HNW to advisers: Pick up an iPad already

Wealthy investors love their iPads and want their financial advisers to use them too, according to a recent study by Cisco Systems Inc. While only a small percentage of the overall population owns an iPad or other tablet, wealthy investors — especially those under 50 — are big fans, Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group found in an online survey. Of 1,000 responding investors with at least $500,000 in investible assets, 23% of 35- to 49-year-olds own a tablet, as do 6% of boomers and 5% of “silvers,” or those over 65. In the under-50s group, 55% said they would like to use tablets to connect with their investment firm or adviser. Broker-dealers and custodians, including TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. and Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC, are responding to the growing popularity by launching tablet-friendly applications to make that possible. More adviser-provided apps, according to clients, would hit the —um, iSpot.