Swiroset.com

Apple’s new iPad Air is certainly generating a lot of buzz and building traction. The latest version of the tablet series is generating rave reviews from critics who like the slim design, more powerful processor, and brighter images.

The Air, in both its standard and Mini versions, will join a consumer tablet market that Apple already dominates. According to a recent survey by Chitika Insights, the iPad line accounted for 81 percent of tablet traffic in Canada and the United States during the month of January 2013. Everyone else is far behind.

Without a doubt, the iPad is versatile, visually appealing and easy to use. However, how does it compare as a business tool?

A recent study published by the global research firm Forrester indicated that 21 percent of the companies surveyed used a tablet at least weekly to work. Among them, 58 percent used the iPad. This is twice the number using Android tablets and more than five times the number using Windows tablets, according to the report.

The Los Angeles Times reported in an article in October that another study, from Good Technology, a maker of mobile security applications, found that 72% of mobile devices activated by companies ran on Apple’s iOS. As for tablets, 90% were iPads.

The statistics tell a good story. But before a business gets on the iPad bandwagon, it must recognize the limitations that a tablet brings to the workplace, especially those that run on Apple’s iOS system.

Many corporate users complain that the iPad cannot connect to a Windows domain like it can with a Windows client PC. Joining a PC to a domain allows a system administrator to add it to a Windows Active Directory-based domain. It can then be managed through Active Directory.

Any tablet, including the iPad, has relatively light processing power. Businesses still need desktop workhorses to perform heavier computing tasks, such as creating and managing databases with CAD, media editing, or handling large sets of scientific data. Writing and generating long and short form content is also best accomplished with a PC or laptop.

The iPad could be a corporate compliance headache, too. Since the tablet is primarily a consumer device, compliance regulations like HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley are not rooted in its specifications. IT must ensure that the data accessed by iPad users is compliant both in terms of where that data resides and how it is transmitted.

The iPad is weak when it comes to virtualization. Integration and support can be a problem compared to a standard thin client.

While new iOS apps are available to help address the issues of a Windows-based network, those who enjoy the tablet experience may do better with the Surface 2. Since Microsoft dominates the workplace, this new tablet can be a real alternative with Windows. on board.

Overall, the tablet market has a long way to go to replace PCs and laptops. Daily business operations are best done with a keyboard and a full desktop operating system.

What do you think? Do you use a tablet at work and how do you use it?

Let us know.