Steve Jobs just called out the tablet competition in Apple's earnings call.

First, Jobs balked at the idea that an "avalanche" of iPad rivals were coming this year. He said it's just a "handful" of credible rivals. And then he took a shot at those potential rivals.

He said all the new tablets coming from rivals this year will be "DOA, dead on arrival."

His primary reasons:

Too many are looking at making seven-inch tablets, which are just too small. Jobs says a seven inch tablet isn't 70% of the size of an iPad. Because it's measured diagonally, it's actually 45% smaller. "You'd also need to include sandpaper so people could make their fingers smaller," to use these smaller tablets.

Many are going to use Android, which even Google says isn't ready for prime-time on tablets. This means you get no apps with your Android tablet from this year.

In the Q&A with analysts, Jobs followed up and said, "We've got a tiger by the tail here," in regards to the iPad and tablet market.