What's Your Tablet Habit?

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We all know they are selling like hotcakes. But the touchscreen tablet is such new technology, we're still not sure exactly how people are using them once purschased or how its changing our overall habits with other consumer technologies. A new Nielsen survey, however, is offering some insights and perhaps a preview of trends to come.

Here are some of the highlights: 

Tablets are starting to be the preferred device over other connected devices.
 
35% of tablet owners who own a desktop computer report they are using it less.
 
32% of tablet owners who own a laptop report they are using it less.
 
27% of tablet owners who own an eReader say they are using it less. (Ouch, Kindle!)
 
25% of tablet owners who own a portable game console say they are using it less often, if at all.
 
Why are users preferring their tablet over their computer?
 
The top three reasons are that it's easier to carry around (31%). the interface is easier (21%), and it starts up faster (15%). 
 
How personal is the tablet?
 
Short answer: about half and half. About half of those surveyed say they do not share their tablet with anyone else in the house. 43% say they do.
 
And, finally, no surprises here. Apple's iPad still owns this niche. 82% of tablet owners are iPad owners. We'll see how this figure looks a year from now with so many new entrants into the market. But, for now, it's Apple's world and the rest are just tenants.
 

Renee Oricchio is a technology writer and former supervising news producer for CNN Financial News. She has been covering the computer industry since 1987. @oricchio