I wanted to watch a video and write about it at the same time. If you're doing a screenplay transcript, how are you supposed to do that.? Why can't the iPad do that?
On laptops uouyou can do this. You can also webcam and do stuff at the same time as well.
I don't think your question is particularly out-of-bounds. It's true that the iPad is largely defined by a one-thing-at-a-time experience, but that definition can and does change whenever the right people or the right number of people demand it.
I haven't seen it mentioned yet that *video* (not just audio) podcasts and Youtube videos can play in the background. For those that don't know how, just start the video as you normally would, then return to the home screen while the video is still active. The video will stop playing, but if you double click the home button and scroll to the right, you'll reveal the playback controls (from the left). Press play and the video will resume playing, audio-only. When you return to the video, with few exceptions, the video should be at the same point as the audio you were listening to.
If you start any other audio-capable app, you risk having to start the above process all over, again.
Anyway, with the above capabilities in-mind, there's no *good* reason why movies couldn't play in the background. I just tried to have a tv show play in the background. No luck. I'm downloading a movie, now, for what I'm sure will be a futile effort.