• One In Four Americans Owns A Tablet
    87 replies, posted
[img]http://i.imgur.com/fwA4m.png[/img] [quote]We’re still waiting to hear from specific companies like Amazon with their latest (non-)numbers on how well their Kindle line of devices has sold over this holiday period, and from the various analysts that track overall device sales and shipments (but we’ve had a few indications that sales will be strong). But in the meantime, some research out today from the Pew Research Center on e-reading sheds some light on how the key U.S. market appears to be moving: specifically, ownership of tablets like the iPad has overtaken ownership of e-reading devices like the Kindle, with the number of people using both continuing to rise. According to Pew’s ongoing Internet & American Life survey, 25% of respondents — one in every four — now owns a tablet; while e-reader ownership is now at 19%. Biggest of all is the fact that now one in every three people owns some kind of device — tablet, e-reader or both — for e-reading. That’s more than a twofold rise for tablets over December 2011, when tablets and e-readers were level, with 10% of surveyed respondents said they owned one or the other. This most recent survey dates from November 2012 — meaning that the proportion is likely to rise even further after holiday sales shopping is taken into account. Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, said that the survey didn’t measure which devices were leading the charge for tablets and e-readers, but figures from Strategy Analytics in October noted that Apple’s iPad, as of last quarter, was still leading the pack, although its lead was narrowing considerably as Android device makers, from Amazon to Samsung, continued to pick up more users. Unsurprisingly, the rise in tablet and e-reader ownership, Pew says, has had a direct impact on how many people are turning to e-books rather than printed books when it comes to reading. They now stand at 23% of the population aged 16 and older — nearly an identical proportion to the number of people who say they now own either a tablet or e-reading device. A year ago, Pew said that the proportion was 16%. We are not yet at a tipping point for reading, however. Reading printed books continues to decline, but it still remains well ahead of e-reading: the percentage that said they read printed books now stands at 67%, down from 72% a year ago. For now, it seems like e-reading remains a more affluent pursuit. Pew’s research found that the highest percentage of consumers reading at least one e-book over the last year, 44%, is among those whose household income is at $75,000 or higher — and the numbers decline steadily with each lower income bracket. People aged 30-49 were the most e-reading friendly, with 41% of all respondents in that age range also saying they’d read at least one e-book over that period. Rainie tells me that the e-reading trend may become more democratized as cheaper devices continue to enter the market, an area led by Amazon and its Kindle Fire range but also complemented by other OEMs developing both Android and Windows 8 devices to compete against the premium-priced iPad from Apple. “Last year (not this year) we asked a question about whether people were reading more now that so much content was digitized,” he said. “Thirty percent of people who read digital content — either books or longform journalism — say they are reading more now that they have the devices. So, it might be the case that as the price of devices and maybe some books continues to fall, some more people might take the plunge and get the device.” But he also notes another point that Pew has found: “Book reading has almost always been something that richer people do more than poorer people do.” So, too, the impact on libraries. Pew notes that e-book borrowers are on the rise, but represent a very marginal part of the population, up to 5% from 3% the year before. Rainie said that the survey let users “self define” what was meant by library — which could include commercial libraries like the Amazon’s Kindle Lending Library and programs from public libraries. But in any case, he doesn’t believe that the commercial efforts are registering with many users yet. “If people use the Kindle Lending Library I’d hope they would answer ‘yes’ to our question of whehter they have borrowed an e-book from a library,” he said. “But I’m not sure if that is the way everyone is answering that question.”[/quote] [url=http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/27/one-in-four-americans-owns-a-tablet-overtaking-e-readers-as-printed-book-consumption-continues-to-decline-pew/]SOURCE[/url]
I am a part of the other 3. I would have though the number of people who owns tablets much lower though.
"One Fourth of Americans have wasted money that could have been better spent on pretty much anything else"
I'm the most technologically advanced person in my househould and I still don't own a tablet. Unless you'd consider my WiiU remote as a "in-room-only" tablet.
[QUOTE=valkery;38999755]"One Fourth of Americans have wasted money that could have been better spent on pretty much anything else"[/QUOTE] Oh come on
Tablets aren't too bad when you are on the go and just need something light though.
[QUOTE=koeniginator;38999773]Oh come on[/QUOTE] What? I find tablets to be useless wastes of money.
[QUOTE=valkery;38999755]"One Fourth of Americans have wasted money that could have been better spent on pretty much anything else"[/QUOTE] I can sorta see the use in buying a tablet for people who want a computer expressly for the purpose of dicking around with facebook and youtube. Tablets are pretty cheap and the ease of use factor is pretty high. Not to say I'd waste my money on one when I've got a desktop PC but I can see why they'd appeal to a lot of casual social media users.
[QUOTE=valkery;38999788]What? I find tablets to be useless wastes of money.[/QUOTE] How are they any more a waste of money than an HDTV or a really fancy smartphone?
I'd take a small laptop over a tablet any day. That being said ebook readers are good for what they do. Especially if they are cheap, I've seen a several people with them while riding the transit system. [QUOTE=koeniginator;38999816]How are they any more a waste of money than an HDTV or a really fancy smartphone?[/QUOTE] A smart phone has more utility and an HDTV its way better than a regular TV? Unless its like a non-jailbroken iphone I guess.
[QUOTE=valkery;38999788]What? I find tablets to be useless wastes of money.[/QUOTE] "My opinion is fact"
Financial crisis!!! I, unlike most of the population, don't really get the purpose of tablets or non-eInk ebook readers.
[QUOTE=Bentham;38999828]"My opinion is fact"[/QUOTE] As is your's apparently.
[QUOTE=valkery;38999755]"One Fourth of Americans have wasted money that could have been better spent on pretty much anything else"[/QUOTE] Says someone who most likely buys lots of video games.
[QUOTE=valkery;38999755]"One Fourth of Americans have wasted money that could have been better spent on pretty much anything else"[/QUOTE] oh no people are buying things they like ohhhh nnnoooo just for fun, what is your definition of "better spent"? what is that "anything else"?
[QUOTE=koeniginator;38999816]How are they any more a waste of money than an HDTV or a really fancy smartphone?[/QUOTE] Because an HDTV is like a normal TV but big and it looks far better, and a smartphone is just a tablet that's cheaper and can also make phone calls.
[QUOTE=valkery;38999842]As is your's apparently.[/QUOTE] oh okay
[QUOTE=Cuon Alpinus;38999865]Says someone who most likely buys lots of video games.[/QUOTE] I actually haven't spent a dime. I don't play video games a whole lot. The one's I do play are my brothers, and he bought Black ops and MW2 from some guy for like ten bucks.
I never have time to actually bring out a tablet and use it. So I've never ever found it useful and would rather go without unless I'm going to be sitting somewhere for hours.. in which case the battery would die on me anyway if I was watching a movie.
[QUOTE=valkery;38999788]What? I find tablets to be useless wastes of money.[/QUOTE] I got a Nexus 7 in November and I basically have not put it down since. I use it for at least a couple of hours every single day. I wouldn't say that's a waste of money.
Tablets are great for kids. They're mobile, they play very cheap games, they have access to the internet, are able to be used for reading and watching TV, and they don't cost as much as a cell phone. You get one that's designed well and/or a strong case for it, and you've pretty much got a "here take this and stop asking me when we're getting there" tool. Alternatively, they're great for reading email and e-books and not being tied to a room in your house or dealing with a tiny screen.
[QUOTE=latin_geek;38999874]oh no people are buying things they like ohhhh nnnoooo just for fun, what is your definition of "better spent"? what is that "anything else"?[/QUOTE] Look, I don't really want to get into an argument defending my personal vendetta on tablets. Long story short, they are shiny pieces of crap that people buy because they had 500 bucks to blow on their spoiled kids. That's all you are getting out of me. It isn't worth my time to argue my point online.
[QUOTE=valkery;38999755]"One Fourth of Americans have wasted money that could have been better spent on pretty much anything else"[/QUOTE] My phone is not a smart phone, and it only does texts and calls. My tablet is my smart phone. The money I save from one-time purchase with the tablet and phone bills is paid for in about 5 months, and I'm not locked into any two-year contract, forced to pay an additional $40.
[QUOTE=Cuon Alpinus;38999865]Says someone who most likely buys lots of video games.[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_quoque[/url]
[QUOTE=valkery;38999755]"One Fourth of Americans have wasted money that could have been better spent on pretty much anything else"[/QUOTE] What people do with disposable income is up to them. I don't "need" these hundred steam games but I sure as hell want them but I could have spent the money on anything else.
You realize that Tablets are much less confusing for people than a Windows computer is? You're all so used to desktops you can't see how anyone could find a tablet useful. I'll give you a hint: [sp]It's because they just want to go on facebook, they don't need a keyboard and mouse for that.[/sp]
Eh, anything I can do on a tablet I can do on my phone, and the things I can't do on a phone, I do on a PC or laptop because I can't do them on a tablet. What's the point, apart from cool factor?
[QUOTE=valkery;38999922]Look, I don't really want to get into an argument defending my personal vendetta on tablets. Long story short, they are shiny pieces of crap that people buy because they had 500 bucks to blow on their spoiled kids. That's all you are getting out of me. It isn't worth my time to argue my point online.[/QUOTE] It's a shame because that's not even a good argument at all.
Oh, I thought they meant tablet as in the thing you draw on. That would've been neat. I have one of those. My mother, however, bought a blackberry tablet. I still can't figure out why. (it is awful)
My school (private) got Ipads for every student. I am the 25%.
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