Apple's iPad and other tablets (not many so far, but more coming) seem to be leaving many PCs to gather dust bunnies aplenty.
Thirty percent of tablet owners say they're e-mailing and browsing the Internet less on their computers; 28 percent say they're using social networking features — like Facebook or Twitter — less on their PCs as well, according to a report from The NPD Group.
More than 2,400 U.S. consumers from NPD's online panel took part in the survey, done in December.
"Tablet owners are happy with the results of this migration of tasks away from their PC," NPD said in "Evolving Technology Trends" report. PCs include desktops and laptops, be they Windows or Mac.
"Satisfaction levels are high; 68 percent of consumers said they were very satisfied with their Internet experience on their tablet, 67 percent with e-mail, and 60 percent with social networking."
Those three things "also happen to be the most important to tablet owners," NPD said.
Smart phone owners, who also do the same three things with their devices, were less enthused; 59 percent said they were "very satisfied with e-mail, 49 percent with social networking, and 42 percent with browsing the Internet" on their phones.
The upshot?
"PC makers must have a tablet to complement their existing PC lines and encourage usage between the two devices so that consumers don’t abandon one for the other,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at The NPD Group, in a statement.
"With so many manufacturers getting into the tablet game, we need to make sure consumers understand the capabilities of these devices and how to make them co-exist with each other, as well as with the devices they currently own."
If nothing else, NPD's report shows an amazing tech mindset transformation that has happened in less than a year. Apple's iPad first went on sale last April.
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