130,000 tablet devices will be purchased in Ireland in 2011

130,000 tablet devices, like the iPad 2 and the HTC Flyer, will be purchased in Ireland by the end of 2011, marking a 250% sales increase on the previous year. As a result, sales of standard desktop machines and laptops are expected to fall considerably, reports Silicon Republic.

Silicon Republic quote IDC analyst Eszter Morvay who explains how increased variety in the tablet market was helping push sales to extraordinary levels. Although Apple’s iPad is still by far the market leader, new tablet products from Acer, HTC, LG, Motorola Mobility were helping to lower the barrier of entry for most consumers.

Earlier this week we already witnessed consumers’ appetite for tablet devices as they scrambled to take advantage of defunct HP TouchPad fire-sales by many retailers. For consumers wishing to purchase tablets, price is undoubtedly the biggest consideration.

Morvay also stated how the nation’s lust for tablet devices was contributing to the continued decline of traditional personal computers. This combined with the increase of smartphones and a grim economic situation, sales of personal computers in Ireland are expected to fall from 561,000 in 2010 to less than 500,000 in 2011.