New Intel Survey Finds ‘Mobile Etiquette’ Mishaps are Running Rampant

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Texting or typing while driving. Sending emails while walking. Using mobile devices while on a honeymoon. These are among the top pet peeves cited by U.S. adults in a recent survey conducted by Ipsos* and sponsored by Intel Corporation to uncover the current state of mobile etiquette in the United States.

“Our appropriate digital technology behaviors are still embryonic, and it’s important for Intel and the entire industry to maintain a dialogue about the way people use technology and our personal relationships with technology as they continue to help shape societal and cultural norms.”

Nine out of ten American adults claim they have seen people misuse mobile technology, and 75 percent say mobile manners are becoming worse compared to just 1 year ago, according to the survey.

As the number of Internet-connected mobile devices continues to grow, awareness of how people use mobile devices around others is on the rise. A 2011 report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project¹ states that 85 percent of U.S. adults own a cell phone, 52 percent own a laptop computer, 4 percent own a tablet, and only 9 percent do not own any of these or other devices covered in the study. As the innovator behind the processors, or “brains,” and complementary technologies that power many of today’s mobile devices, Intel taps its team of social scientists, anthropologists, psychologists and industrial designers to provide a glimpse into how people use, will use or would like to use technology, including mobile devices, well into the future, across different cultures.

Said Genevieve Bell, Intel Fellow and head of interaction and experience research, Intel Labs: “At Intel, we try to start with people first – we ask questions about who they are and what they care about, we also ask questions about technology: What do you love about it, how does it frustrate you, what do you hate about it, what can’t you live without? We use this research and our understandings about what people care about to help make technology even better – to drive innovation and revolution in technology development. It is important to remember that most digital technology is still quite new to consumers.

“For instance,” Bell continued, “the mobile technology is still relatively novel. After all, it was just 8 years ago that Intel integrated WiFi into the computer with its Intel® Centrino® processor technology, thus enabling the unwired laptop. Smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices are really still in their infancy, so it’s no surprise that people still struggle with how to best integrate these devices into their lives.”

“New digital technologies are becoming a mainstay in consumers’ lives, but we haven’t yet worked out for ourselves, our families, communities and societies what all the right kinds of behaviors and expectations will be,” Bell said. “Our appropriate digital technology behaviors are still embryonic, and it’s important for Intel and the entire industry to maintain a dialogue about the way people use technology and our personal relationships with technology as they continue to help shape societal and cultural norms.”

Key Survey Findings

While connectivity at one’s fingertips has enabled people be more productive, how people use technology in the presence of others can lead to frustration. The majority of U.S. adults surveyed (92 percent) agree that they wish people practiced better etiquette when it comes to using their mobile devices in public areas. Roughly one in five adults (19 percent) admits to poor mobile behavior but continues the behavior because everyone else is doing it.

The desire to be more connected to family, friends and co-workers, combined with devices that are “always on,” contributes to an innate need to have mobile devices available all day, every day, from early morning to late night. In fact, one in five adults admits to checking their mobile device before they get out of bed in the morning.

With a choice of sleek, small and powerful mobile devices on the market, people can easily take mobile devices with them wherever they go, making it easy to commit “public displays of technology.” The survey revealed that U.S. adults see an average of five mobile offenses every day and top mobile pet peeves remain unchanged from Intel’s first examination of the state of mobile etiquette in 2009. The top mobile etiquette gripes continue to be the use of mobile devices while driving (73 percent), talking on a device loudly in public places (65 percent), and using a mobile device while walking on the street (28 percent).

“The premise of etiquette and how we socialize with one another is not a new concept. Whenever we interact with another person directly or through the use of mobile technology, etiquette is a factor,” explained author and etiquette expert Anna Post of The Emily Post Institute. “We can all be more cognizant of how we use our mobile technology and how our usage may impact others around us – at home, in the office and whenever we are in public.”

As mobile etiquette guidelines continue to evolve, Post offers these tips to those who use a variety of mobile devices on a daily basis:

Practice what you preach: If you don’t like others’ bad behavior, don’t engage in it.
Be present: Give your full attention to those you are with, such as when in a meeting or on a date. No matter how well you think you multi-task, you’ll make a better impression.
The small moments matter. Before making a call, texting or emailing in public, consider if your actions will impact others. If they will, reconsider, wait or move away first.
Talk with your family, friends and colleagues about ground rules for mobile device usage during personal time.
Some places should stay private: Don’t use a mobile device while using a restroom.

For additional materials and results of Intel’s Mobile Etiquette survey, visit www.intel.com/newsroom/mobileetiquette.

The survey was conducted online within the United States by Ipsos on behalf of Intel from Dec. 10, 2010 to Jan. 5, 2011 among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.

About Intel

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.

Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries.
* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
¹ Zickuhr, Kathryn. Generations and their gadgets. Pew Internet & American Life Project, Feb. 3, 2011, www.pewinternet.org/Infographics/2011/Generations-and-gadgets.aspx, accessed on Feb. 11, 2011.

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