function hide_user_promo_bubble_second_stage() { var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); bubble.style.display = "none"; } function hide_user_promo_bubble() { var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); var myAnim = new YAHOO.util.Anim(bubble, { opacity: { to: 0 } }, 1, YAHOO.util.Easing.easeOut); myAnim.animate(); setTimeout("hide_user_promo_bubble_second_stage()", 1100); } function handle_promo_username(params) { var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); var img = $("user_promo_bubble_image"); var anchor = $("user_promo_bubble_link"); if (params.has_photo == "true") { img.src = "http://images.huffingtonpost.com/profiles/" + params.user_id + "-tiny.png"; } else { img.style.display = "none"; Dom.addClass(anchor, "wide"); } anchor.innerHTML = "Shared by " + params.user_name; anchor.href = "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/" + params.user_name; bubble.style.display = "block"; var myAnim = new YAHOO.util.Anim(bubble, { opacity: { to: 1 } }, 2, YAHOO.util.Easing.easeOut); myAnim.animate(); } if (HuffPoUtil.getUrlVar("user_promo")) { YAHOO.util.Event.onDOMReady(function() { var parts = document.location.hash.split(","), shared_by = "", badge = "", i; if (parts.length < 2) return; for (i = 0; i < parts.length; i++) { if (parts[i].indexOf("sb=") !== -1) { shared_by = parts[i]; } if (parts[i].indexOf("b=") !== -1) { badge = parts[i]; } } if (shared_by == "" || badge == "") return; var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); if (!bubble) return; var entry_id = HuffPoUtil.GetEntryID(); if (!entry_id) return; var user_id = parseInt(shared_by.substr(shared_by.indexOf("sb=") + 3)); if (!user_id) return; var badge_type = badge.substr(badge.indexOf("b=") + 2); if (!badge_type) return; script = document.createElement("script"); script.setAttribute("type", "text/javascript"); bubble.appendChild(script); script.setAttribute("src", "/include/share_track.php?a=view&eid=" + entry_id + "&uid=" + user_id + "&b=" + badge_type + "&cb=handle_promo_username"); }); } iPad Users Are 'Selfish Elites,' Study Says

Wired has posted the results of an unscientific, but provocative, report from MyType on the personalities of iPad haves and have-nots--that is, those that own the device, and those that don't (and/or dislike it).

MyType's survey of 20,000 people, conducted between March and May 2010, concluded that iPad owners were likely to be "selfish elites," while critics of the iPad, 96% of whom did not own the tablet, tended to fall in the "independent geeks" category. (See MyType's chart on Wired)

Wired explains the psychology of these iPad-owning "selfish elites":

The firm’s conclusion was that iPad owners tend to be wealthy, sophisticated, highly educated and disproportionately interested in business and finance, while they scored terribly in the areas of altruism and kindness.[...] They are six times more likely to be “wealthy, well-educated, power-hungry, over-achieving, sophisticated, unkind and non-altruistic 30-50 year olds,” MyType’s Tim Koelkebeck told Wired.com.

MyType described "independent geeks" as “self-directed young people who look down on conformity and are interested in videogames, computers, electronics, science and the internet." For them, says MyType, "bashing" the iPad is an "identity statement."

Yahoo collected some data on iPad early adopters, and although they didn't investigate the personalities of the consumers, their number crunching offers an additional look at who's using their device and how. They found that male iPad owners outnumbered their female counterparts two to one. Perhaps adding credence to MyType's conclusion that iPad users are "disproportionately interested in business and finance," Yahoo also reported that "Flickr, Finance, Sports and News were all among the Yahoo! properties most frequently visited by the Yahoo! user [using the iPad]."

What do you think of the MyType research results? Believable or BS? Weigh in below.

Know something we don't? E-mail us at [e-mail]

Comments

[Progressive in FLA]

This article will explain everything. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/126/believe-it-or-not-hes-a-pc.html

The Wired piece is just another example of how the PC world is trying to take Apple down before they become bigger than Microsoft. Spread dirt, lies, exaggerations and sell opinions like scientific fact. It's all a scam to keep people from buying Apple products. Simple.

Funny how no one puts out articles like this sizing up people who buy the Blackberry, or Rolex watches or Mont Blanc pens.

[Progressive in FLA]

Sounds like they are describing typical American Republicans. The trouble with their logic is that most republicans are rather dull when it comes to innovation, so I don't see them being drawn to something so cutting edge, or revolutionary as the iPad. They might want to rethink their conclusions.

[Sendil Nathan]

iPad is for "Apathetic Materialists."

Mac is designed for the consumer marketing segment that used to be called 'Innovators' or "Early Adopters.' Those kinds of segmentations we learned in B-School for several decades (probably even your fathers and grandfathers learned in their B-School days) are now obsolete.

The Post-Recession American Consumer is largely frugal with the exception of one group I had named "Apathetic Materialists." This study was widely read by the marketing, PR and advertising world when we released the empirical market research late last year.

[See http://decitica.com for a free download of highlights of the market research]

The findings was presented to the five largest wealth management banks and rating agency S&P (Standards & Poor). The investors were well aware of the findings which are used in their data mining and in designing products such as iPad which is a resounding success among those customers the media has chosen to call 'schizophrenic.' 'geek haters,' 'selfish,' 'self-centered,' 'mean,' 'elitist,' 'uncaring,' 'pigs…'

In short, "Apathetic Materialists." Apple is for Apathetic Materialists.

The other three segments of consumers — Pragmatic Spenders, Involuntary Penny-Pinchers, & Steadfast Frugalists — should stick to Windows & Linux, or a trip to college labs or public library for computer access. Or wait for India to create the $35 Linux-iPad.

http://www.google.com/search?q=Apathetic+Materialists

[SisterAnn]

What ever happened to the 'worm' that the Japanese were going to invent to eat the apple?

[randygrenier]

Hardyman1966, you are so wrong. The "geek" category of this survey (non Apple users) definitely do not have "Apple envy". Many spend significantly on technology and wouldn't spend a penny on Apple products. You are also wrong to call Apple users "tech savvy" since Apple's core market are people who are the most technology illiterate. (Some are so uninformed/brainwashed they think that Apple invented the mouse.)

[Progressive in FLA]

Well, Apple had it before any other Windoze-based PC!

[progressivewithaP]

"The firm’s conclusion was that iPad owners tend to be wealthy, sophisticated, highly educated and disproportionately interested in business and finance, while they scored terribly in the areas of altruism and kindness.[...] "

Seriously what was on the questionnaires?

Question 1: Do you like your iPad?

Question 2: Do you like money?

Question 3: Do you kill puppies?

Question 4: Do you believe that the poor/sick/elderly should just disappear?

What the heck kind of survey was this that they could measure someone's altruism? lol

[seedoubleyou]

It seems to me that the single purpose of this "unscientific, but provocative, report" is to create yet another unwinnable argument between Apple product users and the people who dislike Apple products (which, ultimately, is so that the HP can rack up another bunch of hits to sell to its advertisers).

[progressivewithaP]

Very true. I also find it ironic that there is an ad for IBM in the upper right hand corner when I clicked on this story, lol.

[UhOh1]

i didn't need a study to know this.

[Sonkwa Sonkwa]

B.S.

most of these posers don't realize that all the true elite(ie. that run their IT dept. of control their servers) actually have nerd-rage when it comes to anyone on a MAc thinking their elite about anythinghaveing to do with tech.

MAc users don't even do case mods.

I have yet to see a Mac case cooled with anti-freeze and overclocked to s***.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cooling/2010/07/20/hailea-hc-500a-water-chiller-review/1

COME ON!

http://hackaday.com/

Selfish Elites????? hahahhaha do you mean 1337's.

ATTN WAC users:
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=macs_cant

[Hardyman1966]

First it was "liberal elite" in the political circus. Now it's "selfish elite" coming from the crowd suffering form Apple envy And BACK OFF, I don't even own one yet, so chew on that for a sec. LOL

Apparently, education and creativity combined with some tech-savvy is bad now?

[iamvalid]

I suppose Apple will soon be releasing isuper-computing magical cluster soon, It will use the latest OSX super-cat OS and a revamped Power PC microprocessor, along with an Intel 486sx as a mathematical unit. Printing will be optional, as will SD card slots, USB and the other minor items sold as options.

Estimated cost will be 17 trillion dollars per cluster node. Apple announced it has 35 million pre-orders.

[bootpdx]

I agree somewhat, but with one clarification - it's not that they ARE elites, it is that they THINK they are elites. I would go a step further and extend that "elite" label onto anyone who makes a conscious decision to purchase an Apple. Apple's computers are not any better than PC's however, Apple's branding has succeeded into fooling people that they could be a member of this really cool club if only they owned an Apple product. Once you have purchased an Apple product, you are pretty much stuck - ever try to get your music out of itunes and onto a droid? And you have to buy so many Apple specific cords and docking stations that it would seem wasteful if you ever switched. Apple is the story of hugely successful branding, not hugely successful products.

[iamvalid]

Apple should team up with Dyson. You know, the vacuum cleaners that cost a small fortune.

The new tag line could be.

Yes, we know we cost a fortune, but we really, really, really do suck

[CommonSensePlz]

People who use IPads look like they are masturbating in public. Unplug and get over yourselves.

[Sabum]

that was funny when Hayao Miyazaki said it first."It's disgusting. On trains, the number of those people doing that strange masturbation-like gesture is multiplying."

[Cryostatic]

I know, personally, exactly one person with an iPad, and she is neither selfish nor is she an "elite".

Granted, she didn't purchase the thing for herself, so make of that what you will.

As for myself, apart from the massive screen, I don't see it doing anything my smartphone can't, and that's as much of a detriment as it is an improvement.