Cloud IT formerly On-Site Technical Solutions: Tablet Computers in Your Business

Earlier we talked about the iPad, its developing competitors and the direction this new format is taking computing. Like it or not, mobile computing is where we're headed and the most significant components of that in the near term are tablets and smartphones.

All of our customers can enhance the productivity of at least some of their employees by using an iPhone and one or more currently available apps. Not all of our customers are taking advantage of this technology, but we're getting them there. The resistance tends to be an aversion to change, but the functionality available is compelling enough that all of our customers are considering smartphones in their businesses for more than simply replacing a PDA.

If your business uses laptops today, expect to be using tablets in the next couple of years as those laptops are replaced. The initial discussion of the iPad included questions of what place a tablet might have in a business. Play with the iPad and it's easy to see that device replacing a laptop for email and Internet access.

The roll out of competitors to the iPad will simply speed up the use of tablets in business. Currently Macs cost about twice as much for the same computing capabilities as a Windows PC. That will probably remain true with the iPad competitors, so we can expect to see tablets priced closer to netbooks ($250-$300).

Google was one of the looming competitors to the iPad we mentioned, and on their mobile blog they explain how they're adapting to the new format

Here at Google we’re really excited about the promise of tablet computers, which will be great for browsing the web and using apps. We’ve been working hard to optimize our services for the new format - larger touchscreens, increased portability, rich sensors...

"Browsing the web and using apps" means running a business in the cloud, which is why we're not only confident but excited that tablets will be moving into the SMB and Enterprise spaces.

This will also mean the end of the use of Adobe Flash, but we'll talk about that in another post.

Here is the post on the Google Mobile Blog

Visit On-Site Technical Solutions for information on how you can move to Google Apps or other Cloud Computing applications. We can also help you with your mobile computing. You should follow us on Twitter here. Call or text me at 949-212-2168.