A recent survey of 1,500 consumers indicates sales of tablets such as the iPad could more than double in 2011. Of those who completed the survey, 10% currently own a tablet and 17% plan to buy a tablet this year.

The survey, conducted by Zoomerang, using its online survey tool, provides insight into the factors impacting consumer purchasing decisions for tablets. The top three factors valued most by consumers include price, connectivity capabilities (i.e. 3G, 4G, WiFi) and the tablet's operating system with 56%, 46% and 44%, respectively. Demonstrating its popularity among consumers and market presence, 80% of those who purchased a tablet in 2010 chose the iPad by Apple.

"If consumers buy additional tablet computers as predicted by this Zoomerang study, tablet market penetration will surpass 25% in the next year," says Alex Terry, general manager of Zoomerang. "But while Apple was the clear tablet winner of 2010, this next, larger wave of purchasers is still considering brands and operating systems."

While nearly half of those planning to purchase a tablet this year are still evaluating their options, those who have made up their minds are favoring the iPad five times more often than  tablets powered by Google's Android operating system; 35% said they will buy an iPad and 7% indicated preference for an Android-based tablet.

Since the introduction of the iPad last year, acceptance is continuing to grow and adoption is beginning to impact the use of personal computers. Among the 10% of those who currently own a tablet, 79% indicated that use of their personal computer has increased or stayed the same, while the remaining 21% said it has decreased.

"The nimble and mobile nature of tablets provides consumers with a new sense of ease in accessing information and completing simple tasks," Terry says. "According to the survey, tablet owners use these devices primarily for Internet browsing, e-mail and games, meaning the simplicity of tablet computers is driving these common uses for personal computers further into our everyday lives."
Go to http://www.zoomerang.com/blog/2011/02/28/computer-tablet-revolution-2011 to view the report in its entirety.