Several years ago, if you wanted to check or send emails you probably had to do so on your computer, but those days are gone for many Americans. Smartphones and similar mobile devices give users constant access to their email accounts. But has this access made life easier for those users?
BLOG ARCHIVE: ALL POSTS FOR February 2013
|
Happiest States Survey: Happiness Not Always Reflected in Social Media PostsA recent study by researchers at the University of Vermont took a look at geotagged tweets and broke down the content to find which state’s Twitter users were the happiest. The study took various keywords into account. For example, words like “mad” and “hate” would be considered unhappy, while “LOL” and “haha” would be considered happy. So how well do these tweets and social media posts actually represent how happy people are? |
|
Yahoo Survey: Users Split Over Personalized Homepage FeaturesYahoo recently unveiled a new homepage design that gives its users a more personalized experience, along with a few other new features. Users can view news articles and other content that is tailored to their browser history, and even linked to social media so they can see suggestions from friends. What do Yahoo users think about the new look? Do people like personalized content on their home pages? |
|
Academy Awards Survey: Most Somewhat Enjoyed This Year’s ShowLast night, many Americans tuned into the annual Academy Awards show to see their favorite movies and actors receive awards. So what did viewers think about the Oscars this year? And how many people watched this show compared to past shows? |
|
Google Glass Survey: Majority Impressed With Google’s Innovative TechnologyGoogle recently released more information about its Google Glass project, which involves small, portable computers users can wear on headgear to take photos, videos, apply voice commands, and more. Google has opened a contest to give limited access to early Glass users. How many might be interested in using such a product down the line? |
|
Local Search Survey: Mobile Users Less Likely to Search for Local BusinessesSmartphones and similar mobile devices give consumers a lot of abilities they didn’t have in the past, such as the ability to search for local businesses or other places using geolocational technology. How many mobile consumers take advantage of local search features? And how many use more traditional local search methods? |
|
Economic Outlook Survey: Jobs Remain Main ConcernAmericans continue to be concerned about the current state of the economy and its future recovery. Though there have been some signs that things are turning around, bad news continues to pop up regarding everything from the housing market to the stock market. So what do Americans think? Are attitudes improving at all? |
|
Mobile Data Survey: Calling, Texting Still Most Popular Phone FeaturesMore and more Americans are purchasing smartphones daily, and more and more companies are developing new ways for those consumers to use their smartphones. So it is a market that is constantly evolving. How do consumers use their smartphones now compared to how they used them last year? And how many are planning to join the smartphone community? |
|
Twitter Shopping Survey: Twitter Users More Likely to Shop OnlineTwitter and American Express have recently teamed up to allow users to buy products using the social media platform. Users will be able to connect their cards to their Twitter accounts and then use specified hashtags or messages to buy products from online retailers. How many Twitter users might be interested in this new feature? |
|
Minimum Wage Survey: Three Quarters of Americans Support Plan to Raise WagesIn his State of the Union address this week, President Obama unveiled a plan to raise the federal minimum wage to $9 per hour by 2015. This could help hourly workers support their families and stimulate the economy, but some critics worry that this move could eliminate jobs by burdening businesses. What does the American public think about this idea? |
|
Healthy Habits Survey: Most Eat Healthy Without Official Diet PlansAt this point in the year, many Americans have given up on the gym memberships and the official diet plans that they started on January 1. So how many Americans have healthy habits throughout the rest of the year? How many care about striving for a healthy lifestyle? |
|
Valentine’s Day Survey: More Than Half Might Celebrate HolidayThis week, many Americans are preparing to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Some will purchase gifts for loved ones, family and friends, and others will celebrate in other ways like going to dinner or hosting parties. So how would Americans describe their Valentine’s Day habits? And how many even plan to celebrate? |
|
iTunes Survey: Very Few Use Competing ProgramsPopular digital music program iTunes recently completed a big milestone – its 25 billionth song download. The program is one of the most used music providers around the world. So how many actually use it to purchase music, and what do they think about the service? |
|
News Feed Ads Survey: Most Think New Ads Negatively Impact Their User ExperienceFacebook has recently added a new type of advertisement to its site and mobile apps. The new ads are located directly in the News Feed instead of on the sidebar or other parts of the site. Do Facebook users think News Feed ads negatively impact the user experience? And are they more likely to notice and click on these ads than ads located in other places? |
|
Saturday Delivery Survey: Less Than Half Expect Negative Effects From New Mail ScheduleThe United States Postal Service just announced that it will cut Saturday mail delivery to residential addresses beginning this summer. This has been a topic of discussion for lawmakers, businesses, and individuals for the last several years. Do everyday Americans expect this change to really have an impact on them? |
|
Traffic Survey: Americans Driving Less, Spending Less Time in TrafficA Recent Study from Texas A&M said that American travelers are getting stuck in traffic less often than they used to. But it might not seem that way to many commuters. Do Americans think they’re spending more or less time stuck in traffic now than they used to a year ago? |
|
Android Survey: Apple Customers Slightly More Likely to Own Multiple DevicesAndroid is already the most popular operating system for smartphones, and the brand is gaining market share for tablets as well. But even though there are more Android users, Apple still has a very loyal and large following. How do customers of the two companies feel about their devices? And are there any changes in store for customers over the next year? |
|
Netflix Originals Survey: Exclusive Content More Likely to Interest Current Subscribers Than Potential OnesNetflix has just released a new original series, House of Cards, which will be available exclusively to subscribers of its streaming service. Are viewers interested in this type of original content from companies like Netflix? And could Netflix originals or other exclusive content have a major impact on number of subscribers? |
|
Super Bowl Survey: Nearly All Viewers Watch Commercials TooSuper Bowl Sunday is a major event each year, for both sports fans and others. Super Bowl commercials also get a lot of buzz. So how many Americans tuned in for the football’s biggest game this year? And what was their take on the ads that aired during the game? |
|
New Blackberry Survey: About Half Optimistic About Blackberry ComebackThis week, Blackberry announced a new product line and a re-branding of the company, formerly Research in Motion. The company has been struggling in recent years, so can this new direction lead to more success for the smartphone maker? What do consumers think about the new Blackberry? |