Americans are going wireless. That's according to a new study from the Pew Research Center that shows 56 percent of those going online do so wirelessly using either a laptop and/or mobile device.
According to Pew, 39 percent use a wireless network to get online with their laptop and about one-in-three log on using a mobile phone.
The most significant growth is taking place with mobile phone users. Just two years ago, fewer than one-fourth were going online with a wireless connection from a mobile device.
"Mobile access strengthens the three pillars of online engagement: connecting with others, satisfying information queries, and sharing content with others," John Horrigan, associate director of the Pew Internet Project, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "With access in their pockets, many Americans are 'on the fly' consumers and producers of digital information."
Half of the study's respondents said they use mobile devices (voice, text, email) to keep in touch with others. Forty-six percent used it to get information.
Adoption of wireless technology has shot up 141 percent among African-Americans over the past two years. Thirty-two percent used mobile devices in 2007 and now the number stands at 48 percent.
Discussion Questions: How is the adoption of wireless technology by consumers going to change retailing? What is the next "big thing" coming in wireless?