) Physical Keyboard
OF course a laptop has one. The iPad is new breed of tablet and no need for physical input. The work done on this device will not warrant it and is silly to include on the list. If you want one, you can attach a
bluetooth one or the dock.
2.) Widescreen
Widescreen in a laptop makes sense. In a handheld device, not so much. The iPad would be too damn skinny and wouldn't be optimized for the plethora of other things the device does, all which require screen real estate.
3.) Webcam
I think maybe the angle is an issue. This I will concede because I can see the value in a webcam.
4.) Card Reader
There is an
adapter for that
5.) USB, LAN, expansion ports
Again, this isn't supposed to be a laptop. It is supposed to be a standalone device. LAN negates its point, and there is a
USB adapter for that when needed.
6.) Removable Battery
10 hours+ of battery life is more than enough for most people.
7.)Flash Support
I won't be baited into a flash/no flash argument here. However, Apple's position is that omitting a proprietary plugin that routinely crashes the browser and hogs resources in OS X makes for a better browsing experience. Before giving me a cute photo with a bunch of blue symbols, check
this one out too.
8.) Video Out
This
supports Apple composite and component out cables.
9.) Open platform
It is Apple's position that acting as the intermediary allows for a more stable experience for users and a sound distribution method for devs. Looks at income stats for iPhone devs vs. Android or Microsoft.
10.) Multitasking
The final product isn't confirmed, but even if it just as it is on the iPhone, most multitasking isn't needed as background processes. Quick app switching works fine. I will concede the ever popular pandora example, but given that the iPod app will likely still be able to run in the background, who cares?
11.) Storage
Yet again, this is a new type of device, not a laptop. For most people 16GB works fine for the purpose of this device.
12.) Touch screen
This should be expanded to note the amazing multitouch technology that Apple has. This alone is one of the biggest reasons that Jobs claims the iPad works as a new category of device doing things better than a smart phone or a laptop. The way in which users interact with the iPad, i.e. with the internet, email, photos, music, games, ebooks, and any other applications is the point Steve is trying to make.
