iPad, Tablet Users Prefer Digital Texts

Acceptance of digital texts is way up, especially among users of iPads and other tablets. In fact, according to research released this week, time spent reading texts in digital formats now just about equals the time spent on paper-based texts.

Ease of Use
According to the report, released by market research firm Gartner, a full 94 percent of iPad users and users of other tablet devices either prefer reading digital texts (52 percent) or find them as readable as printed texts (42 percent).

Contrasted with that were laptop users, a large portion of whom--47 percent--said they find reading texts on screen more difficult than reading paper. (The next-largest group among laptop users, 33 percent, said the experience was about equal to reading printed texts.)

The report, "Survey Analysis: Consumer Digital Reading Preferences Reveal the Exaggerated Death of Paper," surveyed more than 1,500 end users in the United States, the UK, Japan, India, Italy, and China in the fourth quarter of 2010. It found that the amount of time spent reading digital texts now nearly equals time spent reading printed materials.

Demographics: Age, Gender, Income
"In terms of gender, men typically reported screen reading easier than women, but both sexes said screen reading was generally the same or harder than reading printed text," according to the report.

Those who had the least acceptance of reading on screen were 40- to 54-year-olds.

Interestingly, a full 57 percent of respondents from the United States reported having no experience whatsoever with e-readers like Kindle or Nook, compared with 40 percent in the overall survey. "Urban Chinese respondents had the highest familiarity with e-readers and also had the highest number reporting that e-readers were easier to read. This reflects the relatively high income and education level of the sample in China," researchers reported.

Seventy-five percent of respondents from India and 56 percent of respondents from the UK also reported having no experience with e-readers.

"Consumers' reading habits are shaped and reinforced by the types of reading they do and don't do. Technology and service providers' product road maps, therefore, need to address changes in consumption patterns as well as the ergonomic and cognitive factors associated with the changes in reading habits," said Nick Ingelbrecht, research director at Gartner, in a statement released to coincide with the report. "This means improving media tablets and [e-readers] to become more competitive with paper in terms of weight, form factor, screen resolution, waterproofing, ruggedness, easy highlighting and note taking. This will enable consumers to take and use their devices at the beach, in the bath or out into the sun where they take their paper books, newspapers and magazines."

The complete report, "Survey Analysis: Consumer Digital Reading Preferences Reveal the Exaggerated Death of Paper," is available now from Gartner for $1,295. Further details can be found here.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • landscape photo with an AI rubber stamp on top

    California AI Watermarking Bill Supported by OpenAI

    OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, is backing a California bill that would require tech companies to label AI-generated content in the form of a digital "watermark." The proposed legislation, known as the "California Digital Content Provenance Standards" (AB 3211), aims to ensure transparency in digital media by identifying content created through artificial intelligence. This requirement would apply to a broad range of AI-generated material, from harmless memes to deepfakes that could be used to spread misinformation about political candidates.

  • minimalist geometric grid pattern of blue, gray, and white squares and rectangles

    Microsoft Starts Rolling Out AI-Focused Windows 11 24H2

    The latest major Windows 11 update — Windows 11 version 24H2 — is here with a host of AI-focused enhancements.

  • stylized illustration of an open guidebook with a glowing AI symbol hovering above

    ED Releases Toolkit for Intentional Use of AI in Education

    The United States Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology has released a new resource to help education leaders navigate AI adoption while ensuring student protection.

  • pattern of glowing blue and green orbs connected by thin luminous lines

    Microsoft Copilot Gains Actions Feature, New Agents in Latest Update

    Microsoft has introduced new and enhanced features for Microsoft 365 Copilot, including Copilot Actions, new AI "agents," and a Copilot Control System.