The fact that a show produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is arguably the biggest destination for finding out what's next in business software illustrates that IT as we know it is undergoing an incalculable transformation. What strikes me is that even the most "consumery" technologies highlighted at CES have business value. It's also striking that many of the technologies making headlines at CES are also asserting their presence at the sci-fi heaven known as Comic-Con. With the convergence of social, mobile and cloud-based technologies, we're at a point where innovation is quickly passing from science fiction to your office.

Tablets: Once for superheroes, now transforming the workplace
My first recollection of a "tablet" comes from the the 2004 Pixar superhero flick "The Incredibles." Six years later the iPad hits the shelves, quickly becoming not only a way to access the latest entertainment, but a bonafide work tool. While a relatively recent phenomenon, you're now hard-pressed to sit in a meeting without someone pecking away at their tablet. The fact that these are emerging as the computer terminal of preference for a large percentage of the workforce isn't hard to understand -- for most work the tablet is an ideal portable form factor. And now, with gloves to ease cold-weather touchscreen use, you can ski and work at the same time (I don't recommend this -- just pointing out the possibilities...).

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