Something the pro/con list misses (and it's kind of a big point) is that distance to a UI element isn't the only thing that affects how easy it is to get to.

http://www.asktog.com/basics/firstPrinciples.html#fittsLaw

Putting the tabs at the very top means that they're on the edge of the screen, which means that in one direction, they're (effectively) huge. Choosing a tabs-on-top design makes the tabs easier to get to, not harder.