Work or Play or Both: Can the iPad Win Over Enterprise?

Since its announcement, the iPad has been touted as the new personal tech tool. But it appears as though Apple's tablet device is making some inroads into professional use as well. What are the implications for businesses when "consumer gadgets" enter the workplace? How will they impact the ways in which we store and access our data - both personal and professional, as well as our expectations for communication, productivity, and mobility -- again, both at home, at leisure, and at the office. Will it result in a small environmental footprint for our technology use?

According to a recent story in Bloomberg Business Week, "Wells Fargo & Co. spent two years studying the iPhone before letting bankers use the device at work. Apple Inc.'s iPad, released in April, took just weeks to get cleared." Ted Schadler, an analyst at Forrester Research, is quoted in the Bloomberg article as saying that "This iPad thing has taken the world by storm. It came in as a consumer product and very quickly the people who actually bought them were business people."

Certainly, the iPad is a lot easier to lug to and from work and to carry into meetings than a laptop. And it's easier to set up and turn on than a computer. The 3G versions mean you needn't worry about Internet connectivity, and the iPads seem to have a far better battery life than laptops, meaning you can avoid having to scramble to reach the powerstrip.

For businesses, there are obviously concerns about security issues (although the iPad does provide 256 bit encryption). And while the device does support Microsoft Exchange and there are apps that can connect the iPad via a VPN to another work computer, it is very difficult to type on the device at the same speed with which we type on "regular" computer keyboards.

But there are also questions about what it means to have a personal device -- the iPad is typically connected to your personal iTunes account -- that also serves as a professional work "station."

The iPad has been a wildly successful product. Apple claims that it sold 2 million in the first 60 days, and some analysts are predicting the company could sell as many as 25 million units in 2011. These estimates are so high, in part, because of the increasing adoption of the tablet in the workplace.

Do you use the iPad at work? Have you seen other people doing so? If so, how does the iPad suit you at work? Can you perform the tasks you need to on it? (Or is it just a great way to play Angry Birds during a particularly dull meeting?)

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