Will tablets become a mainstream business tool?
From notebook computers to PDAs, it seems that with each new decade comes a new gadget promising to be the best new tool for on-the-go business people. Lately, the tech world has been abuzz with the next frontrunner in the competition for this era’s top mobile enterprise device: the tablet.
In Spring of 2010, Apple Inc. released the first iPad tablet computer in a flurry of typical Apple-sized proportion. Although not the first tablet computer in the industry, the early success of the iPad prompted competitors Samsung, Motorola, Blackberry and HP to announce their own plans for tablet style computers - and the race was on. By December of 2010, the tablet was one of the most sought after gadgets of the holidays, and has continued to increase in notoriety over the past year.
While tablets are a popular gadget for teens and college students, professionals have also recognized the convenience of this newly redesigned technology. More portable than a laptop, but easier to navigate than a mobile phone, the tablet computer allows for easy e-mailing, web browsing, social networking and other typical work-related tasks. Since the release of the iPad 2 and other updated tablets earlier this year, many corporations have chosen to supply their employees with tablet computers in place of laptops and other similar devices.
Already leaking into the mainstream business market, the real question of the tablet computer is will the technology stick? Many early doubters of the tablet are eating their words, but skeptics still exist and are concerned that an investment in a tablet would be better spent on other equipment. Some critics feel that the touch screen technology of tablets is not yet fully embraced by the business community and the learning curve may cause issues in terms of company efficiency.
However, as the technology grows and changes, it’s likely that the tablet, like other mobile devices of the decade, will become much more user-friendly, durable and develop the ability to take on additional tasks, possibly even replacing many other devices in its class. The future of the tablet might be vague, but one thing is for certain – this useful little device has already earned its place in history’s most successful business gadgets.