Google survey: gaming is the most popular use for tablets

[Emil]

AdMob, a mobile advertising company acquired by Google in November 2009, recently conducted a survey of over 1,400 tablet users in order to better understand how people are using their new devices. In the AdMob network alone, traffic from tablets has grown 300 percent in the past six months, and we're betting it won't be slowing down anytime soon.

You can check out the results from AdMob's March 2011 Tablet Survey (10-page PDF) yourself. Alternatively, you can just skim through the top 10 results:

• 43 percent of respondents spend more time with their tablet than with their desktop/laptop
• 1 in 3 respondents spends more time with their tablet than they do watching TV
• Most popular activities on tablets include gaming (84 percent), searching for info (78 percent) and emailing (74 percent)
• Least popular include shopping (42 percent), reading e-books (46 percent) and consuming entertainment (51 percent)
• 68 percent of respondents spend at least 1 hour a day on their tablet
• 82 percent of respondents primarily use their tablet at home
• 69 percent of respondents said they use their tablet more frequently on weekdays relative to weekends
• Tablets are used more during the night according to 62 percent of respondents
• 77 percent of respondents reported that their desktop/laptop usage decreased after getting a tablet
• 28 percent of respondents said that the tablet is their primary computer

The comparisons to desktops and laptops really don't surprise us: the tablet is simply another form factor, one more geared towards consumption than creation. We know apps and games are used frequently on these devices, and while it's not shocking that games are popular on tablets, the fact that they're getting the most usage is quite interesting. 84 percent is the highest statistic from this survey and it's the one that could end up shaping the tablet industry.

Sony is planning on releasing a PlayStation Certified tablet by the end of this year. The retail chain GameStop is also considering creating its own gaming tablet. We'd wager that there are many more tablets geared towards gamers in the works, but will people want them?

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/43229-google-survey-gaming-is-the-most-popular-use-for-tablets.html

 

[dedparrot]

I feel that games for touch devices aren't as innovative as they should be and in a lot of cases they're pretty sloppy.

 

[Lurker101]

Now tell AdMob to exclude social network games (i.e. Facebook) and see how much is left.

 

[Guest]

@Lurker101: but why? its a survey... why tamper results? Facebook games are in fact games.... silly to some yes, but still a game.

 

[Guest]

I am read dc comic & gantz manga wow !!!!

 

[pcnthuziast]

Say what?! smh

 

[Greg S]

I think that the reason games are so common is because they are readily available. What tablet doesn't have an app store now? There's the Apple app store and the Android market. Aren't almost all tablets using iOS or Android?

 

[gwailo247]

Playing games? No way!

Judging by the posts here I would have figured it would be recording studio quality music albums, taking inventory and tracing motorcycle wiring diagrams.

People use tablets for something as pedestrian as playing games? Not much of a paradigm shift if you ask me.

But I guess this is what "normal" people do with tablets, not much difference than what they do with their PCs, smartphones, and consoles.

 

[DokkRokken]

gwailo247 said:
Playing games? No way!

Judging by the posts here I would have figured it would be recording studio quality music albums, taking inventory and tracing motorcycle wiring diagrams.

People use tablets for something as pedestrian as playing games? Not much of a paradigm shift if you ask me.

But I guess this is what "normal" people do with tablets, not much difference than what they do with their PCs, smartphones, and consoles.

B...b...but according to TechSpot forums, games can only be classified as 'games' if they are not associated with social media websites, and max out an i7 965 system with a GTX 480. Otherwise they are just timewasters on devices for stupid people who only consume information instead of producing anything of worthwhile value!!!1!!

 

[MrAnderson]

I think most people percieve that they lay a lot more games... but I believe that actually people check email and other social apps, looking up information - reading texts - surf the web, and then play games.

Games might be played when idle.. like during a commute or when waiting in line etc...

This is just a guess given what I and i notice my friends are doing.

 

[captaincranky]

Well of course silly....

B...b...but according to TechSpot forums, games can only be classified as 'games' if they are not associated with social media websites, and max out an i7 965 system with a GTX 480.

Exactly.....! Much in the same way as real men keep their wives and girlfriends barefoot, pregnant, and at home while they hang out in sports bars.......Um, and then come home fire up "Crysis" with a 7.1 channel sound system at full blast to drown out the cries of the little ones.

And now if you want the scores to your Facebook IQ test, please download and install this game........

 

[ET3D]

The figure I find most interesting is that 28% of tablet users consider the tablet to be their primary computer.

 

[gwailo247]

DokKRokken said:

gwailo247 said:
Playing games? No way!

Judging by the posts here I would have figured it would be recording studio quality music albums, taking inventory and tracing motorcycle wiring diagrams.

People use tablets for something as pedestrian as playing games? Not much of a paradigm shift if you ask me.

But I guess this is what "normal" people do with tablets, not much difference than what they do with their PCs, smartphones, and consoles.

B...b...but according to TechSpot forums, games can only be classified as 'games' if they are not associated with social media websites, and max out an i7 965 system with a GTX 480. Otherwise they are just timewasters on devices for stupid people who only consume information instead of producing anything of worthwhile value!!!1!!

Are you mad at me for using the motorcycle example, or that this poll actually proves my point that most NORMAL people use the tablet for exactly what they use every other electronic device: games and consumption of media?

The reality is that because YOU use your tablet for something productive, does not mean most people do, and this poll proves it. So don't get snarky because you, as an avid tablet user, are getting lumped in with the rest of these people who don't "get" the myriad of uses they could be using their tablet for, and are using it just as a glorified smartphone.

iPad users love to throw around the millions of wonderful, and apparently hitherto unforeseen uses for such a device, insulting the rest of us for not seeing how the world is a better and shinier place now that the iPad is around, but this is the stark reality of it. Most people don't buy it cause it will make their lives better, it just means that they don't have to get off the couch while watching TV to check their Facebook account, or that they get to play Angry Birds on a larger screen than before.

You have found a wonderful use for this device, and it makes your life and your work better. But sadly this does not apply to MOST people who buy an iPad, for them its just another gadget. So don't use yourself as an 'average' iPad user, cause you're not, and please don't let our insults of those that only play games and consume media on the device affect you, cause you're not one of them.

 

[DokkRokken]

Has this website got a [sarcasm] tag of sorts? It'd be useful.

 

[Guest]

yeah I guess solitaire and minesweeper are technically games.

 

[captaincranky]

Has this website got a [sarcasm] tag of sorts? It'd be useful.

Oddly, I just log in as "captaincranky", and everybody seems to know it's sarcasm.

 

[gwailo247]

captaincranky said:

Has this website got a [sarcasm] tag of sorts? It'd be useful.

Oddly, I just log in as "captaincranky", and everybody seems to know it's sarcasm.

I took your profession of fraternal love quite seriously, Capitan de mal humor.

Now I am distraught, I was going to hit you up for a kidney and everything.

 

[Guest]

this is pretty cool

for complete tech news on one page go to :

http://itechnewsonline.blogspot.com/

 

[Guest]

Gaming on a tablet ?

Ha Ha right.

I suppose throwing a couple of over priced I-Rubbish-Pads against a wall can be considered a sporting venture.