Overview
Some 39% of Americans have positive and improving attitudes about their mobile communication devices, which in turn draws them further into engagement with digital resources – on both wireless and wireline platforms.
Mobile connectivity is now a powerful differentiator among technology users. Those who plug into the information and communications world while on-the-go are notably more active in many facets of digital life than those who use wires to jack into the internet and the 14% of Americans who are off the grid entirely.
8% of adults use mobile devices and broadband platforms for continual information exchange to collaborate with their social networks
7% of adults actively use mobile devices and social networking tool, yet are ambivalent about all the connectivity
8% of Americans find mobility lighting their information pathways, but have comparatively few tech assets at home
16% of adults are active conduits of content and information for either fun or for personal productivity
61% are anchored to stationary media; though many have broadband and cell phones, coping with access is often too much for them
About the Survey
The typology of information and communication technology users developed by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project is based on two surveys concluded in December 2007. One survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International and sponsored by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, obtained telephone interviews – both landline and cell phone - with a nationally representative sample of 2,054 adults living in the continental United States. The interviews were conducted in English by Princeton Data Source, LLC from October 24 to December 2, 2007. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is ±2.4%. Details on the design, execution and analysis of the survey are discussed below.
The second survey, conducted from October 23, 2007 to December 11, 2007, was a callback survey of 1,499 adults re-interviewed from the Project’s February to March 2006 survey of ICT users. Respondents in both surveys were asked the same questions about assets, actions, and attitudes pertaining to ICTs.