Tablets on the boardroom table

With the explosive growth in demand for smartphones and notebook computers in recent years, it is hard to believe that corporate technology users are still finding room in their bags and attachés for yet another device. The rising popularity of tablet computers, though, suggests they are somehow finding a way. Although corporate demand for tablets is still low relative to consumer demand, it is already significant — and rising rapidly. Global market research firm IDC sees worldwide demand for tablets and other Internet mobile devices rising sharply in coming years, from 41 million units in 2011 to 235 million units in 2016. A significant driver of this growth, according to IDC, are corporations, which are seen doubling their share of tablet purchases to nearly 10 percent of total shipments in 2015, up from about 5 percent in 2010. Apple, for its part, claims that its iPad tablet is being used