Britons who have embraced the online and digital world still struggle to keep
up with the blazing rate of change in information technology, according to the
latest research from
Nielsen//NetRatings.
The MegaPanel UK Digital Consumer Survey for September 2006 reveals that,
while many are actually using news feeds, 69 per cent have never heard the term
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) the generic name for the technology behind news
feeds.
VoD (video on demand) rings no bells with 75 per cent, wikis are meaningless to
70 per cent, and IPTV draws a blank with 69 per cent.
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"There is a significant tendency for the industry to over-estimate consumers'
knowledge and understanding of the seemingly limitless new terms and products
out there," said Alex Burmaster, European internet analyst at
Nielsen//NetRatings.
Other terms to go way over the head of the majority of online users are VoIP
(voice over IP), IM (instant messaging) and Web 2.0 ( the second generation of
internet-based services).
Even
Apple's near
ubiquitous iPod continues to mystify a sizeable minority: one in seven have
heard of the iPod but do not know what it is.
Furthermore, although 42 per cent know what podcasting is, a third have heard
of it but don't know what it is, and almost a quarter have never heard of it at
all.
Acronyms are a big bugbear for most. While 29 per cent understand the term
'IM', 86 per cent understand 'instant messaging'. The term DVR is understood by
only 48 per cent, although 94 per cent understand the term 'digital video
recorder'.
Access to the internet is becoming more pervasive with many different devices
now being used; 38 per cent said they access the web at least once a week
through mobile phones, and 29 per cent through a TV.
"The average Briton online uses at least two different devices every week to
access the web and no longer needs to be tied to their computer to surf their
favourite sites," said Burmaster.
"In addition to the PC or laptop, this surfing is most likely to be done
through their mobile phone or television."
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