They were known as "nerds" and "geeks" in high school. But now we call them friends. There are 27 million "technology enthusiasts" in the United States, representing about 13 percent of all adults. And while they're still likely to watch Star Trek and play chess, their lifestyle and interests are much less, well, geeky than one might expect.
To create a profile, The Standard identified a group of tech-focused adults using data from Mediamark Research's massive consumer behavior study. MRI polls 26,000 Americans each year about their buying habits and personal life, and its data is widely used by marketers.
The Standard defined tech enthusiasts as Americans who use the Internet, have a home computer and own two or more high-tech gadgets. When surveyed, these individuals also say they are early adopters of high-tech products and believe technology is important to their lives.
It turns out geeks are rich. Forty-four percent have household incomes of $75,000 or more, and 40 percent graduated from college. But they're not that young; more than half are between the ages of 35 and 54.
Perhaps most surprisingly, techies are not tethered to their computers. They are more likely to participate in almost all sports and leisure activities than U.S. adults overall. They travel, and they're heavy readers of newspapers and magazines. The TV show they're most likely to watch? Not Star Trek spinoffs or the X-Files, but Friends.
AMERICA'S TECH ENTHUSIASTS
There are 27 million techies in the United States. They are early adopters of technology, surf the Web and own a home computer along with other electronic gadgets. They are obsessed with electronics:
- 78% sent e-mail in the past month
- 51% surf the Net for fun
- 30% go online daily
- 38% have a camcorder
- 27% have a home fax machine
- 23% own a home-theater system
- 21% play online games
- 15% have been online 5+ years
- 11% visited an online chat room in the past 30 days
- 9% own a Minidisc player
- 7% listen to Internet radio
- 6% have a laserdisc player
THEY'RE BIG READERS
This group is highly likely to read Consumer Reports, Entertainment Weekly, Men's Journal, Outside, PC World, Runner's World, Ski, Spin, the Wall Street Journal and Working Mother. They're less likely to read Ebony, Harper's Bazaar, Health, Hunting and WWF magazine.
THEY'RE ATHLETIC
Techies are highly likely to participate in snowboarding, scuba diving, downhill skiing, whitewater rafting, golf, racquetball, martial arts, hockey and aerobics.
THEY'RE INVESTORS
Tech enthusiasts are highly likely to trade mutual funds, use a stock rating service, seek financial planning advice and have an American Express Gold card.
THEY'RE TV JUNKIES
Techies are highly likely to watch Ally McBeal, E.T. Weekend, Friends, Malcolm in the Middle, Star Trek, The West Wing, Will Grace and Whose Line Is It Anyway? They are less likely to watch America's Funniest Home Videos, Baywatch, Candid Camera, Malcolm & Eddie, Moesha, Shasta, Touched by an Angel and Wheel of Fortune.
THEY'RE ACTIVE
Tech enthusiasts keep themselves busy. They're highly likely to make models and ceramics, attend rock concerts, play chess, go to museums, shoot billiards and fly kites.
THEY'RE ECLECTIC
- 19% are liberal, 35% conservative, 36% middle of the road
- They are less likely to smoke, but more likely to drink
- 46% have bought a lottery ticket in the past 12 months
- 80% own their own home
- 18% keep tropical fish
- 70% bought a book in the past year; 53% read one
- 4 million go to the movies at least once a month
THEY'RE GLOBE-TROTTERS
A third of techies traveled overseas in the past three years. They are highly likely to have visited France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Middle East, Russia and Spain.
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