Brief profile of Americans regularly playing games using connected devices

Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, March 30, 2023

Summary

Fun is a major pastime for most, but not all, American adults using connected devices. Whether they use a game console, gaming PC, regular computer, tablet, or mobile phone, most Americans regularly play immersive or other games.

This TUPdate briefly profiles Americans who regularly play immersive/video or other games, detailing their age, gender, employment status, presence of children, life stage, and use of game-specific devices such as a VR headset.

Americans that play games skew young

  • Playing games using a connected device is a regular activity by two-thirds or more of Americans under the age of 45
    • Connected devices include computers, mobile phones, tablets, and game consoles
  • Beyond age 55, playing games is done by less than half of these older adults
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Microsoft CoPilot – generative AI as an enterprise Office 365 service for creatives

Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, March 17, 2023

Summary

Microsoft announced an upcoming service for its Microsoft 365 service that integrates the user’s data using generative AI. Called Microsoft CoPilot, the service will first be offered to enterprises. This TUPdate measures the potential market of those most likely to adopt and benefit from the service.

The Microsoft CoPilot announcement

This week, Microsoft gave one of the most down-to-earth non-announcements among the many major companies exuberantly touting generative AI in some form. The announcement of Microsoft 365 CoPilot demonstrated how artificial intelligence capabilities might be deeply integrated into everyday Office 365 applications, especially those involving some creativity.

Microsoft has many challenges ahead to fulfill what was shown in the demo, including whether consumers, employees, or enterprises will be willing to share their words to be analyzed deeply. Also important will be whether the service adds enough value to counter the risk of getting the results wrong. After all, none of the generative AI tools to date have delivered on the promise of discernment.

Size of the market for creative activities

What we can do today is begin at the beginning – consider the size of the potential market. How many people are regularly doing any creative activities such as those illustrated in the demo? By starting with that assumption, the market size will be conservative. It’s more likely that people who need to get certain jobs done will look for the tool to assist them with what they are already doing. It’s less likely that a new tool will inspire many people to begin giving presentations or crafting videos. Just as buying a shiny new hammer doesn’t turn someone into a capable carpenter, nor does spicing up a spreadsheet make someone into a data analyst or executive decision-maker.

There are fewer potential users than Microsoft may hope, since just under half (46%) of all online American adults regularly do any of several major creative activities:

  • Use professional creative software
  • Create graphics/presentations
  • Create videos

An even smaller share of online Americans regularly uses their connected devices for work-related creative activities. As of TUP/Technology User Profile 2022, 28% of online American adults actively use any of their devices for any of the creative activities identified.

Regular creative activities among online Americans
TUP/Technology User Profile 2022-US
Table: CREATACTS
Universe-Online Adults
UNIV_AD: Universe-Online Adults (000) 
Universe-Online Adults (000)223,254
Sample size7,508
  
UDV_ANYDEV_ACTS_CREATIVE_SET: Creative activities (SET)Universe-Online Adults
Creative-oriented – personal or work activities (NET)46%
Creative-oriented – personal activities (NET)39%
Creative-oriented – work activities (NET)28%
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How employees working from home are balancing their activities

Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, September 14, 2022

Summary

Employees working from home have unique challenges in getting work done while often using personal and employer-provided devices. While seeking to balance their work and personal lives, they are also finding new ways to use their devices. A substantial share regularly does TikTok-type work – creating videos for work and personal purposes.

This MetaFAQs reports on the top 10 activities employees that work from home do with their connected devices: smartphones, computers, and tablets. It also identifies which activities are done more often than the average online adult.

Most employees rely on smartphones, stay productive with computers

  • Around the world, most employees working from home use their connected devices to stay in touch, shop, have fun, and get work done
  • They use their various and multiple devices differently
  • Most use computers for their work-related activities
  • Most employees use smartphones for photo-related social activities, personal phone calls, and shopping
  • Computers are used for work email, collaboration, and writing
  • Tablets, when used, are used for passive activities such as watching videos or movies 
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Lawyer Cat and Windows 11 – home PC demand to rise [TUPdate]

Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, July 16, 2021

What do lawyer cat and Windows 11 have in common?

Embarrassment or fear of humiliation may boost home PC sales. If that doesn’t do it, staying connected and current will encourage home PC users to upgrade.

If you missed it, the “lawyer cat” viral meme recently had its day of fame. A tech-challenged lawyer compelled to participate in a mid-pandemic judicial hearing over Zoom got confused and embarrassed by having his face appear as a cat’s. Webcam software bundled with an older Dell PC featured a filter that changed a person’s image before being displayed through Zoom.

The lawyer cat meme has a connection to the upcoming launch of Microsoft Windows 11. There could be the fear of something going wrong using older PCs, especially those with older bundled software.

The newest version of the venerable operating system will reportedly require more robust hardware than is present in much of the installed base. The final requirements are still in flux. However, Windows 11 is likely to need users to have newer home PCs than what they’re actively using today.

Continue reading “Lawyer Cat and Windows 11 – home PC demand to rise [TUPdate]”
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Preferences for tablet or home PC for activities [MetaFAQs]

Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, April 5, 2021 

How differently are tablets and home PCs being used? Among users with both tablets and home PCs, which activities are being used on both? Which activities are more unique to home PCs and which with tablets? This MetaFAQs details the activities in common, home PC-centric, and tablet-centric between users of both home PCs and tablets in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan. 

About MetaFAQs 

MetaFAQs are answers to frequently asked questions about technology users. The research results showcase the TUP/Technology User Profile study, MetaFacts’ survey of a representative sample of online adults profiling the full market’s use of technology products and services. The current wave of TUP is TUP/Technology User Profile 2020, which is TUP’s 38th annual. 

Current subscribers may use the comprehensive TUP datasets to obtain even more results or tailor these results to fit their chosen segments, services, or products. As subscribers choose, they may use the TUP inquiry service, online interactive tools, or analysis previously published by MetaFacts. 

On request, interested research professionals can receive complimentary updates through our periodic newsletter. These include MetaFAQs – brief answers to frequently asked questions about technology users – or TUPdates – analysis of current and essential technology industry topics. To subscribe, contact MetaFacts. 

Indexing 

TUP Lenses: Tablets, Activities, PCs 

Tags: Tablets, Home PCs, Activities, Home PC Activities, Tablet Activities 

Usage guidelines: This document may be freely shared within and outside your organization in its entirety and unaltered. It may not be used in a generative AI system without express written permission and licensing. To share or quote excerpts, please contact MetaFacts.