According to new projections from researcher IDC, tablet shipments will exceed personal computer shipments for the first time in the fourth quarter of this year. The new report underlines the shift in consumer trends from laptops and desktops to mobile devices. IDC expects that tablet shipments will reach 84.1 million units in the fourth quarter, while PC shipments will reach 83.1 million units. The total market for Internet-connected devices will jump 28 percent to $622.4 billion this year. Continue reading New Milestone: Tablet Shipments to Surpass PCs for First Time

When marketers discuss social TV and growing trends involving second screens, they are often thinking Twitter, which has become synonymous with the sharing of TV-related content. Last week we reported that Twitter had acquired social TV tracking service Trendrr in a deal that further consolidates the social TV monitoring market. Understanding social TV is rapidly becoming vital to marketers. Earlier this year, Twitter purchased social analytics firm Bluefin Labs, and Nielsen acquired SocialGuide. Continue reading Despite Growing Competition, Twitter Leads Social TV Wave

A significant threat to the video game industry is harassment targeting game developers from gamers. Video game fan obsession has led to death threats among game developers, forcing them to leave their positions or the industry as a whole. Many fault the anonymous nature of the Internet, and others see the immediate availability to voice one’s complaints or gain notoriety. Groups look to support developers as threats become more commonplace. Continue reading Game Developers: Harassment Alarms Industry, Fuels Exodus

Last week, the MPAA rejected findings of a European study that suggests the shutdown of piracy site Megaupload damaged revenues for theatrical films other than blockbusters. Megaupload was shut down by the FBI in January 2012. While researchers at Carnegie Mellon found that the shutdown boosted legitimate digital sales of movies, a new study from Ludwig Maximilians University Munich and Copenhagen Business School argues that anti-piracy measures may have unintended consequences for different kinds of movies. Continue reading Megaupload Shutdown: MPAA Rejects Findings of Piracy Study

Ericsson has published its latest consumer insight summary report, “TV and Media: Identifying the Needs of Tomorrow’s Video Consumers.” The ConsumerLab surveyed more than 17,000 people worldwide and, not surprisingly, learned that an increasing number of viewers are turning to mobile devices for TV and video. The report suggests that service providers have an opportunity to create new aggregate services that will help alleviate the complexity for users that has resulted from abundance of choice. Continue reading New Ericsson Report Examines Consumer Video and TV Habits

In a survey conducted by Intel, it was revealed that 97 percent of participants consider their PC to be their primary computing device. The survey also found that participants consider their PCs to be vital to their daily existence, and of the 43 hours per week spent on computing devices, about half of that time is spent in front of a PC. Intel suggests that it may be the perfect time to buy a new PC, and despite competition from tablets, the PC is not a thing of the past. Continue reading Intel Makes its Case: There is No Better Time to Buy a PC

Social media is no longer dominated by the younger crowd. According to Pew Research, more older Americans are beginning to discover the benefits of sites such as Facebook, and a recent study shows that social media use among people over 50 is growing faster than for any other age group. While Facebook is the most frequented social media site for the older audience, it is possible that it will be the launching pad for interest in other services such as Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr. Continue reading Social Media Growing in Popularity With the Over 50 Crowd

Impacted by the growing popularity of camera phones, compact digital camera sales continue to decline, especially for Canon and Nikon. Sales have also suffered among high-end cameras. Combined, Canon and Nikon had 44 percent of all global sales, according to IDC. Camera manufacturers are hoping that high-end models with interchangeable lenses will improve sales. These cameras have higher margins compared to compact cameras, approximately 15 to 25 percent, according to analysts.

Continue reading Compact and High End Cameras Suffer Due To Smartphones

Amazon announced that developers now have the option of creating Web apps that will be offered alongside native Android-based programs on its Appstore. The move could encourage developers to distribute HTML5-based apps without converting them to Android versions. It could also potentially lead the charge for change with other stores. Developers currently have to convert their apps to native iOS and Android versions for availability via the Apple App Store and Google Play. Continue reading Web Apps Join Android Offerings on the Amazon Appstore

In a new study, Nielsen has confirmed a connection between television viewing and the magnitude of related Twitter buzz. The study suggests that Twitter activity can encourage people to watch TV programming and increase ratings significantly, while TV viewing can affect the number of tweets. Nielsen and Twitter have joined forces to measure Twitter traffic regarding various shows. Ultimately, it may be difficult to determine if Twitter actually influences TV watching or if it is a reflection of it. Continue reading Nielsen Study Finds Links Between TV Viewing and Twitter

According to a new report from eMarketer estimating the media consumption of adults in the U.S., the average amount of time spent with digital media per day will surpass television viewing for the first time this year. This is due largely to the shift in smartphone and tablet usage now that most consumers lead increasingly mobile lives. Since 2010, mobile activity has grown from a mere 24 minutes per day on average to 2 hours and 21 minutes per day. Continue reading People to Spend More Time with Digital Media Than TV in 2013

Juniper Research predicts that wearable computing shipments will grow tenfold in the next five years, eventually reaching 150 million by the end of 2018. The researcher cites health and fitness industries, in addition to tech firms such as Apple and Google, as the primary catalysts in pushing shipments. Juniper forecasts health and fitness industries combined to account for more than half of the devices shipped, while smart watches and glasses are expected to also drive adoption. Continue reading Research Points to Dramatic Increase in Wearable Computing

Television remains in the majority for advertising spending in the first quarter of 2013, according to a Nielsen report. Television advertising has 59 percent of total spending and 3.5 percent of global growth. Newspaper and magazine ad spending has declined in this period. In contrast, display Internet advertising spending has grown significantly at 26.3 percent. Growth in Internet ads was strongest in non-U.S. markets in Q1. Continue reading Advertising: TV Keeps Majority and Display Internet Grows

Chinese online-commerce company Alibaba is the latest tech firm to target the living room, with its new smart TV operating system and a set-top box. The company joins a crowded group that includes Apple, Lenovo, Samsung and others that are exploring the emerging market. Alibaba plans to integrate its Alipay electronic-payment service into the TV software. The company cited declining growth of PC use in China as a motivation for the move into TVs. Continue reading Alibaba Unveils Smart TV Operating System and Set-Top Box

Microsoft announced missing financial forecasts on Thursday, putting the blame on the decline of the PC market. The company also acknowledged disappointing sales of its tablet computer, the Surface RT. Mobile devices are affecting PC sales as more consumers are buying tablets instead of PCs for movie watching and basic computing. Microsoft is still gaining slowly in sales to business customers, and has hopes for cloud services. Continue reading Microsoft Impacted by Shift to Mobile and Declining PC Sales