Tablet activities vary, but email's on top

Tablet computers have penetrated both the consumer and enterprise sectors in a big way, and their uses encompass a wide range of activities. According to a report from Gartner, checking one's email appears to be the top activity, as 81 percent of surveyed tablet users say they do so on a daily basis.

Email is by no means the only popular activity, however. Reading the news and checking weather forecasts are also high on the list, cited by 69 percent and 63 percent of respondents, respectively.

The report notes that tablets are still in the early adopter stage. Though more people are using the devices, their range of functions has yet to be fully uncovered. One interesting result of the growing use of tablets is the possibility of the "less-paper" home. As adoption rates grow, device owners seem to be relying less on paper for specific activities, from reading to looking up recipes.

“We do not believe that the ‘paperless home’ will prevail, but it is clear that the ‘less-paper model’ is the new reality,” says Gartner principal research analyst Meike Escherich in a statement.

In an earlier report, Gartner predicts more than 369 million tablets will ship in 2016, up from nearly 119 million in 2012. As tablet adoption continues to grow, the devices' functionality is likely to expand, affecting the way people watch TV, play video games and consume content, among other activities.