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Older Americans favor tablets, e-book readers 0

olderadults1_artA new study says older adults are favoring tablets and e-book readers over smartphones, even as smartphone ownership among Americans has exceeded 50 percent.

Only 18 percent of Americans 65 and older own a smartphone, up from 11 percent in 2011, the Pew Internet Research Project says in its study released today.

They are gravitating to tablet computers and e-book readers. Some 18% of seniors own an e-book reader, and an identical 18% own a tablet computer. Taken together, 27% of older adults own a tablet, an e-book reader, or both.

This is even as older people consider them primarily “elite” devices, according to Pew. Older consumers who graduated from college and have annual incomes of $75,000 or more are three times as likely to own a tablet or e-book reader as those without college degrees and substantially lower incomes.

Still, e-book reader ownership among seniors remains lower than the national average — 24 percent of all U.S. adults own the devices. Tablet ownership among older users is about half the national average of 34 percent.

Older Americans also continue to stay relatively detached from online and mobile life, according to Pew — 41 percent do not use the Internet at all, 53 percent do not have broadband access at home, and 23 percent do not use cell phones of any kind.

A glance at who’s wearing the wearables 0

The person most likely to own wearable technology is in his mid to upper 20s, earns a pretty good salary and had embraced tech gadgets at an early age. And if they get their wish, the next device may come in the form of a jeweled pendant.

smartwatch_artWearable tech – smart watches, Google Glass, fitness bands and the like – is growing in acceptance and popularity, and companies are investing heavily in the potential market of users. The market forecast for wearables is projected to hit more than $1.5 billion this year. That’s an emerging opportunity for producers of content to exploit.

So, who are these people who wear their tech? And what is the appeal of it?

The research firm Nielsen turned to those consumers who are already using the devices, and in its recently released Connected Life Report found out that:

  • The majority of those owning wearables are young adults, with nearly half between 18 and 34. They typically have the disposable income for the devices, with 29 percent earning over $100,000 a year.
  • Fitness bands are the most popular devices, with 61 percent of those surveyed by Nielsen owning them, followed by smart watches (45 percent) and mobile health devices (17 percent). However, 72 percent of those surveyed wished wearables were less expensive.
  • Those owning wearables are not technology novices. Three-quarters of the owners consider themselves “early adopters” of technology.
  • This may get designers’ attention: Nielsen found that 62 percent of those surveyed would like wearables in forms other than wrist bands and watches, and 53 percent would like to seem wearables look more like jewelry.

Nielsen obtained the results from 3,956 adults 18 and over who completed the survey in November 2013.

Smartphone ‘kill switch’ could save consumers billions, researcher says 0

Technology that can render a stolen smartphone worthless to thieves could save consumers $2.6 billion a year in product replacement and insurance premiums if it significantly reduces thefts of the devices, a new report says.

lockedphone_artThe study by Creighton University researcher William Duckworth is the latest argument for the installation of so-called “kill switch” technology in smartphones. California became the first state in the nation to propose making the disabling technology mandatory on the devices when state legislators proposed a bill in February. Federal lawmakers are also considering legislation in Washington.

Wireless carriers have mostly resisted these requests, and the wireless trade group CTIA has come out in opposition, citing potential hacking and privacy risks that could affect entire groups of smartphone customers.

Duckworth, an assistant professor of statistics, data science and analytics at Creighton, surveyed 1,200 smartphone owners in February using ResearchNow and reviewed the average cost of the devices and insurance as part of his study.

Duckworth estimated that it costs consumers about $580 million a year to replace stolen smartphones and another $4.8 billion annually to insure premium handsets like the iPhone. Duckworth summarizes in his report:

“A stolen smartphone – such as the iPhone 5S – could sell for $800 or more in the United States and overseas. For criminals, a stolen phone could be worth more than a stolen wallet, a tablet, or even a laptop.”

The professor said his research showed that if the kill switch technology proves an effective deterrent by rendering stolen smartphones useless, leaving no incentive for thieves to steal them, most of the $580 million spent by users to replace the devices would be saved.

Another $2 billion a year would be saved by customers who switch to cheaper insurance coverage for their devices. Duckworth says at least half of smartphone users would do this if the disabling technology reduced the theft threat.

Says Duckworth:

“Overall, it seems clear that Americans want the Kill Switch and that an industry-wide implementation of the technology could significantly improve public safety and save consumers billions of dollars a year.”

Duckworth’s survey also found that:

  • 99 percent of smartphone owners believe wireless carries should allow consumers the option to disable the device if it is stolen
  • 93 percent believe owners should not be expected to pay extra for the ability to disable a stolen phone
  • 83 percent believe a kill switch would reduce smartphone theft.

The voracious digital omnivores 0

The number of consumers with more than one digital device continues to grow, and they are hungry for content.

mobilecontentDeloitte recently released the findings of its eighth Digital Democracy Survey, which show that over a third of U.S. consumers – 37 percent – are digital omnivores, consumers who own tablets, smartphones and laptops. That’s a 42 percent increase from the previous year.

The growth is primarily driven by continued tablet usage and increased smartphone ownership. Tablet ownership rose from 13 percent in  2011 to 48 percent last year, according to Deloitte.

In addition, women, who made up 35 percent of digital omnivores a year ago, now comprise 45 percent of the group.

As the usage of tablets and smartphones as content devices grows, owners are craving more content. Interest in streaming content has nearly doubled, from 17 percent in 2012 to 32 percent in 2013, with interest in digital formats outpacing demand for physical media.

But Deloitte’s survey also found that consumers remain content with pay TV subscriptions, with only 6 percent saying they would give up their paid TV services next year.  Also, a majority of consumers said they still prefer to rent movies and television programming rather than purchase it.

With ownership of multiple devices on the rise, so is multitasking. According to Deloitte’s survey, 86 percent of consumers continue to be distracted by another device with watching TV, up from 72 percent in 2011. Yet only 22 percent of those involved in multitasking are doing activities directly related to the programs they are watching.

Millennials, those in the 14-to-24 demographic, are the most active of multitaskers, doing four activities while watching TV.

You can read more about Deloitte’s Digital Democracy Survey here. Feel free to tell us what you think.

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Tablets still popular, but move from PCs slowing 0

The transition from PC to tablet computers is beginning to slow, even as sales of mobile devices continues to move upward.

Worldwide shipments of PCs, tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices, an indicator of popular interest, is projected to reach 2.5 billion units in 2014, up 6.9 percent from the previous year, Gartner Inc. says in a new report.

Shipments of PCs continue to tumble, down about 6.6 percent from 2013. Gartner says sales of traditional PCs will continue to hamper the overall growth of devices, and the transition to tablets as the primary computer for users will decline, even as tablet shipments rose 38 percent from 2013. Consumers and businesses are taking the time to pair the right device with the right job – for example, whether a tablet computer is more effective than a laptop in the business environment.

Consumers will also increasingly look for other tablet features beyond the price, such as smaller screens, greater portability and better connectivity in their replacement tablets.

Smartphones and other mobile phones represent the largest segment of the overall device market, with shipments expected to hit 1.9 billion this year, up 4.9 percent from 2013. Growth in this segment is projected to come from less expensive premium phones and higher-end basic phones.

 

 

 

Survey: A quarter of U.S. companies have yet to go mobile 0

Companies still have a way to go when it comes to embracing mobile technology, according to a new survey.

Just over a quarter of U.S. companies – 28 percent – do not have a mobile technology strategy, according to a Robert Half Technology survey.

The survey is based on 2,300 telephone interviews with chief information officers from a random sampling of U.S. companies.

In the same survey, 70 percent of the firms have some type of mobile strategy, with the majority – 56 percent – saying they use a blend of apps  and mobile-friendly websites.

The survey also says:

  • The health care industry lags behind when it comes to leveraging the use of mobile devices for customer and patient engagement. According to the survey, 36 percent of respondents from health care companies say their organization has no mobile strategy. More than 60 percent of those polled from business services and retail say their companies embrace mobile technology for customer engagement.
  • Many of the companies with a mobile strategy are not emphasizing the use of apps to connect with customers and clients. Of the CIOs surveyed, 58 percent said their company has not developed a mobile app for customers and clients and has no plans to offer one in the next 12 months. Another 22 percent say their business plans to create a native app for customers in the next 12 months.

Google joins wearable device game with Android Wear 0

As expected, Google has launched an effort to expand the Android operating system from smartphones and tablets to wearable devices.

android_artGoogle announced in a blog post today the creation of Android Wear. Google will initially focus on smartwatches that will tell the wearer not only the time, but deliver the latest social media posts and updates, messaging, news and photos and more. Android Wear devices will be able to respond to voice commands, and monitor health and fitness. Over time, Android Wear will extend to a variety of body-fitting devices.

Google also released a software development kit preview for its wearable technology, enabling developers to tailor their existing apps for watches powered by Android Wear.

Google says it is working with companies including electronics manaufacturers Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung, chip makers like Broadcom, Intel and Qualcomm, and fashion brands like Fossil to develop smartwatches. The devices are expected to be launched later this year.

It’s a huge step for the company to position itself in a still growing market, and it poses unique opportunities for providing content specifically created for the wearable technology user.

The potential for content tailored for smartwatches and other like devices is limited at this point, and creating it for devices even smaller than smartphones looms as a challenge.

But it is something for content managers to think about. With the estimated market value of wearables projected to reach $10 billion by 2015, as the technology becomes more mainstream, more opportunities for content creation suited for wearables will not be far behind.

Facebook Paper’s content marketing potential 0

Facebook Paper looms as a game changer for content marketers.

The social media giant’s recently launched media delivery app puts an emphasis on quality images and solid content for the user. Users can select sections featuring content created from news sources for their optimal and personalized media experience.

They’ll look for unique and compelling images, attention-grabbing headlines and blog postings that feature original, well-written and researched material.

This poses a challenge to companies when it comes to creating the brand content that Paper users will be drawn to.

Business2community.com has a few tips for those that want to create high-impact content for Facebook’s Paper:

  • It’s okay to write longer content.
  • More words are effective.
  • Use better, higher quality photos.

You can read more about this here.

Mobile potential for small business 0

Major retailers are embracing the potential of mobile devices to bring in customers and drive business. Now, small businesses are focusing on mobile access to customers to boost their bottom line.

Mobile devices, particularly smartphones, are becoming the main channel for customers to interact with businesses. That means opportunities for merchants, from restaurants to car repair services to banks.

While social media like Twitter and Facebook are an effective form of social engagement for small businesses, a mobile-friendly website and payment options for smartphones and tablets can tilt long-term success in their favor.

The market is there for the taking: smartphone ownership in the U.S. is expected to more than triple by 2016.

Here are a few areas small businesses and entrepreneurs can focus on if they want to maintain, or expand, their mobile presence:

  • Make the company website accessible to mobile devices
  • Add a mobile payment option
  • Make smartphones, tablets and other mobile tools available to the sales force
  • Use virtual meeting apps like GroupMe to communicate with staff.

 

 

 

 

 

The doctor will see you on your smartphone 0

It’s time to get in touch with your doctor. You don’t feel well. It’s time for an annual checkup or a follow-up visit. Or maybe you just have a medical question.

Chances are you have the family physician’s phone number on a card in your wallet, the one reminding you of your next appointment.

Or you can use the app on your smartphone or tablet to contact the office.

The ability to locate a doctor, book an appointment and attend to your personal health care needs is right in the palm of your hand, as an app for Apple or Android devices. One that comes to mind is Zoc Doc, launched in 2011 for iOS and now available on Android. Zoc Doc helps you to search for a doctor by specialty, browse doctor search results like credentials, view appointment calendars in real time and book one for an available date instantly.

If you just have a medical question and can’t wait, here’s even an app that lets you connect with a physician right on your mobile device. It’s a consultation without the waiting room.

Doctor on Demand allows a patient to speak with a licensed physician on audio or video through a smartphone, iPhone or tablet. The app is useful to people with non-emergency issues who have medical questions like seeking a referral or explaining symptoms. The participating doctors are drawn from a network affiliated with independent medical practices throughout the United States.

Doctor on Demand is a free app for iOS and Android, but the fee to speak with a doctor is $40, about the cost of a copayment to see a specialist.