Parents urged to buy tablets to help care for newborn babies

Even though many in the consumer technology industry have already highlighted the parenting benefits of tablet computers, a new Wired report urges parents to pick up a device even sooner than they may be planning to.

Citing reports emphasizing tablet functions such as keeping kids busy for long car rides or helping for potty training, the report points out that "these benefits applied specifically to children of toddler age or older." In reality, Wired's Matt Morgan believes "if you hold off on this purchase until your children are walking and talking, you may be waiting too long."

That's because new parents can use a tablet to keep track of all the important information that goes into caring for a newborn. With a tablet, parents can monitor a newborn child's sleep, feeding and diaper changes, with a handful of apps available that help with all of these purposes.

Once these children reach an age at which they can start learning tablets, the very same device can be passed on, Morgan added.

These benefits could be driving the rapid growth in tablet purchases, which is expected to carry on through the next few years. By 2016, 172.4 million tablets are expected to ship, according to market research firm In-Stat.