Forrester Research’s annual survey of consumers’ technology adoption and attitudes shows that Americans of all ages continue to adopt a digital lifestyle.

 

The report indicates high-definition televisions and home networks as two of the fastest-growing consumer technologies in 2008. The research firm expects nearly 39 million US households to get their first high-definition set over the next five years.

 

More than 30 million homes are expected to add network connectivity in the same period. Currently forty-four percent of U.S. households have a laptop, and the average American family has two personal computers, according to the report.

 

The 12th annual Consumer Technographics Benchmark mail survey revealed that media consumption among all Americans is split evenly between new and traditional media. The report also shows that eight percent of consumers own a smartphone. While four in five U.S. households now have a mobile phone, families with older children have nearly three mobile phones per household.

 

Forrester Research (News - Alert) Principal Analyst Charles S. Golvin observed that the Internet now pervades all aspects of Americans’ lives. Although these digital activities are presently constrained to the home and the office, in the next several years the Net will be instantaneously accessible on a wide variety of devices, from mobile phones to laptops to new form factors such as eReaders.

 

The 12th annual Consumer Technographics Benchmark mail survey analyzed the data that looks at technology adoption of singles and families, both young and old. Forrester Research Consumer insights analyst Jackie Anderson said that this survey allows Consumer Market Research professionals to examine and trend the behaviors and attitudes of even the most niche target markets.

 

Forrester Research, Inc. is an independent research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to global leaders in business and technology. The research firm claims that Forrester Consumer Technographics is the largest and longest-running survey of technology's impact on consumers.