Study: iPad owners are selfish elitists, non-owners are independent geeks

[apples and oranges]

Consumer research firm MyType conducted the study, in which opinions of 20,000 people were analyzed between March and May. The firm’s conclusion was that iPad owners tend to be wealthy, sophisticated, highly educated and disproportionately interested in business and finance, while they scored terribly in the areas of altruism and kindness. In other words, “selfish elites.”

They are six times more likely to be “wealthy, well-educated, power-hungry, over-achieving, sophisticated, unkind and non-altruistic 30-50 year olds,” MyType’s Tim Koelkebeck told Wired.com.

96 percent those most likely to criticize the iPad, on the other hand, don’t even own one, although as geeks, they were slightly more likely to do so than the average population — and far more likely to have an opinion about the device one way or the other (updated). This group tends to be “self-directed young people who look down on conformity and are interested in videogames, computers, electronics, science and the internet,” said Koelkebeck.

One might expect people with an interest in videogames, computers, electronics, science and the internet to be interested in a device that lets you play videogames, functions like a computer, is made of electronics, relies on science and connects to the internet, which suggests there would be a high convert rate if the “have nots” just went to an Apple Store for the afternoon.

Read More http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/07/ipad-owner-are-selfish-elites-critics-are-independent-geeks-says-study/

The one guy I know who wants one is incredibly selfish (he barely tips at restaurants) so this study rings true.

[Recursion]

1. I resisted the urge to post this...

...but now that it's here.

:popcorn:

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Pass sone wlll ya

Here is some butter and salt by the way.

:popcorn:

[xultar]

2. I'm reading this on my iPad.

[Silent3]

7. Given what you said in another thread about...

...how much you travel, an iPad probably makes a lot of sense for you. Something you can read from while sitting in all of those airports and airplanes that's small, light, and does a bit more for you than a Kindle or the like.

And damn, I do not envy you all of that time on the road at all!

[xultar]

10. Right now I am stuck in Milwaukee. My iPad saved me more than once in the last 24 hrs

First since I don't need my laptop I can run to make connections. Second it turns on instantly so when I was in queue to get rebooked I just opened it and did it myself online right there so I could get out of queue. Third it has kept me entertained and Fourth I'm remoting into my laptop to do work.

So people can call me what ever the fuck they want. I've been up for over 24 hrs in airports and airplanes for 12 of those hours and my iPad really saved the day. I love this thing.

I eve bought a confirmed ticket and took one of the few remaining seats while talking to the gate agent about putting me on standby. It was kind of funny.

[NeedleCast]

16. I'd get one if I was still on the road for biz

Even my Iphone was enough. Instead of having to drag my cell phone, Ipod and GPS and all their assorted wires and chargers along with me, it took one device and one cord.

[malaise]

18. LOL

:rofl: :rofl:

[NYC_SKP]

26. I'm ordering an iPad from my iPhone4.

Just to do it.

[xultar]

29. Fuck yeah. Us gadget Geeks need to stick together. I cannot stand it when people

attack us for having a vice.

I ordered my iPhone 4 yesterday cuz I busted he hell out of my 3GS. I was gonna get one later but the lord telleth me to getteth me one nowest becauseth he broketh myeth 3GS. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh men.

[NYC_SKP]

43. If you have a desktop, you have to get a Magic Mouse.

If you don't already have one.

New Imac at work came with it, so cool and smooth, scrolling up-down and left-right by just stroking fingertips across top surface, no moving parts.

[mascarax]

41. ha!

me too

[geek tragedy]

3. iPad 'critics?'

Seriously, what waste of a study.

[Silent3]

4. Good thing I only have an iPhone. :)

I do know a pretty good guy who owns one, however. So we shouldn't take rough stats as truths about every individual, or take our own limited personal experiences too seriously either.

At any rate, I'd guess that it's not too much about the iPad per se, but fact that it's an expensive gadget with still fairly limited functionality, making it attractive mostly to people with a lot of disposable income. Those traits linked to iPad buyers here are probably mostly traits of many people with the money to throw around, who may be buying something more because it's trendy than that because they have a strong specific use for it.

A lot of people I know expected me to run out an buy one day one, because I'm a bit of a gadget freak, but it doesn't really suit my needs, at least not in the first version, and while I'm willing to put up with Apple's tightly locked environment on my phone, I want a much more open platform for most any other use.

[Mojambo]

5. I can't believe this is not from the Onion.

I thought for sure it had to be satire.

What a stupid fucking study.

[rucky]

20. It's tongue-in-cheek.

I think.

That's how I took it.

The kind of thing you'd see on www.GraphJam.com

[Lorien]

6. To the author of the article: defining people by what gadgets they own

makes one an arrogant, shallow elitist. It's an iPad; a small tool or toy, depending how you use it. It's not a gas guzzling Hummer. It doesn't effect National policy or your life if someone else owns one (and no, I'm not an iPad owner nor do I intend to become one).

[Edweird]

8. lulz

[WolverineDG]

9. wow, that so does not describe the one person I know who owns an iPad nt

[Initech]

11. I can see uses for an iPad but I wouldn't buy one because of the ridculous cost.

[Dappleganger]

12. I would love to have an iPad...

but it must be the same cost as my Nook, which was a free gift from a family member. I'd like a pony along with it too, and a hot fudge sundae on the side. ;)

[dkf]

13. Ipads are for non techies that can't figure out how to use a laptop.

That is who I would recommend it for. Personally I prefer my Archos IMT.

[Call Me Wesley]

15. Quite the broad brush here.

Even when true, isn't that a good thing? So people who are mostly afraid or overwhelmed with a laptop can browse the internet, send emails, etc. etc.? I'd think so.

[Silent3]

17. With a few more changes, I'd use one...

...and I'm a software engineer who's far from being a non-techie. Here's why I don't have one yet:

1) I'm not so eager for something like an iPad that I'd buy the first generation version. I'm comfortable waiting for rev. 2 or 3.
2) I'd like an iPad to function as a laptop replacement for a lot of my casual use, like web surfing, but since when I surf I type a lot (like posting on DU) I'm not sure how happy I'd be doing a lot of typing on a touchscreen virtual keyboard.
3) I'm not too crazy about the closed architecture.
4) At least when the iPad first came out, there was no multitasking. I'm not sure if that's fixed yet -- limited multitasking has been added to the iPhone, so I suspect if the iPad doesn't have it now, it will soon.

In time, however, I might get a later version of the iPad (or something like it) because the idea of something so small and light with good battery life is very appealing, not just for travel, but for use around the house instead of lugging my laptop around, and as an e-reader that's more versatile than a Kindle. While typing on an iPad might be an issue for me, for some uses a big screen with a virtual keyboard would be an improvement over a tiny screen with a tiny physical keyboard, as you get with a sub-mini laptop.

The appeal has not a thing to do for me with no understand how to use a laptop!

[dkf]

30. All those cons you listed are the types of reasons techies dont like it.

My biggest gripe is no flash and a closed architecture. I bought one for my dad though because he couldn't figure out how to use a laptop. He loves it. I actually bought it for both my mom and dad but Mom prefers her laptop because she likes a keyboard.

Personally I think the ipad is too heavy especially in comparison to my Archos.

[Rosie1223]

25. I'm an IT manager that loves her iPad.

Sorry, but to each his own.

[dkf]

31. You don't think it is simply a bigger heavier iPhone?

What do you use it for?

[Call Me Wesley]

14. I'm one guy (if you believe in one guy making studies true,)

who would render this study, by all scientific means, as useless. Which, in the end, it is. But it's perhaps I don't play videogames. I dunno.

[CreekDog]

19. i don't like typing on them but they are amazing to read on

:D

too heavy though. my netbook is a lot lighter.

[CreekDog]

21. I've heard through the grapevine that you're DTM

:rofl:

[TZ]

23. !

Nice post, Baghdad Bob...:rofl: :thumbsup:

[Starry Messenger]

22. My brother barely tips at restaurants and he hates hates hates Apple.

Isn't science amazing?

[TZ]

24. .

It is truly amazing!!! :rofl:

[USArmyParatrooper]

27. As long as my Apple shares keep going up, fine by me :)

[whistler162]

36. Still kick my self for not buying Apple at $8!

[krabigirl]

28. lmao, whatever.

[Dark]

32. Wait, the people shelling out $500 for an oversized iPhone that doesn't make calls are wealthy

and snobbish?

STOP THE PRESSES!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

33. I won't own one for ethical reasons, but the article is ridiculous...... n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. So your computer was made in the US

by well paid employees who work for a Union?

Oh wait... CHINA... Foxconn makes goods for everybody... as well as a few other companies in the Electronics province of China. It is actually a city, wiht factories as far as the eye can see.

Now you want to smile? Same companies are making clones, running Android, for about 1\3 of the price of the Pad.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

37. That is not the ethical reason I was speaking of...

My concern is Apple mandating content and usage control of something they no longer own. Their argument for controlling what runs on a phone has some merit, but on a generic computing device, its bogus and indefensible.

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. Jail breaking that phone is now legal

:-)

[ProgressiveProfessor]

40. So are Apple countermeasures to brick it after you do that.

[nadinbrzezinski]

42. Not the way the law is written

and Apple mostly has staid out of it.

Regardless, this is your choice. I don't own an IPAD, though I do love my IPOD and to me that is not an issue... but to you obviously it is.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

45. There is not a law against bricking that I know of and Apple has been actively doing that.

With the recent US court decision, that may change.

[Jakes Progress]

39. Someone buy this man an iPad so he can stop whining.

[alcibiades_mystery]

44. This is dumb