David Morgenstern of ZDNet posted this news:

A study announced just before the new year says that 75 percent of small and medium businesses plan to purchase tablet computers in 2012. What the buyers really mean by "tablets" is Apple iPad.

The results can be found in NPD Group's Q3 SMB Technology Monitor. For the survey, SMB was defined as businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees, and NPD said that the "average investment" would exceed $21,000.

Apple no doubt has notice this, and now has an iPad in Business web site, which mostly focuses on available apps that people might use in an office. It doesn't provide information about integrating iPads with Windows networks or issues of security or device management. The site also has links to press stories, including one called "6 Innovative Ways to Use the iPad in Your Business." One of the Innovative Ways:

The iPad is a great tool for restaurants who want to cut back on staff. Restaurants offer iPads to allow customers to order from a custom-developed iPad app and the order is directly routed to the kitchen.

Perhaps, but what happens if your fork is dirty or you want a refill on coffee? I guess there's an app for that.