About two-in-ten Americans (19%) said they owned a tablet computer in early 2012, almost twice as many as said they did near the end of 2011 (10%).

Surveys by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project also show a steep rise in e-book ownership over the holiday gift-giving season, jumping from 10% in December 2011 to 19% in January 2012. The number of Americans owning at least one of these digital reading devices increased from 18% in December to 29% in January.

The surge in ownership of tablet computers was especially notable among those with higher levels of education and those living in households earning $75,000 or more. Just more than a third of those living in households earning at least $75,000 (36%) said they own a tablet computer. And nearly a third of those with college educations or higher (31%) said they own one of the devices. Additionally, those under age 50 saw a large leap in tablet ownership. Read More

Russell Heimlich  is a former web developer at Pew Research Center.