Small Business Not Interested in Apple iPad

Contrary to many experts expectations, small, cost conscious businesses are reducing their dependence on hosted services even as they plan software upgrades and move to the cloud. They are also unimpressed by devices such as Apple's iPad and netbooks.

The technology spending freeze of late 2009 is showing signs of thawing among small to medium-size businesses, according to a survey by networking management specialist Spiceworks.

The vast majority is seeing overall IT budgets and spending rise in the first half of 2010, according to the survey, State of SMB IT April 2010. The survey of IT professionals had 1,250 respondents from around the world in organizations with fewer than 1,000 employees. The average annual technology budget of survey respondents was $117,200.