Nearly half of Americans experiencing technical difficulties
By Dave Jeyes
At a time when US broadband penetration is greater than half and smartphones are becoming commonplace, Americans still can’t find technology tools that are easy to use. A study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds that almost half of the people they surveyed need help when setting up new devices.
The study polled users of technology ranging from broadband Internet connections to computers and smartphones to see how easily these devices are integrating into daily life. The results are that a stunning 48 percent of users required assistance with one or more of these so-called conveniences in the last year.
Leading the pack in terms of problems was broadband Internet connections. Network devices often have no direct interface at all and connectivity issues can often be caused on the service provider’s end. This makes it hard to discover the root of a down connection let alone understand the resolution.
The Pew survey found that users faced with technology issues most often turned to a product’s help line to resolve issues. The respondents were also likely to muddle through the issue themselves. Some Americans turn to a friend or family member for assistance and some just gave up.
There were a wide range of emotional responses to these technology-induced headaches as well. Most users are fairly certain that they are on the right track to finding a resolution. More than half of those surveyed got impatient at some point during the problem. Almost half of the respondents report feeling discouraged at some point and others were plumb confused.
The study found slight differences in responses based on age and gender, but overall the answers were fairly consistent. While the type of technology and frequency of issues may change, these technical troubles face a broad segment of the US population.
It’s somewhat ironic that the technology we rely on to make our lives easier seems to cause so much frustration. Could it be that we’re paying the price for these conveniences or do these device manufacturers need more work to bridge the gap between man and machine?
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Stumble It!
November 17th, 2008
Broadband is a meaningless term. The FCC now has defined levels of internet access speeds to help the discussion of how fast is “fast.”
The old broadband term would include DSL, therefore making your claim about 50% having access meaningless. The claim has been foisted on Congress and citizens by telecos and cablecos to make it seem like the U.S. is doing well in this area. (Chief among them is Connected Nation an offshoot of KentuckyConnect – both funded by telecos and cablecos.)
Of course, you should know, the U.S. ranks in the middle of the pack for industrialized nations.
Will YOU at least stop using the term “broadband?” If tech blogs won’t bring proper lexicon into the discussion, who will?
November 18th, 2008
Why doesn’t DSL count as broadband again?