It seems that those who spend absolute fortunes getting the higher end keyboardless netbooks made by Apple are more likely to use them for business.

According to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners the top of the range iPad 3 is getting more business users than earlier models, or the cheap and cheerful versions. Most iPads are being used to surf the Internet, playing games and other entertainment, CIRP found.

Business use came in a dismal fourth, with only 13 percent of all iPad owners using it to do anything useful with their shiny toys. But this figure went up slightly among iPad 3 owners and those who owned the more expensive machines. CIRP found those who purchased iPad models with extra storage and “devoted” Apple users.  In other words they were the type who spend a fortune on their machines, but could not find a reasonable use for wasting the cash. So they badgered their IT departments until they were allowed to read their email on them and felt a bit better.

CIRP defines devoted buyers as those who own also either an AppleTV, AirPort WiFi router or Time Capsule external hard drive and router.  Given that Apple networking gear is about as secure as  Colarado movie theatre that means that there are a lot of businesses which are taking huge risks to shut up their fanboys.

More than 23 percent of these owners report using their iPad for business, compared to 13 percent of all users, CIRP said. The report seemed to be only interested in iPad use.