Adult gadget ownership over time (2006-2012) %of American adults age 18+ who own each device
Though one of the newer online activities the Pew Internet Project studies,35 as of 2011 social networking sites are used by 65% of all internet users—half of all American adults.36 Among internet users, we see a very strong correlation in use with age, as some 87% of internet users under 30 use these sites, compared with less than a third (29%) of those 65 and older. However, though their overall numbers are still relatively low, older adults have represented one of the fastest-growing segments of the social networking site-using population.37 This growth may be driven by several factors, some of which include the ability to reconnect with people from the past, find supporting communities to deal with a chronic disease, and connect with younger generations.
Currently, 88% of American adults age 18 and older have a cell phone, 57% have a laptop, 19% own an e-book reader, and 19% have a tablet computer; about six in ten adults (63%) go online wirelessly with one of those devices. Gadget ownership is generally correlated with age, education, and household income, although some devices—notably e-book readers and tablets39—are as popular or even more popular with adults ages 30-49 than those under 30.
Adult gadget ownership over time (2006-2012)  | %of American adults age 18+ who own each device  | 100%  | 87% 88%  | 85%  | 90%  | 85% 34%  | 83% 84%  | 82%  | 78%  | 73% 75%  | 80%  | 70%  | 64%  | 65%  | 62% 62%  | Cell phone  | 68%  | 59%  | 57% 57%  | 60%  | Desktop computer  | 55% 52%  | 56%  | 47% 47%  | 55%  | Laptop computer  | 50%  | 47%  | 39%  | mp3 player  | 37%  | 44%  | 45%  | 40%  | 34% 37% 45% 41%  | Game console  | 30%  | 37%  | 30%  | e-Book reader  | 19%  | Tablet computer  | 20%  | 12%  | 20%  | 9%  | 5%  | 19%  | 10%  | 4%  | 3%  | 2%  | 8% 10%  | 3%  | 0%  | Bosse Decisn Boss  | Decisn Boss Bosse  | Boss Bosse ESCOSS  | Bosse ESCOSS SENSTION  | ESCOSS SENSTION ESPIS  | SENSTION ESPIS SESSTIPS  | Bosse Decisn  | ESPIS SESSTIPS Forest  | SESSTIPS Forest Norria  | Forest Norria keo>  | Norria keo> or  | Source: Pew Internet surveys, 2006-2012. 