The first eReaders were released in 1998: NuroMedia launched the Rocket and SoftBook released the Softbook reader. The somewhat basic design allowed the user to read an eBook in its simplest form – namely black text on a light background. Both readers also included a built-in dictionary. Holding approximately 10 books, the devices were the same size as the popular paper-back format, but much thicker than subsequent eReaders and with minimal functionality. [1]

14 years on, eBooks and other devices that support eReaders have significantly evolved and are changing the way we consume books.

With the abundance of devices, from the Amazon Kindle to the Tablet PC, the eBook is now available in many formats. The volume and range of devices have made eBooks more accessible and consequently, reading habits have not only changed but we are reading more. Questions we asked in our omnibus survey support this, revealing 29% of all online adults[2] believe their reading has increased in the previous 18 months, and will continue to increase in the next 18 months.

Tech brands inevitably want to understand what our future technologies might look like and what we might want of them.  As such, much of our time as market researchers is spent exploring how technology can meet consumer needs both from a shorter and longer-term perspective.  Of course, innovation is often developed incrementally. Much of the success of Apple, for example, is arguably based less on groundbreaking ideas and rather on the excellent execution of existing technologies.  Yet, as technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous and devices are less about specific functions and more about general enablers (think basic mobile device versus smartphone), the task of understanding how technology devices and services will be used in the future gets ever more complex.

We like to think that we know what we like; whether it’s purchasing that new bit of kit or judging what an app is really worth, our steadfast values and judgements act as our consistent guide. 

Yet a passage from Mark Twain’s novel, ‘Tom Sawyer’[1], famously challenged this notion. In the novel, Tom was given the unenviable task of white washing his aunt’s fence, a task he detested.  To add embarrassment to his misery, he also knew that his friends would be passing by at some point.  However, when his friends came round the corner they saw him throwing himself into the task with alacrity, presenting the task as though a once in a lifetime opportunity.  And sure enough, they all joined in, enjoying the task and completing Tom’s task for him.

There are often debates on the importance and role of brands in the B2B world.  Is brand perception driven totally by satisfaction with the customer experience?  Clearly more rational aspects such as product performance, experience and value are critical components, but in today’s procurement-led selection of suppliers and partners, is there a place for the softer, more emotional dimensions of a brand – and what implication does this have for the assessment of brand performance in the B2B arena?

At a strategic level, brands are brands, irrespective of the sector in which they operate, although with a seemingly more rational set of decision-making criteria, brands in the B2B world would appear to be built around rational benefits, value and service.  Interestingly though, one regularly-quoted brand saying from the 1970’s playing strongly in the emotional space is from the B2B arena:

‘No-one ever got fired for choosing IBM’

The first 2012 edition of our magazine, TechTalk, is now out, exploring current trends, issues and market developments affecting technology organisations today. In this edition we take a closer look at the customer purchase journey for technology products, with a particular focus on retail (read it here).

Retail, both online and offline, represents the part of the customer journey where value is ultimately generated and money changes hands. Given the current tough trading environment technology brands are facing across markets worldwide, it is hardly surprising that there is so much interest in how retail is evolving. Retailers are feeling the effects of disruption as technology itself changes the way consumers shop for technology products. It is this which sets the topic for the lead article where we explore the nature of these changes and set out a vision for traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ stores through an omnichannel approach.

I am pretty convinced that the shiny new tablet PC I’ve been playing with in the shop around the corner from work will bring me a lot of satisfaction – just think of all the new things that I will be able to do…..and that new on-demand film service I signed up for at the weekend will make a family film night in easier and more enjoyable.  In fact, a lot of the purchase decisions that I make are because I think they will make me happier.   Our quest for future happiness seems to figure strongly in many technology purchases where consumers often make pricey investments in the belief that a new device or service will bring them happiness in the future.

This is typically relevant to discretionary purchases but the choices made within even non-discretionary purchases can be for this reason (e.g. by choosing this broadband supplier I will have greater peace of mind = happiness).

Increased productivity, or increased stress?
New findings by GfK NOP show that, although modern workers are embracing technology right now, there is evidence that the pace of change is risking a divided workforce. This situation presents significant challenges for policy makers and business leaders, creating a need to ensure the workforce is adequately trained and can manage the increased pressure and stress levels of working in an ever-connected environment.

Teleconferencing, BlackBerries, smartphones and, now, tablet computers mean it has never been easier to be in contact with the office. As technological advances alter the way we work, a debate has emerged between those that stress the unhealthy blurring of the boundaries between work and personal lives, and those that see technology as empowering the modern worker to fit their career around other demands on their time.

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