Yes I know there are more available OSes that run on ARM, but in this case Android sounds like the best alternative, as it already has big support from game developers. Windows 8 for ARM won't help much, as all native Windows x86 programs and games would have to be recompiled for the ARM architecture. And let's not forget that Windows 8 also mandates that manufacturers use Secure Boot that can't be disabled on ARM systems. The whole thing contradicts the very nature of this product. OSX also left the PowerPC platform about 5 years ago. In addition, Apple will go very far to prevent anything but Apple approved devices to run their precious software.Vie said:Windows 8 runs on ARM processors, and there are plenty of desktop OS's that run on RISC processor based systems.NLS said:Reason they chose Android? For that price, it has to be an ARM processor, the same kind of processor that runs in your phone/tablet/other small but powerful device that ain't your desktop. ARM processors can't run native x86(_64) code that also runs on your main desktop. That means they're limited to mobile platform OSes...
Mac OSX was originally designed for a RISC processor system, PowerPC. RISC OS, a development of Acorn's earlier OS series Arther, is a full desktop OS that's been around since 1987. Linux, which to be fair can run on just about anything if you have the free time to compile it for your toaster/watch/hairdryer, has a multitude of ARM and other RISC platform implementations.
In fact, instead of writing them out, take a look at the wiki page on OS's that run on ARM platforms - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_architecture#Operating_systems
Also, don't forget that a lot of Supercomputers are based on the RISC architecture. RISC processors can be incredibly powerful, so long as the system and programs running on it are well written.
I'm a big fan of the low-powered ARM architecture running a linux kernel, ever since I got involved in the OpenPandora project, which is a handheld ARM device the size of a DS specifically made with homebrew, emulators and free hacking of the software in mind. But up until now, the games library has been severely limited to emulators and a few open source indie games and/or older games. Until about a month ago, when they managed to port Android to the device. Suddenly all kinds of commercially available games opened up to be playable on the Pandora.
I'm sure people will be able to run their favourite distro with ARM support and install and play all kinds of different games and apps on the machine, but at the end of the day, Android has bigger support at the developers, and that's what they'll need to sell this device if they want a bigger audience. I do however doubt we'll see official support from Microsoft or Apple though, yes people will try, and may even succeed in installing any of their mobile/embedded OSes, but the gain of it would be minimal.