Apple iPad: Could Have Been Better

Today Steve Jobs debuted the Apple iPad, a device that promised to finally give the tablet PC market the breakthrough it has so desperately needed.  It came up disappointingly short.  I think this 1st generation iPad would have been Earth-shattering, if not for the fact that there are 3 generations of iPhones that came before.  The bar was set by the iPhones, and the iPad came way under that bar.  For me, there are too many missing pieces to make the investment for even the $499 16GB base model.  The flaws that break this deal for me include:

• No camera.  So much for mobile communications such as video chat over Skype.  Since the iPad is using stock iPhone OS, this lack of hardware to save a few bucks is disappointing.
• No GPS.  Mobile devices and their apps are increasingly location-aware.  Yes the 3G device will have AGPS, but this isn't enough.  Why include a compass if there is no GPS?  Again, the iPhone already supports GPS, why start a few steps back?
• No SD card reader.  This feature was recently added to MacBook line.  The iPad is marketed as a media consumption device and I can think of no better device to look at photos taken in the field than an iPad.  There will be an adapter you can plug into the iPad, a la the Nike+ receiver for the iPods, but it seems so unlike Apple to rely on adapters given the cheapness of SD card readers.
• No background apps.  Android can do background apps with ease.  The iPhone 3GS and the iPad have the horsepower to handle backgrounds apps but don't.  So much for listening to Pandora while typing out a Keynote.

Not to be all negative.  This device does seem to the best eBook reader around and that alone may salvage the deal.  Plus it has new mobile versions of Keynote,  Pages, and Numbers that make it a mobile professional's office for the road.  Other than that, I am not seeing the advantages over the iPad-Mini, also known as the iPod Touch.