Impacts of iPad Attributes, Users' Lifestyles, and Media Dependency on the Adoption and Intensity of iPad Usage

The goal of this exploratory research is to identify attributes that can distinctly characterize iPads and examine the predictive power of iPad attributes, users’ lifestyles, and media dependency on iPad adoption as well as intensity of iPad use. Using a snowball sample, an online survey was conducted with 623 university students in Mainland China, among whom 217 were iPad users and 406 were non-users. Regression results show that application affordances was one of several important attributes influencing the likelihood of iPad adoption and usage patterns. Regarding lifestyles, strivers were found to have a higher likelihood of buying iPads; experiencers were more engaged and active when using iPads; innovators tended to use iPads for utilities, information-seeking, and interpersonal communication more often than other users. Furthermore, among iPad usage patterns, utilities and information-seeking were found the two most powerful predictors influencing intensity of iPad usage. Implications of the results are discussed.