Say what you will about Apple and its reality distortion field. But you can’t deny that it’s primarily responsible for the huge shot in the arm that the tablet sector got after it released the first iPad.
Fast forward to the 2011 holiday season and tablets are sizzling hot, at least according to a new survey by Retrevo. Just take a look at Black Friday shoppers — 32 percent of whom said they are looking for a Black Friday deal on tablets. Keeping second place warm are HDTVs at 25 percent and laptops at 24 percent. Smartphones were fourth at 19 percent.
An interesting part of the survey is the dichotomy it uncovered between the two most popular tablets. I’ll give you two guesses about which those two are (here’s a hint, one fell on Sir Isaac Newton’s head and the other one is something you can’t yell in a crowded theater). Yep, that would be the Apple iPad and Kindle Fire.
Suprise No. 1 is just how much mind share Amazon’s Kindle Fire has. It actually tied the iPad at the top spot for gadget most people hope to receive for Christmas, with both getting 10 percent each of the vote. Smartphones were next at 9 percent, followed by HDTVs at 8 percent. (I know the latter is true because I got one for my sister as a Christmas present. It’s a long story...)
Surprise No. 2 is the difference on who prefers an iPad vs. a Kindle Fire. According to the survey, women are more likely to prefer an iPad and a digital camera. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to prefer a Kindle Fire and an HDTV (I know I would love to have a new HDTV. Oh wait, I just gave it to my sister...). I guess that makes the iPad the Volkswagen Beetle and the Kindle Fire the Lancer Evo of tablets.
Anywho, read on to for the Retrevo survey highlights:
Which items will you be looking for a deal this Black Friday?- 32% of them said they'd be looking for a Black Friday deal on a tablet computer, (including iPads)
- 25% of them said they'd be looking for a Black Friday deal on an HDTV
- 24% of them said they'd be looking for a Black Friday deal on a Laptop
- 19% of them said they'd be looking for a Black Friday deal on a smartphone (including iPhones)
- 18% of them said they shopped ONLY in a store last Black Friday
- 15% of them said they shopped Only online last Black Friday
- 25% of them said they shopped both online and in-store last Black Friday
- 10% said they plan on shopping ONLY in a store this Black Friday
- 11% said they plan on shopping ONLY online this Black Friday
- 34% said they plan on shopping both online and in a store this Black Friday
- 10% Said an iPad
- 10% said an Amazon Tablet (Kindle Fire)
- 9% said a smartphone
- 8% said an HDTV
- 6% said a laptop
- 6% said a digital camera
- 4% said an Amazon e-Reader
- Women are more likely to want a digital camera and an iPad
- Men are more likely to want a Kindle Fire, an HDTV set (including 3D)
- People under 25 typically want a laptop (over a tablet), and an iPhone 4S.
- Middle aged adults (45 - 55) are more likely to want a 3D/HDTV and a Blu-ray player
- iPhone 4 owners want an iPad, followed by a Kindle Fire, and a digital camera
- Regardless of income, iPads are the most desired gadget gift this year.
- Lower income households preferred a laptop, while higher income houses preferred a digital camera
