DNS - Americans Projected to be Over-Dependent on their PCs: Study

Kelton Research, a marketing research firm, conducted a study to determine the kind of relationship that existed between Americans and their personal computers. The study confirmed the results arrived at by other studies.

Without a doubt, PCs were central to their existence, especially among 21 to 55 year olds, who relied on it for all their everyday necessities such as e-mail, documents, contacts, calendars, scheduling of events, and interestingly for other conveniences such as television, telephone, messaging, gaming, banking, music, games and other things that they normally did.

What this actually amounts to is that Americans are ‘hooked’ to their PCs and have either a wired or wireless relationship that lasts almost the whole day.

The new independent research commissioned by online tech support company Support.com Inc., conducted in May 2010, involving 1,000 nationally representative Americans between ages 21 to 55, with PCs and broadband Internet access, clearly indicated that 84 percent of computer users believed that their computers were extensions of their personalities.

The survey indicated that about 36 percent consumers would prefer to miss out on an important meeting rather than lose all their personal data stores on their PC, and 20 percent went one step further by preferring to miss out on important job interview rather than lose their data.

The survey also revealed how heavily Americans relied on their PCs as a communication portal for staying in touch by using social media networking sites such as Facebook (News - Alert) and Twitter, interacting with friends and family using the online chat and keeping abreast with the latest news in sports and politics around the world.

This is not as if American consumers are ignorant of the dangers that such reliance brings in its wake. At least 56 percent are concerned about how vulnerable they are by using social media site, at least 44 percent are aware of the potential risks of online gaming, and at least 32 percent feel unsafe while using the chat rooms and live video and audio conferencing rooms.

However, although they realize that such over-reliance is fraught with risks and dangers, this does not in any way deter them from continuing the co-dependent relationship. Although several protection measures are in place, at least 57 percent of the users do feel un-equipped to tackle a computer problem that may arise, and more than 52 percent of the users said that they would ask for help to fix the problem.

Ironically then, even for this, at least 48 percent of the surveyed said that they prefer to fix their PCs remotely from home, and at least for 45 percent users, time, convenience and speed were priorities. Only seven percent preferred to look about for somebody who was knowledgeable about PCs.

“The era of the PC as the home’s central nervous system is here,” Josh Pickus, president and CEO, Support.com, said, adding that consumers who relied on their PC for practically everything also needed to know that should something go wrong with their computer, it can be fixed wherever they were without someone coming into their homes and without causing any additional stress.

Matt Healey, research manager, IDC (News - Alert) Software and Hardware Support Services, said that IDC’s ongoing analysis of support services indicated that consumers’ increasing dependence on their PCs is resulting in a growing acceptance of remote tech support. 

The survey results indicate a margin of error of +/- 3.1percent at a 95 percent confidence level

Support.com, Inc. provides services and software that help consumers and small businesses with their technology needs. Its North American Personal Technology Experts provide a quick, cost-effective and stress-free technology support experience over the Internet and the phone using Support.com’s advanced technology platform.