1) I'm sure pundits predicted a lot of things.
2) That's nonsense. The only thing the iPad had was its screen, otherwise it was already inferior when it launched. Didn't stop people lapping it up.
It was more than just an object, it was an experience. It's an experience that other tablet manufacturers and software developers are still trying to get right.
The iPad was inferior for many computing tasks. It made interacting with the internet and a computer feel totally different. It's hard to quantify that in terms of megahertz and ram.
Cheap cop-out. The most widespread prediction was that the iPad would be expensive in the "around $999" region.
2) That's nonsense. The only thing the iPad had was its screen, otherwise it was already inferior when it launched.
Now, that's nonsense, if I ever read one.
For over a year there was no competition to the iPad worth mentioning. Point to anything if you have. Prepare to be ridiculed. Android wasn't even ready for tablets back then.