July 22nd, 2008
90% of Americans 18-28-year-old own a PC
According to the Forrester Research, although Gen Y is a small generation of 18- to 28-year-olds, comprising only 38 mln US adults, it sets the pace for technology adoption. 90% of Gen Yers own a PC, and 82% own a mobile phone. But it is technology use that sets this generation apart: Gen Y spends more time online — for leisure or work — than watching TV; 72% of Gen Y mobile phone owners send or receive text messages; 42% of online Gen Yers watch Internet video at least monthly. In contrast, Gen X, which is comprised of 29- to 42-year-olds - 63 mln US adults — uses technology when it intersects with a personal need or fulfills a desire. For example, 32% of Gen X households own an HDTV, and 29% have a DVR. In the past three months, 69% of online Gen Xers shopped online and 65% banked online, higher percentages than any other generation. Gen X is also ramping up its Internet and mobile activities, including reading blogs (21% of online Gen Xers do it at least monthly, up from 15% in 2007) and texting (61% of Gen X mobile subscribers do it today, up from 49% in 2007).
July 22nd, 2008
Top US search engines in May 2008
| Core Search Entity | Apr-08 | May-08 | Growth |
| Total Core Search | 10,582 | 10,777 | 2% |
| Google Sites | 6,514 | 6,664 | 2% |
| Yahoo! Sites | 2,159 | 2,221 | 3% |
| Microsoft Sites | 961 | 920 | -4% |
| AOL LLC | 491 | 486 | -1% |
| Ask Network | 458 | 486 | 6% |
| Source: comScore | |||
July 21st, 2008
65% of US households play video games, 38% have consoles, 40% are female
40% of US gamers are women, Entertainment Software Association says. 65% of American households play computer and video games. 38% of American homes have a video game console. The average game player is 35 years old. One out of four gamers are over age 50. Women age 18 or older represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (33%) than boys age 17 or younger (18%). 41% of Americans expect to purchase one or more games 2008. 94% of parents are present when games are purchased or rented. 88% of parents report always or sometimes monitoring the games their children play. 63% of parents believe games are a positive part of their children’s lives.
July 21st, 2008
19% of all online users are seriously into sports
Serious sports fans comprise 19% of overall online users and represent one of the most lucrative audiences online, JupiterResearch claims. With a tendency to spend more time online, watch more video online, and shop more online, sports sites must integrate the right mix of video and social experiences into their destinations. 21% of serious sports fans, who tend to be younger males between the ages of 25-34, view streaming video monthly. With young men leading the pack in video activity, and with sports content translating well into the short-clip, “snacking” environment of Web video, sports sites have a perfect opportunity to emerge as leaders in online video.
July 21st, 2008
LCD TVs recommended over plasma TVs in retail, Samsung and Sony top recommended brands
At a rate of more than three to one, retail electronics salespersons are recommending liquid crystal display (LCD) flat screen TVs instead of sets using plasma technology to shoppers who are seeking to purchase big screen televisions (sets with screens measuring 40 inches or larger), according to the J.D.Power and Associates. High proportion of recommendations of LCD sets is primarily due to retail salespersons’ lack of knowledge regarding recent improvements in plasma technology. For example, more than one-third (38%) of salespersons told their customers that LCD sets last longer. Also, 37% of salespersons warned their customers that images may be permanently burned onto the screens of plasma TVs.
During Q2 2008, among LCD TV brands, Samsung and Sony were recommended by salespersons 35% and 28% of the time, respectively. Vizio sets were recommended approximately 7% of the time. No other LCD brand received a recommendation rate of more than 2%. Among plasma television brands, Panasonic was recommended by
salespersons 37% of the time, while Samsung and Pioneer were recommended 14% and 12% of the time, respectively.
July 20th, 2008
Fastest-growing US web sites in May 2008
| Apr-08 | May-08 | Growth, % | Rank | |
| Total Internet : Total Audience | 190,728 | 190,858 | 1 | N/A |
| Proflowers.com | 1,301 | 5,453 | 319 | 200 |
| Vonage Holdings Corp | 2,202 | 4,832 | 119 | 227 |
| Vlaze Media Networks, Inc. | 4,021 | 7,162 | 78 | 153 |
| Discovery.com Sites | 8,800 | 15,473 | 76 | 62 |
| IRS.gov | 23,354 | 31,113 | 33 | 20 |
| United Health Group | 3,999 | 5,302 | 33 | 203 |
| Infospace Network | 7,005 | 8,988 | 28 | 119 |
| Groupe Lagardere | 3,738 | 4,763 | 27 | 233 |
| Hollywood.Net | 6,111 | 7,665 | 25 | 141 |
| Toyota | 5,123 | 6,418 | 25 | 172 |
| Source: comScore | ||||
July 20th, 2008
Average US household credit card debt is $8,565
Americans carry $2.56 trln in consumer debt, up 22% since 2000 alone, according to the Federal Reserve Board. The average household’s credit card debt is $8,565, up almost 15% from 2000. ?verage US student emerges from college carrying $20,000 in educational debt. Household debt, including mortgages and credit cards, represents 19% of household assets, compared with 13% in 1980. Share of disposable income that consumers must set aside to service their debt has risen to 14.5% from 11% just 15 years ago. US savings rate, which exceeded 8% of disposable income in 1968, stood at 0.4% at the end of the first quarter of 2008, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
July 20th, 2008
41% of online buyers of music ordered a CD and 58% downloaded digital files
41% of online buyers of music ordered a compact disc and 58% downloaded digital files, according to Pew Internet Project. Put differently, 13% of music buyers say their most recent music purchase was a digital download of music files. 51% of music buyers who used the internet in their research said that online information had no impact at all; 37% said it had a minor impact; 12% said it had a major impact.
July 19th, 2008
$7.4 bln of venture capital invested into US startups in Q2 2008
The pace of US venture capital investments remained steady at $7.4 bln during Q2 2008 despite a wobbly stock market that has made it increasingly difficult for the financiers of new ideas to cash out of startups. The amount of money spread across 990 deals in Q2 2008 was unchanged from the same time 2007, according to National Venture Capital Association, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Thomson Reuters.
July 19th, 2008
Malware rates up 278% in the first half of 2008
Malware has risen by 278% in the first half of 2008, thanks to the large number of websites comprised last month, according to ScanSafe. Trojans are the most commonly blocked malware, they increased from 4% of malware in January 2008 to 27% in June 2008.
July 19th, 2008
US video hardware and software sales up 53% un June 2008
US sales of video game hardware and software rose 53% in June 2008 when compared to June 2007, NPD reported. For the first half of 2008, the US video game industry has generated $8.3 bln in sales. This is a 36% increase in sales from the same period a year before. “Metal Gear Solid 4″ claimed the top slot as June’s best-selling game.
July 19th, 2008
56% of music buyers could buy music online
56% of those who bought music most recently said they could have made the purchase online, while 37% said they could not have, according to Pew Internet Project. Among the 22% of music purchasers who bought most recently online, 61% could have bought their music in a store, with 35% saying they could not have done that. Just 7% of online music purchasers said they visited a store to sample music or ask for some help before getting their music online.
July 18th, 2008
78% of US cell phone purchases are made in store
The overwhelming majority of cell phone buyers make the purchase in a store - some 78% do, with 12% buying online and 9% by some other means. Among the narrower set of those who use the internet in their cell phone research, 26% bought their device online. 75% of those who bought online could have bought their phone in a store if they had wanted. 61% who bought their phone in a store could have bought online, though 30% said they could not have done that, according to Pew Internet Project. With the sizable influence online information exerts on 39% of cell phone purchasers, it is understandable that this group is more likely to buy their phones online. Some 26% of this group bought a cell phone online, although 70% still go down to the store.
July 18th, 2008
Top social networking sites in France in April 2008
| Property | Minutes spent | % of time spent on social networks | Minutes per Visitor |
| French Internet Audience | 46,532 | N/A | 1,518 |
| Social Networking | 2,708 | 100.0 | 163 |
| Skyrock Network | 1,987 | 73.4 | 173 |
| Facebook.com | 335 | 12.4 | 106 |
| MySpace.com | 94 | 3.5 | 31 |
| Netlog.com | 59 | 2.2 | 85 |
| Badoo.com | 29 | 1.1 | 66 |
| Hi5.com | 23 | 0.8 | 24 |
| Trombi.com | 7 | 0.3 | 6 |
| Orkut | 6 | 0.2 | 181 |
| Flickr.com | 6 | 0.2 | 7 |
| Bahu.com | 5 | 0.2 | 37 |
| Source: comScore | |||
July 18th, 2008
Top social networking sites in France in April 2008
| Property | Apr-2007 | Apr-2008 | % Change |
| Total French Internet Audience | 25,388 | 30,649 | 21% |
| Social Networking | 12,244 | 16,601 | 36% |
| Skyrock Network | 8,562 | 11,504 | 34% |
| Facebook.com | 106 | 3,161 | 2,877% |
| MySpace.com | 2,068 | 3,006 | 45% |
| Tromibi.com | 775 | 1,299 | 68% |
| Hi5.com | 1,311 | 939 | -28% |
| Flickr.com | 522 | 879 | 68% |
| Netlog.com | 947 | 686 | -27% |
| Lexode.com | 712 | 556 | -22% |
| Badoo.com | 589 | 441 | -25% |
| Viadeo | 226 | 376 | 66% |
| Source: comScore | |||
July 17th, 2008
Top online ad campaigns by fast food chains
| Advertiser | Ad views, 000 | Share of ads | Unique ad viewers, 000 | Frequency |
| McDonald’s | 295,884 | 33.6% | 51,897 | 5.7 |
| Quiznos.com | 98,041 | 11.1% | 16,390 | 6.0 |
| KFC.com | 84,974 | 9.6% | 12,620 | 6.7 |
| PapaJohns.com | 82,298 | 9.3% | 17,115 | 4.8 |
| Subway | 8,150 | 8.9% | 15,478 | 5.0 |
| Dunkin’ Brands | 71,713 | 8.1% | 23,240 | 3.1 |
| PizzaHut.com | 60,327 | 6.8% | 15,366 | 3.9 |
| SonicDriveIn.com | 45,064 | 5.1% | 7,070 | 6.4 |
| Wendy’ | 43,344 | 4.9% | 11,280 | 3.8 |
| Burger King | 21,493 | 2.4% | 3,494 | 6.2 |
| Source: comScore | ||||
July 17th, 2008
Google has 77.4% of US search ad market
For every new $1 spent on paid search in Q2 2008 versus Q2 2007, $1.10 went to Google. Yahoo lost $0.09, and Microsoft lost $0.01. Advertisers are putting all of their new search dollars into Google, and pulling money out of Yahoo Search and Microsoft Live Search, Efficient Frontier says. Google maintained its 77.4% share of US search marketing dollars, while Yahoo captured 17.8% of spending and Microsoft Live Search maintained its 4.8% share.
July 17th, 2008
Top US Web sites in May 2008
| Brand | Audience, 000 | Time Per User |
| 1. Google | 121,991 | 1:15:27 |
| 2. Yahoo! | 114,661 | 3:13:38 |
| 3. Microsoft | 97,663 | 0:44:04 |
| 4. MSN/Windows Live | 97,626 | 2:06:54 |
| 5. AOL Media Network | 89,736 | 3:37:37 |
| 6. Fox Interactive Media | 70,250 | 1:50:01 |
| 7. YouTube | 69,329 | 0:55:51 |
| 8. Wikipedia | 57,285 | 0:17:10 |
| 9. eBay | 55,633 | 1:50:51 |
| 10. Apple | 50,531 | 1:06:02 |
| Source: Nielsen | ||
July 17th, 2008
68% of cell phone buyers consult the owner’s manual
68% of people take to the owner’s manual to figure out the new device, according to Pew Internet Project. Some people will go further, especially if they meet a problem that they can’t address themselves. Here is what cell phone buyers said they did when they encountered problems with their cell phone: 23% visited a cell phone store; 18% called their phone carrier; 9% called the cell phone manufacturer; 7% (of internet users) went online for information or help; 4% discussed the cell phone in an online forum or community.
July 17th, 2008
New and returning visitors to social networks in May 2008
| Rank | Name | Domain | Returning | New |
| 1 | MySpace | www.myspace.com | 95% | 5% |
| 2 | www.facebook.com | 93% | 7% | |
| 3 | MyYearbook.com | www.myyearbook.com | 89% | 11% |
| 4 | Bebo | www.bebo.com | 82% | 18% |
| 5 | BlackPlanet.com | www.blackplanet.com | 89% | 11% |
| Source: Hitwise | ||||
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