世論 What Japan Thinks

Gadgets and widgets on the desktop annoy me; I have Google Desktop installed, but I keep it parked in the task bar as when it is active it either just gets hidden when I run applications maximised, or the frequent updates distract me when trying to do work in other windows. Additionally, Opera widgets just didn’t do anything for me. This survey by MyVoice looks at what the average Japanese internet user thinks of these desktop applications, widgets and gadgets.

Demographics

Between the 1st and 5th of June 2007 13,376 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a web-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample was female, 2% in their teens, 19% in their twenties, 38% in their thirties, 27% in their forties, and 14% in their fifties or older.

I’m not surprised that calendars come out on top – about half the people in my office run some ancient-looking calendar app on their desktops, but I’ve not seen anyone with anything else. I did once try out a Post-It Note™-like app or two, but as mentioned above for other application types, they just didn’t appeal to me at all.

Research results

Q1: Have you heard the term “desktop application”? (Sample size=13,376)

Yes	34.4%
No	65.6%

Q2: Have you heard the terms “gadget” or “widget”, referring to desktop objects from MacOSX, Yahoo!, Windows Vista, Google, etc? (Sample size=13,376)

Heard of them, and using them (to SQ1, SQ2)	12.1%
Heard of them, but not using them (to SQ3)	18.0%
Not heard of them	69.6%
No answer	0.4%

Q2SQ1: What kinds of gadgets or widgets have you used? (Sample size=gadet or widget users, multiple answer)

Calendar	53.1%
Weather	40.2%
Memo pad	26.7%
Search tool	26.4%
RSS reader	23.9%
News	22.9%
Messenger	17.2%
Calculator	16.2%
Maps	15.8%
Stock prices	12.5%
Timetables	11.0%
Slide show	9.3%
Game	7.6%
Gallery	5.1%
Other	16.2%
Not used any	1.9%
No answer	2.0%

Q2SQ2: Why do you use gadgets or widgets? (Sample size=gadet or widget users, multiple answer)

Convenient	56.8%
Just use them	19.9%
Information is easy to understand	16.9%
Effective	13.5%
Latest functionality	11.2%
Rare	11.0%
New	10.2%
Fun to use	10.2%
Functions are excellent	9.1%
Good design	8.3%
In vogue	1.2%
Other	2.9%
No answer	6.6%

Q2SQ3: Why don’t you use gadgets or widgets? (Sample size=gadet or widget non-users, multiple answer)

Puts load on the PC	37.7%
Awkward	27.8%
Just don’t use them	19.5%
PC doesn’t support desktop applications	15.1%
Don’t know how to use them	11.6%
Wary of the security aspect	10.9%
Used them, but wasn’t fun	8.6%
Difficult to configure	4.5%
Conflicts with other software	4.1%
Poor functionality	3.5%
Bad design	2.6%
Other	6.7%
No answer	7.9%

Q3: Do you think you want to use gadgets or widgets in the future? (Sample size=13,376)

Want to use	7.4%
Want to use a little	18.8%
Don’t really want to use	15.1%
Don’t want to use	9.0%
Don’t know	47.4%
No answer	2.2%