The Big Four auditor indicated that the connected portable devices have advantages over ultra-thin PCs, notebooks and netbooks with regards to either weight or price, while their size makes them better than smartphones for viewing videos and browsing the internet.
Deloitte claimed net tablets, or NetTabs as they have been dubbed, "will be purchased by tens of millions of people in 2010", with several major IT companies - including Hewlett Packard, Microsoft and Apple - expected to launch products of this type during the early part of the year.
Freescale has already made its move into the market, unveiling its ARM net tablet design at the start of the month. It comes with Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity and boasts a seven-inch, 1024x600-pixel touchscreen.
