TABLETS CONTINUE RAPID GROWTH

Thinking of the residents of Colorado Springs

In ancient times, the writing was on the wall (often literally) or wood or papyrus. People communicated via hieroglyphics. Charlton Heston famously played Moses over half a century ago in the Hollywood version of The Ten Commandments. So we see that the concept of delivering information via a tablet is not particularly new.

What is new is that the electronic version of the tablet has grown from a "nice-to-have" item to an integral part of many people's connected lives - for general news and during emergencies, for social networking, and for thousands of apps. More and more people are purchasing an iPad, Galaxy Tab, Nexus, or Kindle Fire. According to a new report from the Pew Research Center, in just three years, from May 2010 to May 2013, adult tablet ownership has soared from 3% to 34%, with no letup in sight. Other highlights include:

• ownership is slightly higher among women (35%) than men (32%)
• the 35-44 age bracket has the highest level of ownership (49%)
• ownership increases with higher education levels (49% for the college-educated)
• the higher the income, the greater the ownership (56% for household income of $75,000+)
• when you consider the 3% overall ownership across all income levels just three years ago, then the 20% figure for those households with income <$30,000 is very significant, impressive, and encouraging
• 50% of households containing a parent and minor child own a tablet computer

This writer believes that the main reason for the success of the tablet can simply be attributed to its portability and reader-friendliness. Tablets are much more compact and lighter in weight than laptops, but the reading experience is much easier than on smartphones. Tablets hit a sweet spot. 

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