BIOS: Technology Means Business

Most mobile PCs, although portable, are used in only two locations, and are used very differently than desktop PCs, according to the 2006 Mobile PC Profile Report from MetaFacts.

Most employer-owned mobile PCs stay in the workplace, although when mobilised, are often used in hotels, home offices and client locations. Home-owned mobile PCs spend more time outside the home than work mobile PCs do outside the workplace.

Besides various rooms of the home, such as adult bedrooms, living rooms and home offices, home-owned mobile PCs are used twice as often as work mobile PCs in a school, at the library, in a cybercafé, or at a restaurant.

“Laptop and tablet PCs are bought for the promise of portability and freedom, yet only get used in a couple types of locations,” said Dan Ness, Principal Analyst at MetaFacts. “Even though Mobile PCs are more powerful and lighter than ever, users seek the convenience of always on and always connected. Also, someone you see using a laptop in public is probably using their home, not work, PC.”

Mobile PCs also have some surprisingly different uses than desktops. Mobile PCs are used three times more often than desktops for online betting, and two times more often to create presentations, write blogs, access community/social networking groups like Friendster or LinkedIn, and watch DVDs. Work mobile PCs are more likely to be used for CAD/CAM design. Report results also indicate that mobile PCs are used more by the 18 to 34 group than among the 55+ group.

“Mobile PC users are highly sought by both online and brick-and-mortar retailers, because they’re more active buyers than desktop users,” said Dan Ness, Principal Analyst at MetaFacts. “Also, mobile PC users shop at different locations. They’re twice as often as desktop PC users to have recently shopped or purchased in person at an Apple or Sony store, and online from BJ's, CompUSA, Fry's Electronics, Apple, Staples, Radio Shack, Office Depot, Borders, Dell, or Costco.”

Other findings in the Mobile PC Profile Report involve consumer electronics use. “Mobile PC users enjoy their nomadic lifestyle, being twice as likely as desktop PC users to be using a handheld GPS, Apple iPod, other portable MP3 player or digital camcorder,” said Ness.

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