Warren Buffett Interview In Sun Valley: Buffett Reveals His Surprising Web Habits (VIDEO)

The Oracle of Omaha may not have an iPod, iPad, or Facebook account, but, excluding email, he spends more time on the computer than Bill Gates and says YouTube has won him over.

During a Huffington Post/Yahoo! News interview with HuffPost senior editor Willow Bay at the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, Warren Buffett explained that the over 12 hours a week he passes playing online bridge means (email aside) he overtakes Gates in PC facetime.

In addition, Buffett admitted he frequently finds himself spending hours at a time on YouTube.

"I watch a lot of things. Sometimes people will tell me there's something kind of interesting to watch, like political gaffes or something like that. Or I might go there and listen to Frank Sinatra sing 'My Way.' So I'll click on that, then I'll see eight other things on the side and Sinatra doing something else, then one or two hours will go by and I've had the time of my life," he said, adding, "I like to see Tina Fey do Sarah Palin. I'll type that in.:"

"YouTube should be charging me a lot of money," he remarked.

Despite his viral video habit, Buffett hasn't taken to all tech.

"I'm slowly entering the 20th century," Buffett joked. Asked about his cell phone, Buffett laughed, "Alexander Graham Bell gave me one of his early ones."

Although Buffett noted he does a considerable amount of research and reading online--"I look up all kinds of things that I used to have to spend a week to get"--he said he would still prefer to "have a book in my hands." "I'll be the last guy in the world reading a real newspaper with a landline phone next to me," he said.

As for Twitter, Facebook, and other social media, Buffett is "not into that."

See the interview with Buffett--and learn more about his tech habits--in the video below.

WATCH:

Videos produced by Anna Robertson and Erin Green for Yahoo! News.

Comments

[mjcc1987]

05:49 PM on 07/11/2010

Waiting for the trolls to say this is Obama's fault 3........2........1

[propitiousmoment]

03:12 PM on 07/11/2010

He writes the annual report himself? Dang.

[n5ifi]

03:57 PM on 07/10/2010

Good Call Warren
You like to watch Tina Fey.
I like to watch all the ones about you.
What a brillant guy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PDLcL0H_5k

[FreeHat]

01:46 PM on 07/10/2010

Speaking of billionaires - I always find it amusing that few people give Bill Gates the just affirmation he deserves. He is the biggest philanthropist in human history and he's doing it right now.

[ywcachieve]

11:17 AM on 07/11/2010

I agree. Gates is one of the most general rich persons ever.

[ywcachieve]

11:18 AM on 07/11/2010

Edit: Gate is one of the most "generous"

[fla kracker]

11:47 AM on 07/10/2010

make that doesn't

[fla kracker]

11:46 AM on 07/10/2010

He didn't get an Ipad because it does play flash

[DavidWyld]

10:23 AM on 07/10/2010

This should be required viewing in all our college classes, and for anyone thinking that they are too old, don't know enough about computers, etc. to get with the times. This is an inspiring video as it shows the ability to adapt and roll with changes - not to get stuck in a rut. The thought of Warren Buffett spending hours watching YouTube videos and actually surfing the Web - he does make it so easy a Caveman could do it (OK, a gratuitous GEICO mention - if they'll send me a check, please!).

Really though, if Warren Buffett can discover the power of the Internet, everyone should be able to do so in their own lives and careers. Bet ya in 2-3 years he will be on Twitter and Facebook - or whatever comes after them!

David http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/

[MerryMarjie]

09:16 AM on 07/10/2010

Mr. Buffett continues to make money because he adapts to the times. He may act like a
Luddite, but cruising YouTube and spending time researching on the Internet qualifies
him as up-to-date, and I'm sure his 'Net habits bring in more dollars than he'd admit.

Also, he's a huggy-bear type of guy. Something about him just says, "Hug!"

[FreeHat]

01:42 PM on 07/10/2010

He makes money exactly because he doesn't adapt to the times. Internet bubble stay out of maybe...

[Nathaniel Mills]

01:38 AM on 07/10/2010

Uncle Warren.

[NHBill]

11:51 PM on 07/09/2010

So the guy basically admits he's no into tech all that much but the piece ends with
"learn more about his tech habits--in the video below."
No thanks.

[tehixe]

07:34 PM on 07/09/2010

"I'll be the last guy in the world reading a real newspaper with a landline phone next to me."

No you won't, you're too old. You'll be dead before newspapers and landlines go away. Especially because hipsters are going to keep using them forever, ironically.

[NHBill]

11:52 PM on 07/09/2010

the future of the printed page is the museum

[tehixe]

01:59 AM on 07/10/2010

There will always be anachronists who love things that should be in museums. And hipsters who use really dorky out dated things to be ironically cool.

[anthonyve]

04:11 AM on 07/10/2010

I have this recurring vision.
Some bright young thing, far in the future, at an ideas meeting, suddenly sits up straight and says, "Hey, how's this for an idea. We provide consumers with the news of the day on some kind of recyclable material so they can scribble on it, or cut out bits they like. And when they're done, they just throw it away. How cool would that be? They could fold it, or roll it up, or even use it to clean up after the pup, once they've read it. It's brilliant. It'll be the latest thing. Wow, the possibilities are endless."
And everybody gets misty eyed and shouts out that he or she is a genius.
Or maybe not...

Anthony
http://www.anthonyelement.com

[MichaelMcKLA]

07:33 PM on 07/09/2010

Yo Warren, I'm reading your autobiography, "The Snowball." I'm on page 284 of 793. I'm seriously enjoying it. Good stuff. Enjoy the retreat.

[Whatnow]

03:51 PM on 07/09/2010

damn, I love this guy, the last tablet he played with was made of rock.

[NHBill]

11:53 PM on 07/09/2010

The question is who is the next Buffet?

[stepintothelight]

09:22 AM on 07/10/2010

Last of the "Compassionate Capitalist"!!!

[Sabum]

07:38 PM on 07/08/2010

he really plays the "one armed bandit" while surfing through theWallstreetJournal.com

[DevonTexas]

03:30 PM on 07/08/2010

I llike his "Margaritaville" song. LOL