When the iPad was announced many were disappointed because it didn’t run Apples OS X operating system. Others talked about how it will fail because it basically is a big iPod Touch. The thing is that not many realize what a revolutionary device the iPad is.

The Bigger Picture
The iPod Touch and the iPhone may be extraordinary media devices, but they are also external controllers capable of multitouch gestures. Having that in mind, the iPad is basically a bigger external controller.

Picture yourself in your personal Pro Audio studio. You are running a Pro Audio App in your PC and your mixer is a 10 inch Multitouch screen. With a press of a virtual button, the mixer turns into a Midi Controller or a Drum Beat machine. You can also, be a DJ where your only rig would be your iPad and some speakers, since your iPad can mix, scratch, and add effects.

The App Store Saves The Day
So, why would Apple use the iPhone OS instead of the Mac’s OS X operating system? Why would Apple block all of those programs that are currently available in Snow Leopard. The reason may be that these programs are currently attached to the current mouse and keyboard, and the current interfaces would be too cumbersome with multitouch technology.

There are actually many advantages to the iPad’s App approach. Since the Apps are built on the robust Cocoa Touch, you pretty much get what you see and you can interact with them with very responsive multitouch gestures. Let’s contrast a Pro Audio app for a sec.

Imagine running Logic Studio in an iPad. You will soon realize that the knobs are either too big or too small. In order to also access certain items like effects, you have to travel through the menu bar to access them. Now, if Logic Studio was designed for the iPad on the iPhone OS, it would closely resemble a real mixer, where you can easily touch the faders and twist the knobs.

New Opportunities For Developers
The ones that will make the most advantage of the iPad is the developers. Right now the iPad can’t multitask. The first thing I though was that I can’t use it for blogging since the tools I use aren’t available on the iPad.

Then it hit me, this new app ecosystem will actually encourage developers to get creative in order to make a profit. I can envision in the near future a blogging app that will allow you to manipulate images, browse through resources, and to publish and preview the blogger’s articles.

The Competition Will Struggle
You have companies creating web-specific tablets and others using Windows 7 as their tablet OS. The problem is that they don’t have the developers in mind.

Because of that, developers will instead focus on designing innovative apps for the iPad instead of making clunky software that no one will buy because you’re not Adobe or not making a profit for the web, in which you could only make a profit if you stick ugly ads on your web apps.

What you will get from the iPad is well designed apps that are focused on a specific task and controlled by a virtual 10 inch interface.