Americans and Their Cell Phones
Mobile phones have become a near-ubiquitous tool for information-seeking and communicating: 83% of American adults own some kind of cell phone. While cellphones are useful for a wide variety of tasks, owners say they also come with some disadvantages.
35% of American Adults Own a Smartphone
Smartphones have captured a significant share of the cellphone market in the U.S. and a quarter of owners say they go on line mostly using their device.
E-reader Ownership Doubles in Six Months
The share of U.S. adults who own an e-book reader — such as Kindle or Nook — doubled to 12% in May 2011 from 6% in November 2010. This is the first time that ownership of this device has reached double digits among adults.
Latinos and Digital Technology
Latinos are less likely than whites to access the internet, have a home broadband connection or own a cell phone. However, Hispanics and whites with similar socioeconomic characteristics have similar usage patterns for these technologies.
To what degree does my having only a cell phone restrict my availability for surveys?
Senior research staff answer questions from readers relating to all the areas covered by our seven projects, ranging from polling techniques and findings, to media, technology, religious, demographic and global attitudes trends.
Generations and Gadgets
While many tech devices have become popular across generations, Millennials are by far the most likely group not only to own most gadgets, but also to take advantage of a wider range of functions on those devices.
Cell Phone Challenge for the Census
A newly released General Accounting Office review of Census Bureau follow-up efforts to reduce errors in the 2010 Census raises an issuefamiliar to survey researchers: How to reach the growing share of Americans who only have cell phones and not landlines.
Global Publics Embrace Social Networking
Although still a relatively young technology, social networking is already a global phenomenon. A 22-nation survey finds that in regions around the world, people who use the internet are using it for social networking. Cell phone ownership and computer usage are also increasingly popular across the globe.
The Better-Off Online
Some 95% of Americans who live in households earning $75,000 or more a year use the internet at least occasionally, compared with 70% of those in households with less income. Even among all internet users, the well-off are more likely to own and use various types of technology.
Gadget Ownership
The cell phone — by a wide margin — is the most commonly owned piece of personal technology. Three-quarters of the public own a computer and nearly half own an mp3 player, while e-books remain a niche item. The average adult owns three of the seven gadgets asked about in the survey.
