Gartner (http://www.gartner.com) has added media tablets, such as the iPad, to its computing hardware spending estimates beginning this quarter. Including media tablets has increased the research group’s computing hardware growth outlook from 7.5% to 9.5% or 2011.

Worldwide media tablet spending is projected to reach US$29.4 billion in 2011, up from $9.6 billion in 2010. Global spending on media tablets is forecast to increase at an annual average rate of 52% through 2015.