surveys
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Survey reveals Mac and PC people think differently
According to the results of a massive survey by Hunch.com, Mac people are frequently young, vegetarian city-dwellers who like modern art, liberal politics, and independent films. Meanwhile, Windows supporters tend to be older, more conservative, and more likely to compare talking about computers to "struggling with a foreign language." Whether you're collecting evidence for the Mac vs. Windows debate you have planned for the weekend or preparing for an appearance on Family Feud, Hunch's results offer some fun and fascinating insights into the tastes and habits of Mac and PC users, from what TV shows they watch to what snacks will best satisfy their afternoon munchies. Started by Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake, Hunch provides visitors with personalized recommendations for just about everything from books and movies to cars, vacation spots, and colleges. Between March 2009 and April 2011, Hunch asked 388,315 of its visitors about their preferred computing platforms. Among the respondents (typically tech-savvy early adopters who may not represent a true cross section of the general public), 52% identified themselves as PC people while 25% said they were Mac aficionados. The rest declined to answer the question or didn't consider themselves loyal to any computing platform. By combining this data with the results of over 80 million other responses to "Teach Hunch About You" questionnaires, Hunch found some interesting correlations between choice of operating system and a variety of other personal preferences. According to the overall results, Mac users tend to be hummus-gobbling vegetarian city-dwellers who enjoy fancy foods and art-house movies. Or perhaps hummus-gobbling vegetarian city-dwellers prefer Macs -- correlational data is tricky like that. What do think? Do these results accurately reflect reality? Or do they falsely endorse long-standing stereotypes for Mac and PC fans? Discuss in the comments.
The Guild Counsel: Are guild leaders a health hazard?
Earlier this week, Massively reported on a poll conducted by Bigpoint concerning gamer stereotypes. The good news is that the results of the voluntary survey showed that gamers are not overweight shut-ins who live in their grandmother's basements. The bad news is that there's some skepticism on the validity of the results, since the poll was a voluntary survey and there's no way to prove that the participants were telling the truth. However, there have been a number of in-depth studies over the years that have shown some surprising trends in who exactly plays MMOs and more importantly what their behavior is like in game. For this week's Guild Counsel, we're going to take a closer look at MMO players and touch on the role that guild leaders might play in steering player behavior in-game.
Aion surveys feature in-game presents
Looking for some free loot to welcome you back to Aion? Look no further than the new Solorius festival and the 10-day account reactivation promotion recently begun by NCsoft. Whether you're a loyal veteran or you've just returned to the fight, be sure to fill out the random in-game surveys that the Aion team will be sending your way at various times throughout the day. In addition to doing your civic duty and providing valuable game feedback, you'll receive a present with your survey. Possible presents include boxes of enchantment stones, colored dyes (including rare blacks and whites), candies and food, a Watchful Ailu pet egg, swimwear, and more. Check out the full announcement on the official website for all the details.
AT&T rated worst cell phone provider by Consumer Reports
Remember when Consumer Reports couldn't recommend the iPhone 4? Well, now Consumer Reports has released the results of a satisfaction survey which shows that according to over 50,000 of their readers, AT&T is the lowest-scoring cell phone carrier in the United States. In fact, AT&T scored a "Worse" rating (a full-black dot for those in the know) in every single category of the survey save for texting. In that category they received a half-black dot ranking, or one lowly step above "Worse." AT&T was the only telecom provider on the survey to see a significant drop in overall customer satisfaction, while both Verizon and Sprint saw "Average" to "Better" rankings. While Apple itself has topped Consumer Reports' tech support survey in the past, AT&T has a long way to go, as half of those who responded to the survey as being unhappy with AT&T owned some version of the iPhone. Electronics Editor for Consumer Reports Paul Reynolds said that "Our survey suggests that an iPhone from Verizon Wireless, which is rumored, could indeed be good news for iPhone fans." Got that right. [via MacRumors]
Poll: Did you pre-order an iPhone 4?
Now that iPhone pre-orders have concluded, many people have been left frustrated by the technical issues that both Apple and AT&T experienced on the 15th. Authorized retailers like Best Buy and Radio Shack also sold their stock within a day or so. With technical difficulties that hindered many would-be customers, we're curious to see who was successful and through which provider. If you did pre-order an iPhone 4, take our informal poll to let us know who it was with. In addition, please tell us how long the process took. Ten minutes? Two hours? We'll post the results tomorrow. %Poll-48257%
ABC's subscription video plans leaked in consumer survey?
At Engadget HQ, we take great care not to trumpet the claims of a web survey, as it's always difficult to tell who's actually doing the surveying -- and even if we could, consumer surveys are all about a "what if" that may never actually come to pass. That said, it looks like maybe ABC is conducting a study asking folks whether they'd be interested in a subscription to an ABC.com streaming video service, and maybe that service might have a wide variety ABC shows, past and present, fully on-demand. Sound familiar? Interestingly, the subscription would seem to be offered alongside the existing free service, and both paid and free would have advertising, though reduced by 20 percent for those coughing up the fee. You can find a list of potentially potential shows included in the gallery below, forwarded to us by an anonymous tipster; we tried to take the survey ourselves, but were promptly rejected for our love of FlashForward. %Gallery-93824%
Apple tops Consumer Reports' tech support survey, second place not even close
On Wednesday, Consumer Reports published the results of its latest tech support survey. Apple was on top for both laptops and desktops, well ahead of the company in second place. Consumer Reports asked 7,000 subscribers about their satisfaction with their computer companies across categories like problem solved, phone waits, phone staff and online support. Each answer was issued a point value, with a maximum of 100 points. Among laptops, Apple scored 86 points. The second place finisher, Lenovo, accumulated up 63 points, for an impressive margin of 23 points. The rest of the leader board includes Toshiba (60 points), Dell (56 points), HP/Compaq (53 points), and Acer/Gateway/eMachines (39 points). Apple scored even better with desktops, racking up 87 total points and leading the field in all categories. Here the 2nd place competitor was Dell which scored 55 points among the participants, a full 32 points behind. Of course, fanboys like you and me are convinced of Apple quality. Now we have some good 'ol empirical data to toss at our PC-thumping friends and relatives. [h/t to cnet & Jim Dalrymple]
Nearly three-fifths of users buy items in free-to-play games
There's a strong sense in most free-to-play games that the playerbase consists of two people: those who refuse to pay any money unless absolutely necessary, and those who will happily part with their income on a voluntary basis. This is largely true. What's apparently less true is the notion which goes hand-in-hand, that there are a decided minority of players forking over cash for in-game perks. As it turns out, according to a recent survey, 58% of users in free-to-play games have bought items through the in-game store. On average, users who did pay apparently dropped around $75 over the period of one year. Traditional pay-to-play MMOs have a significantly lower amount in terms of both revenue generated by in-game purchases and average amount spent. Of course, the debate that could be brought up is the question of how much of the money in free-to-play games went toward purchasing content that, in a subscription game, would have been included in the price. Those with an inclination toward math might also note that the monthly price for such a game comes out to just over eight dollars a month, versus the larger and more regular distribution of subscriptions. Still, it starts to raise questions about how accurate the image of the paying minority in free-to-play games really is, especially as the business model picks up steam. [ via Gamasutra ]
Developers deem piracy a problem, not a threat in survey
Troubling news for pirates worried about their fearsome image today: In a recent survey of TIGA members, a majority of developers say that while piracy is a problem, it's not necessarily a fatal one to their business. While 90 percent of those polled think the issue is getting worse, only 60 percent call it a low threat with a mere 10 percent saying it represents a significant danger to their survival. What are the other 90 percent worried about? Well, getting caught between Mega Shark and Giant Octopus, naturally.
Apple iPAD outed in Borders bookstore survey?
Now, we don't really know what to think about this one, considering how many rumors are swirling about upcoming Apple devices at the moment, but make of it what you will. An online survey currently being conducted by Borders bookstore lists the "Apple iPAD (large screen reading device)" in one of its questions about e-readers. There along with the Amazon Kindle, the Kindle DX, the Sony Reader and the Plastic Logic Reader is the option to check "I plan to buy an Apple IPAD this year." It's safe to say that there are two options here: either Borders has access to some privileged Apple tablet / Kindle killer info that we, the wondering masses, do not (and yet is still making blunders like "Blackberry" and "Apple iTouch") -- or they're just assuming that there must be some truth to all the fuss. And hey, who could blame them? Like we said, we're not going to put too much stock in it, but go ahead and hit the read link to take the survey for yourself -- but be forewarned: you're going to have to dish on your opinion of Dan Brown before you get to the good stuff. [Via MacLife, thanks AC]
Palm Pre, iPhone 3GS owners' satisfaction polled, compared in new study
Studies just released by RBC Capital and ChangeWave Research polled iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre owners on their respective levels of satisfaction with their devices -- then compared them. In the studies, 200 iPhone 3GS users and 40 Palm Pre owners were polled. Overall, 99 percent of owners of Apple's phone proclaimed themselves to be "satisfied," while 82 percent of that number declared they were "very satisfied." The poll of Pre owners showed that 87 percent are "satisfied," and 45 percent of those owners describe themselves as "very satisfied." Interestingly, the 42 percent of "very satisfied" customers are the highest score ever attained by a Palm device, and it's a number that's only ever been bested by RIM and Apple. When asked about their respective reasons for buying their devices, Palm Pre owners listed the touchscreen interface, ability to multitask, and ease of use in the top three, while iPhone users cite its touchscreen, ease of use and faster web browsing as its biggest draws. So what about drawbacks? iPhone users (a whopping 55 percent of them, in fact) say that AT&T's network is their main gripe with the device, while Pre owners list short battery life and lack of third party apps as the devices biggest drawbacks. All in all, a pretty good showing for both -- though the microscopic sample size (especially for the Palm Pre) makes us wonder about the validity of the findings a bit.Read - Apple's iPhone 3GS has 99 percent satisfaction rateRead - iPhone vs. Palm Pre: Satisfaction bakeoff
Runes of Magic offers surveys for diamonds
Frogster America has recently partnered with Peanut Labs Media to bring Runes of Magic players a new way to earn diamonds without paying money -- surveys! Yes, yes, we know, everyone hates surveys. Yet, you have to admit, everyone hates paying real money for virtual currency more. The surveys that Runes of Magic will be implementing are going to take between 5 to 10 minutes, will keep the user's identity completely anonymous, will reward diamonds on completion, and will be completely optional. Both sides are working to seamlessly integrate the survey option into the game experience without it becoming a barrier to gameplay or becoming hard to use.As long as this option remains simple to use and non-intrusive, it looks like a nice alternative for players who are looking to pick up some diamonds without having to commit their cash.
PSA: Register your games for Club Nintendo elite status today
This is, necessarily, your final reminder: today is the last day of the "year" for Club Nintendo Gold or Platinum status in North America, which means that today is the last day for you to enter points toward whatever the exclusive free gift is going to be. We don't dare hope for the kind of awesomeness seen in Japan's Platinum rewards, but we want free things.If you aren't yet at 300 coins (for Gold) or 600 coins (for Platinum), and you've got more games to register, get to it right now! If you've been thinking of picking up Punch-Out!! or something this week, you should probably do it today! Conversely, if you're at 600 now and you have more stuff to register, wait until tomorrow so it counts toward next year's total!If you're not sure about the eligibility of an older (pre-Club Nintendo) game and don't want to waste time registering it, consult the list of eligible games in the "Product Registration" area of the Club Nintendo FAQ.
Apple ranked #4 among online retailers
A holiday survey of shopper satisfaction with e-retailers ranked Apple as number 4, with 78% of customers pleased with purchases made on the Apple website. The survey was conducted by ForeSee Results and FGI Research.Only two online retailers scored above 80 percent, with Amazon and Netflix tied at 84%. QVC.com ranked third. The survey is intended to be predictive for how companies will do in 2009. Retailers losing some customer confidence included Circuit City, Gap, Home Depot, HSN, Neiman Marcus, and Overstock.com.Larry Freed, President and CEO of ForeSee Results, said that too many e-retailers aren't paying attention to metrics like customer satisfaction and he said "that's just not playing to win in this economy."Apple is down 1% from last year's rankings. In general, Apple does very well in surveys that measure customer loyalty, product reliability, and service and support. 2009 could be a tough year for brick and mortar and online retailers, so every little bit of customer pleasure really helps translate into sales.
Daedalus Project updated
Nick Yee's excellent MMORPG survey and data site, the Daedalus Project, has been updated with new survey results on the following topics: Guild demographics: What influences players to choose certain guilds, how attached they become, the likelihood of their knowing guildies in real life, and how long they stay. What I find fascinating here is the graph displayed above -- 26% of surveyed players have been with their guild 2 years or more. Alex Ziebart mentioned the other day that his guild has been together so long across multiple games that guild chat's gone from talk of teenage dates to coaching expectant parents through morning sickness. I get the feeling that this is only going to become more common in long-haul games like Second Life and WoW. Character creation: How players choose characters, the elements of character selection they consider most important, and whether classes and races tend to be researched extensively before they're picked, or chosen based on impulse. Character class seems to matter to the most people; starting area the least.
A snapshot of alliance life in EVE Online
Roughly 1400 EVE Online players took part in the E-ON Alliance Survey in February of this year, organized by E-ON's Editor, Zapatero. "The survey was conducted to research the nature of alliances, 0.0 conflict and the capabilities of alliances or coalitions to ever mount a serious challenge to the entirety of 0.0 space," Zapatero writes. While those results provided a grounding for a few E-ON articles, they've otherwise remained inert on Zapatero's hard drive since then. Since the survey was created with anonymity in mind, there is no revealing information about any particular alliance and thus no harm in releasing the information for everyone to see. Zapatero's prepared the results as a pdf summary report as well as a spreadsheet (files hosted by Chribba.)The questions asked were fairly comprehensive, ranging from individual motivations to play as part of an alliance to collective achievements and failings (and everything in between). Though the alliance map and the motivations driving its constant shifts will change over time, Zapatero's provided an interesting look at how EVE's alliance players approach the game. Check out his "New editions, old additions" post over at the EVE Online site for more background on this project and its aims.
Daedalus Project presents new findings
The Daedalus Project has gotten Massively coverage previously, but it's worth revisiting, as Nick Yee continues to gather information on virtual spaces. In the most recent issue, you can peruse such topics as how changing game mechanics changes social interactions within those games; what do players want to see in MMOs; and thoughts from parents who are gamers on how to manage a child's MMO time.Additionally, there is always a survey in progress to which you may contribute. Your opinions are valid, O Learned Audience. If you're tired of demographic results that don't accurately represent the way you feel about our industry, now's your chance to have your say![Thanks, Nick!]
The Daedalus Project tracks MUD
Actually, it tracks MMOs, but what a clever title, huh? The Daedalus Project is the demographic/analysis website created and maintained by Nick Yee, a graduate student of Stanford University in the field of Communications who now works at the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). Nick's site is noteworthy both for the online surveys of MMO players that are open to anyone who wants to participate, and also for the conclusions he draws based on those survey results.This statistical data has been used by Washington Post, CBS, TechWeek, CNET, the Associated Press, Nature.com, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among other publications. Nick always has a survey or two running, so if you're interested in contributing your experiences and thoughts to the collective (and growing) body of knowledge concerning MMOs, you can do so at the 'Current Surveys' section of his site.For those of us interested in metadata, The Daedalus Project is a genuine boon, and we hope he continues his necessary and groundbreaking work well into the future. [Thanks, Nick!]
Casual games bridge generation gap, report finds
Popcap Games -- makers of casual hits like Bejeweled, Peggle, and Bookworm Adventures -- have published the results of a recent survey on families and casual gaming. According to the press release, a staggering 92% of the adults surveyed believe that casual gaming gives them common ground to relate to their children and grandchildren.Other stats reinforce the correlation between gaming and education, with 47% of parents noticing that playing casual games increased their child's aptitude in various categories (Hooked on Bookworm worked for me!).Stat lovers can view the entire press release after the break.[Via GameSpot]
Would you buy an iPhone?
You've surely heard about the iPhone concept design that recently surfaced and you've probably heard about the Foxconn Electronics iPhone order from Apple. So would you buy one? Jason O'Grady over at ZDNet says he wouldn't. So he's running a poll over there to see who would and would not lay out the hard cash for an iPhone. At issue, whether it's worth giving up your current phone, whether it's a Treo or a sweet little camera-jobbie, to become an iPhone switcher. I'm not holding my breath for an iNewtonphone but I bet you that Jobs isn't going to zune the iPhone by leaving off all the bits people want and need. So what do you think? Would you switch? And what would be the features that would either sell you or keep you from switching?
