Microsoft founder and renowned philanthropist Bill Gates offered his take on Apple's iPad in a recent interview. Gates thinks the iPad is not as great as Jobs' Ministry of Truth would have us believe and that it's lacking in several departments.

Gates claims he is a big believer in touch and digital reading, but that such a device still needs a real keyboard, stylus and voice control. “In other words a netbook - will be the mainstream on that,” said Gates.

Overall Gates wasn't very impressed with the concept and Apple's execution, despite his appreciation of the iPhone.

“So, it’s not like I sit there and feel the same way I did with iPhone where I say, ‘Oh my God, Microsoft didn’t aim high enough.’  It’s a nice reader, but there’s nothing on the iPad I look at and say, ‘Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it,’” said Gates.

Mind you, if Gates liked the iPhone so much, then why aren't there any Zune phones around yet?