In an eminently logical announcement, Apple and IBM have announced an exclusive partnership that aligns the strengths of each company to deliver solutions to the enterprise market. The partnership will enable IBM’s 100,000-strong sales force to deliver enterprise solutions on Apple’s mobile devices.

This is another step in Apple’s increasing focus on enterprise which already sees Apple CEO Tim Cook reporting that 98 percent of the Fortune 500 and over 92 percent of the Global 500 are using iOS devices in their business today.

Announcing the partnership, Cook said: “iPhone and iPad are the best mobile devices in the world and have transformed the way people work. For the first time ever we’re putting IBM’s renowned big data analytics at iOS users’ fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple. This is a radical step for enterprise and something that only Apple and IBM can deliver.”

HP launches the Pro x2 612 at Computex 2014-- an enterprise take on the two-in-one notebook-- together with Elite 700 range of notebook and desktop PCs aimed at transactional and SMB customers.

The Pro x2 612 is the first "detachable" PC from HP aimed exclusively at enterprise customers. It is a 12.5-inch device one can use as either a standalone tablet or regular notebook via companion keyboard dock.

The tablet also handles pen input via optional Wacom stylus.

It runs on Windows 8.1 with Intel Core i3 or i5 processors, and includes security features such as HP BIOS, Client Security, Sure Start, a smart card reader and an optional fingerprint reader.

Google strides further into enterprise as it buys Divide, a software maker with a focus on bring your own device (BYOD) technologies, for an unspecified sum.

Following acquisition the Divide team will join the Google Android division.

Formerly known as Enterproid, Divide sells an iOS and Android app built around an own BYOD platform. It integrates professional and personal apps on a single device, with FIPS 140-2 validated 256-bit encryption taking care of the business side of things.

It also provides an enterprise utility suite complete with email, calendar, contacts, files, browser and cloud storage apps.

Contrary to industry expectations Microsoft did not reveal a small tablet at its 20 May "small gathering"-- it instead announced the Surface Pro 3, a device large enough to be more laptop than tablet.

In fact the Surface Pro 3 is 12-inch device, up from the 10.6-inch of the previous model, with a 2160 x 1440 ClearType display. It is also relatively slim (7.6mm) and light (800g), at least when compared with ultralight laptops. Such comparisons are apt, since Microsoft itself describes the device as a "revolutionary laptop" (not "iPad killer") when paired with the companion Type Cover keyboard/cover.

Microsoft also offers a desktop dock accessory for use with full-on PC peripherals.

“Tablets are designed for you to sit back and watch movies, read books, browse the web, snacking on apps,” Microsoft says. “Laptops are not designed that way at all… They’re designed for editing, they’re designed for making. There’s a design point, and they’re made that way for a reason.”