世論 What Japan Thinks

Having looked recently at the computer recycle law, here’s a related look with iBridge Research Plus, reported on by japan.internet.com at printer disposal.

Demographics

On the 10th of May 2010 300 members of the iBridge monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.3% of the sample were male, 13.0% in their twenties, 33.3% in their thirties, 29.7% in their forties, 15.3% in their fifties, and 8.7% in their sixties.

In Q1SQ2, note that most local authorities have separate collections for unburnable rubbish and large rubbish. Some places charge for certain kinds of large rubbish, and some places also try to recycle the large rubbish, although I haven’t a clue what happens to the unburnables.

My local authority says that printers can be disposed of for free as large rubbish, although my last place charged 300 yen, so when I had a printer to throw away I dismantled it and chucked it out bit-by-bit…
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With Apple’s iPad to go on sale from tomorrow in Japan, this recent survey from Point On Research and reported on by japan.internet.com takes a timely look at what iPhone and iPod Touch users think about iPhone applications and the iPad.

Demographics

On the 25th of May 2010 800 heavy mobile phone users who were members of the Point On monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was 50:50 male and female, and 25:25:25:25 teens, twenties, thirties and forties.

I’m surprised at the low number of iPod Touch users. Around about 5% might be a fair number for iPhone users alone, but from my observations in the train to work there appears to be more iPod Touch users than 5%. However, Point On Research do seem not to cover the iPhone demographic well, as in other surveys the percentage of SoftBank customers has been low, but I don’t know what would cause a drop (assuming I’m not just overestimating!) in iPod Touch users.

In Q2, the entertainment category probably covers silly trick applications like the multitude of fart apps and the like.
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From the fifteen regular survey by goo Research into electronic money japan.internet.com chose to focus on ownership of IC card readers and writers.

Demographics

Between the 23rd and 26th of April 2010 1,085 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.7% of the sample were male, 16.3% in their teens, 18.2% in their twenties, 21.7% in their thirties, 16.1% in their forties, and 27.6% aged fifty or older.

Although the security of the IC chip itself within most Japanese credit cards and mobile phones is well proven, thus by extension on the reader devices, I am unaware of how good or bad the security on the surrounding applications are. Regardless, a number of the higher-end notebook computers these days come with a built-in IC card reader chip so that online shopping checkout can be paid for by electronic money on either a mobile phone or a credit card.
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A recent survey from iShare looking at mobile phone types found that clamshells with the standard ten keys were both the most popular current phone and future phone.

Demographics

Between the 7th and 12th of April 2010 520 members of the CLUB BBQ free email forwarding service completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 58.3% of the sample were male, 31.0% were in their twenties, 30.2% in their thirties, and 38.8% in their forties.

Interestingly enough, touch panel smartphones were around twice as popular with males as females. I got the impression from other surveys that there was more significant iPhone penetration with women.

If I can afford an unlimited data packet plan, my next phone will be a flat touch panel smartphone; if I decide to stay stingy and stick with email, it will be a ten key clamphone like my current.
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A recent survey from iBridge Research Plus, reported on by japan.internet.com, into the computer recycling law found a significant percentage unaware of the details, a category I fall into too, I suppose.

Demographics

On the 19th of April 2010 300 members of the iBridge monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 59.3% of the sample were male, 12.7% in their twenties, 30.7% in their thirties, 34.3% in their forties, 15.3% in their fifties, and 7.0% in their sixties.

The Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources came into being in 2003, but due to almost no computers being recycled, a new version, the PC Recycle Law, was enacted in 2008. About all I know about it is that it means that you cannot throw away old computers and monitors, etc; you have to pay a fee to get them collected. Therefore, I have sitting in my trunk room an old motherboard and flat-screen monitor that I don’t really feel like paying a fee for, so they might sit there until we move house.
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Oops, I forgot to post this last night!

A recent survey conducted by goo Research into computers was reported on by japan.internet.com, where they chose to focus on PLC-related questions. PLC is Power Line Communication, using existing electrical circuits as network cabling.

Demographics

Between the 13th and 16th of April 2010 1,088 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.3% of the sample were male, 16.1% in their teens, 17.9% in their twenties, 21.1% in their thirties, 16.2% in their forties, 16.5% in their fifties, and 12.1% aged sixty or older.

The total awareness from Q1 is 39.0%, yet last year it was 48.5%, and 51.7% two years ago. Similarly, the usage rate dropped from 2.8% to 1.4% over the space of the last year.

It’s supposed to be a good and cheap way to network and more secure than wireless, although interference when other electrical devices switch on and off is the biggest drawback.
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This short report on a survey from Marsh Inc by japan.internet.com into home computer environment, but in particular on computer problems, found over two-thirds tried to fix problems themselves first.

Demographics

Between the 14th and 16 of April 2010 300 members of the Marsh monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was exactly 50:50 male and female, 1.3% in their teens, 18.7% in their twenties, 20.0% in their thirties, 20.0% in their forties, 20.0% in their fifties, and 20.0% aged sixty or older.

I have Windows Update set to download automatically, as I usually want to check to see what’s getting updated, and I can delay the update until I finish a session, to prevent the reboot reminder getting in the way. At work we are supposed to switch it off; I’d like to say it’s because it gives the IT department a chance to test out stuff, but I suspect it’s more for a dubious reason like preventing overload of the local network.
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With the launch of the Xperia at the end of last month (March 2010) and heavy advertising on primetime television, it’s perhaps not a surprise that according to goo Research’s 51st mobile phone upgrade needs survey, as reported by japan.internet.com, that the Xperia is as popular as it is.

Demographics

Between the 9th and 14th of April 2010 1,000 mobile phone users from the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 51.0% of the sample were male, 1.0% in their teens, 11.5% in their twenties, 3.2% in their thirties, 28.1% in their forties, and 24.2% aged fifty or older.

I’ve had a play with the Xperia at a special shop they’ve opened in Osaka, and it’s quite fun to use, and the display font is much better than I imagined it would be. I quite fancy it myself, but I cannot really justify the 5,400 yen per month unlimited data plan (plus another 1,500 yen in basic service fees), with of course 40,000 yen for the handset on top.
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japan.internet.com recently reported on a survey conducted by goo Research into digital cameras.

Demographics

Between the 1st and 5th of April 2010 1,084 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.2% of the sample were male, 16.6% in their teens, 18.1% in their twenties, 21.9% in their thirties, 15.3% in their forties, 15.6% in their fifties, and 12.5% aged sixty or older.

I want to buy a digital SLR, but I’m not quite sure how I would get on with it, or whether I get enough opportunities to take photos. I’m always in awe of the skills of the numerous Japan photo bloggers such as Lee at Tokyo Times, Muza-chan, i, cjw (who needs to get a coffee table book deal!), and Danny Choo to name just a few. There’s also a flickr group for photos from Japan that hopefully should be embedded here:

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A recent survey from Marsh Inc, reported on by japan.internet.com, looked at one’s home computer environment and found relatively few left their home PC running 24/7.

Demographics

Between the 7th and 11th of April 2010 300 members of the Marsh online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.0% of the sample were male, 2.0% in their teens, 18.0% in their twenties, 20.0% in their thirties, 20.0% in their forties, 20.0% in their fifties, and 20.0% aged sixty or older.

I have two computers at home, a desktop and my netbook, which I use when my wife is on the desktop for her evening email check. Both machines are only ever on during active use; we hit the Sleep button if we’re going to be away from the computer for less than thirty minutes, but otherwise it’s a complete power down. It might have been interesting to see if those who switch off mean unplugging, sleeping, hibernating, or letting them automatically enter sleep or hibernate mode.
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