I'm yet to find a "normal" that watches Apple Keynotes, though.

No but the iPad Mini was above-the-fold breaking news on the BBC news website before the keynote was even over.

You aren't on my Twitter timeline then.

Good point. :)

Why would Google be delighted? Because they have the "low end" wrapped up and make little profit margin?

Because Apple's mentioning their product in the same breath as iPad. It strongly argues that Apple is financially/strategically concerned enough with that form factor to risk mentioning the existence of competition.

I'm not sure why, given the sales of the "mini" form factor. I kind of suspect they're more concerned with positioning themselves against jumbo phones, which -are- selling in volume and have already invited a major design change in the iPhone line.

>>Because Apple's mentioning their product in the same breath as iPad. It strongly argues that Apple is financially/strategically concerned enough with that form factor to risk mentioning the existence of competition.

I don't know if this is necessarily the right conclusion.

I'm pretty good at being wrong. :) What do you think?

I constantly talk to "normals" that don't understand whether the iPad can run programs like their computer at home. I've seen a lot of iPhones with 5 or less downloaded apps: Facebook and a couple top casual games.

Nobody else could sell a product called iPad without getting sued.

Yeah, but customers don't know that. "iPad" is the Kleenex of tablets.

The only reason the Galaxy Note gets a pass is because it's still mentally categorized as a big telephone.

Is it? I've never head any other than some very old people which doesn't know what a tablet or a computer is calling a random tablet an 'iPad'.