A new report from market research firm NPD Group crowns iPhone and iPod Touch users the winners when it comes to downloading Web content on a device other than a computer.

According to the report, "Entertainment Trends in America," 16 percent of Americans 13 years and older use devices other than home PCs to download content from the Internet. Three-quarters of iPhone and iPod Touch users are downloading music, video, and applications from the Web. In comparison, NPD said that 19 percent of game console owners and 17 percent of Blu-ray set-top product users downloaded content from the Web.

"It's not surprising that Apple users are ahead of others when it comes to downloading Web-based content, given the breadth of the company's app catalog and the head start iTunes had selling music for the iPod," said Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for NPD. "Like other groups of early adopters, consumers downloading entertainment content are mostly younger and male; however, as app stores expand beyond Apple, as connected devices become more commonplace, and as connectivity is simplified we expect to see more activity on other devices and platforms."

Not surprisingly, the most popular item to download among Apple users was free apps, followed by game apps and music. Of course, the most popular content downloaded on a game console was add-ons and the purchase of entire games.

NPD surveyed 10,356 people ages 13 and older in the U.S. for the latest update to its twice-yearly consumer study.

Originally posted at CNET

For those who are still unaware, Apple has instituted some incredibly strict policies when it comes to their iPhone line of products. In order to preserve their own business relationship with their favored carrier, the tech giant has gone to draconian lengths to ensure that users were forced to stick with the preferred carrier. However, for those who are considering a possible way to unlock iPhone 3G, it is very much possible and has incredible benefits, as well.

The first thing to understand is that, despite any publicity the iPhone maker has put out to the contrary, it is neither illegal nor immoral to choose this option. In fact, in the United States, a librarian at the US Library of Congress has explained that the issue is actually not a problem for the average consumer. The freedom to choose a person’s mobile phone carrier should be theirs and theirs alone. This means that those who are seeking a way to have more options with their phone are fully entitled to do whatever they must to unlock an iPhone if they want to see the benefits of adding a wider variety of useful apps. Having full control over a device a consumer has paid for is a right by the laws of many nations and Apple is beginning to see backlash for attempting to corral consumers in such a way that their profits are raised as a result of their actions.

Once the phone is unlocked, consumers enjoy a wide range of benefits that include more games and programs which they can run on their mobile device, as well as great control over how the device is used. It may seem complex, but with the right sources nearly any person should be able to unlock their phones with sound results that do not damage the handset or its operating system in any way. The savings in terms of a more cost effective mobile phone plan is another major draw for those who do not want to shell out the high cost of service that the primary iPhone carrier charges. In the future, more consumers are expected to join the rush to unlock their phone so that it serves them best.

Originally posted at iPhonegb.com

The golden child of Apple, the iPhone, has proven to have a much stronger appeal as a consumer device than its rival Android from Google, according to industry experts, due to its ability to lure in the gamer crowd who have done much to patronize the device due to its focus on entertainment products such as gaming apps. Google’s recently released Android was believed to be a competitor for the same demographic, but time has shown that it is not as solid in its offerings of games and not the type of platform that many developers wish to utilize when creating games. Given this in combination with the fact that the iPhone reaches a much larger fan base of savvy gamers, Android has not seen anywhere near the growth that some analysts had suggested would be impending upon the operating system’s release. The revolution from Google in mobile device terms has been lacking in this area from what reviewers have expressed in the press over the past few months.

Surveys have shown that only 17% percent of Android users are actively seeking out game content using their mobile devices while those on the iPhone are doing so at a rate of just over half, 64% and climbing. The statistics were based on a survey of 61,000 Facebook users randomly polled for their activities with their mobile devices. The general consensus is that Android can not compete with the established iPhone that has such a strong grip on the mobile gaming market share at this time.

Originally posted at iphonegb.com