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Video: I'm Dreaming of a New iPad
To get you in the holiday mood, consumer electronics shopping site Retrevo.com has come up with a few tech-related "Nerd Carols" for your listening pleasure. The lyrics were written by Retrevo Director of PR and Social Media Jennifer Jacobson (AKA Retrevo's Resident Poet), and put to the tune of some holiday standards. The multi-talented Jennifer also sings! If you'd like to sing along, the lyrics to "I'm Dreaming of a New iPad" are as follows: I'm dreaming of a new – iPad So I can play - some Angry Birds It will tr- avel with me And might just - get me Kicked off, a plane for Friends With Words I'm dreaming of a new – iPad So I don't have -- to look alone When I wait in line, at a store... -- All the nerds will Know I'm still hardcore Instrumental I'm dreaming of a new – iPad And I can't wait for iPad 3 Come on, Apple, please hear, my cry... Cuz' a new, iPad, I want to buy. Note that there's also an Android carol -- "Hark the Herald, Androids Sing" -- available, but this isn't The Unofficial Android Weblog ... yet. (Photo by Yatharth Gupta, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under Creative Commons)
Retrevo Study: Shoppers seek tablets on Black Friday
The latest consumer study from Retrevo has tablet computers sitting atop the list of items people will seek out on Black Friday, with the iPad at the top. The Kindle Fire is also a target, as are HDTVs, laptops, the iPhone and other smartphones. We've already seen that the iPad is supposed to be a hot item this year, and this study indicates that demand will jump up as soon as Black Friday right away, so if you're planning on getting one, sooner is probably better. And if you're still looking for a gift, an iPad wouldn't be a bad choice either -- Retrevo says it's the item most wanted outright this season. Women are more likely, according to the study, to be looking for a digital camera and an iPad, while male gift receivers are hoping for a Kindle Fire and/or an HDTV. Retrevo also says that we'll probably see lots of buying the day after Thanksgiving, but not really in stores. Fewer people overall are expecting to head out to stores than say they did last year, but more people are saying they're planning to buy online than last year. I think part of that is just what people plan to do versus what they say they'll do (I know I've been convinced by friends to go out shopping, even when I don't actually plan to), but we'll have to see.
New study says almost half of iPhone owners plan to upgrade to the 4S
A new study, by Retrevo, has been released today. The numbers, especially for iPhone 4 owners are higher than I might have expected. Here are some of the highlights: 44% of 3G and 3GS owners plan to upgrade to the iPhone 4S 42% of iPhone 4 owners say they plan to make the jump 24% of Android owners say they are coming on board the Apple 4S 12% of BlackBerry owners say they are willing to switch Other tidbits from the study: 18% of buyers are willing to wait in a long line to get the phone. 53% of Apple iPhone owners are not disappointed with the 4S, but 21% wish it had a new design. 29% wanted 4G connectivity, and 12% wish it had a larger display. The Retrevo study sampled 1300 smartphone users across the US earlier this month.
iPad competitors will need to be a lot cheaper to capture market share
The big message from a Retrovo survey released today of 1000 consumers carried out last month indicates competitors to the iPad will have to compete with a large price difference. With rumors about an Amazon tablet circulating, 55% of survey respondents said They'd look at an Amazon tablet first. 38% cited Dell and Samsung, and 31% cited HP and Motorola. The key finding is that when asked to decide on a tablet other than a $499 base iPad, 79% of the consumers said they would go with Android only if it was less than $250. The same survey group members who said they planned to buy a tablet in the next year favored an iPad. 50% would choose one, while 21% favored an Android flavored device. It seems Apple remains dominant, and for the rest of potential buyers it's really all about cost, an area that Apple traditionally doesn't play in. Of course you never know what a future Apple product might bring. If you'd like to read the whole survey, you can get it here. To our readers, if you don't have an iPad yet, would a cheaper tablet from Apple get you to the Apple Store? And if not, would an Android tablet and $250-$300 tempt you to try one?
33% of iPhone owners think their phones already have 4G service
With Verizon rolling out its advanced 4G LTE network, and AT&T deploying a similar 4G system, you'd think that these faster 4G services would be something iPhone owners are clamoring for. Not true, at least according to a survey from Retrevo. The consumer research firm says that 1/3 of iPhone owners actually think their phones are already on a 4G network, even though, as we all know, Apple isn't offering a 4G capable phone yet. Maybe it's the fact that the latest iPhone is called the iPhone 4, but the Retrevo study indicates Blackberry owners are also confused, or at least 24% of them are. Of the smartphone owners who know what 4G is, 1/3 think it is too expensive. Another interesting data point is that 61% of iPhone owners don't care if their next Apple phone has 4G service or not. It looks like marketing departments will have their work cut out for them trying to explain (and then of course sell) this service to consumers. Congress is watching this very closely, and there is a move to force service providers to spell out the differences in services and the fees associated with them. A survey result like this shows that consumers are definitely confused about exactly what services they do and don't have. The Retrevo survey had a sample size of more than 1,000 consumers in June of this year.
A year after the digital transition
We were all digital transition, all the time around here for a while last Summer and have been talking about it in one way or another since the birth of the site. But in the last year we haven't said much and we think that's a good thing. The electronic shopping site Retrevo has been thinking about it though, and has put a survey out to its users and compiled the results of over 200 respondents. Now you know how much we love consumer surveys about electronics, but in this case the numbers look to be in line with our expectations. Overall people think the transition was a good thing, but that number is exactly 1 percent lower than those who say they were unaffected -- figures. 19 percent of respondents bought a new TV and 13 percent just got cable or satellite instead. Seems likely enough. But our favorite is the 9 percent who bought a converter box but then never bothered to even hook it up; real nice use of tax payer funds. Personally we go under the unaffected column since honestly we started watching over-the-air HD years ago and have never looked back.
Study considers how Android tablets could affect iPad sales
Consumer electronics shopping and review site Retrevo (always happy to surf on the newsworthiness of the Apple tablet) has conducted another study, this time about the iPad's rise in popularity. Could it dominate its market like the iPod has done or become as popular as the iPhone? The study addressed these questions by asking 1,000 participants about their buying plans, plus their thoughts on an Android tablet and e-readers. When asked, "What's preventing you from buying an iPad?", 52% of respondents answered, "I don't need one," and that's understandable. If you've got a functioning computer that you're happy with, or perhaps an iPod touch or an iPhone, there's no pressing need to buy an iPad. The 2nd most common answer was, "Too expensive." Five hundred bucks is a decent amount of money for many people, especially those who already own a laptop or iPod. However, those with modest computing needs looking for a machine will find the iPad much less expensive than even an entry-level MacBook (although it's comparable to, or pricier than, a netbook). The study then went on to ask about e-readers and the possibility of an Android tablet. They noted that 40% of people who own or plan to own a reading device also plan to buy an iPad. Finally, subjects were asked, "What would make you buy an Android-based tablet over an iPad?" The top answer was price. 53% of respondents said they'd buy one if it was less expensive than an iPad. Another 33% said they were holding out for Verizon. What have we learned? First, that Apple has sold a boatload of iPads. Second, the most serious competition could come from less expensive tablets running Android.
Report: 30% of netbook shoppers bought an iPad
Here's an interesting bit of information compiled by Retrevo.com. They recently polled over 1,000 shoppers (distributed across age, gender and income level) who were either considering buying netbooks and iPads or already own them. The results were telling -- although, as Jeremy Toeman of Stage Two points out, this is the same research firm that played down consumer demand for the iPad in the first place, so bring your own grain of salt. When asked, "Did you hold off on buying a netbook when the iPad was announced in January," a full 70% answered yes -- with a qualifier. Only 30% went ahead with the purchase, while 40% bought a netbook (the remaining 30% purchased a netbook without considering an iPad). Of course, grabbing 30% of a market with a 1.0 device is impressive by any reckoning. In another question, Retrevo asked, "Are you planning on buying a netbook or an iPad?" Here the response was very clear cut, as 78% claimed that they were leaning towards an iPad. There was more to the survey, of course (you can read all of the results here), but for me the most interesting finding was the following. When asked, "What was the main feature that attracted you to a netbook," the majority of respondents -- 54% -- answered "Small and light." I always assumed that cost was the deciding factor, but price was identified by only 20% of subjects (battery life pulled 19% and "other" grabbed the remaining 7%). If weight and portability are the most sought-after criteria, the iPad will win that battle hands down. It would be interesting to see what type of functionality most consumers want (internet access, email, etc.). Most of us are biased Apple fans, but what would push you away from an iPad and towards a netbook? [Via Fortune]
Retrevo Study: Apple needs to price tablet at $600 or less to attract PC users
The mythical Apple tablet is back in the news again, this time in the results of a new study that shows where the pricing "sweet spot" will need to be for Apple to attract users who would traditionally buy an inexpensive PC netbook instead. Consumer electronics shopping site Retrevo.com surveyed 753 Americans distributed across age, gender, income, and location, asking them what they'd be willing to pay for an Apple tablet computer. While 68% of Mac users said that they'd willingly drop $600 or more on a tablet, only 36% of PC users said that they'd pay that much. What does that tell Apple? If they want to continue to make inroads into the PC market, particularly in the netbook sector, the new device should have a price point around $600 so that price is not an issue for PC users. Retrevo's Gadgetology study also noted that Apple has already lost potential sales to early adopters like iPhone users, 59% of whom said they either already own or plan to purchase a netbook this year. Not only is pricing of the Apple tablet key to making it a runaway success, but the study results show that Apple needs to get this device out the door as quickly as possible to capture the slower adopters who are planning on making a netbook purchase in the next year. The study does not answer the question on how many dissatisfied netbook owners would make the switch to an Apple tablet, but we can only hope that Retrevo asks that question soon.
HDTV prices rose last month?
We've been used to HDTV prices sliding in one direction, but data from Retrevo's CE Index indicates a slight uptick in average prices, with a 10% jump from January to February. Of course it's seen as an unlikely trend, with Retrevo CEO Vipin Jan attributing the shift to Super Bowl sales and the liquidation of Circuit City helping to push prices down January before rising again, but with the caveat that (as always) you'll want to hunt around for the best price. At the least, double checking that "sale" price to make sure it's not actually a bump up from last week's circular certainly seems to be in order.
Retrevo matching people who have DTV converter coupons, people who want them
Really? Congress and the NTIA couldn't figure this out? As we all know, many people have coupons that they aren't using, and many other people are on the waiting list for those coupons while the coupon program waits on more cash. If you belong to either group, the folks at Zatz Not Funny have pointed out Retrevo, a site you can visit to connect with each other. It's just that simple.[Via Zatz Not Funny]
