Five Gadgets Infographics for Real Geeks

It’s pretty much inevitable that as a self-confessed gadget-geek you’re a fan of the infographic; they’re cool, colorful and cutting-edge – just like your favorite gadgets.

The Hidden Cost of Household Gadgets

While all those gadgets are undoubtedly great fun, have you ever considered how much they cost you post-purchase? No, us neither. This infographic will shed some (perhaps unwelcome) light.

What we learned:

• The average U.S. household uses 13 times more electricity than it did in 1950, despite a vast increase in “energy efficient” appliances.
• The average plasma TV costs more than $75 a year to run. LCD sets are significantly more cost-effective at around $40 a year.
• If you’ve jumped on the Kindle bandwagon you can sleep safe in the knowledge that it costs around $0.66 a year to run.
• Frugal gamers should consider playing on a Nintendo Wii; an average year’s play will cost around $1.66 while the same usage on a PS3 is a staggering $17.26.

Library of Google Products via DirJournal

Considering that every respectable gadget-geek is on Google, this one makes should look really interesting!

What we learned:

• Google has lots of desktop applications
• Google has discontinued lots of awesome projects

How We Use Our Mobile Gadgets

Arguably, it’s the mobility of gadgets that have really set the 21st-century electronic toy apart from its predecessors; this infographic looks at just how we’re using out portable gadgets – where, what for and with whom.

What we learned:

• The average tablet owner spends as much time using it with a loved one as he/she does on his/her own.
• Ninety-one percent of smartphone owners use them to access the internet, while only 46 percent profess to using them to watch video or TV.
• Smartphones are most often used while traveling, with 72 percent of owners stating they use them to find maps or directions.

Who Will Buy iPad 3 and Why?

In this somewhat lengthy infographic we learn a great deal about the owners of arguably one of the world’s must-have gadgets, the iPad 3. Who has bought or will buy an iPad 3, and just what will they do with them?

What we learned:

• Eight percent of iPad owners aren’t sure which model they own.
• If there is one iPad owner in a family, it’s 1.7 times more likely that there will be additional iPad owners in the family.
• The majority of iPad owners have 11 or more free apps installed, yet 1 in 5 have no paid apps installed.
• Eleven percent of iPad owners report Angry Birds to be their favourite app.

The Most Famous Gadget Battles of All Time

In this infographic we look at some of the most significant gadget battles throughout history, from the 11-year battle between Betamax and VHS through to our present generation’s battle of the games consoles.

What we learned:

• Despite being the first to get its foot in the door to video recording, Sony’s failure to license its technology meant that it was only a matter of time before a cheaper and better alternative entered the market. In 1988 Sony surrendered the battle and began making VHS recorders.
• A similar story occurred for the short-lived Laserdisc; despite being the first of its kind it was quickly outshone by a cheaper to produce (and therefore buy) superior – the DVD.
• In 2006 Microsoft released the Zune in an attempt to compete against the already established and very popular iPod. After a five-year battle, Microsoft stated it would stop supporting Zune hardware. Although the statement was later retracted, it seems clear that this was admission that the battle had been won by Apple.

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