Old or Young - Who is Online in 2009?
A report was issued this week from Pew Internet & American Life Project that details the generational differences of those online. A bit surprising (to me at least), generation Y (aka millennials) do not dominate every aspect of online activities. According to Pew, "Generation X is the most likely group to bank, shop, and look for health information online. Boomers are just as likely as Generation Y to make travel reservations online. And even Silent Generation internet users are competitive when it comes to email (although teens might point out that this is proof that email is for old people)."
The study is well worth a quick look. At a high level it seems that younger generations use the Internet for entertainment and social activities while older generations use it as a tool for shopping, banking and research. Both older and younger peruse the net for viewing videos, travel booking and job research. Lastly, broadband usage has increased by almost half for those between 12-24, it's doubled for those between 25-64 and has TRIPLED for those 65 and older. Fantastic!
It would have been interesting to understand the level of mobile usage between the generations. With 1 in 10 consumers now owning a netbook, and with notebook sales now surpassing desktop, I'd imagine we'd see all generations going mobile. I just wonder where the breakdowns would lie.
Post Your Comment
Comment Policy: We welcome your comments, however all comments are moderated. Offensive, off-topic or fraudulent comments will be deleted and not displayed. By submitting a comment to an Intel Blog, you agree to our legal information and privacy policy terms, including having your name displayed with your comment and that you are 13 years old or older. Your name and personal information will not be used for any other purpose, and your e-mail address will not be published.
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here and in any corresponding comments are the personal opinions of the original authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Intel. All Intel names and trademarks are the property of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
tagged: generation, intel, laptop, mobile, netbook, notebook, youth