Planes, Trains and ... Laptops?; Recent Survey Reveals 34 Percent of U.S. Adult Computer Users Have Vacationed with a Laptop PC
Say farewell to paper maps that refuse to fold up, calling cards that run out at the worst possible moment, and fight-inducing games of 'I Spy'. Today's savvy vacationers are going high-tech to stay informed, in touch and entertained.
A recent survey of U.S. adult computer users, commissioned by Intel Corporation(R) and conducted by Harris Interactive(R), reveals that 34 percent of respondents or their families have taken a laptop PC with them on vacation(1) and half (51 percent) of all respondents are likely to take a laptop PC on a future vacation(2). Ahead of checking and sending work-related email (43 percent), the three most popular uses of a laptop PC for those who say they have taken one on vacation were checking personal e-mail (72 percent); enjoying entertainment such as movies, music and games (56 percent); and gathering trip information online (45 percent).
With a wireless-enabled laptop PC -- such as those based on Intel Centrino(TM) mobile technology -- travelers can surf the Web and connect to the Internet to do things such as check and send e-mail, download movies, play games and create a travel blog(a). All around the world, wireless "hotspots" are popping up at family-friendly vacation destinations and businesses, including:
• Nearly 1,000 Holiday Inn hotels in North America;
• More than 100 U.S. KOA campgrounds and 85 California state parks;
• Eleven commercial airlines that offer or plan to offer Connexion by Boeing(b) in-flight Internet access service, which is currently available on more than 100 routes daily to and from U.S. and international destinations;
• Cruise lines such as Carnival, Holland America, Norwegian and Princess;
• Grand Canyon and Yellowstone national parks;
• Tourist attractions such as Universal CityWalk Hollywood;
• Events such as the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, Calif. and Bumbershoot in Seattle; and
• More than 6,000 McDonald's restaurants around the world.
Analyst firm IDC estimates that there are likely to be more than 130,000 wireless hotspots worldwide by the end of 2005(3). Travelers can locate wireless hotspots using Intel's hotspot finder at http://intel.jiwire.com.
"The survey results show that mobile technology is making it easy for travelers to research destinations, be entertained and stay in touch with family and friends while away from home," said Ralph Bond, Intel consumer education manager. "Whether it's traveling retirees e-mailing their grandkids vacation notes and photos, families downloading movies and music to enjoy on the road, newlyweds creating Web logs of their honeymoon and reading reviews of romantic restaurants, or out-of-towners researching and buying tickets to local attractions and events, leisure travelers are finding laptop computers useful as all-in-one communication and entertainment devices."
Whether they have or have not taken a laptop on vacation, computer users would find laptop features specifically designed for mobility to be of value when vacationing. Survey respondents said long battery life (62 percent), lightweight design (58 percent) and the ability to surf the Internet wirelessly (55 percent) are the most valuable features of a laptop for vacation use.
(1) "A Study about Laptops & Vacations," an Intel-sponsored online omnibus survey conducted by Harris Interactive(R) in June 2005. Note: Based on the 2004 U.S. Census Current Population Survey, there are approximately 288 million people in the United States, of which about 214 million of them are adults ages 18 and older. Of those adults, a 2005 Harris Poll shows that 74 percent are online, which translates into 163 million people. The Harris Poll(R) was conducted by telephone by Harris Interactive in February and April 2005 among 2,022 U.S. adults aged 18+. Sampling error is +/-2 percentage points.
(2) Fifty-one percent of respondents indicated they are "very likely," "likely" or "somewhat likely" to take a laptop computer with them on a future vacation.
About the Survey
Harris Interactive(R) fielded the online survey on behalf of Intel between June 23 and 30, 2005 among a nationwide sample of 2,547 U.S. adult computer users aged 18 and older, of whom 911 have taken a laptop computer with them on vacation. The data were weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult computer user population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity and amount of time spent using a computer per week. Though this online sample is not a probability sample, in theory, with probability samples of this size, Harris Interactive estimates with 95 percent certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Sampling error for the results of those who have taken a laptop with them on vacation is plus or minus 5 percentage points.
(3) Source: IDC Worldwide Hotspot 2004-2008 Forecast and Analysis, Dec. 2004.
With a wireless-enabled laptop PC -- such as those based on Intel Centrino(TM) mobile technology -- travelers can surf the Web and connect to the Internet to do things such as check and send e-mail, download movies, play games and create a travel blog(a). All around the world, wireless "hotspots" are popping up at family-friendly vacation destinations and businesses, including:
• Nearly 1,000 Holiday Inn hotels in North America;
• More than 100 U.S. KOA campgrounds and 85 California state parks;
• Eleven commercial airlines that offer or plan to offer Connexion by Boeing(b) in-flight Internet access service, which is currently available on more than 100 routes daily to and from U.S. and international destinations;
• Cruise lines such as Carnival, Holland America, Norwegian and Princess;
• Grand Canyon and Yellowstone national parks;
• Tourist attractions such as Universal CityWalk Hollywood;
• Events such as the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, Calif. and Bumbershoot in Seattle; and
• More than 6,000 McDonald's restaurants around the world.
Analyst firm IDC estimates that there are likely to be more than 130,000 wireless hotspots worldwide by the end of 2005(3). Travelers can locate wireless hotspots using Intel's hotspot finder at http://intel.jiwire.com.
"The survey results show that mobile technology is making it easy for travelers to research destinations, be entertained and stay in touch with family and friends while away from home," said Ralph Bond, Intel consumer education manager. "Whether it's traveling retirees e-mailing their grandkids vacation notes and photos, families downloading movies and music to enjoy on the road, newlyweds creating Web logs of their honeymoon and reading reviews of romantic restaurants, or out-of-towners researching and buying tickets to local attractions and events, leisure travelers are finding laptop computers useful as all-in-one communication and entertainment devices."
Whether they have or have not taken a laptop on vacation, computer users would find laptop features specifically designed for mobility to be of value when vacationing. Survey respondents said long battery life (62 percent), lightweight design (58 percent) and the ability to surf the Internet wirelessly (55 percent) are the most valuable features of a laptop for vacation use.
(1) "A Study about Laptops & Vacations," an Intel-sponsored online omnibus survey conducted by Harris Interactive(R) in June 2005. Note: Based on the 2004 U.S. Census Current Population Survey, there are approximately 288 million people in the United States, of which about 214 million of them are adults ages 18 and older. Of those adults, a 2005 Harris Poll shows that 74 percent are online, which translates into 163 million people. The Harris Poll(R) was conducted by telephone by Harris Interactive in February and April 2005 among 2,022 U.S. adults aged 18+. Sampling error is +/-2 percentage points.
(2) Fifty-one percent of respondents indicated they are "very likely," "likely" or "somewhat likely" to take a laptop computer with them on a future vacation.
About the Survey
Harris Interactive(R) fielded the online survey on behalf of Intel between June 23 and 30, 2005 among a nationwide sample of 2,547 U.S. adult computer users aged 18 and older, of whom 911 have taken a laptop computer with them on vacation. The data were weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult computer user population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity and amount of time spent using a computer per week. Though this online sample is not a probability sample, in theory, with probability samples of this size, Harris Interactive estimates with 95 percent certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Sampling error for the results of those who have taken a laptop with them on vacation is plus or minus 5 percentage points.
(3) Source: IDC Worldwide Hotspot 2004-2008 Forecast and Analysis, Dec. 2004.
