Defining TCO For Today's Tablets

By Brian Albright, Field Technologies

Calculating the true cost of a tablet deployment requires a holistic view of the application and support costs.

The growing popularity of tablet computers for line-of-business applications has created a new wrinkle in the total cost of ownership (TCO) calculation for companies deploying new or upgraded mobile solutions. Both rugged and consumer-grade tablets have worked their way into field service operations, and companies shopping for new hardware have found themselves balancing a different set of durability, cost, and functionality pros and cons.

“Not only do tablets enable workers to stay significantly more productive, efficient, and connected no matter where they are, but customers are beginning to expect them,” says Mike McMahon, vice president of global enterprise sales at Panasonic Systems Communications Company of North America. “For many of the enterprises we serve, the deployment of tablets becomes a catalyst for a broader initiative to review existing workflows and to identify opportunities to streamline processes.”