Tablets quickly become viable enterprise tools

New research from NPD In-Stat reveals that tablet computers continue to carve out a niche as viable tools for enterprise use. According to the firm's report, the devices are now used for any number of business tasks.

Checking, sending and receiving email are the most popular enterprise tablet functions, as cited by 77 percent of respondents to the survey. Note taking and calendar management tools are also popular, In-Stat's research finds.

"[W]hen you dig into the data, you find a plethora of strong niche uses arising," Frank Dickson, In-Stat's vice president of mobile research, said. "When business tablet users are asked to list all the applications they use, note taking, for example, is listed as the second most popular application."

Other survey findings show that bring-your-own-device models are becoming popular. Only 22 percent of respondents said the company paid for their tablets.

Overall, the tablet market has taken off during the past several years. Market analysis firm Infinite Research reports that tablet shipments are expected to reach 147.2 million units in 2015. In 2010, the market topped out at 16.1 million units.