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March 29, 2004
Number of seniors going online grows dramatically
The number of seniors who actively use the Internet has grown by 50% in the last four years, according to a study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. As established Internet users move into that age group, this trend will only continue.
According to the study, older surfers are using the Internet in much the same way as the rest of the population, the only real exceptions being that they tend to buy products and make travel reservations less often. The two groups mirror each other in the amount that they use email, play games and do research on health topics.
Catering to the older surfer takes special consideration, and more companies are taking steps to make sure their Web sites are accessible to all potential customers.
Posted by jenguevin at 05:40 PM
March 24, 2004
Advertisers target growing online Hispanic community
The number of advertisers using Spanish-language Web sites is growing dramatically according to research by the Interactive Advertising Bureau.
The U.S. Hispanic community has become an alluring market for online advertisers as studies show a significant increase in buying power as well as a rapid adoption of Internet use far higher than that of the general population.
If marketing efforts are accurate, it is a trend that most English-speaking caucasians won't see, but as consumption of Internet sites and services continues to skyrocket among the Hispanic population, those advertisers who target the growing market will no doubt see positive results.
To see a PDF of the IAB Hispanic Committee's presentation on interactive marketing to the Hispanic community, click here.
Posted by jenguevin at 07:51 PM
March 11, 2004
PC shipments slow to 2005, but maybe that's a good thing
Worldwide PC shipments are forecast to continue growing over the next two years, though their pace will gradually slow during that time, according to a report by market research firm IDC. Shipments are expected to grow by 11.4 percent in 2004, and 11.2 percent in 2005. Both numbers are down from the 11.7-percent growth seen last year.
In a time when we're all looking for signs of a turnaround in the tech industry, that may appear to be bad news. But according to the United Nations, we may be heading in just the right direction. On Monday the UN released a study on the environmental impact of PCs. Among its findings: It takes roughly 1.8 tons of raw material to produce one standard desktop PC, close to the same amount required to manufacture a mid-size car.
The UN suggests that it is far better to extend the life of a PC than to recycle it because the majority of energy used to produce a new PC goes into making the semiconductors, which are almost completely lost in the recycling process.
If we are to help the environment by eliminating some of the waste created by this process, maybe PC sales are one part of the industry that we should hope continues to slow.
Posted by jenguevin at 01:11 AM
March 09, 2004
Employees trading files on company networks, unafraid of legal action against their employers
An alarming 39 percent of employees polled in a recent survey say they continue to swap files with tools like Kazaa and Gnutella on their company networks, and nearly 60 percent of respondents say they are unconcerned about whether the Recording Industry Association of America takes legal action against their employers for the illegal distribution of copyrighted files on their networks.
The findings come from a study on peer-to-peer file-sharing conducted by Web control and filtering company Blue Coat Systems Inc. and show a disturbing trend that could hold serious implications for businesses that don't regulate this type of use of their networks. In the aftermath of the RIAA's recent legal attacks on individuals who trade copyrighted music files, file-sharing has dipped somewhat, leading some users to begin actively deleting illegal files from their PCs. But from the results of this study, it appears that the string of lawsuits hasn't deterred users from sharing music entirely, but may have simply spurred some to do their trading on their companies' networks.
Whether users have actually moved their file-trading hobbies onto their company networks to avoid legal action or are simply continuing to trade as they have in the past is unclear. But trading illegal files under the security blanket of a company network, not to mention a corporate legal team, may make users feel somewhat more protected from the wrath of the RIAA.
Of course, from the business perspective, this notion is ridiculous. There is no reason why the RIAA wouldn't love to target people trading music files on a company network. In fact, it could very well be the next trend in lawsuits brought on by the industry group. It was just over a year ago that the RIAA sent warning letters to thousands of colleges and universities, notorious for the excessive amounts of file-sharing that takes place on their networks. Fearful of legal action, schools like the University of Rochester and Penn State have worked out deals with Napster that allow their students to share music legally. Having successfully scared the pants off of college administrators and individual traders, it seems a logical step for the RIAA to begin targeting companies who fail to regulate their own networks.
For businesses, the message is clear. Your employees are not regulating their own use of the company network. Does this mean management needs to begin monitoring all Internet use on company time? Absolutely not. But while the RIAA is consumed by its lust for lawsuits, those responsible for your company's networks simply must take a look at this issue. Because if the RIAA does come knocking, it's the company that will have to answer to the actions of its employees.
Posted by jenguevin at 07:37 AM
March 04, 2004
Revenue from mobile video services in Europe will grow...
into a €4 billion (US$4.98 billion) market in 2008, according to the Yankee Group. Revenue will be split almost equally between video telephony, entertainment services and video messaging, with a small proportion left over for information services.
Posted by jenguevin at 09:33 PM
Around 30 percent of U.S. telecom users will no longer have a fixed-line telephone by 2008.
The change comes as mobile phones continue to displace landlines, according to Instat/MDR. Mobile phones are heavily favored by consumers between the ages of 18 and 24, who are single and live in urban areas, an InStat study showed.
Posted by jenguevin at 09:30 PM
The PDA market is set for a rebound...
with shipments forecast to reach 10.8 million units in 2004, according to InStat/MDR. The market will continue to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 6.5 percent until 2008, with manufacturers giving increased attention to multimedia and wireless functionality.
Posted by jenguevin at 09:28 PM