His introduction of the iPad 2 did quadruple duty -- it enticed mainstream customers, wowed spec-hunting tech geeks, tweaked his competitors and pleased Wall Street. Future presidential candidates would do well to study it.
Essentially, Jobs was selling a dream that could set your rib cage thumping with desire. "Technology alone is not enough," he said in one of the day's more lyrical asides. "Technology married with liberal arts, humanities, yields the result that makes our hearts sing." Full disclosure: Yeah, I want to buy one, too.
But a dream-made reality comes with limitations and imperfections, especially in the gadget business. Like any good magician, Jobs used sleight of hand to distract from the things we're not supposed to see. On the morning after, it's time to take leave of our hearts, return to our heads and name them.