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Computers, Web, Social Networking

Social Networking on the Rise as Bell Tolls for E-Mail

As the death-knell of e-mail begins to toll, many Web trackers have been inspired to explore the ramifications for the future of cyber communication. Two years ago, surveys revealed that many teens believed e-mail to be an aging Web dinosaur, as 80-percent of those polled had already turned their attention to social networking.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the rest of the world is following the lead of those prescient trendsetters. More people overall (301.5 million) now actively use sites like Facebook and Twitter than do e-mail services (276.9 million), a shift that could primarily be attributed to the immediacy of social networking. Status updates, along with profile pages packed full of information and photos, have basically rendered mundane e-mails obsolete. No one needs to ask a question in an e-mail if the answer has already been tweeted.

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Web, Social Networking

Most U.S. Companies Blocking Facebook and Twitter, Finds Survey


Large corporate offices make a habit of blocking certain Web sites -- particularly personal e-mail, video sharing, and social networking sites. But, according to a recent survey compiled by Robert Half Technology, it appears that smaller businesses are locking out employees, too.

The survey of 1,400 Chief Information Officers (CIOs) from across the U.S. found that 54-percent of companies completely block access to social networking sites, while 19-percent block their use outside of "business purposes." Dave Willmer, executive director of Robert Half Technology, noted in a press release, "Using social networking sites may divert employees' attention away from more pressing priorities." Given the recent rash of people being fired over Facebook and Twitter, we imagine such policies might also serve to protect employees from themselves.

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Cell Phones

93% of Americans Support Ban on Texting While Driving, Finds Poll

Apparently all those studies and advertisements about the dangers of texting while driving are getting through to the American people. According to Motor Trend, Ford recently commissioned a survey that found 93-percent of the participants support a nationwide ban on texting while driving. It looks like the automotive giant surveyed a bunch of cynics though -- because only 42-percent said they believe drivers would actually stop texting if the ban was enacted.

Ford has (sort of) found a compromise, of course, and it has the numbers to back it up. When asked if they'd use voice-activation technology (like Ford's SYNC), 76-percent said they'd be interested in a car equipped with such a feature. Ford executives are surely licking their chops at the potential market possibilities. But there's one problem. It's not just busy hands that make using a cell phone while driving dangerous. Studies show that it's the burden put on your brain that leads to distracted drivers and more accidents.

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TV, Web

Viewers Beginning to Prefer Web For Video, Finds Study

While people aren't exactly tossing their televisions into the trash, a new survey shows that more viewers are switching them off in favor of their PCs. According to the Los Angeles Times, the nonprofit Conference Board's survey of U.S. homes found that nearly 25-percent watch TV online, which is up from 20-percent just one year ago. This trend might come as a surprise, if we hadn't already noted that more people are watching Hulu, a free online video service, than are tuning in to Time Warner Cable.

Not only is viewer attendance rising, but they're watching diverse programs, too. According to the Times, news shows are the most popular with 43-percent of online viewers tuning in to watch. Next, comedies, sitcoms, and dramas account for about 35-percent of viewers. About 20-percent watch reality shows, and 18-percent sporting events.

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Cell Phones

Got a Cell Phone? Use It to HelpTrack Crickets in NYC


Scientists in New York City are asking all folks with a cell phone and a sharp ear to take part in an interesting, and some might say disgusting, survey. According to Wired, it's called the 'NYC Cricket Crawl,' and the goal is to get an idea of just how many crickets and katydids still live in the city. At least it's not a sewer rat survey, right?

The 'Cricket Crawl' is quick, simple, and best of all, doesn't cost a dime. Here's how it works: step outside your place in NYC on September 11th sometime between sunset and midnight, stay really quiet, and listen hard for the chirp of a cricket or katydid. Then let the scientists know what you heard one of two ways: ID the cricket yourself (after learning the different types of calls), and phone or text the results; or record the sounds with a phone or camera, and e-mail the files to the scientists.

With the help of these insect enthusiasts, scientists hope to discover that the Common True Katydid, which once thrived in NYC, still makes its home in the city. Whatever the results, the 'Cricket Crawl' could provide a model for future surveys. Grassroots work that takes advantage of cheap technology eases the financial burden, and these days, that counts for a whole lot. [From: Wired]

Web

More People Managing Their Finances Online, Survey Finds

If at all possible, we here at Switched avoid making trips to the bank; on the fun-meter, the visits rank right up there with going to the dentist. Long lines, annoying forms, and rude tellers waiting for us once we walk in the door tend to be the normal experience, and it appears we aren't the only folks that feel this way, either.

CNET News writes of a recent survey by the Gartner Group that found 47-percent of those surveyed within the United States conduct their banking business online. Preference for online banking isn't quite as strong across the Atlantic Ocean, though. In the United Kingdom, 30-percent of those surveyed said they handle their finances digitally. The survey also found that those with larger incomes were more likely to bank online.

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Web, Social Networking

What Are the Most Popular Names on Facebook?

With 200 million profiles revealing personal data about sex, religion, political views, and marital status, Facebook is a social scientist's dream. If that personal information is gold, Facebook is rich with it, and not all of it's protected by privacy settings, either.

Rapleaf, a Web search solutions provider, searched over 100 million public profiles to find the most common names on Facebook, tallying up the most popular first names, last names, and finally full names.

Only one female name shows up on the list; 'Maria' at number ten. Unsurprisingly, the most common first name is 'John,' with over a million found profiles, 'David' and 'Michael' coming in at second and third, respectively. 'Mike' is apparently the fifth most popular, though, so if nicknames weren't counted as unique, 'Michael' would be number one.

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Cell Phones

Study on Cell Phone Etiquette Reveals Rampant Hypocrisy

Rude cell phone behavior is a familiar nuisance to everyone. We've all been annoyed at some point by a person talking loudly in public, or swerving across the highway as they hammer out a text message. Polling firm Harris Interactive recently conducted an Intel-commissioned tech-etiquette survey of 2,160 U.S. adults. The resulting statistics are interesting, predictable, and frustrating.

As revealed by the poll, detailed over at BetaNews, the most significant concern over public mobile habits involved texting while driving; 72-percent of those surveyed ranked it as their "biggest annoyance." 63-percent of the respondents admitted to being perturbed by loud public conversations, and 55-percent said they couldn't stand overhearing discussions of a personal nature. The study also asked people where they most often witnessed these breaches of etiquette -- restaurants, movies, and bathrooms were the most common responses.

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Car Tech, Cell Phones

Study: Teen Girls More Likely to Text-and-Drive Than Teen Boys

Girls More Likely to Text-and-Drive
According to a study released by The Allstate Foundation and National Organizations for Youth Safety, teenage girls are much more likely to engage in texting and driving than their male counterparts. The organizations surveyed 605 drivers between the ages of 16 and 20. Here's a quick bullet list of some of the study's more interesting findings:
  • 87-percent of teens think that driving and texting is dangerous.
  • Despite this, 80-percent of teenage girls and 58-percent of teenage boys admitted to texting behind the wheel.
  • 65-percent have asked someone to stop driving dangerously.
  • Texting-while-driving was second only to icy roads for the most dangerous driving condition. It also beat out rain, snow, and talking on the phone.
It's good to know that teens realize that driving while texting is a bad idea, though it would be much more comforting if they actually stopped doing it. C'mon kids, put away that phone, pop in some bumping tunes, and think of all the fun you'll have in your twenties. [From: The Kansan]

Computers, Video Games

Study: Most Brit Blokes Want Game Night, Not Girl Night

Let us start off by saying that we're taking this report with a grain of salt, seeing as www.PS3pricecompare.co.uk isn't exactly renowned as a beacon of outstanding research. Going off a recent survey, the console price comparison site is claiming that 72-percent of British men would choose a night of playing video games over a night with their girlfriends.

Even more disturbing, 32-percent of the 1,130 men who were surveyed said that they generally preferred playing video games to spending time with their significant others. Some respondents even said that their girlfriends were "not as much fun" as video games.

Do you play games online?



Not as much fun, huh? Clearly, these blokes are doing something wrong. [Via: Pocket Lint]


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Computers

Tech-Skills Essential for Any Job, Students Say

Students Realize Tech-Savviness Essential for Any Job

A new survey performed by IBM and the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion has given us hope that college kids aren't as naive and ill-prepared for the real world as we thought they were. In a poll of about 1,600 college students, 80-percent replied that they expected to encounter new technology when they enter the workforce and 50-percent were actively seeking to improve their technology skills.

Students are realizing that, in addition to having skills specific to their field, they'll need at least some experience and knowledge of computers and other technology. Regardless of a student's chosen field, it's increasingly likely that their potential employers will be looking for some IT skills.

This isn't exactly a revelation, but we're glad to see that students are aware of and preparing themselves for the new expectations placed on employees. [From: Network World]

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Audio/Video

Kids Prefer the Tinny Sound of MP3s, Survey Shows


We can already envision the flame fest on this one, so we'll just cut to the chase. Jonathan Berger, professor of music at Stanford, has been conducting some pretty interesting tests on incoming students, and he's been recording results that'll surely make audiophiles cringe. He has been asking his students to listen to tracks in MP3 format as well as in formats of much higher quality, all while asking them to select the one they like best; increasingly, youngsters have been choosing the sizzling, tinny sounds of MP3 over more pure representations. The reasoning may have more to do with psychology that audiology, as many conclude that generations simply prefer what they're used to. Ever known someone to swear that vinyl sounds best, pops and all? So yeah, what we've really learned is that MP3 is more of an "acquired taste," but those still attempting to build their SACD collection should be genuinely afraid of the future. [Via techdirt, image courtesy of iasos]

Video Games

Study: Kids Wish Their Parents Would Play More Video Games With Them


The video game controller is not your enemy, Mom. It's your friend.

A recent survey published in GamesIndustry.biz shows that 60-percent of kids wish their parents would become more involved in their gaming pursuits; 47-percent said their parental units "never" took part in the gaming action. Oddly, this was the same percentage of parents (47-percent) who admitted that they sometimes allow their child to play a game rated for a higher age set (though it should be noted that 94-percent of the parents said they feel responsible for checking the ratings).

The survey is part of Microsoft's "Play Smart, Play Safe" campaign, and took place entirely in the UK.

Here's the really surprising bit. As many as 61-percent of parents actually believe that games are socially beneficial, and, despite the 47-percent of parents who don't play with their kids, a whopping 80-percent of parents consider gaming to be integral to home entertainment.

That, if our math serves us correctly, tells us that the parents are playing just, you know, by themselves. [From: GamesIndustry.biz Via: Joystiq]

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Cell Phones

Americans Spending More on Cell Phones than Landlines

Americans Spend More on Cell Phones than Landlines
The writing is on the wall for landline based phones. We've been heralding their demise since Switched launched.

Every time a new study is released on the number of cell phones vs. landlines in the U.S., the number of people who prefer or rely solely on cell phones creeps up and the number of landlines slips slowly, pushing the idea of a "home phone" towards the dustbin of history.

According to the latest statistics out of the Department of Labor, average annual household spending on cell phones has surpassed that of landlines for the first time. Annual spending "per consumer unit" for cell phones increased from $210 in 2001 to $608 in 2007. In the same period, spending on landline phones decreased from $686 to $482.

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Cell Phones

Are Cell Phones Too Complex? Survey Says... Yes!

We love our toys here at Switched. But for all our fawning, we have to admit that sometimes we wish our technological doodads were a little easier to set up and use.

According to a recent survey by Mformation some 61-percent of you think your cell phones are too complex. Manufacturers and providers are constantly adding new features with little consideration to whether the new abilities are easy to use, or if customers even want them.

Just a few short years ago, you were on the cutting edge if cell phone had a color screen. Now if your phone doesn't have a TV tuner, GPS, 3G, a touch screen, and a blender. people wonder what you spent your money on. The problem is many people don't make use of all the features of their fancy phone, often because they don't want to spend the time setting everything up.

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Latest Reviews from CNET.com

CNET provides the latest tech news, unbiased reviews, videos, podcasts, software, and downloads, making tech products easy to find, understand and use.

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