Americans Need Their Technology

A new survey shows that Americans love to be connected, especially with a cell phone.

A new survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Project has revealed some interesting facts. The biggest is that these days more people would rathergive up TV or the Internet than give up their cell phones (43% versus 45% and 51%, in case you want details).   That said, only 40% would find it hard to disconnect their landlines – whichis quite different from six years ago, when 63% would have found it very difficult to give up that wired phone.   Americans are becoming tech-minded, the survey shows. 62% have used a cell phoneor PDA for non-voice purposes, or logged onto the Internet when not at home using a wireless connection.   Curiously, the group that says it would have the toughest job living without a cell isHispanics, along with African-Americans and those under 30. John Horrigan, associate director of the Pew Internet Project, speculated on the reasons to TechNewsWorld:   "Ten years ago, when the Internet was becoming part of the mass culture, it tended to be something that white males did, if you studythe demographics from a decade ago. In wireless, we’re seeing that people who traditionally trailed in desktop access to the Internet are very, very active in mobile access. "Access is built onan application everyone is familiar with — making a phone call — whereas it can take some skills and learning to set up a computer. People tend to be a little more comfortable dealing with a cellphone."