Top 10 SMB Predictions For 2011

The coming year will be the year that tablets go from niche to normal in small and midsize business environments, as the improving functionality and uber-portability of the devices make them a viable, reliable computing option for business users. With Microsoft joining Apple (and its rumored second-generation iPad), Samsung, Dell, and other key players in the market, the tablet wars will likely get vicious and put downward pressure on prices -- music to the ears of cost-conscious SMBs.

The popularity of SMB as a buzzword in its own right will grow with a certain amount of irony, too, as its definition blurs and the market becomes increasingly segmented. As owners and IT managers gear up for what many feel will be a better overall year for businesses of all sizes, here are 10 forecasts for the next 12 months.

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