Yes, we all know full OSX on the iPad would be great, but it's just not possible. Okay technically nothing's impossible but if you know anything about cpu architectures or instruction sets you know what I mean. The iPad cpu is an embedded processor, similar to those used in most mobile devices. Any modern device that runs a desktop os uses an x86 cpu like intel or AMD. That's why most netbooks have an intel atom processor... so they can run desktop windows. It's not a matter drivers or anything simple like that. Its a low-level hardware difference. Embedded devices cannot run desktop OS's or vice versa. The best you could do is run the OS in emulation, which is far less efficient.
For better or worse, the iPad is stuck with iPhoneOS, all we can do is build on it.
Ok, without getting to wrapped up with technical can and can't do here, It would seem you have some knowledge of how the full blown OS X uses resources and how full blown applications use CPU/RAM/GPU etc...
Taking the iPad as we know it from the Keynote. 1ghz CPU-all-in-one architecture for this example let's assume 512mb ram. (I haven't seen it listed but think 512mb is the amount in the iPhone.) We also will make the assumption OS X can run on the ARM chipset for this bit of discussion.
So based on these hardware spec's. What type of programs do you see people wanting to run on it?
- Photoshop/Photo editing? Not enough of anything really, would have to be 100% recoded. Adobe recoding software for Apple? Then sell it for what? $30 bucks?
-Games? Same problem for off the shelf games that are written for OSX, which rely/take advantage of powerful C2D or Quadcore CPU's, dedicated GPU w/lots of onboard ram and system ram. Developers would be writting games for a full blown desktop OS that already exists, but now on a less powerful platform. *See Win 7 on netboks, no one is flocking to RE write their programs for these low powered devices. Period. Ask anyone how they are enjoying streaming video on their Netbook? Anyone....? *crickets*
A full OS X tablet is somewhat pointless unless developer step up and REWRITE everything for touch interface. Windows 7 have already proven this for us on the few tablet that have it. Having used an Archos 9 tablet, trying to use an optical pad to move a mouse around to control Win 7 OS sucks. The OS doesn't not scale anything to make it easy to read, and who wants to revert to lower resolution just so you can read text or see a menu? People will end up realizing its much more efficient to just use a keyboard/mouse or find they have no other option and just learn to deal with it's shortcomings. I personally just returned it as it was entirely to sluggish to use, flash crippled it and playing vide on it was an absolute joke. Worse than netbooks I've tried.
Apple could have created the absolute most powerful FULL OSX tablet int he world, and without the RIGHT kind of software, it would still flop. Tablet PC's have been around for years and haven't caught on for this very reason. NO SOFTWARE OPTIMIZED FOR THE DEVICE. At least for mainstream adoption,i'm sure there are plenty of specialized uses.
Software drives device sales. Apple is simply harnessing the huge success of the app store to drive sales of the iPad, and Developers seem to be on board to create content for the new device as their old programs still run so they have a "choice" to upgrade and create new or go with what they have.
Games have driven the advancement of PC to become faster hardware wise for years. Most business can/could still run their POS software in a UNIX environment on a x86 machine just fine. Bottom line if you have followed tablet pc's over the years, there is a reason they have not gone mainstream. Apple, HP and every other computer maker know this and have worked for years to not only find a use, but have software that runs great on the device. Apple has what no one else does. Software specifically for their device. Blown up iPod Touch or not, this is how it will begin.
