Mag Bag: Tablet PC Ownership, Interest Increases

Tablet-in-Use-ATablet PC Ownership, Interest Increases

Interest in owning a tablet PC has increased among people with household incomes over $100,000, even as overall tablet ownership rates have also increased, according to “Catching the Tablet Wave,” a new study from Ipsos MediaCT.

Overall tablet PC ownership increased from 10% in September 2011 to 16% in March 2012, according to the Ipsos study, which broke down ownership rates by various factors. Ownership among men increased from 11% to 15% over the same period, while among women it more than doubled from 8% to 17%. With respect to age, tablet PC ownership among adults 18-34 increased from 12% to 19%; among those 35-54, from 12% to 13%; and among 55+, from 9% to 15%.

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Among individuals in households earning less than $100,000 per year, tablet PC ownership edged up from 9% to 12%, while among individuals in households earning more than $100,000 per year, ownership increased from 21% to 28%. At the same time, interest in owning a tablet increased from 59% to 65% of people in households earning over $100,000 per year.

The proportion of adults who are either “probably” or “definitely” planning to buy a tablet PC this year increased from 17% in September 2011 to 26% in March 2012. Among men it increased from 20% to 28% over this period; among women, from 14% to 24%. Among people in households earning less than $100,000 per year, it increased from 11% to 25%, while among people in households earning over $100,000 per year, it increased from 21% to 41%.

Publishers and advertisers are scrambling to keep up with the surge of interest in tablet computers and digital publications designed for them. Last week the American Association of Advertising Agencies sent an open letter to the MPA asking publishers to provide more specific information to advertisers about digital magazine readership on tablets. Their list of requests includes breaking out tablet-audience metrics into subscription and single-copy sales, as well as distinguishing between subscribers who bought a new digital-only subscription and subscribers who simply verified a pre-existing print subscription to receive the digital counterpart; unduplicated numbers for readership on tablets, other digital and online platforms, and print; “an accredited, third-party research vendor for measuring readership across these new devices,” along with a consistent template for reporting tablet readership metrics from different publishers; data on consumer engagement with digital magazine ads; and separate print and digital ratebases.

Wired Introduces Wired Live Expo

Wired is launching a new event in the business-to-consumer space, the Wired Live Expo, which will help technology companies meet consumers with a retail component, according to Folio, which reported the news earlier this week. The Wired Live Expo is targeted at categories including science, technology, music, fashion, cars, space travel, entertainment, computers, and mobile phones, Folio reports. Expo participants will include NASA and TEDx, which will be discussing the future of space exploration. Scheduled to take place at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center from November 15-18, the Wired Live Expo should attract 50,000 attendees, according to Folio.

Outdoor Life Launches Sportswear Line at Sears

In September of this year Bonnier Corp.’s Outdoor Life will unveil a branded line of sportswear for men at Sears, the magazine publisher announced this week. Available at over 800 Sears locations nationwide, the sportswear line will target the “guy’s guy,” combining “utility, comfort, and quality for the outdoorsman.” Lana Krauter, senior vice president, Sears Holdings, and president, Sears Apparel, stated: “Through this collaboration, Sears and Outdoor Life will provide outdoorsmen with clothing that fits their lifestyle and their budget with convenient mall based shopping.” Sears Outdoor Life collection will appear in branded Outdoor Life mini-shops and include items like cotton flannel shirts, thermal crews, Henley shirts, hooded fleece zip jackets, and cotton canvas cargo pants, among others.

Bennet to EIC, The Atlantic

James Bennet has been promoted from editor to editor in chief of The Atlantic -- the first time in the 155-year history of the publication that someone has held that role. Atlantic Media Co. President Justin Smith also promoted editorial director Bob Cohn to editor of Atlantic Digital, and The Atlantic Executive Editor Scott Stossel to editor of the magazine.

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