Intel Survey Shows People Likely to Take Laptop on Vacation

A recent survey of U.S. adult computer users, commissioned by Intel Corporation and conducted by Harris Interactive, reveals that 34 percent of respondents or their families have taken a laptop PC with them on vacation and half (51 percent) of all respondents are likely to take a laptop PC on a future vacation. Of all those that took a laptop on vacation, here are the top uses:

• Checking personal e-mail (72%)
• Enjoying entertainment such as movies, music and games (56%)
• Gathering trip information online (45%)
• Checking and sending work related email (43%)

Here'stwo of the 51% of people that take a laptop on vacation

I'm guilty of taking a laptop on vacation, can't imagine not leaving my laptop behind to be honest, but that's me. So do you take your laptop on vacation? You don't have a laptop you say? Well, Intel is here to help with a laptop giveaway sweepstakes contest in conjunction with this survey:

http://www.intel.com/personal/wireless/contestrules.htm

Below is the Intel press release regarding this survey in its entirety:

With a wireless-enabled laptop PC -- such as those based on Intel Centrino mobile technology -- travelers can surf the Web and connect to the Internet to do things such as check and send e-mail, download movies, play games and create a travel blog+. All around the world, wireless "hotspots" are popping up at family-friendly vacation destinations and businesses, including:

• Nearly 1,000 Holiday Inn hotels in North America;
• More than 100 U.S. KOA campgrounds and 85 California state parks
• Eleven commercial airlines that offer or plan to offer Connexion by Boeing in-flight Internet access service, which is currently available on more than 100 routes daily to and from U.S. and international destinations
• Cruise lines such as Carnival, Holland America, Norwegian and Princess
• Grand Canyon and Yellowstone national parks
• Tourist attractions such as Universal CityWalk Hollywood
• Events such as the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, Calif. and Bumbershoot in Seattle
• More than 6,000 McDonald's restaurants around the world.

Analyst firm IDC estimates that there are likely to be more than 130,000 wireless hotspots worldwide by the end of 20053. Travelers can locate wireless hotspots usinga hotspot finder at http://intel.jiwire.com.

"The survey results show that mobile technology is making it easy for travelers to research destinations, be entertained and stay in touch with family and friends while away from home," said Ralph Bond, Intel consumer education manager. "Whether it's traveling retirees e-mailing their grandkids vacation notes and photos, families downloading movies and music to enjoy on the road, newlyweds creating Web logs of their honeymoon and reading reviews of romantic restaurants, or out-of-towners researching and buying tickets to local attractions and events, leisure travelers are finding laptop computers useful as all-in-one communication and entertainment devices."

Whether they have or have not taken a laptop on vacation, computer users would find laptop features specifically designed for mobility to be of value when vacationing. Survey respondents said long battery life (62 percent), lightweight design (58 percent) and the ability to surf the Internet wirelessly (55 percent) are the most valuable features of a laptop for vacation use.

Win a Laptop

Travelers can enter to win an Intel Centrino mobile technology-based laptop from Intel starting today and through the end of August at http://www.intel.com/personal/wireless/contestrules.htm.