Gen Y precedes Gen X in technology alphabet

Tag : gen sets

According to a new report, Gen Y is a small but influential groupwhen it comes to technology adoption, while Gen Xers choose toadopt a technology when it fits in with a personal need or desires,according to the survey about consumers’ technology adoptionand attitudes from Forrester Research Inc.

While Gen Y is a small generation of 18- to 28-year olds,consisting of only 38 million adults, it sets the pace fortechnology adoption. Nine out of 10 Gen Yers own a PC, and 82percent own a mobile phone, according to the study from Cambridge,Mass.-based Forrester Research.

But it is technology use that sets the generation apart. GenerationY spends more time online, both for leisure or work, than watchingTV.

In contrast, Gen X, which is composed of 29- to 42-year olds— about 63 million adults — uses technology when itintersects with a personal need or fulfills a desire. For example,32 percent of Gen X households own an HDTV, and 29 percent have aDVR. In the past three months, 69 percent of online Gen Xersshopped online and 65 percent banked online.

The study from Forrester is the largest annual data set based on amail survey of nearly 61,000 consumers.

Forrester said that its 2008 North American TechnographicsBenchmark survey includes responses to more than 100 questionscovering 1,500 elements and more than 450 brands and representing53,000 households in the U.S. and Canada,