Tablet programs for government could be huge for market

The US government's IT budget hovers around $80 billion annually. Despite this amount, the government has been historically slow about rolling out new technology on a broad scale.

One area where the federal government may be moving ahead is tablet computers. Just as businesses in the private sector are deploying programs to support tablets, the government is also getting on board with the new technology, with some agencies looking to implement the devices into their operations.

In September 2011, for example, Federal News Radio reported that the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department is in the process of deploying approximately 1,000 tablets and smartphones to employees. Many of the employees will use the devices for healthcare-related tasks, but they can also be used to check email, gather information and keep employees connected to the agency at all times.

The VA is just one example of the impact of tablet computers on government agencies. As the technology becomes more pervasive, it is likely tablets will become indispensable tools to many government practices. As this trend unfolds, the federal government could become a major contributor to the already meteoric tablet market.