We’re going to talk about some major shifts happening in technology. I went online to find out how many people are still using computers for most of their digital needs. I was surprised to learn that 96.3% of internet users now access the web using mobile phones, while only 61.5% use laptops or desktops.
Globally, about 80% of the population uses smartphones, and 27% use a smartphone exclusively, compared to just 14% who use only a PC. That’s both amazing and a little shocking—but it’s something I’ve been noticing more and more.
In the U.S., 91% of people now own a smartphone, up from just 35% in 2011. That wasn’t all that long ago. I remember it… sort of. I mean, I can’t do math in my head, but let’s just say it was a bunch of years ago—not thatmany, though.
Today, about one in four people have transitioned fully to smartphones, abandoning traditional computers altogether. I can speak for my own kids—who are all adults now—and I have five of them. Every single one uses their smartphone for everything. Sure, they all own computers, but they barely use them.
Take my youngest son—he’s 30—and he’s not even sure where his computer is. He thinks it’s in a drawer somewhere. My favorite ex-wife? Same story. She has a computer, but she doesn’t know where it is. Her iPhone handles it all.
Now let’s talk about computer printers.
Remember when everyone had one? I sure do. I loved my old Panasonic 24-pin dot matrix printer—thought it was the coolest thing ever. Then we all moved on to inkjets, laser printers, and even color laser printers (though I never made that jump).
About 100 million printers and scanners were shipped in 2023, with projections of 108 million by 2029—indicating only modest growth. The average cost per printer has barely changed: it was $100.50 in 2014 and $97.51 in 2022. I recently replaced my eight-year-old Canon printer with a new one I found on sale on Amazon for just $39.95.
Home printing spiked during COVID, but since then, it has dropped off significantly.
Which brings me to us—The Tampa Bay Technology Center.
What are we doing as technology continues to shift?
- We repair computers two days a week, and we have the best techs in the world.
- We used to offer lots of classes, but we don’t seem to do that much anymore.
- We have a podcast studio—but it’s not being used nearly enough (though that’s going to change soon!).
So here’s my question to you—as a member or someone on our mailing list (and there are about 1,200 of you):
What can the Tampa Bay Technology Center do to make your digital life better?
How can we serve you? What programs would you like us to offer? What do you need from us?
Please take a moment and email us. and share your thoughts. We really want to hear from you.
Membership is dropping—just like the use of traditional personal computers. But we want to be like smartphones when it comes to growth! We want to increase our membership and become more useful than ever.
Could you help? Maybe tell a few friends about us? But first—tell us how we can make the club better for you. We’ll do everything we can to deliver.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ve had a terrific day!