Tablet PCs are here and they are here to stay far longer than anyone might have envisioned. What is even more intriguing is the impact the tablets have had so far in the span of a little over a year that the mobile computing devices has come to stay with us in a big way. Something that a survey by Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism and The Economist Group on how the average people’s reading habit have come to be in a post iPad (and scores of other tablet PCs) world has revealed.
The facts and figures that has come to the fore present a picture of interesting contrast, it must be said. Like while its just 11 percent of the US population that have invested in a tablet device so far, what is good is that the tablet is an item of daily use for an astounding 77 percent of them. Also, a user on average spends almost 95 minutes using a tablet on a daily basis. Catching up with the latest news is the third most popular activity (53 percent) undertaken on the tablet with it being e-mail and web surfing that are a more popular activity for 54 percent and 67 percent of the users.
Also, for the 53 percent of the users who use a tablet device for consuming news, they do it more now than they ever did using a computer. They are even more likely to read news in depth than just spend their time glancing through the headlines. What is most interesting is that tablet owners reading news items are more inclined to do it socially by sharing them on other social networking sites and discuss them with other like-minded individuals.
What the survey has also revealed is that users are more inclined to read free content available on the net as just 14 percent of tablet users have said they have actually paid for availing news content on their tablet while 23 percent say they have subscribed to a newspaper or magazine that also include access to their digital versions. SO its just about a third of tablet users who have shown the willingness to actually pay up to have news delivered on their tablets while the remaining tablet owner would rather like to have it free. Also, its news items that has emerged as the top reading material on tablet PCs with e-book reading on tablet PCs is a favorite with just 17 percent of the consumers.
However, while all of the above finding provides an interesting insight into the way tablet PCs have found applications, it must be said its still too early to predict definitely as to what the trend is in general. This as the tablet market itself is in its infancy and there sure are a lot of things the segment will witness in the coming days as companies try to garner a bigger share of the market. Also, there will be more areas were the tablet will find specialized application. Like the way Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News are offering tablets at $99 to anyone who subscribe to their newspapers.
via teleread
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.