The Yankee Group (http://ww.yankeegroup.com) says that tablets in use in the U.S. will climb from 25 million in 2011 to more than 134 million in 2015, with sales eventually eclipsing those of personal computers.

Of course they will. Tablets are less expensive and serve different functions for the most part. Smartphones will outsell tablets, but that doesn't bode ill for the tablet market. We're talking (no pun intended) apples and oranges.

Currently, iPads represent 51% of all tablets owned in the U.S., leaving all other makers battling for less than half the overall market. Still, almost 25% of respondents who intend to buy a tablet in the next six months say they don’t know what brand they will purchase, which presents huge opportunity for manufacturers looking to grow their base, according to the Yankee Group.

Other findings from the research group's report include:

° The Kindle Fire has cooled with consumers. Those who planned to buy a Kindle Fire in 2011 now own one, bumping ownership up to 7%. But today’s intent to buy has dropped off, falling from 11% last year to just 6% today.

° Samsung takes a hit. Last year, more than 10% of consumers owned a Samsung tablet and 8% intended to buy one in the next six months. In 2012, these figures have fallen to 7% and 4%, respectively.

Smaller tablet manufacturers face an even grimmer outlook. Fewer than 4% of consumers currently own a BlackBerry PlayBook or Motorola- or Dell-branded tablet, and just 2% say they own an Asus tablet.

In other words, look for the iPad to dominate the tablet market for the foreseeable future -- and outsell Macs. But not to worry. Macs will continue to sell in record numbers and slowly gain market share.

-- Dennis Sellers