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8.10.2010 Gadget owners read more magazines, newspapers

Those who own e-readers and tablet devices spend more time reading magazines, newspapers and books than those who don’t, according to a new poll by the Harrison Group. The poll was commissioned by Zinio, a company which sells digital editions of magazines, and Qualcomm, a tech company that makes displays for digital readers. Gadget owners ages 18-64 spend 50% more time reading magazines; iPad users spend nearly 75% more time reading newspapers, the poll found (viathe Los Angeles Times). Those who own dedicated reading devices like the Kindle or Sony Reader spend 50% more time reading newspapers. Of the people polled who don’t already own such a device, 13% said they plan to purchase one in the next 12 months.

People using e-readers and tablets apparently spend less time watching the tube and surfing the web. According to the survey, device owners watch 25% less TV and spend between 20% and 30% less time online. E-readers appear to already have become an important element in personal technology arsenals. And kids are increasingly asking for them, another new poll says. According tobook publisher Scholastic, about 25% of children in a survey said they had already read a book on a digital device, while 57% said they are interested in doing so, and 83% of their parents said they would allow and/or encourage their children to read books on an e-reader. In that survey, 6% of parents say they own an e-reader and another 16% said they plan to purchase one in the next year.

B.L. 8.10.2010