Laptops Heading To The Scrapheap?

Since the introduction of the Apple iPad, interest in tablet systems has increased. In fact in the last three months, AnythingIT.com, a website that tracks IT system disposals, has seen a 62 percent increase nationwide in businesses dumping their laptops.Interest in tablets is evident in many ways. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show, companies touted more than 100 tablets. Anything IT.com noted that these systems are smaller, trimmer, and easier to grab and go than laptops. In addition in many cases, a tablet is a less expensive option than a laptop. Since the devices have enough battery life to last all day, salespersons and other mobile professionals view them as convenient tools.

While companies across the nation are displacing their laptops, the trend is most evident in high tech strongholds. AnythingIT.com reported Washington, DC; New York; San Francisco, Atlanta, and Dallas were the Top Five areas where businesses are moving their laptops from the desktop to the landfill.

For small and medium businesses, the trend represents good news/bad news. On the plus side, they gain another weapon in their IT arsenal. However, they will need to monitor the influx of these devices into their operation and put policies in place, so whenever company data is stored on tablet systems, it is secure. Right now, the tools available to perform that task are in an early stage of development, so encouraging the use of tablets could inadvertently increase the risk of compromising company data. Small and medium need to guard against that possibility.