Sweden Has the Most Wired Economy, Whilst the UK is Only 15th
Sweden and Singapore are the most competitive countries in the digital economy, according to The Global Information Technology Report 2010-2011 by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Nordic and Asian economies are best at using information and communications technologies (ICT) to boost their growth, the WEF said. Finland is in third place, Switzerland fourth and the United States fifth. The UK is down in fifteenth place.
The WEF said ICT was “a key enabler of a more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable world”. It said the use of information communications technology was especially important “in the aftermath of one of the most serious economic crises in decades”.
MOST DIGITALLY CONNECTED ECONOMIES
- Sweden
- Singapore
- Finland
- Switzerland
- US
- Taiwan
- Denmark
- Canada
- Norway
- South Korea
Source: WEF
The WEF report focuses on the power of ICT to transform society in the next decade through modernisation and innovation.
Other highly-placed Nordic countries include Denmark in seventh spot and Norway in ninth place, with Iceland ranked in 16th position. Meanwhile, led by Singapore in second place, the other Asian Tiger economies highly placed are Taiwan and South Korea in sixth and tenth position respectively, and Hong Kong following closely in 12th. Canada completes the top 10 in eighth position.
The report, which covers 138 economies, looks at three areas.
They are the general business, regulatory and infrastructure environment for ICT; the readiness of the three key stakeholder sectors – individuals, businesses and governments – to use and benefit from ICT; and the actual usage of available ICT.
Source: BBC News
Posted in: Digital Britain, Web Stats
The Average US Teenager Sends 3,339 Texts Per Month
If you needed more proof that texting is on the rise, here’s a stat for you: the average US teenager sends over 3,000 texts per month. That’s more than six texts per waking hour.
According to a new study from Nielsen, our society has gone mad with texting, data usage and app downloads. Nielsen analyzed the mobile data habits of over 60,000 mobile subscribers and surveyed over 3,000 teens during April, May and June of this year. The numbers they came up with are astounding.
The number of texts being sent is on the rise, especially among teenagers age 13 to 17. According to Nielsen, the average teenager now sends 3,339 texts per month. There’s more, though: teen females send an incredible 4,050 text per month, while teen males send an average of 2,539 texts. Teens are sending 8% more texts than they were this time last year.
Other age groups don’t even come close, either; the average 18 to 24-year-old sends “only” 1,630 texts per month. The average only drops with other age groups. However, in every age bracket, the number of texts sent has increased when compared to last year. Texting is a more important means of communication than ever.
In 2008, the main reason anybody got a phone was for safety, even among teenagers. That’s not true anymore. 43% of teenagers now say texting is the #1 reason they get a cell phone. Safety is #2 with 35%, while 34% of teenagers say they get cell phones to keep in touch with friends.
Texting is also supplanting voice calls — 22% say SMS is easier than a phone call and another 20% say it’s faster. Voice usage has decreased by 14% among teens and is decreasing in all age groups under 55. 18 to 24 year olds use the most minutes, but every age group between 18 and 55 talks on the phone more than the average teenager.
While voice may be on the decline, data and app usage is on the rise. According to Nielsen, data usage among teens has quadrupled, from 14 MB to 62 MB per month. In a role reversal, teen males use more data than their female counterparts: 75 MB vs. 53 MB of data. App and software downloads also increased by 12% among teens in the last year
These stats are eye-popping, but what’s even more amazing is that these numbers only keep rising. Texting, data usage and app downloads are nowhere near their peak, but one has to wonder: how many texts is the average teenager actually capable of sending? What’s the limit?
Source: Nielsen
Posted in: Web Stats
