Cell Phones More Important Than Wallets, Survey Says
If you had to leave your house for 24 hours and could take only one thing, what would it be?
More likely than not, these days it would be your cell phone, according to a new survey conducted by IDC that was sponsored by communications equipment maker Nortel.
Of 2,367 people polled, 38 percent said they would take their cell phone over their wallet, keys, laptop or digital music player. In fact, less than 30 percent chose their wallets first.
Nortel's goal with the survey was to find out how many of us out there are "hyperconnected," which means we use at least seven different devices in our work and personal lives -- and also use nine or more applications to send instant messages, text messages or conduct conference calls. (If you're one of these people, maybe you need a little break from all the tech? We suggest some time outdoors.)
The most hyperconnected country is China. The least are Canada and the United Arab Emirates. Around the world, 16 percent of those surveyed are hyperconnected and that group is expected to grow to 40 percent within the next five years.
But what about the rest of us, those not so hard core with the tech? We're no slouches either, apparently, with the survey indicating that 36 percent of respondents are "increasingly connected," which means we use at least four devices and six applications in our daily lives.
What's driving this need to connect? Social networking is becoming a major force in business. Who is behind the curve? The healthcare industry has only nine percent identified as hyperconnected. Its no surprise that the high tech industry has the most, with 25 percent.
We're busy people, no? We agree with Nortel's assessment, that we're a "culture of connectivity." You can see the details of the study here. [Source: Reuters].
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