Canadians talk back to their TVs: "Make them bigger; make them do more!"13 June 2006
Canadians want to turn on the fun in their living rooms. A recent Ipsos Reid survey sponsored by HP Canada, suggests that Canadians want more out of their television set.
It's not just bigger, wider, flatter TVs they want, sixty per cent of Canadians surveyed indicated that they'd like their television to do more and become what's being called a media hub - a way to access, manage and enjoy digital photos, music, TV, videos and movies from the comfort of your couch.
"Consumers are interested in having the latest technology at their fingertips," said Jeff Cates, marketing manager, Personal Systems Group, HP Canada. "This means incorporating technology into their living space for entertainment and enjoyment. HP has been working to deliver a superior and easier to use entertainment experience. We were the first PC manufacturer to offer Media Center PCs and now we offer Media Smart TVs that allow consumers to access digital content from PCs anywhere in your home."
"The results of the survey were not skewed by dads hinting for big screen TVs as a gift for Father's Day," said Paul Orovan, media research manager, Ipsos Reid. "However, not too surprisingly, a lot of people - three in four respondents - said they'd like to receive a big screen TV as a gift."
It may be the quintessential Canadian trait of moderation at play when it came to the matter of TV size. The majority of survey respondents indicated that, even with cost not being a consideration, they would choose a 42-50 inch set rather than a 50-65 inch television. Size does matter more to men, however, with 28 per cent of men (versus 18 per cent of women) wanting the 50-65 inch sets.
The survey looked at the timeless debate over who controls the remote. Only 50 per cent of respondents claimed to hold "the clicker" in a family or group of friends and of that number, 55 per cent of men said they had that honour while only 44 per cent of women claimed they pushed the buttons.
Majorities among both sexes agree that viewing movies at home on a big screen was a "far more intimate and enjoyable experience than going out to a theatre." While two-thirds of Canadians feel that way, over three-quarters of the Atlantic-based residents polled would rather cuddle up in front of the TV than head to the movie theatre.
Other regional differences that may very well be worth noting:
- 66 per cent of Saskatchewan/Manitoba respondents claim they are in
control of the remote when everyone is watching while only 38 per
cent of those polled in Quebec suggest they have that right and duty.
- Two-thirds of Ontarians want a diversified media hub, 10 per cent
higher than the national average.
- Almost nine out of 10 residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (88 per
cent) would welcome a big screen TV as a gift while just over half
(53 per cent) of Quebec respondents have one on their wish list.
- Only nine per cent of Ontarians and Quebeckers rank sports events as
their ideal use for a big screen while almost double that percentage
(17 per cent) of British Columbians feel that way.
- Ontarians lead the country (60 per cent) in thinking that television
watching "in today's hectic world, is a good way for family, spouses
or friends to spend quality time together" while Albertans (49 per
cent) and residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (47 per cent) are
the least inclined to believe that.
- 28 per cent of Albertans covet the giant screens, tops in Canada,
while significantly less than half that number of Maritimers (12 per
cent) would welcome the 50-65-inch sets in their homes.
- Less than half of Canadians surveyed in all regions say they spend "a
lot of time in front of the TV."
HP is a leader in consumer IT technology and digital entertainment solutions with a broad portfolio of digital entertainment products ranging from flat-panel and rear-projection TVs to Media Center PCs to entertainment notebooks and more. HP is leading the trend of digital home convergence, offering consumers complete digital entertainment solutions to enjoy movies, TV, music, photos and web surfing in the part of the home that is used the most - the living room. More information is available at www.hp.ca.
For the survey, a representative sample of 1002 adult Canadians was interviewed via an online survey vehicle from May 25 to May 30, 2006. The data were weighted to reflect the actual population distribution of Canada. Results of this survey can be considered accurate to +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would be had the entire population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within each sub-grouping of the survey population.
For full tabular results and factum report please visit www.ipsos.ca.
About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2006, HP revenue totaled $88.9 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.
This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward- looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the achievement of expected results and other risks that are described from time to time in HP's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to the risks described in HP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2006, and other reports filed after HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 2005. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.
(c) 2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
For further information: Editorial contacts: Angela Rea, HP, (905) 206-3493, angela.rea@hp.com; Sharon Fernandes, Hill & Knowlton for HP, (416) 413-1218 ext. 4529, sharon.fernandes@hillandknowlton.ca; Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Co., 5150 Spectrum Way, Mississauga, ON, 14W 5G1, www.hp.ca
Source: newswire
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